Page 35 of Operation: Integrity

Sam slammed the watch down on Connor’s desk sending bits flying. “Let’s drop this. I am her wrangler. End of story. I will take care of her. I will sit with her at church. I will be above reproach, but I need your help. If we’re going to track whoever gave her this watch, it needs to happen soon. He’s going to know it’s broken and make a move.”

Connor and Edwyn looked at the broken pink-and-black watch on the desk. Connor picked it up and turned it over, running his thumb across the broken face. “I wonder if we can get anything out of this? Probably not. But I think I know how he was keeping track of her.”

Sam tried not to get frustrated. “I downloaded the app and paired it to my phone.” He tugged it out of his jacket pocket, opened the app, and showed it to both of them. “Here are the texts, but you can plainly see where she’s been in the last few hours. It tracks her every movement. It tracks her heart rate. It clearly shows her returning to her cabin daily.”

Connor nodded slowly. “That heart monitor is interesting. He could tell when she was excited, running, or scared. I’d wondered how he knew when to send her atext for maximum effect, and that must be how. He waited until she was already weak and her heart rate was through the roof. Then he’d send a text knowing she was frightened or worked up and couldn’t think straight. He never messaged her when she was calm.”

Edwyn reached for the phone and scanned the records. “I apparently don’t have the same effect as you do. He sent her a text while I was there running her bath for her after her fall. She never told me about the watch, but I noticed she looked scared again before I left.” He glanced up at Connor. “And I did leave as soon as the bath was run.”

Connor snorted. “I wouldn’t expect you to break a rule like that. You can’t even manage to clock in for work less than five minutes early.” Connor laid the watch down in front of him. “I’ll give this to Dominic. Honestly, I’m ready to tell him to go full-on technology in protecting Kelly. She was tracked. We didn’t see that drone until we combed through hours of footage, frame by frame. We can’t risk this happening again.”

Sam wished he’d been able to convince Kelly to make the move, but that just wasn’t possible. “I wish I’d gained her trust enough to protect her. She isn’t ready to move. I did give her Zeus as personal protection. Zeus is not going to let anyone who isn’t from Wayside anywhere near her.”

Connor drummed his fingers on the desk. “I guess that will have to be good enough for now until Kelly is ready to trust, but I feel like if she trusts anyone it will be you.”

Edwyn looked uncomfortable for a moment. “I hate to ask this, and I don’t mean to change the subject, but have you had any success in finding Nadine? You haven’t said anything yet and . . . if you can’t, it’s fine. I just wish I could tell her that I’m sorry.”

Connor frowned. “I haven’t. Not yet. Dad was doing a lot of the research for me while he was watching cameras. I’ll have Lacy continue the task. We’ll find her. This isn’t over. You’ll be our final mission. You deserve the same chance as everyone else.”

“What about you?” Sam wouldn’t usually challenge Connor, but this was different. Connor and Lacy needed to be together, not just friends. Anyone with eyes could see they were more than that.

Connor shook his head. “Lacy has already said no, never, multiple times. That ship has sailed. I had my second chance, and I blew it.”

“Have you heard from Teddy?” Edwyn changed the subject yet again.

Connor shook his head and rolled his eyes. “He’s in in a little town near Devil’s Tower, and whatever he’s up to is a secret. He’s not telling me anything. Kind of wish I had one of these watches on him.”

Sam chuckled, though the situation with the watch wasn’t funny. “I hope he comes back soon.”

Connor’s look said he doubted that was going to happen.

Chapter Sixteen

Sam sat at Kelly’s small kitchen table playing solitaire. The irony wasn’t lost on her that he was playing a game meant for one. When they’d been together, they’d played a version where they each contributed to the other’s game. It had been fun, and she’d forgotten all about quiet moments like those until his subtle, and probably unintended, reminder.

She’d given up her watch the day before and Sam had never given it back, but he also hadn’t given her more than a few hours on her own. Even that morning, he’d knocked on her door at 5 A.M. to make sure she was there and safe. If staying apart meant that she had to get up early every day, she wasn’t so sure she couldn’t bear making that happen. Even Zeus looked grumpy over the wake-up.

The dog loved her. Even now, with the choice between her and Sam, he laid at her feet. His head rested atop her left foot and every once in a while, he’d shift his gaze up to hers as if to ask if she was all right. As she’d suspected, dogs were the most loyal of God’s creation. Zeus barely lether use the bathroom without putting up a fuss if she stayed in too long.

Kelly cleared her throat to break the uncomfortable silence that hung in the room. There were words between them that needed to be said, but her mouth had a serious blockage when it came to talking with him. What she had to say would bring him pain and he’d been hurt enough. She’d already told him that she’d been trafficked while they were together. Any other details would only tear the wound deeper.

“Is something wrong?” Sam glanced up from his game.

“Sort of. I had planned to call my bank today and figure out if there’s a way to get Nathan off it.” She rolled her shoulders to relieve the tension, but it was fruitless.

“What bank?” Sam tapped the stack of cards in his hand to the table.

“West Central Savings and Loan, but I don’t bank locally. I’ve never been to Piper’s Ridge before now.” Her bank wasn’t even a big chain.

“Let me look on my phone and see if they’re connected to any bank in Cheyenne. I know you’re not supposed to go all over the place, but with Nathan supposedly hanging around here, going there might be a little reprieve.” He tugged his phone free of his flannel shirt pocket and laid it on the table.

With a few taps of the screen, he pulled something up, then started scrolling. Kelly knew nothing about cell phones. She hadn’t been able to afford one when she’d bought her house and, after that, she hadn’t been allowed to have any communication with the outside world, though she hadn’t ever wanted any.

“Looks like they’re connected to a bank in Cheyenne.Let me text Connor so he knows where we’re going. He may ask me to take someone else along, like Edwyn. Just warning you.”

Kelly couldn’t hold back her flinch. Outside of the one time he’d been nice, Edwyn just rubbed her the wrong way. It was like the actions he did naturally just were not compatible with how she lived. Oil and water. “I’d prefer not. If there’s anyone else on the team, I’d prefer them over Edwyn.”

Sam glanced at her with an out-of-character wide eyed look. “You don’t want Edwyn?”

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