Love At Peace (Hometown Heartstrings #3)

Chapter 23

Heather

“ T here’s no supposing about it,” the man from the county office said. “Something fraudulent happened from your end.” He jabbed his finger in the air, pointing at me.

I shook my head.

“Don’t deny it. The IT specialists have determined the data was compromised at your end. I know you’ve been trying to find the source of this trouble.” He glanced at Janelle with disdain. “Despite you insisting that Heather is innocent in this and that there must be another explanation, there has been more activity—recent activity—that indicates she isn’t done yet.”

“Whoa. No.” I shook my head again and held up my hand.

“That’s not true,” Nance said in my defense. She was quick to act like a mama bear like this. “She hasn’t been on that laptop since this started.” She held her hand out, gesturing at Janelle, who nodded vigorously. “Heather’s been using a different laptop. She started over with new log-ins and everything. Our other employee, Fergus, co-authored the documents for the current toy drive and charity run numbers.”

“But someone is doing something,” the woman from the county said.

“Nevaeh.” I looked straight at Marty as I said it. “She got onto my old laptop.”

“I...remember.” He sighed heavily, then frowned at something that showed up on his phone. “I remember you saying that Nevaeh got onto your laptop unsupervised. Roarke mentioned that possibility too.”

“And there has been evidence from the IT team that hacking codes were utilized on her former laptop,” Janelle reminded the county officials.

“Nevaeh got onto my laptop,” I repeated, stepping closer to Marty. “And since I’ve learned that she’s been with David, I’ve been worried that he’s got her trying to get to me.”

“Oh, come on. What is this all about?” the man from the county exclaimed, annoyed. “Exes and new girlfriends and all this nonsense?”

“It’s not nonsense,” Marty said coolly, turning to face the older, disgruntled man. “I’ve been working on a case that so happens to be in conjunction with this matter. David Kenning isn’t just causing ‘nonsense’ with an ex.” He straightened, looking down his nose at the official. “He’s attacked her cousin. He’s harassed her. He’s stalked her. This is not ‘nonsense’ at all. I would urge you to be patient, like I told you on the way over here from the station. This is only one more angle of a determined man’s plan to make her suffer.”

“You can prove that David hurt Eric?” I asked. This was news to me. Good news—in that it would have to be easier to pin assault on him. I couldn’t be sure the charge would stick, but it was the principle of it.

“I apologize for the inconvenience, but I swear to you, I didn’t compromise anything. Like my coworker explained, I haven’t had access to the original version of those documents since it first looked like something happened. The woman who was in my home must have gone on my laptop when I wasn’t there.”

The woman crossed her arms. “That’s negligence on your part. Not securing your laptop and letting people like that in your house.”

I shook my head. “I used all the required security for that laptop. I followed the logging-in protocol. And I only let her in because she was ill and in need.”

Nevaeh would be in more need now, with this crime. David had gotten her to commit a crime for him. She would never be able to get out of this mess. Having been in her shoes, I hated that her young life would be ruined already.

“Heather is not the one we need to investigate,” Marty said. “David Kenning has given me a bad feeling ever since he came into town, and I’m seldom wrong about these things.”

“Then where is this man?” The county official flung his arms out, exasperated. “Why haven’t you questioned him?”

“Because he doesn’t stay put. Until this morning, I haven’t had a just cause—for a warrant, to bring him in for questioning, anything. Now, I have plenty of reason to bring him in for questioning. I have the means to seek assistance in tracking him down, as well.”

“Then what are you—” the woman didn’t finish her question.

Marty’s phone rang, and with a frown at his screen, he answered. “Todd? Now’s not a good time.”

“If I call you five times inna row, it’s time you answer!” the older man yelled via speakerphone. “We got shots fired on the ranch!”

I tensed, opening my eyes wide at this news.

Gunfire at the Grand River Ranch?

Where Roarke was working?

“Then call the emergency line,” Marty argued.

“I did. I called you! I can’t get a hold of Roarke. I can’t get a hold of Gavin. I ain’t standin’ ’round waitin’ for you to answer your phone. Git on out here and help me find whoever’s shootin’. Unless you want me to take matters in my own hands.”

“Oh, my goodness.” I covered my mouth with my hand, pressing the trembling fingers to my lips.

Marty didn’t delay. He was already walking out of the office space, barely looking at the county officials who’d clearly had him coming here. Todd disconnected, and Marty moved on to communicating on his radio piece, calling for backup.

“I—”

He pushed past me, hurrying to leave.

“This will have to wait,” he shouted over his shoulder as he left.

The pair of county officials gawked at each other. The man fumed. “But what about—”

“Later,” Janelle said, stepping up as the boss of this place. “It’s only speculation, but I imagine those shots will be linked to the man we were just discussing.”

“Hell, if you ask me, all you’re doing is speculating. Guessing this and guessing that.” The man smacked his fist to his other hand. “We’re here to get answers. To get evidence.”

“Like what?” Janelle said, narrowing her eyes at him. “You have the documents. The IT crew has been looking into it. With these new issues popping up that Heather couldn’t have done because she no longer had access to that document on the cloud, they’ll be collecting evidence elsewhere.”

They didn’t reply, likely embarrassed to be put in their places like that.

“I’ll take you out there,” Janelle said, turning her attention to me. “I know you’ve got to be worried about Roarke.”

“No. I’ll drive.” Nance held her hand up, showing her keys. “I’ll get us there faster. I’m driving my hubby’s truck today.”

The woman from the county’s office huffed, frowning at Janelle. “You can’t let her just go like this.”

Nance snorted a rude laugh and turned. “Come on, Heather.”

Everything was happening so fast, it felt like a blur that I couldn’t ever keep up with. Yet, I spun, following my coworker. I doubted that rushing to a crime scene was wise. It more likely fell into the realm of stupidity.

Just like Janelle and Nance seemed to be thinking, I feared that this shooter could only be David. If anyone was prone to escalating to more violence, it would be him.

Nance and I ran out to her truck.

“If Marty’s got evidence to get David for attacking Eric, he’s got to be feeling the pressure.”

I nodded, tense and trembling with worry and fear. A panic attack was not welcome, not now. No matter how much I tried to ignore and compartmentalize my reactions to anything to do with a violent and angry David, though, I struggled to stay level-headed.

“And Ashley’s video,” I said. “I bet she didn’t do as we’d agreed and she shared it early.”

Nance gunned the truck, peeling out of the lot to rush in the direction of the ranch. “Get that bad boy out from under the seat,” she instructed.

I furrowed my brow, reaching down until I felt a narrow cylinder of metal. Carefully, na?ve and unused to handling a firearm, I brought her handgun out from hiding.

She nodded once at me and grinned. “Nobody messes with my friends,” she declared.

Mine neither.

I gripped the armrest tightly, holding on for the reckless race out there. With every mile we passed, my hope flared a little higher that this would be the end of David controlling my life to be a long episode of fear.

And with every mile we passed, my worry about the man I loved grew faster as well.

Nance and I weren’t members of the law enforcement. Her husband’s gun didn’t give us permission to interfere. But so long as I had to consider that Roarke was in danger, I damn well wasn’t running away from fighting back now.