Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80957 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80957 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
“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 façade 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.