Page 50 of Spock’s Snare

I look up at him. His expression is hard enough to make me reconsider my wording.

“Not violent,” I say quickly. “At least, not until whatever that was.”

“He looked like he was about to lay hands on you.”

“I know.”

“If I hadn’t walked in—”

“But you did.”

His jaw tightens. “That doesn’t answer what would’ve happened if I hadn’t.”

I rise and slip my phone into my pocket. “Steven has been more argumentative than usual. He keeps questioning my decisions, especially about Inferno Ridge. He’s pushed me several times to walk away from the project.”

“Why?”

“He claims it’s bringing too much trouble and putting the rest of the company at risk.”

“Maybe he’s the trouble.”

The possibility sends a chill across my skin, but I force myself to study the wall again. Steven hasn’t worked for me long, but up until recently, I considered him someone I could trust. He can be condescending and stubborn. He’s far too convinced that he’s the smartest person on every jobsite, but that doesn’t make him responsible for the sabotage or the attack on Dad.

It doesn’t explain this wall, either.

“I don’t know why he was tearing it down,” I admit. “Everything looks fine to me.”

Spock steps closer to the opening but doesn’t touch anything. His gaze tracks along the wiring before moving over the exposed studs. “Could something be hidden inside?”

The question makes my stomach tighten.

“I don’t see anything, but I’m not going to assume.” I take another series of close-up photographs, making sure I capture every wire and connection. “I’ll call the electrical technician who worked on this unit. He can tell me whether anything is missing or installed incorrectly.”

“And if he says the work was finished?”

“Then Steven lied.”

Spock’s eyes meet mine. “And we find out what he was really doing.”

A scrape sounds somewhere outside the apartment, and Spock immediately turns toward it. His entire body shifts, ready for a threat. A second later, Hawk appears in the hallway.

“Just me,” he says, raising one hand. “Blackwood drove off. Rush is checking the cameras to make sure we got his vehicle leaving.”

I nod, but my attention returns to the wall. There is something wrong with the situation. I can feel it. For the first time since all the trouble began, I’m wondering if the trouble hasn’t been circling, but has been inside the whole time.

Spock’s attention shifts from the damaged wall to Hawk.

“You see anything out of the ordinary today?” he asks. “Anything involving Blackwood?”

Hawk leans one shoulder against the doorframe and folds his arms over his chest. His expression changes as he thinks back over the day.

“Blackwood mostly kept to himself.”

I frown. “What does that mean?”

“He spent most of his time in the construction office.”

“That doesn’t make sense.” I glance toward the hallway as if Steven might suddenly reappear and explain himself. “He’s the foreman. His job is to monitor the work, deal with problems, and make sure everyone has what they need. He shouldn’t be sitting in the office all day.”