“Hey,” Gus said, coming up beside him. “Everything okay?”
“You notice anything strange this morning?”
Gus shrugged. “The guys are on edge probably because you’re watching them like a hawk.”
Finn showed him the photo. “Still warm. Someone was here.”
“Damn.” Gus rubbed his neck. “I don’t like it.”
“Me neither,” Finn said. “Any thoughts?”
“Honestly? I think someone is trying to scare her off. This isn’t random. Why is the question.”
Before Finn could respond, Caleb jogged up. “Heard a rumor,” he said quietly. “One of the delivery guys said there’s talk going around. Someone’s asking questions. About the permits. About Lainey.”
Finn’s jaw tightened. “Who?”
Caleb shook his head. “The guy didn’t know. Just rumors floating around.”
Finn exhaled slowly. The cigarette. The scratch mark. The notes. The timing.
Okay then. This had nothing to do with teenagers acting stupid. This was deliberate.
And everything to do with someone who was after this project. But why? And how far were they willing to go?
They all turnedwhen Lainey’s SUV turned the corner and parked in front of the project. She stepped out, coffee in one hand, clipboard in the other.
She spotted them immediately and hesitated for a moment before she squared her shoulders and walked toward them.
And damn if he didn’t feel it in his chest. How determined she was, how strong.
“Morning,” she said as her eyes flicked from Gus to Caleb, then landed on Finn. “What’s going on?”
Finn didn’t answer right away. Today her auburn hair was pulled up in a ponytail, and she had on a striped navy-blue top over skinny pants and flats. He looked at a woman but could only see the girl he fell in love with.
He had to get those thoughts out of his mind. Lainey had a son. He didn’t know where the father was or if she even had a man in her life. Ogling her wasn’t helping. She was out of bounds.
Lainey was trying hard not to look rattled. Or worried.
She was failing.
Finn was trying to decide how much to tell her when Caleb apparently decided subtlety was overrated and mentioned what he’d heard.
Lainey blinked. “What kind of questions?”
“Don’t know yet,” Finn said, shooting Caleb a look. “We’re looking at all the angles.”
Her grip tightened on the clipboard. “Great,” she muttered. “As if things weren’t stressful enough.”
And there it was again. That flash of something in her eyes she tried to bury. Not just worry.
Fear.
She masked it quickly, giving them an “I’m fine” smile.
Gus cleared his throat. “We’ve got it covered, Lainey.”
“Thanks … I think,” she replied. “Well, I’ve got work to do. Let me know what you find out.”
