Page 65 of Single Mom's Secret Diary
Anger flares again, and Jared flinches away from my gaze. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. “Anyone else on those recordings during that time?”
“No, sir.”
“Good work.” I grab the papers again. “Can you send those clips to my email?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Thank you, Jared.” I nod to the other IT guys and march out of the office and back to Ezra, who waves me in the moment he sees me. Closing the door behind me, I approach slowly and take a deep breath. “Laurel. I’m pretty sure it’s Laurel.”
Ezra’s features turn stony, like the things he’s noticed about her behavior are clicking into place, too. “Pretty sure?”
“No direct proof, but enough that she’s the only logical conclusion. And there’s the thing with Kennedy. They went to school together. It can’t be a coincidence that she’s the one who came to us with ananonymousaccusation of espionage.” If only we could prove that, it would make the rest of this process so much easier.
I come around to his computer. Ezra simply leans back as I pull up my email. Jared was quick. Both clips are waiting in my inbox. I play them for Ezra, and I swear that I can hear him growling by the end of it.
He stands, smoothing out his shirt before pulling his jacket on. “Let’s go down to the lab. We need to talk with Wyatt before we proceed.”
I nod and follow him out the door. We ride down in the elevator, and the calm in Ezra’s movements is a lot scarier than I imagined, but I’ve also never seen Ezra mad before. The quiet stillness radiates danger. I hope I don’t have to hold him back, especially since I’m not inclined to.
Downstairs, we make a straight line to the lab, which is empty, but Wyatt’s office door is open.
For all his failings in reading people, Wyatt stands when Ezra steps in. I close the door behind us.
“What happened? Is Avery okay?” The small tremor in his voice gives my heart a squeeze. We’re all under her spell, aren’t we? Smitten. Addicted. Completely devastated by her. In love.
“She’s fine.” Ezra waves me forward, reaching for the papers still in my hand. “Pull up the email.”
I hand the evidence over and pull up the video for Wyatt, too. He isn’t able to hide his anger when he looks through what Laurel wrote about Avery. What she plastered on Avery’s office door.
Wyatt’s red in the face, eyes glinting with murder. “How dare she?”
He reaches down, clicking his mouse and pressing a couple of buttons. Then two images of Laurel pop out of his printer. He gathers it all up and marches toward the door, flinging it wide open so that it bangs loudly.
Laurel scampers in with her clipboard clutched to her chest. Those blue eyes are wide as she takes in the three of us and Wyatt’s obvious sour mood. “Something I can help you three with?”
Her movements are slow as she approaches, taking in the papers Wyatt is gripping.
“Yes.” Wyatt slaps down the papers scrawled with slanderous words on the lab table between them.
Her eyes rove over them, but there’s no recognition on her face—just a blank stare. “What are those?”
“I found those plastered all over Avery’s office door.” I’m looking for anything to give her away.
She looks again, as if she didn’t already know what they all said. “I can’t say I’m surprised.”
The sad tone of her voice has the slightest tremor to it. One of victory? Of self-satisfaction?
“Do you know who did it?” Ezra frowns. He’s looking for the same clues, gently pushing for her to admit it, giving her the chance.
“No, of course not. Why would I?” Laurel’s hand flutters to her chest in mock offense. I’ve seen her offended before, and this is not it.
Wyatt slaps down the two pictures of her from surveillance, and he leans forward, catching her gaze. Finally, the boundaries around her façade crack before she glances at the pictures.
“It was you,” Wyatt says coldly.
She points at the damning pictures of herself. “That’s not proof.”
“You don’t go upstairs. You don’t have anyone to report to up there. You report tome.” Anger leaks into his voice now, and she steps back as if she’s trying to protect herself.
