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16

TALLIE

“ D id they find the code thing or whatever it was they were looking for?”

“No, Mom. They didn’t.”

“I still don’t understand why anyone would think we’d have such a thing.”

“I don’t know either, but they do. And now, we’re stuck trying to figure out why.”

“Was it just me, or did you get the feeling that Holt and his friends thought Rooks was involved?”

“No, it wasn’t just you. I'm sure they thought it, and I thought it, too.”

“You can’t truly believe that your brother would know something and keep it from us.”

“Come on, Mom. You saw the way he was acting. He couldn’t have looked more guilty.”

“That’s your brother you’re talking about.”

“Yeah, he’s the same brother who lied straight to my face for years and never batted an eye.”

“That’s not fair.”

“It’s absolutely fair,” I argued. “We have men who have been following us. They broke into your house and rifled through Dad’s office, and they came looking for us at the hotel. He knows we are in danger, and he’s not doing a damn thing to help us figure out why.”

Mom couldn’t have sounded more patronizing when she said, “Well, I guess it’s good you have Holt to look after you.”

“Yes, it is. I’m also lucky that he’s looking after you and Ford, too, because no one else is.”

“So, what happens now?”

“I’m not sure. I’m going to finish getting dressed, and then, I’m going over to the police station to have a word with Detective Joyner.”

“Oh? Why are you doing that?”

“I’m going to see if he will let me into Dad’s office.”

“His office?” she gasped. “Why?”

“To see if I can find anything about that code.”

“Oh, I don’t like the sound of that, Tallie. It could be dangerous.”

“I’ll be fine. Besides, we don’t even know if he’ll let me in there.”

“I’m sure he will. He seems like a nice man.”

“I guess time will tell.” I glanced over at the clock, and when I saw the time, I told her, “I’ve gotta get going. We’re supposed to leave here in ten.”

“Okay. Just please be careful and call me when you get back.”

“I will. And Mom, don’t say anything to Rooks about all this. I think it’s better that he doesn’t know.”

“Okay. I won’t say anything.”

“Thanks. I’ll call you later.”

I hung up the phone and tossed it back in my purse, then walked over to the mirror and gave myself a quick once over. I ran the palm of my hands down the front of my blouse, trying to smooth the wrinkles, then tugged at the hem like it would somehow make me feel less out of place in it. I didn’t know why I was so nervous, but my stomach was in knots.

I let out a slow breath and reached for my earrings, and my hands trembled just enough to make putting them on harder than they should’ve been. I was still fumbling with the clasp when I saw Holt’s reflection in the mirror.

He was leaning against the doorway, watching me with a soft smile. "You look beautiful.”

“Thanks,” I scoffed. "I feel like I’m going to throw up."

“Hey, now.” He pushed off the doorframe and came to stand behind me, resting his hands on my hips. “You don’t have to do this. We can find another way.”

“Yes, I do.”

“No, you don’t.” His touch was grounding, solid, but it didn’t stop the nerves from twisting inside me. "If this doesn’t feel right, Tallie, we’ll figure out another way."

“It’s fine. I’m fine. I’m just a little nervous.” I swallowed hard, meeting his gaze in the mirror. "It would just help if I knew what I was looking for.”

Holt didn’t answer right away. It made me wonder if he even knew what we were searching for. After a couple of seconds, he turned me toward him, and his hands slid down to mine. He held on tight as he said, “It’s hard to tell. Just start off with the small stuff. Look around and see if anything feels off. Paperwork, notes, anything that doesn’t make sense. And if you don’t find anything, then at least you tried."

“Okay.”

I bit my lip and nodded. He made it sound so simple. Like I wasn’t about to step into my father’s office—into his world—and dig through all his secrets. “It’s going to be okay. Just don’t take any unnecessary chances. Get in and get out.”

"Okay," I whispered. “No unnecessary chances.”

“Good.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small flash drive. “Now, with that in mind, I need you to try and get this plugged into your father’s desktop computer.”

“Okay, but where am I supposed to plug it in?”

“On the hard drive tower. There should be a couple of places to slip it in. Just choose one and go.”

