“You were getting a warrant on the files at New Beginnings,” Zeller continued a moment later. “Lily’s stonewalling that, and it could be because she’s got plenty to hide.”
Jack could feel himself scowling. “How did you know about the warrant request?” he asked Zeller.
But Jack immediately waved that off. If Zeller had heard about the computer tracker being linked back to them, then he could have easily heard about the warrant. In fact, he would have taken that as some possible light at the end of a very dark tunnel if they could use that warrant to find anything to incriminate Lily.
Since Zeller had brought it up, Jack took out his phone and texted Teagan to get an update on the warrant. His partner answered right away.
Lily’s lawyers are trying to block the warrant, Teagan messaged. They’re claiming some of the files have medical info protected under the law. It might take a while to get it all sorted out.
Hell. They didn’t have a while. A delay like this could give Lily a chance to destroy any evidence that might be in those files. Jack consoled himself, though, with the thought that a smart person would have already made sure there was nothing incriminating to find.
“Just let the investigation of your computer play out,” Jack told Zeller. “If someone planted the tracer to frame you, that will come to light.”
He hoped. While Jack still considered Zeller a suspect, he wanted to get to the truth of what was going on.
Zeller’s gaze slashed between Caroline and Jack for several moments before the man cursed and walked away. He didn’t storm out this time, and there was a weariness to his posture as he exited the building. Of course, Jack was cynical enough to think that anything Zeller did right now could be fake. Part of the facade to make them believe he was innocent.
Caroline stepped to Jack’s side and watched until Zeller was out of sight. “Do you think his computer skills are good enough to pull off planting a tracker on multiple websites?”
Jack had to shake his head. “I’m not sure.”
But it was something he could find out. If he could have gone into his office, he would have been able to talk to his fellow marshals, but no way was he going to leave Caroline. Or take her into what she’d consider a lion’s den, since she didn’t have a whole lot of trust for lawmen. That meant he’d just have to rely on getting that info from Teagan.
On a heavy sigh, Caroline moved back to the table where she’d been working, but she stopped when Jack’s phone rang again. Scotty’s name was on the screen. Jack hadn’t expected the hacker to actually return Caroline’s call, but he was glad Scotty had. He handed his phone to Caroline again so she could answer.
“Scotty,” she said after she put the call on speaker, but that was all she managed to get out before the man interrupted her.
“I’m in trouble, Caroline.” Scotty’s words were rushed together, and he sounded scared out of his mind. “You’ve got to help me. God, Caroline, I think someone’s trying to kill me.”
Chapter Twelve
Caroline felt the punch of dread go through her. No. Not another attack.
“Where are you?” she managed to ask Scotty. “What’s wrong?”
“Someone broke into my house,” he blurted out. “I ran out back, but I don’t like the timing because the break-in came shortly after you left me that message. Did you set someone on me?”
“No. Of course not.” And Caroline hated that he felt she would have done something like that. “Where are you?” she repeated. “Who broke into your house?”
“I don’t know who it was. Some guy dressed all in black and wearing a ski mask. I was in my home office when I saw the person on my security cam. Then I spotted the gun he was carrying, and I got out, jumped in my car and drove off. But I think the person is following me.”
Definitely not good, and it caused Caroline’s heart to pound even harder. Mercy, was it possible that someone had indeed used her to get to Scotty? She’d checked for trackers on the websites she’d used, but it was possible one of her contacts had said the wrong thing to the wrong person.
“Scotty?” Jack said. “I’m Marshal Jack Slater. I need you to tell me where you are so I can call someone to help you.” He paused, maybe to give Scotty time to react to that, but the only thing Caroline could hear was Scotty mumbling. Or maybe he was praying.
“No cops,” Scotty insisted. That came through loud and clear.
Caroline wasn’t surprised by that. A lot of hackers, even those who were clean, didn’t like the law. Plus, she had her own distrust of cops right now. Not just because of Eric’s conversation but also because of Zeller possibly being linked to the attack.
Maybe even linked to this.
Sweet heaven. Was it possible that Zeller had used Scotty to plant that tracker on those sites and had now sent someone to eliminate him? Zeller couldn’t be doing it himself because there wouldn’t have been nearly enough time for him to get to Scotty in San Antonio.
“It’s all over the news that someone tried to kill you, that it happened in Longview Ridge,” Scotty went on. “Is that where you are now?”
Caroline certainly didn’t jump to answer that. Neither did Jack. And there was a reason for that. It was possible that Scotty wasn’t alone, that their would-be killer was in the vehicle with him. Then again, Zeller, Kingston and Lily all knew where she was, so it didn’t make the risk any greater to reveal her location to Scotty.
“I’m at the sheriff’s office here in Longview Ridge,” she finally told him.
