Page 37 of Locked In

Harper did a mental eye roll. Kiss up much?

“Please stay in tonight, at least until the water levels drop a bit. I wouldn’t want you out on the roads on a dark night like this one.” Jason flashed a concerned grin at Gina.

Yeah, he was smitten. She couldn’t blame him. Gina was the entire package; long black hair and dark eyes, a smooth complexion that made her look about mid-twenties although Harper figured her for at least ten years older. But Jason’s over-the-top comments and flirtatious smile made her want to slap him upside the head for being such a friggin’ hound dog.

Hold the phone… was she jealous? First Susan with Flynn and now Jason with Gina? She thought about it but quickly realized it wasn’t the case, at least not with Jason. He was nice and attractive, but he just didn’t do it for her and this performance wasn’t helping matters.

They all trooped out and Harper said good night to Jason, Lazlo, and Crawley. Then she headed to her SUV.

“Wait, Harper,” Jason called and came over to her vehicle.

She got in and put the window down. It had stopped raining, but it was still windy. “What’s up?”

“How about I follow you and make sure you get home safe? Then you can make me a cup of tea.”

Was he kidding? After that display? Yeah. No. “That’s kind of you to offer, but honestly, I’m pretty damn tired. I think I’ll just head home and turn in early. But thanks for your concern. Have a good night and drive safely,” she said and then put up her window.

He stepped back and she pulled out of the parking lot.

CHAPTERTWELVE

Flynn muttered an oath as he watched Harper drive away on the video monitor. He’d wanted to go out there and take her to his room where they could have dinner together… and see where that might lead. But he had work to do. He’d have to drop by her place tomorrow.

He ran his hands over his face. “Got anything?”

Shah shook his head. “It’s just too damn dark. I have no idea who did it or how they did it but someone put something over the lens. I can’t see anything and I can’t make it any brighter.”

“Fuck. Someone tried to push Harper down the stairs.”

“But why?” Shah stared at him. “It doesn’t make any sense.”

Flynn threw the pencil he’d been holding down onto the table. “Because she’s been looking into Astrid Windsor’s death. She told Jason that the green paint they found on Astrid is a match to the green paint in the library.”

Shah gave a low whistle. “Well, that changes things.”

“Yeah. Would be nice if we could figure out how the hell Astrid ended up in the library without ever walking through the door into the foyer.”

Shah raised his eyebrows. “You think she was in the library?”

“It’s a possibility.” He wasn’t going to elaborate and say he was sure he was being watched in there which led him to believe anything was possible in that room. He just had to figure it out.

“Did you get anything on the jewelry theft?” The theft had been playing around in the back of his mind.

“On that front I have made some progress.” Shah brought up video from the party on the screen. “See here,” he pointed at the top screen. “Mrs. Addison is still wearing it. That’s ten forty-five.” He fast-forwarded for a bit and then stopped. “And see here at eleven thirteen? It’s gone. She hasn’t even realized it yet.”

“So it wasn’t stolen after the lights went out. And she didn’t raise any alarm so there’s no way it was pulled off her neck like she said.”

Shah smiled. “Agreed. She was just trying to make it sound more dramatic but more importantly, the necklace was stolen when the lights went out the first time.”

Flynn stared at him. “You think that whoever stole the necklace had something to do with the lights going out.”

Shah nodded.

Flynn swiveled his chair back and forth. “Makes sense. I know they searched after the lights came on today. I’m assuming no one found the necklace.”

“No.”

“Any progress on finding out who turned out the lights?”

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