Page 109 of Three Steps Behind

“Telling people Hank hit her. I mean, come on. A little slap is different from swinging at her. She always blew things out of proportion and was threatening to call the cops.”

Harper’s jaw went slack. “I’m sorry, but did you literally just say that slapping your wife is okay?”

He looked at Deckard. “For a decent amount of money, you could be rid of this one.” He winked at her.

Deck caught her arm mid-lunge as the police cars came piling in. Thank you, Joel.

Forty-Four

“YOU’RE BACK.” Riley came around the front desk at MacLeod Investigations and Security to hug Harper the next day. “Hey, bro.” She reached up and mussed Deck’s hair.

“So you got Randolph,” Grey said, coming to sit on the edge of his desk. “Not to mention proved Nick killed Taylor. Great job. Both of you.”

“Thanks,” Harper said. It felt good to see justice done, but she wished she could have seen justice done for Tracey and Amanda. “That reminds me . . . could I use one of your computers?”

“Of course.” Greyson gestured to the laptop sitting open on his desk.

“I want to look up the funeral arrangements for Tracey,” she said to Deck. “A friend of mine I lost over in Syria,” she explained to the group, then they all headed for the conference room to give her space.

She’d lost Taylor, Amanda, and Tracey. Not to mention all the others who had been with them in the shipping container. So much death. . . .

She searched Tracey’s name. The news articles pulled up first, listing her funeral date and time as “pending,” based on when her body would be returned to the States. But another news box caught her eye.

Tracey Alba wins Andres Xavier’s award for Outstanding Journalism on War-Torn Countries in the Middle East posthumously. Award to be presented at Xavier’s gala tomorrow evening.

Jumping up, she hurried to tell Deck, and they agreed to attend the gala in Tracey’s honor.

“I guess I better go buy a suit.”

She leaned against the doorjamb. “Try a tux. This thing is formal.”

“Okay.” He looked at Grey. “Where do I go for one of those?”

Grey shook his head. “Come on, I’ll take you to my tailor.”

Thank you, Harper mouthed.

“And I’ll take you dress shopping if you’d like,” Riley offered.

“That would be great, thanks.” She couldn’t remember the last time she’d bought a new fancy dress. Probably Andres’s event last year, or was it the year before that?

Grey and Riley grabbed their keys, and they’d all headed for the door when Riley paused. “I almost forgot. A package came for you, Harper. It’s in my office. I’ll grab it.”

“It came here for Harp?” Deck stepped forward, looking at Grey and then back at Riley.

“Yeah, I just assumed you’d given someone the office address during the investigation. Didn’t you?”

“No,” said Harper, her shoulders tightening. “Who’s it from?”

“It doesn’t say, but it’s from California.” She strode to her office, and they all followed.

“It’s got a funky symbol,” Riley said, rummaging round her metal cabinet. “Here it is.”

She pulled it out, and Harper reared back.

Riley’s eyes opened wide as Deck moved to catch her.

“What is it, honey?”