Page 39 of Their Wicked Secrets: Untouched, Vol 5 of 6

“Trail cam?” Caden narrows his gaze on it. “I doubt someone was watching for deer up there.”

“Most trail cams are placed about chest level to capture game.” Eli sits back with his foot out. He knows the most random shit sometimes. “But it looks like a trail cam.”

“The combination lock was my birthday.” Harper’s voice is soft. She hasn’t said much since her discovery. She might be terrified of what we’ll find. It’s not unreasonable. William said there was an accident. Maybe we’ll find proof it wasn’t. Or maybe an actual image of the accident.

We won’t let her see that.

I rub her thigh next to mine and she rests her head against my shoulder. Her dark eyes never leave the camera.

I turn to Luke. “Can you grab my kit?”

He nods and heads upstairs, taking two at a time, but being quiet about it.

“Kit?”

Chuckling, I glance at Harper. “Lock pick kit.”

Her eyes narrow, and her mouth opens and closes. She’s probably trying to guess if that’s how we get into her house without her knowing. Yeah, she can think that all she wants.

“It’s easier than the aluminum can trick,” I say. I saw it on YouTube, but haven’t tried it yet. Will she ask about it or let it go?

Eli has his phone out and nods at me to pass the trail cam. When I do, he lifts it and takes in every inch of it. After taking a picture of it, he pushes it back across the table to me and continues typing on his phone.

“Is there any secure way to get ahold of my mom?” Harper’s soft words stop all of us. There’s a little wobble in her voice.

I lift her onto my lap and wrap my arms around her. She turns into me and slides her arms around my neck, ducking her head against my shoulder. Fuck, she’s being so strong that it’s hard to remember how vulnerable she is.

I’d miss my parents if they went missing. The others have to deal with shitty parents as their norm and hardened their hearts for it. But not me and Harper.

I get what Harper is going through. My parents love me and my sister. My father gave up his career to make sure we were taken care of. He still does some consulting work, but otherwise, his hours are for Lucy and me.

If he disappeared, I’d be lost.

“We can try, sweetheart.” I can’t promise her we’ll be able to, because I don’t know where or what Jennifer is doing. How far off the grid she might have gone? If our friend is helping her, we might be able to ask them. “We still have the chat connection that’s secure. I can check her cards and bank account to see if she’s been using them.”

It’ll take some time to get into the banking systems, but it’s not impossible. I might be able to write a script.

Harper pulls back. Her brown eyes are watery, but she’s not crying. Her expression is determined. “No.”

“What?”

“You don’t need another thing to keep you up at night.” Harper shakes her head and drags in a deep breath. “My mom is safe. When it’s safe for her to come back, she will. She’ll find a way to contact me.”

I rest my forehead against hers. She cups my jaw and presses her lips against mine before she slides over to her seat. I want to fix this for her, but I can’t. Besides, her mom is smart enough to not leave an easily traceable trail.

Eli and Caden watch Harper carefully as Luke comes down the stairs.

“I’m not a bomb.” She looks up at the ceiling and fans her face to get rid of the tears.

“What?” Luke takes the seat on Harper’s other side and turns her face to him, studying it. “Crying?”

“No, Death. Just a little emotional.” She pulls away from him and turns back to me, sliding the kit Luke set down over to me. “Do your thing.”

I nod and work on the lock.

“This might be it.” Eli holds out his phone, but I focus on setting the tumblers on the lock. “It’s a game camera, but it’s a good one for 2011.”

“Video?” Caden leans in, clasping his hands on the table and watching me work.