And Nora was still in danger.
Chapter 10
Carson made it back to the Grandview in forty-five minutes, his mind racing the entire drive.
Dan Morrison. The coworker Nora had mentioned. The one who’d made that comment about her not smiling at him anymore. Carson had noted it, filed it away, but hadn’t pursued it because Eugene had been the obvious threat.
But what if they’d both been threats all along? What if Eugene and Dan had been coordinating, working together, planning this?
The patrol unit Holloway had sent was already positioned outside Nora’s door—Officer Euton, someone Carson trusted. That eased some of the tension in his chest.
“Anything?” Carson asked.
“Quiet. She hasn’t left the room.” Euton gestured to the door. “You want me tostay?”
“Yeah. No one gets past this door except me. Understood?”
“Yes, sir.”
Carson knocked softly. “Nora? It’s me.”
The locks disengaged immediately. The door opened, and Nora stood there looking small and scared and utterly relieved to see him.
“You’re back,” she said.
“I said two hours.” Carson stepped inside, and she locked the door behind him. “But we need to talk. There’s been a development.”
He saw the fear flash across her face. “What kind of development?”
“Sit down.”
She moved to the edge of the bed, wrapping her arms around herself. Carson pulled the desk chair over and sat facing her, close enough to touch but giving her space.
“We found phone records connecting Eugene to someone else,” Carson said carefully. “Someone at your work. Dan Morrison.”
Nora’s face went pale. “Dan? But he’s...he’s just a coworker. He’s quiet. Awkward. He wouldn’t—”
“When did he start acting strange around you?”
“A few weeks ago. Maybe a month?” She was thinking, trying to remember. “He made that comment about me not smiling at him anymore. And sometimes I’d catch him staring at me across the office. But I thought he was just socially awkward. I didn’tthink—”
“What else? Any other interactions?”
Nora pressed her hands to her face, breathing hard. “Oh God. The Morrison audit. The file I was working on that kept getting changed. Dan Morrison. Same last name. I thought it was a coincidence.”
“It’s not.” Carson kept his voice steady, authoritative. “We think Dan and Eugene were working together. We don’t know the connection yet, but—”
“The embezzlement.” Nora looked up, her eyes wide. “Eugene’s father was Robert Whitmore. He was caught stealing from clients at Morrison & Associates. Dan Morrison. What if they’re related? What if Dan is connected to the company somehow?”
Carson pulled out his phone, already texting Finn. “That’s a good theory. Finn’s running a deep background on Dan right now. But, Nora, there’s more. Dan didn’t show up for work today. When we sent officers to his apartment, he was gone. Packed up and left.”
“He ran.”
“Or he’s planning something.” Carson leaned forward. “I need you to think. Has Dan ever been to your apartment? Does he know where you live?”
“I don’t think so. We weren’t friends. I barely knew him outside of work.” She paused. “But he would have known my address from HR files. He works in accounting. He’d have access to employee records.”
“What about here? Does anyone at your work know you’re staying at this hotel?”