“What if it’s the wrong one?”

“It won’t be.”

I nodded, and he leaned in and pressed a kiss to my forehead, lingering there for a moment before pulling back. "We better get going.”

“What about Ford?”

“Ghost is bringing Whit and Toby by. Figured he’d enjoy hanging out with them.”

“That was very thoughtful of you.”

“What can I say?” A sexy smirk crossed his handsome face. “I’m a thoughtful guy.”

“Yeah, and kind of handsome, too.”

“Kind of?”

His brows furrowed like he was wounded, and I couldn’t help but laugh. “Okay, okay. You’re hot. Smoking hot. Like set the ground on fire kind of hot.”

“That’s what I’m talking about.”

“You’re crazy.”

“Crazy about you.” He leaned in and kissed me once more. “You ready to hit it?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

I grabbed my purse, and after we said our goodbyes to Ford and Duggar, Holt followed me outside. When we got out to my car, he opened my door and said, “I’ll be right behind ya.”

“Okay.”

“Just play it cool, and everything should go as planned. I have guys at the station and at his office. We’ll be watching you every step of the way.”

“I’ve got it. Go to the office and come straight back here. You can stop worrying.”

“It’s my job to worry.” He gave me a wink, then said, “Now, get in and buckle up.”

I did as he said, and in a blink, we were headed to the police station.

When I got there, I looked all around, but I saw no sign of Holt or any of his brothers. I had no idea where he was, but I knew he was there, watching every move I made. I could feel the weight of Holt’s stare on my skin. It was a silent promise that he wouldn’t let anything happen to me.

And even though I couldn’t see them, I knew his brothers were out there too. They were lurking in the background, ready to step in if things didn’t go as planned. It should’ve made me more nervous, but somehow, knowing they were close made it easier to keep walking.

I thought back to my father, and I couldn’t help but wonder if I ever knew him at all. Clearly, he wasn’t the stand-up, righteous man I’d always thought he was. Instead, he was involved in shady deals that ended up getting him killed. And not only that, he’d put his entire family in harm’s way. It made me so angry with him—almost blindingly so.

It was that anger that gave me the courage to walk straight up to the front counter and announce, “I’m Tallie Warren. I would like to speak with Detective Joyner.”

“Can you tell me what this is in reference to?”

“He’s investigating my father’s murder.”

“Oh, yeah. That’s right.” The officer picked up the phone and dialed Joyner’s extension. As soon as he picked up, the officer told him, “You have a Tallie Warren here to see you.”

There was a brief pause, and then, he said, “Sure thing. I’ll send her on back.”

He motioned me through the side entrance, then led me down the hall to Detective Joyner’s office. When I walked in, he was sitting at his desk, flipping through files, and he didn’t seem pleased to be interrupted. “Good morning, Ms. Warren. I’ve been meaning to reach out and give you an update on things, but unfortunately, there have been none to give.”

“I didn’t figure there had, but that’s not why I’ve come. I mean, it is, but I need your help with something else.”

“Oh? And what’s that?”

“I need to get into Dad’s office.” A suspicious look crossed his face, so I quickly added, “I need to get my son registered for school, and I can’t do that without his birth certificate and shot records. They’re in Dad’s safe or possibly his desk. I’m not sure where, but I know they’re there.”

“I’m afraid that’s not possible.” He gave me a look that was meant to be understanding but came off as patronizing. “Your father’s office is part of an active crime scene, and everything in it is considered evidence.”

“I understand that, but these are important documents that I can’t just replace overnight.” Knowing what I’d said was true, he grimaced, so I gave him a little push. “I’m only asking for a few minutes.”

“I’m sorry, but it’s just not possible.”

“Come on, Detective.” The words tumbled out sharper than I intended, but I couldn’t stop them. “This investigation has been going on for a while now, and you have nothing. You’re no closer to finding out who killed my father than you were when he was first murdered. I haven’t pushed or complained. I know you are doing what you can, but we both know my son’s documents have nothing to do with my father or what happened to him.”

“Sometimes it’s the things we least expect that end up being critical to an investigation.”

