Page 26 of Salvation

Love can be a weakness.

What the fuck? Is someone threatening Hope? Or… is someone threatening Gabrial and me?

I immediately go into “detective mode.” “Where was this? Where did it come from?”

She looks up at me with her golden eyes. I can see the fear in them. She gestures to the door. “On the table. Where Maia puts the mail. It was in the middle of all the other mail.”

My vision darkens at the thought that someone wishing to harm Hope could have put this outside her office, mere feet from where she sits.

Striding to the door, I look down the hall like the culprit is still standing there. Of course, no one is. Maia looks up from the desk in the lobby and as she sees the look on my face, she visibly jumps. I try to calm my rage. I don’t want to frighten the poor girl. As calmly as I can I ask her, “Maia, has anyone been in here today? Anyone carrying a large manila envelope, or do you recall if a large manila envelope was in with the other mail?”

She shakes her head, and I can see her dark brows rise as her forehead wrinkles with confusion. “No, no one was in here today. Just Miss Hope and me… and now you. The envelope came through the slot in the door with the other mail. I picked it up from the floor. It was just with the other mail…” Her voice rises. “Did I do something wrong? What’s going on?”

Damnit, I don’t want to scare Maia.

Deliberately lowering my voice, I reply, “No, you didn’t do anything wrong, Maia. Thank you. I need to go to my car though.”

Turning back to Hope, I take in her frightened demeanor and then look at the “package” on her desk. Crossing the room, I take her into my arms and hug her before leaning down to press a comforting kiss to her mouth. She clings to me. Her warm breath enters past my lips and my blood heats. But this is not the time. Right now, I need to collect this as evidence and get it to the lab. Maybe there are fingerprints on it.

Setting her back, I take her hand and lead her from the room. As we walk down the hall, I tell her to stay out front with Maia. “I need to get an evidence kit from the car. I want you to stay in here until I get it all, okay? Maybe there’s something useful on there. I’m praying to God that someone was dumb enough to leave me a fingerprint.”

Maia’s frightened gasp has me stopping at the door and turning back. “Why do you need an evidence bag? What’s going on? What was in that envelope, Miss Hope? What’s going on?”

Hope answers before I can formulate a reply, “Someone is watching me and taking photos of me, Maia. That’s all. Luke is just trying to find out who it is so we can figure out why they would be doing that. I don’t want you to worry. You’re perfectly safe here.”

I wish she hadn’t told Maia that, but that’s Hope… always honest.

Goddammit… I need to figure this shit out… and fast.

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