Page 85 of Exposure of Murder

Jane lightly slapped Ethan’s arm. “Maybe if you flex yours, I can compare.”

Both men struck exaggerated poses and flexed their biceps. Jane burst out laughing. “You two!” It reminded her of her brother Rob and his friends in high school when they were trying to impress a girl.

Jane put on a fleece jacket, and the three of them stepped outside. She inhaled the crisp, cold air. “Mmm. I love this.”

Ethan leaned in and kissed her. “Me too.”

“Okay, you two lovebirds. Let’s get this show on the road. My truck’s parked at the barn,” said Sean as they walked toward the barn.

He opened the door to his truck and pulled out several boxes. Opening one, he handed a small black camera to Jane.

“Wow. This is small and lightweight,” she said, lifting it up with one hand. “I was expecting something a lot bigger and heavier.”

“Technology has come a long way,” Sean replied. He got a ladder from the back of his truck and carried it over to a corner of the barn. Jane and Ethan followed, carrying the boxes. “I’ll put one on each outside corner to cover all the angles and one inside. They’re motion-activated with night vision. Also”—he looked at Jane—“they connect to an app on your phone or computer, and you can monitor what’s going from anywhere.”

He climbed up the ladder and attached the first camera before climbing down and repeating it four more times.

Jane was impressed with his knowledge and efficiency. But also saddened by the fact that she even needed security camerason her farm. “So I can see what’s going on in real time just by connecting to the app?”

“Yes. You’ll also get notified any time something triggers the motion sensors,” he replied.

Ethan nodded. “The cameras will record everything, so you can always go back and review the footage, and they have a good range.”

“Right,” Sean said in agreement. “They also have two-way audio, so you can speak to someone through the app.”

Jane’s brows shot up. “You mean I can actually talk to the person? Sort of like a voice from beyond.”

“That’s one way of scaring the crap out of someone,” teased Ethan.

A small smile tugged at Sean’s lips. “You two. Seriously, it’s a great feature and will make someone think twice about being on the property.”

Sean completed installing the final cameras. Placing the ladder in his truck, he made his way toward Jane and Ethan.

He handed Jane his phone. “I’ve downloaded the app. Let me show you how to connect the cameras and its features.”

Jane took the phone, watching Sean go through the setup. Easy peasy. “I had no idea it would be this easy. I feel safer already.”

Sean chuckled. “That’s the goal.”

She handed the phone back to Sean. “I can’t thank you enough for coming down.”

“My pleasure,” replied Sean. “I wanted to see with my two eyes the woman who captured and melted my brother’s cold heart.”

Ethan coughed and shot him a dirty look.

Sean winked at Jane. “His no longer cold heart,” he amended.

Jane could only shake her head. Siblings—you either loved them or hated them, but for sure, you were stuck with them.

She walked back to the house while the two brothers finished their conversation. So far, she’d met Tanner and now Sean. She’d yet to meet Dylan and Kane. If the twins were anything like the three brothers she met, the McQueeneys were a force to be reckoned with.

Ethan leftfor work right after Sean drove off.

She had a busy day running errands, followed by coffee with Leah and Claire before heading home. Bucky was coming back to work today. She wanted him to take another day or two off, but he refused, saying he couldn’t stand lying around the apartment. It wasn’t the money. She was paying his salary for the sick days and the hospital bill. It was only fair since he was hurt on her property.

And this weekend, Savannah was coming up. Jane hadn’t seen her in a few weeks and was eager to catch up. Phone calls were nice, but in-person visits were always better.

After ordering some more farm supplies at Feed & Grow, she drove over to Wild Bean Roasters and arrived just as Claire was parking. They hugged and walked into the coffee shop, spotting Leah at a table. Jane inhaled the smoky aroma of a dark roast coffee and knew she was in for a treat. Rhea waved from behind the counter.

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