“Detective Joyner, please.” I tried to keep my voice calm as I pleaded, “I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important. Ford is already a week or more behind. I can’t afford to wait for you to finish your investigation.”

Joyner sighed, setting his pen down and folding his hands on the desk. “How long do you think it would take for you to get everything you need?”

“Twenty minutes. Maybe less.”

“I’ll have to look through everything you plan to take.”

“That’s fine. I have nothing that I would want to hide.”

“My day is packed solid, so if we’re going to do this, we’re going to need to do it now.”

“Okay. That’s great.”

Before he had a chance to change his mind, I stood and waited for him to do the same. He let out an annoyed breath, then closed his files and grabbed his weapon from his drawer. He slipped it into its holster before standing and starting for the door.

“Okay. Let’s get this done.”

“Should I ride with you or…”

“I’ll follow you over.”

“Okay. Sounds good.”

The detective’s heavy footsteps echoed against the floor as he led me through the station and out to the parking lot. After I showed him where I was parked, he followed me across town to my father’s office. We quickly parked and started for the front door. It was only a ten-minute drive, but I could tell by his tense expression that he was already growing impatient.

I expected the place to be covered up with detectives and Dad’s old employees, but there were just a couple of security guards and a stray worker or two. Nothing like there normally was, and even though I found it odd, I didn’t question it. I just kept my expression neutral, and my hands clasped in front of me like I was nothing more than a daughter tying up loose ends.

That’s what I wanted him to believe—that I was there for something simple. But with every step I took, I could feel my facade starting to crumble.

Detective Joyner pulled back the yellow tape covering my father’s door, then opened the door and gestured for me to step inside. "Just try to be quick and don’t move anything.”

“It’s going to be hard to look for the files without moving anything.”

“Yeah, just go easy at it.”

“Okay.”

I gave him a tight smile before stepping inside. The room was filled with the familiar scent of my father’s cologne mixed with the faint scent of leather. Everything was exactly how I remembered—even the blood stain on the floor where he’d died.

I was staring at it when Joyner said, “Hey, ah… sorry about that. We can’t let the cleaning crew do their thing until…”

“It’s okay. I understand.”

“Heard you decided to just go with a memorial.”

“Just thought it would be easier.”

“Was it?”

“Not really.” I shrugged. “But we got through it, and once he’s cremated, we can do something special with the remains.”

“Sounds like you have it all figured out.”

“I wish,” I scoffed. “Right now, I feel like I’m scrambling.”

“Well, I won’t hold you up. Go on and see if you can find what you need.”

“Thanks.”

I moved to his desk first, opening drawers and rifling through all the neatly stacked files and documents. On the surface, it was exactly what I should’ve expected—paperwork, case notes, and a few scattered receipts. But nothing that resembled a code.

Knowing Joyner was watching me, I grabbed a file labeled "Vital Records" and flipped it open. It should’ve been there, but strangely enough, the file was empty. In fact, several of the files were empty.

I turned to the bookshelf and scanned the rows of legal texts and binders, searching for anything that might be considered suspicious. Unfortunately, I didn’t find anything.

“Damn,” I muttered under my breath.

I glanced over at Detective Joyner, and he was leaning against the doorway, toying with his phone. He wasn’t paying me much mind, so I used the opportunity to step over to my father’s desktop.

I reached into my back pocket and pulled out the small drive Holt had given me. I did like he’d told me and slipped it into the USB hub. I didn’t want to take a chance on Joyner seeing me, so I quickly stepped away from the desk.

That’s when I spotted the safe.

It was my last hope.

I dropped to my knees and quickly entered the combination. Strangely enough, it was my birthday. One might think it was my father’s way of saying that I was important to him, but I knew better. There was only one person who was important to him, and that was him.

The lock clicked open, and I pulled the door wide.

I expected to find what I was looking for, but all that was inside were a few stacks of cash, his gun, and a folder filled with legal documents.

No laptop.

No hidden ledgers.

No codes.

Nothing.

I clenched my jaw as I closed the safe. If he was hiding something—and I knew he was—it wasn’t there. I rose to my feet and quickly stepped away from the desk before announcing, “They’re not here.”

