“Report,” Chief says, looking at me.
I straighten. “Nothing was taken,” I tell everyone. “I had my tablet with me at the mine. All my notes and everything important was on my person.”
“They weren’t looking for something,” Scar says flatly. “They were sending a message.”
“What message?” Rook asks.
“Stop digging.” Scar meets my eyes. “Someone knows you aren’t here to just interview the humans; they all assume you’re here investigating the cold case. And they want you gone.”
“But why would they bother,” Texon says. “She was already leaving tomorrow.”
“Maybe that’s not soon enough for them,” Chief says quietly. “Or maybe they wanted to make sure she doesn’t come back.”
Heavy speaks up, his deep voice rumbling through the room. “How did they get in? Someone walked right into our home while Lila and the children were here. Even though she was in the backyard, the front door and windows were locked. They were able to bypass our security?”
“Minecorp security could access the compound,” Scar says. “Everyone on Timbur has emergency codes and If they had authorization from someone high enough, they could get those.”
“Grytel,” Cannibal growls.
“Or Kryzon. Using Grytel’s authority.” Scar’s jaw tightens. “This is an escalation. They’ve never come at us here. They’ve never come to where we live, not since...”
He doesn’t finish the sentence.
Everyone is thinking about their parents. Murdered in their beds.
The silence stretches, heavy with old grief and fresh fear.
“She’s not sleeping alone tonight,” Texon announces.
