“You are an idiot, Hope Lawrence. What’s more, you’re a coward.” He deserved more from her, especially as he’d stood beside her when she’d told him she was pregnant.
“Hope, Sheriff Hawker wants to speak with you.”
Hope rose from the garden bench she was sitting on when her mother called her.
“Coming,” she added, as worry settled in the pit of her stomach. Cubby coming here, had to be linked to what was happening to Wildlife. Hope wondered what had happened now, and knew whatever it was, Casey was pinning it on her.
“Hey” was all Hope could manage when she looked at one of Newman’s closest friends. They must all be seriously pissed with her for the way she’d treated him.
“I’m sorry, Hope. I know this is a hard time for you, but someone broke into the Wildlife house again last night, and stole money, destroyed all their equipment, and took the laptops. Most of their work is gone, and one of their team, Layla Miller, heard a noise and went to investigate. Someone was in there, face covered. They pointed a shotgun at her. She tried to run, but whoever it was knocked her to the ground.”
“Dear God, poor Layla!” Hope had drunk coffee and gone on shoots with her.
“She’s doing okay, just has a really sore head.”
Hope nodded, not sure what else to say.
“The thing is, Hope, Casey Rae Linear is screaming your name loudly again to anyone who will listen. So I’m here to question you, and take another look around.”
“B-but I didn’t do it.”
“Where were you last night?”
“H-here, in bed. I went there early… about eight.”
Cubby looked unhappy, and Hope braced herself for what came next.
“I’ll just need to take a look around now. If you’ll stand to one side, Ms. Lawrence, Hope.”
“My daughter did not do this, Sheriff Hawker. I was here with her all night.”
“You weren’t, however, in her bed with her, Ms. Lawrence, so you can’t verify her movements the entire time.”
“My daughter is not a criminal!”
Cubby heaved out a breath. “It’s that Casey Rae Linear that’s causing all the trouble, and that limp dick Jay Herald. Pardon me, Ms. Lawrence,” Cubby said. “But I have to act on their accusations, because at this time, Hope is the only suspect, with motive, that I have.”
“I happen to agree with you in this instance, Sheriff, about that limp dick, but I would have chosen stronger wording.”
Cubby looked shocked, but rallied. No one in town was used to Millicent Lawrence agreeing with anyone.
“It’s all right, Mom. Let Cubby do his job.” Hope took her arm and moved aside. The Lawrence women then stood beside the door, while he searched the house. It took him an hour, even though the house wasn’t big.
“Nothing here, as I knew there wouldn’t be. I’ll just look around outside now.”
Hope and her mother trailed behind Cubby as he walked. She watched as he opened her mother’s wood box. He reached in and came out with her backpack.
“That’s mine,” she said, moving closer. “But I haven’t seen it for months, since I left Wildlife.”
Cubby shot her a look before opening it. Hope peered inside, and saw the cameras.
“I-I didn’t do it, Cubby. You have to believe me.” Hope staggered back a few steps.
“Well shit, Hope, I know that. This is a set-up, pure and simple, but you have to see that I’m going to need you to accompany me to the Lair.”
She started to shiver, even though the sun was high in the sky and the day warm. Her mother stepped to her side, and wrapped an arm around her waist.
“I won’t let them hurt you, Hope. You have to trust me now,” Cubby said.