Joyner was still looking down at his phone when he muttered, “That’s too bad.”

Holt had made it very clear that I was only supposed to check the office and then head back to his place. I had every intention of doing exactly what he wanted me to, but I was so close. I could feel it, and Detective Joyner was already here. It would only take us a few minutes to check the house, so I gave him a pleading look as I said, “Maybe they’re over at the house.”

“Look, this has already taken longer than…”

“Please. They’re really important, and if they aren’t here, then they have to be at the house.” I replied with a grimace. “It won’t take me long to check. I’ll be in and out in no time.”

He studied me for a long moment before sighing, "I have a feeling I’m gonna regret this.”

“You won’t. I promise.”

I gave him a smile, but inside, my stomach churned.

I knew my chances of finding that code were growing slim. But I wasn’t giving up. Detective Joyner closed the office door and secured the yellow tape before leading me out of the building. I glanced around the parking lot, searching for any sign of Holt, but like before, I saw no sign of him or the brothers. When I got to my car, I pulled out my phone and was about to call him when I decided against it.

I knew what he would say.

He’d tell me to forget it and to go back to his house, and I could’ve done that. But I just couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something I needed to find—something I needed to see with my own eyes. I had no idea what that was, but I had to find out. So, I tossed my phone back into my purse and started the car.

I shook off my unease, and with Detective Joyner following close behind, I pulled out of the parking lot and sped over to my parents’ house. Normally, I wouldn’t have gone so fast, especially with an officer tailing me, but I knew time wasn’t on my side. I needed to get to the house, search the office, and get back to Holt’s before he realized what I’d done.

My phone rang, and when I saw that it was Holt, I declined the call—twice. I also ignored his text. I was already at the house and didn’t plan on being there long. I hopped out of the car, and Detective Joyner and I rushed up to the front steps.

“I’ll be quick.”

“You’ll have to be. I’ve got a meeting in ten.”

He removed the yellow tape that blocked off the front porch, then we continued up to the door. He pulled out the key, unlocked the door, and pushed it open. He stepped aside and let me enter first. He closed the door behind us, then said, “You go ahead. I have to take a call.”

I gave him a nod and watched as he stepped out, already answering his cell. The moment he was gone, I exhaled and turned my attention to the office.

It was still a mess from the break-in. All his files and papers were still sprawled out on the floor.

I started there. I scooped them up and flipped through each one of them before stacking them on the table. It was just listing after listing. Nothing that seemed out of the norm. I moved to the desk and started skimming through the remaining files.

When I didn’t find anything there, I went over to the bookshelf. I was looking through all the different books when I spotted a small brown box. I picked it up and opened it. Inside, I found several letters bound together. There was something familiar about the handwriting that made me give them a closer look.

That’s when I noticed that they were addressed to me.

They were letters from Holt—letters that my father had stolen and hidden from me. I wanted to stop and read each one of them, but I needed to hurry. I looked for a place to hide them, in a pocket or even inside my shirt, but there was no way Detective Joyner wouldn’t see them.

Before I had a chance to think it through, I walked over and opened his office window. I leaned out and dropped the bundle of letters behind the bushes. I rushed back to continue my search at the bookshelf, and it wasn’t long before I spotted a thick ledger tucked away with some old law books. I reached for it and had just flipped it open, and I knew right away it was important.

I rushed back over to the window and let it fall behind the bushes with the letters. I was just about to close the window when gunshots rang out.

Two of them, in quick succession.

The sound sent ice through my veins. My throat went dry, and every instinct screamed at me to run, but my legs wouldn’t move. I was frozen, trapped in my dad’s office with no idea what was going on.

My hands were shaking as I eased the office door open and stepped into the hallway. I was terrified, but I forced myself forward, gripping the edge of the doorframe as I peered into the living room.

My stomach dropped when I saw Detective Joyner sprawled on the floor. His phone was still clutched in his hand, and blood was pooling beneath him. I was about to dart back into the office when I saw him—a man dressed in all black standing across the room, and he had his gun pointed directly at my head.

Damn.

I’d really done it now.