"I'll save you a cupcake," June promised, still smiling. "Now help us get everyone into the conference room." She craned her neck, looking toward the back offices. "Tom doesn't seem to be in his office."
"He's been out since we got back from Lacey's accident scene," Rad told them. "Said he had some business to take care of, and I haven't seen him since."
"Let me get started then," Holt said.
The next few minutes involved a careful choreography of casual conversation and strategic positioning. June and Rad worked together to gather the staff members who were on duty, using the promise of fresh pastries and important case updates to lure everyone into the conference room. Holt watched from the sidelines, noting how naturally his son and ex-wife fell into sync, their communication seamless despite having known each other for only a few days.
Once the conference room was full of chattering voices and the sounds of people enjoying Margo's baked goods, Holt slipped away toward the evidence lockup.
The door was locked, but that presented no real obstacle for someone with Holt's training. He disabled the security system with practiced efficiency, making mental notes about each stepof the process to determine just how easy it was to break into the supposedly secure room.
As he worked, Holt thought about his conversation with Rad that morning. His son had mentioned that the cameras in the evidence storage area had been malfunctioning for weeks. When Rad had asked Tom about getting them repaired, Tom had explained that the system kept shorting out the building's electrical grid, so they'd been shut off until a technician could come from Gainesville to fix the problem.
It was remarkably convenient that the security cameras would malfunction just when evidence started disappearing.
Holt examined the evidence check-in logs, confirming what Rad had already told him. Every item from Lacey's accident scene had been properly logged and secured in accordance with protocol. There was no record of anyone checking the evidence out, which meant whoever had taken it either had administrative access to alter the logs or had bypassed the system entirely.
He located the storage area where Rad had placed the decoy evidence and quickly installed a small, high-resolution camera in a position that would capture anyone accessing that section. The device was nearly invisible when properly positioned, and Holt used his phone to verify that the wireless connection was working correctly.
Moving quickly but carefully, he made his way back to the administrative offices. The hallway was empty, giving him the opportunity to install cameras outside both his temporary office and Rad's office. The devices were motion-activated and would record anyone entering or leaving the offices, providing a complete record of who had access to their investigation materials.
As he was finishing the installation outside Rad's office, footsteps in the hallway made him look up. Tom appeared around the corner, his expression puzzled as he took in the empty offices and quiet hallways.
"Where is everyone?" Tom asked, glancing around with a deep frown.
"In the conference room," Holt replied smoothly. "June and Rad are updating everyone on the Henderson farm fire investigation. Lacey wanted to know about any reports of displaced animals showing up in people's gardens, and June thought it would be good to ask if anyone has noticed strangers in town lately or someone who seems to turn up at every fire or crime scene."
"Good thinking," Tom said, nodding approvingly. "I should have organized something like this myself. I was planning to..."
"I know," Holt said, understanding Tom's position. The police chief was caught between wanting to be involved in the investigation and recognizing that his family connections might compromise his objectivity. “I realize how hard this must be for you, Tom.”
"Did you find out anything useful today?" Tom asked, his voice carefully neutral.
"You know I can't share details yet, Tom," Holt said apologetically. "Federal investigation protocols."
"Of course," Tom replied, nodding, though Holt could see the frustration and worry in his eyes. After a moment, Tom stepped closer, his expression becoming more serious.
"Holt," he said quietly, "if it turns out that Clive was the one who hit Lacey..." He swallowed hard before continuing. "Don'tgo easy on him because of who he is or his connection to my family. That's not what the Morrison family stands for. We've been upholding the law in this town for generations, and we've always held our own accountable when they deserved it." His jaw clenched with determination. "We live by the rule that no one is above the law, no matter their name or connections."
Holt felt his admiration for Tom deepen. He'd known the man since they were children, and Tom had always demonstrated integrity and fairness, even when it cost him personally. This willingness to potentially prosecute his own family member only reinforced Holt's respect for him.
"I understand," Holt said sincerely. "And I appreciate you saying that. I promise you will be the first to know as soon as I have anything concrete to tell you.
“Thank you, Holt," Tom said with a tight smile.
“Why don’t you go and check in on the conference?” Holt suggested. “June is holding your staff in there with cupcakes and donuts from Teacups.”
Tom's expression lightened slightly, and he gestured toward the conference room. "Well, if June lured everyone in there with cupcakes and donuts from Margo's, I suppose I should go hear this update." He laughed softly. "After all, I am the police chief."
"You should definitely get in there before they're all gone," Holt agreed, leaning in conspiratorially.
As Tom disappeared down the hallway, Holt felt a pang of guilt about what he was doing. Tom had been nothing but welcoming and cooperative throughout this investigation, and here Holt was installing surveillance equipment to spy on him. But themissing evidence and the pattern of incidents targeting key people in the investigation couldn't be ignored.
Holt looked toward Tom's office, considering his options. Installing a camera inside would cross a line he wasn't comfortable with, but placing one in the hallway to monitor who went in and out of Tom’s office seemed like a reasonable precaution.
He quickly installed the device in a position that would capture anyone approaching Tom's office door, then made his way back toward the conference room. As he approached, he could hear the animated discussion inside, with multiple voices talking over each other in the kind of enthusiastic speculation that happened when people felt they were contributing to something important.
Holt slipped back into the room and positioned himself near the back wall, watching as June and Rad managed the discussion with impressive skill. June would pose questions that encouraged people to share observations without revealing sensitive information about the investigation, while Rad provided just enough official context to make everyone feel their input was valuable.
