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She went from nervous to ticked off in two seconds. It was an amazing thing to see. She drew up, her shoulders stiffening, and a new determination washed over her. “What?”
Yeah, he knew that would get her attention. “After that, Simon moved on to offering me Grant’s job...sort of.”
Shane nodded. “So, your typical business meeting.”
As if Holt knew. “Don’t ask me. I’ve never had one.”
“Go back.” Lindsey stepped between them with a hand on Holt’s chest and another hovering in the air in front of Shane. “He’s blaming me?”
“He and Deputy Carver.” That was the interesting part for Holt. Simon made sure to mention law enforcement, which made little sense for a man like him. Sure, he probably had to walk a fine line, but if he really did want to start his own militia, cozying up to the sheriff seemed like an odd course.
Shane shot her an I-told-you-so smirk. “Remember my comment about the setup? Here you go. These are the building blocks.”
“This is sick.” She touched a hand to her head.
Holt lowered it again so he could see her face. The fact he kept holding on meant nothing. “What do you know about Falls?”
“I’ve never seen or met him. He never leaves the campground. I once tried to have someone smuggle out a photo but it didn’t work.” She shrugged, clearly frustrated by the walls she kept hitting. “All my research points to a guy who appeared on the scene out of nowhere and moved into the leadership role when the person above him died.”
That all sounded familiar. “Us, too. This Falls character didn’t exist before a few years ago.”
“Right when the accident that wasn’t occurred,” Shane mumbled.
Her gaze shot to him. “What?”
Holt decided it was best she knew what they knew. “We’ve reviewed the record and think someone tampered with the guy’s car.”
“You mean Simon Falls.” She looked from one man to the other. “He killed the guy in power and took over.”
“Simon did benefit from the death.” Holt didn’t have the proof. He also didn’t have a doubt that was what happened, but he’d like some verification about Simon from people who lived there. “Do you have files on other people up there?”
“Yes.” Lindsey launched right into offering help. Gone was the stalling and backtracking from when they first met. “I’d start with Todd.”
“Lindsey, we need to talk to the people who got out. The intel we have doesn’t show anyone escaping,” Shane explained.
For the first time since they’d started talking about the camp she smiled. “You don’t have the intel because I’m good.”
“You made that happen? You engineered the escapes?” Shane asked, clearly impressed.
“I get them out. New Foundations lies in order to keep its ‘no one ever wants to leave us’ motto clean, but there are people who have escaped, those I’ve helped and probably more who got out before I stepped up.”
If he hadn’t been attracted to her before then that explanation would have done it. Holt admired her and genuinely liked her. He was also determined to protect her, and that meant digging into her private life and all of her accomplishments in uncomfortable ways. “You can get us a meeting?”
She bit her bottom lip but then nodded. “Yes.”
“That’s trusting.” He liked it.
“Are you telling me you can’t be trusted?” The words sounded tough but she said it in a joking voice.
“I’m telling you I’m the one man you need to believe in.” And he wasn’t kidding. He meant it to his soul.
She nodded. “Done.”
* * *
WHILE LINDSEY GATHERED her intel and files and all the material she kept in coded folders that no one could read because they didn’t make sense as written, Holt stepped outside. The weather had turned and a warm air blew over the porch.
He heard a noise but didn’t have to turn around to check it out. He’d known Shane long enough to know he’d follow.
Shane took up the position next to Holt and stared out over the lawn. “So...”
That was just about as much as Holt wanted to hear. “Stop talking.”
“Not going to happen.” Shane turned and leaned against the post. The move put him face-to-face with Holt. “You still saying she’s just a job?”
Holt wanted to say yes, but he couldn’t force the word out. “No.”
“That’s progress.”
He didn’t even know how to explain it. He’d known her for a short time, but he’d been watching her for longer. Her looks knocked him flat, but there was something about her strength that reeled him in. Now that he had a window into her past and all the chances she’d taken, he couldn’t help being in awe of her.
