She leaned close, their shoulders pressing together as she studied the records. Each application corresponded with a construction milestone for the nature center, and each had been mysteriously approved despite clear environmental concerns.
“The final inspection is scheduled for tomorrow morning,” Henry continued, pointing to a recently submitted request that would permanently alter the wildlife corridor protections. “The variance hearing is the day after.”
Ivy quickly calculated the implications. “If something catastrophic happened to the center tonight, the inspection would fail, and this variance would likely be approved in the confusion.”
“The week before the grand opening,” Henry confirmed, his bear rumbling with protective anger. “When everyone’s focus is on final preparations rather than security.”
Determination flashed in Ivy’s eyes as she carefully copied the document. “Then that’s when we’ll be waiting for him.”
Chapter
Twenty
Ivy crouchedbehind the restored eagle display in the exhibition hall, her body pressed against the cool metal base. The north-facing windows offered a clear view of both the main entrance and the access road that disappeared into the darkness beyond the parking lot. Moonlight spilled across the polished floor, transforming the nature center into a cathedral of shadows and silver light.
Tonight, on the eve of the final inspection, she knew Porter would attempt to destroy everything she’d worked for. She’d mapped it all out, yet her heart still struggled to accept that someone would deliberately undermine her dream. It felt like shards of glass in her chest.
Above her, Henry maintained his position on the observation deck. She couldn’t see him from her vantage point, but she felt his presence like a warm current. She drew comfort from knowing he could monitor the entire compound while keeping her in sight. The mate bond hummed between them.
A faint mechanical whine pierced the silence. It was so soft that human ears might have missed it entirely. Ivy’s bear stirredbeneath her skin, every sense sharpening. The sound came from the wildlife observation area, where floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the valley.
She pressed herself lower behind the display, her enhanced hearing tracking the source. The high-pitched whine started and stopped at irregular intervals, accompanied by the barely audible sound of metal meeting glass. A drill.
From above, she caught Henry’s hand signal—he’d heard it too. His position on the observation deck gave him a better vantage point. Through subtle gestures, he indicated movement near the loading dock.
They converged on the wildlife observation area simultaneously, their shared purpose requiring no words. The drilling sound stopped, but her enhanced sense of smell caught the sharp tang of heated metal and glass dust on the air.
A figure emerged from behind one of the support pillars, tools in hand. Moonlight streaming through the skylights illuminated his face, and Ivy’s heart plummeted.
Vance.
“Ronald?” Her voice carried more sorrow than accusation. “What are you doing here so late?”
He spun around, nearly dropping the cordless drill. “Dr. Bright! I… I got a call about stress fractures in the glass. Came to check the wildlife observation panels before tomorrow’s inspection.”
“At midnight?” Henry’s voice emerged from the shadows as he stepped closer. “With a drill?”
“These panels are critical for public safety,” Vance said, gesturing toward the floor-to-ceiling windows. “If there’s any weakness...”
Ivy stepped closer, her enhanced vision adjusting to the moonlight. That’s when she saw them—tiny, precisely drilled holes at the corners of each massive glass panel. Nearly invisible to the human eye.
“Ronald,” she said, her heart sinking. “Those aren’t natural fractures. You’ve been drilling into the glass.”
For a moment, his shoulders tensed, and she saw something flicker in his eyes—regret? Then his mask slipped back into place. “What? No, these are…” He moved as if to examine the holes more closely. “My God, you’re right. Someone’s been here before me.” His voice carried practiced shock. “We need to document this immediately.”
“Stop,” she hissed. “You are literally holding a drill. I can smell the glass dust on your clothes. We heard you drilling, Ronald. Just now.”
Vance froze, his hand tightening on the tool. “You’re upset, not thinking clearly. The stress of tomorrow’s inspection…”
“Stress patterns radiate outward from the holes,” Henry interrupted.
For a long moment, Vance said nothing. Then his shoulders sagged slightly. “Look, I know how this appears, but there’s an explanation. These windows… they’ve been showing micro-fractures for weeks. I didn’t want to worry you before the inspection.”
“So, you decided to drill holes in them?” Ivy asked.
“No… no. I was testing the integrity around the existing damage. Standard procedure.” He gestured at the panels. “These specialty windows, they’re experimental. Sometimes they develop flaws that aren’t visible to the naked eye.”
“Then why not document it properly?” Henry pressed. “Why sneak in at night?”
