“Maybe,” Sheriff Sutherland muttered. “I can’t imagine any of the staff at Refuge Cove doing that. Safety is their first priority.”
“But no one knew I was there except the people at Refuge Cove.”
CHAPTER 37
Hadley staredat the small object in Naomi’s hand, her pulse picking up as the thought settled in.
She turned it over once more, her brow furrowing as she studied it.
“Let me see.” Caleb’s voice came from behind them.
Hadley turned as he stepped into the kitchen, his expression already shifting from relaxed to focused as Naomi handed the object over. He examined it, his thumb brushing over the surface.
“I think you’re right,” Caleb said. “It’s a listening device.”
A chill slid down Hadley’s spine.
Caleb set the device on the counter and began pacing through the house, checking corners, shelves, the underside of furniture—places no one would think to look unless they knew what they were searching for.
Hadley stayed where she was, her arms wrapping loosely around herself as Naomi shifted Baby Grace in her arms. The nauseous feeling roiled stronger in her gut, and her head continued to swim.
This was the worst time she could get sick. Not now.
A few minutes later, Caleb returned and set three more small devices on the counter beside the first. Before anyone said anything, he put a finger over his lips. Then he put the devices in a bag—probably to preserve any evidence—and took them into the garage.
When he returned, Naomi asked, “Four?”
“Placed to cover all the main areas of the house,” Caleb said, his expression grim. “If someone wanted to know anything important we were talking about, they could have found out through those devices.”
“How high tech are they?” Naomi asked.
“I’m no expert in these things, but they don’t seem very sophisticated,” Caleb said. “In fact, I’m pretty sure someone could have bought these on the internet.”
Hadley’s stomach turned, the earlier unease deepening into something colder. “But how would anyone even get inside the house long enough to plant them?”
Naomi shook her head. “I don’t know. We have a few guests staying with us, but I can’t imagine they’d do that. The only one I can think of who might is?—”
“Lyndee,” Hadley said, the name landing heavier than she expected.
Naomi frowned. “No, I don’t think?—”
“She was here,” Hadley said, even as doubt crept in. “She had access. Someone wanted to hear what we were saying.”
Naomi’s expression tightened. “If Lyndee was involved, why would she run? You’d think she’d want to stay so she could do more—listen more, sabotage more.”
“If not Lyndee, who else would have left these?” Hadley’s thoughts shifted, pulling in a different direction.
Max. His time in prison. His secrets.
The words from the email flashed in her mind.
Could he be responsible?
In her heart, she knew he wasn’t. But maybe she was biased. Maybe she couldn’t see what was right in front of her.
Like with Ethan.
Certainly her cousins had done a background check on him before keeping him employed here. They wouldn’t want an ex-con working at a shelter . . . right? Especially not a violent one.
