Russ offered one of his rare smiles. “A good question. What if Verna’s not our embezzler and while they tried to steal files, they also planted files to make her look guilty?”
“That makes much more sense,” Ryan said.
“So Loomis could be the embezzler.”
“Indeed,” Russ said. “Something I intend to ask him about when I bring him in for questioning.”
“So this is enough to arrest him?” Mia asked.
“Arrest? No. Interrogate? Definitely.” Russ jogged to the door. “I’ll let you know what I find out.”
“You are brilliant.” Ryan swept Mia off the stool and swung her around. She giggled like a schoolgirl and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. This was the Mia he remembered. Full of life and excited over new discoveries. The Mia, if he were totally honest, who had found a way to open his heart again.
He set her down, and she peered up at him. He expected to see clear eyes filled with joy, instead, a spark of unease tainted the deep green shade. “What’s wrong?”
“We may have figured some of this out, but we still don’t know where Pope is—and it looks like he’s the guy Loomis hired to kill Fuzzy. Probably do all the other crazy things to try to scare me away too. Even if Russ brings Kurt in, we can’t truly rest easy until Pope is arrested too.”
Renewed fear over her safety sent Ryan’s interest ebbing away. He sucked in air and cleared his head. “Guess you better send that picture to Russ.”
She returned to the computer and clicked F11. “That should turn off Num Lock.”
“How’d you know about that anyway?” he asked.
“I accidentally turned it on one day and had to get a computer tech to tell me what was wrong.” She opened a new email message and attached the photo then looked up. “In all the excitement, I forgot to ask if you had time to talk to Chuck about working with Eddie tonight.”
Leave it to Mia to still remember she had a plan for Eddie. “He’s cool with it and wants to meet at seven in the production trailer.”
“Perfect.” Mia started typing again. “I’ll mention where I’ll be tonight in Russ’s email too. If I make a breakthrough with Eddie and we’re connecting, I won’t want to answer any calls. But this way Russ can find me if something big comes up.”
“Sounds like a plan. I’ll be in a staff planning meeting and can check my calls.” Ryan stood back.
Mia’s fingers flew over the keyboard. Her tongue peeked out the side of her mouth as she paid full attention to her work. Hopefully, this picture would result in Pope’s arrest, and she would once again be safe. Everyone would be safe.
She clicked the mouse arrow on Send, then peered up at him with a spectacular smile. His pulse quickened. He wanted to let go of his fear of losing her. To hold her close and tell her what she meant to him.
The email finished sending, and the monitor cleared. Pope’s hard face returned to the screen.
Ryan swallowed hard. Mia was far from safe until this man was captured.
No way Ryan could relax. He couldn’t let go of his fear. Not yet.
Not until the killer was behind bars.
* * *
Mia sat next to Ryan in the UTV as he drove her toward the film company’s production trailer. She focused on the possibilities of her meeting with Eddie and tamped down her fear of Pope. Ryan at her side helped for sure.
His strong profile was lit by the blazing orange ball of a setting sun. Just sitting with him gave her confidence. His presence, hope. His smile, a warm and fuzzy feeling. She’d fallen for him again. Maybe had never stopped caring about him. That was clear now.
She jerked her gaze away to change her focus.
A vehicle came barreling down the drive toward them—Russ’s cruiser going top speed.
Ryan hit the brakes hard and shot out a hand in front of Mia, keeping her from slamming into the dash. She clasped his muscled arm, and her body jerked to a stop.
Ryan would always act to protect her.
Always.
