Page 42 of Last Chance

“We’re afraid Janie may still be a target.”

His eyebrows winged upward. “Keep us updated. We’ll be glad to help.”

Sawyer shook Harmon’s hand. “Appreciate it.”

With that, the bomb squad approached the box at the front of the shop with their equipment. After a few moments, one of the team members, dressed in full protective gear, slowly approached the box and stopped several feet away.

Sawyer and Jesse watched as the bomb tech scanned the box with a portable machine to X-ray the contents. After a few moments, the tech gave a thumbs up to his team leader. Immediately, the team relaxed.

“The box must not have an explosive device inside,” Jesse murmured.

“No way to know without opening the package. I’m curious about the contents. Who delivers packages this early in the morning? The sun’s not even up yet.”

“If I had to guess, I’d say Janie’s deliveries aren’t left at the front door, either.”

“Invitation to thieves, and Hartman isn’t immune to crime.”

Two members of the bomb squad unwrapped the brown paper surrounding the box and peered inside. They stared at each other for a moment, then the leader motioned to Sawyer and Jesse.

After asking Janie and the other two women to stay inside for a while longer, they crossed the parking lot to join Harmon. “What do we have?” Sawyer asked.

“Take a look.”

He peered inside the box and fisted his hands as he stared at the contents. A doll lay inside the box, dressed like Janie had been when the plane was hijacked. The hair was the same color and style as Janie’s. The person who packed the doll had plunged a knife into the chest of the toy, an obvious threat to Janie.

The question now was who left the box for her? One member of Vatos Locos or someone here in the states who had a grudge against Janie?

Sawyer and Jesse both took pictures of the box and its contents with their phones. “You’ll process the box and its contents?” Sawyer asked.

“Yeah. Want a report on our findings?”

“We’d appreciate it. Thanks for the quick response.”

“Sure.”

“Any chance you’ll be out of here before Natural Bliss is ready to open for business this morning?”

“Don’t see why not. We’ll take the box with us when we leave and hand it over to the lab. We need to have a chat with your principal, though.”

“Not out here.” Sawyer didn’t want Janie out in the open where she’d be an easy target.

“Where?”

“Janie has a workroom in the back of the shop. Should be plenty of room for an interview. You’ll also want to chat with Chelsea, one of Janie’s shop assistants. She’s the one who first saw the box at the front of the shop. Come to the back door of the shop when you’re finished. We’ll be waiting for you.”

“Copy that.”

Sawyer returned to the SUV and opened the passenger door as Jesse walked toward the shop.

“What happened?” Janie demanded. “Was it a bomb? Supplies? What?”

“Not a bomb or supplies.”

She blinked. “I want to see.”

“No, baby, you don’t.”

Janie looked surprised. “Is it bad?”

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