Page 89 of The Last Morgan

Her uncle’s face turned a deep shade of red.

“I'll decide what's best for my family!” he barked, standing up so fast his chair toppled over. His wife scrambled to her feet too, glancing nervously between him and Lucy. They stormed out, leaving only Sarah, who lingered like a cat sizing up prey.

Lucy rolled her eyes internally.

“What's the plan for today?” she asked, lowering her voice so Sarah couldn’t easily overhear.

Corey leaned in. “Max gave us a few locations to check for Jimmy. We’ll be driving out there most of the day, followingup the leads he gave. I think it’s best if you and Barnaby stay focused on the necklace and anything else tech-related.”

Lucy nodded thoughtfully. “Agreed. We’ll divide and conquer.”

Corey smirked. “I’ll take Damien. You can have your Byron,” he teased, raising an eyebrow.

Lucy chuckled. Byron wasn’t just ‘hers’ … was he?

“Solid plan,” she said briskly, brushing the thought away before it could settle.

Barnaby fussed around the equipment, securing a hard-case against the back seat. Byron leaned against the car casually, chewing on a toothpick, eyes tracking every move around them with the laziness of a lion about to pounce.

Lucy stepped toward him.

“You ready?” she asked.

Byron gave a slow smile that made her heart do weird, dangerous things.

“Always.”

Barnaby shut the trunk and looked over. “Seriously, Luc? You’re letting him drive?”

Lucy laughed. “I like living on the edge.”

Barnaby groaned dramatically and climbed into the backseat.

This, Lucy thought, this was her life now.

Hunting ghosts. Chasing family secrets. Fighting side by side with the only people who had ever truly had her back.

She buckled her seatbelt and gave a single command:

“Let’s go find some clues”

Byron revved the engine and shot them out of the driveway, tires screaming against the pavement as they sped off.

“First stop: Morgan’s Haven Bakery. Your mom use to run it before she passed away,” Barnaby said, practically singing the words. “If I’m right — and let’s be honest, I always am — there should be something there tied to the chain’s secret."

Lucy turned to look out the window, her fingers unconsciously brushing the necklace hidden under her shirt. Mom, Dad... what did you leave for me?

The drive was short — maybe twenty minutes — but it felt like an hour. Byron sat silently beside her, his hand occasionally brushing hers on the seat between them. It was infuriating how much comfort that tiny touch gave her.

When they arrived at the old bakery, it looked like time had frozen. The outside was dusty, the "For Sale" sign hanging slightly crooked. Lucy’s heart clenched. I remember standing here, holding a chocolate chip muffin almost as big as my head, she thought.

"Ready?" Byron asked, his voice low.

She nodded. "Let’s find what they left behind."

The bakery door creaked open, the smell of cinnamon and old sugar greeting them like a memory long forgotten. Lucy paused at the threshold, closing her eyes briefly. She could almost hear her mother’s laughter behind the counter, feel her father’s strong hand resting lightly on her shoulder.

Barnaby, oblivious to the heavy emotions flooding the space, was already scanning with his custom device, the little machine beeping erratically as he pointed it around the bakery.