Page 57 of Home for Justice
Justice let his words sink into the battered parts of her heart, the places worn thin from the constant pressure of responsibility. A slow smile curved her lips, warming her from the inside out.
“Okay…” she said, dragging out the word playfully. “I have to get to work. But I’ll tell you what… thoughts of tonight are definitely going to make that easier.”
“I’d stay, but I want to get to LSIMT to see what else has been found.”
She rose on her toes and pressed a quick kiss to his mouth, needing just one more taste before facing the long day ahead.
“I’ll see you tonight?” Tyler said, brushing a hand over her cheek.
She nodded, reluctant to let him go, but knowing she had a lot to handle. Together, they walked to the front, and she stood in the open doorway, waving as he pulled away in the SUV, sunlight glinting off the windshield.
“Lordy, that man is a dream.” Carla leaned closer with a conspiratorial grin before quickly adding, “But don’t tell my husband!”
Justice laughed, the sound bubbling up more easily than she would have thought possible an hour ago. Gratitude filled her chest… for Tyler and for the people around her. She was lucky. Lucky to have employees who didn’t just work hard but stood shoulder to shoulder when things got tough.
And maybe, just maybe, that was what her new relationship with Tyler would be too. Solid, steady, and unshakable when it mattered most.
Inhaling deeply, Justice turned and headed into the garage, ready to take back her day.
26
“I hate to be the new employee who needs things right away,” Tyler said as he stepped into the compound, seeing Logan near Mary’s desk. He rubbed the back of his neck.
Logan looked up, his expression instantly at ease. “Don’t worry about it. And for the record, this is your place now. Your place of business, your coworkers, your base. Any time you need to be here, Tyler, you come.”
Gratitude flooded Tyler’s chest at being included so easily, so completely. Nodding, he said, “Thanks. I appreciate that. More than you know.”
True to her efficient reputation, Mary already had his employee ID badge and key card ready. She slid them across the counter with a warm smile.
“You’re all set, Tyler. This gives you full access to the cleared areas. If you have any trouble with the card, let me know.”
“Thank you, Mary,” he said, meaning it.
Following Logan, he moved through security and stepped into the main room. It was quieter than before since several of the Keepers were out on missions. But those who were around looked up and greeted him immediately.
“Hey, man, how’s Justice and her dad?” Sadie asked, concern softening her usually no-nonsense tone.
Tyler walked closer, pulling up a chair at the long table where some of them were gathered. “Jack’s hanging in there. He’s strong. But Justice…” He exhaled slowly. “She’s carrying the weight of worrying about him, running the shop, dealing with the vandalism, and trying to keep her people steady.”
Sadie nodded knowingly. “That’s a lot.”
“It is,” Tyler agreed. He ran a hand over his jaw. “I wondered if we caught anything on the security feeds. I don’t expect anyone here to work it personally. But if you can show me how, I’ll go through them myself.”
Cory waved him over from a bank of monitors along one wall. “Come on. I’ve been working on it. I can show you what we have so far.”
Tyler didn’t hesitate. He slid into the chair next to Cory and leaned forward, his attention immediately drawn to the screen.
“I’ll warn you, though,” Cory said as he clicked through some footage, “we’re not getting much from McClay’s security setup. The cameras are decent inside the garage bays and the reception. But outside? Not so much.”
Tyler narrowed his eyes at the blurry feed now playing. A shadowy figure moved along the edge of the property, their form hunched, a hood pulled low, and a medical mask hiding the lower half of their face.
“Dammit,” Tyler muttered, his fists clenching. It was worse than he’d hoped but exactly what he feared. “Can’t even tell if it’s old or young, male or female.”
“Exactly,” Cory said grimly.
From across the room, Todd chimed in. “The detective working the case will definitely check where Jordy and Debbie McClay were last night.”
Tyler nodded. “Justice is certain they’re the only ones with a grudge deep enough to do this.”
