Page 78 of Edge of Steele
“It can happen,” Ryleigh said. “The video goes to the service provider first before recording on the company account and fails to connect more often than I would hope.”
That could be their answer. At least Finn hoped it might be. “Did any of the videos display a static or a black screen?”
“I remember a couple of them in the middle of the night,” Russ said. “Figured it was an animal or leaves moving that triggered the camera, but it didn’t pick up the animal.”
“Keenan could’ve visited in one of those times,” Finn said. “Can you look at them again to see how long the videos lasted? Maybe he had time to get in, take the explosives, and get out while the camera was trying to connect.”
“That could very well have happened,” Ryleigh said. “Though he couldn’t have planned for an outage unless he had a signal jammer.”
Russ planted his hands on the table. “Sadly, thieves are using those more often to block signals on home doorbell cameras.”
“You can buy one online for ten bucks,” Ryleigh said.
Russ shook his head. “Policing these days isn’t what it used to be.”
“It’s a challenge for sure,” she said. “But the technology has also helped catch tons of bad guys and put them away.”
“True.” Russ shot to his feet. “I’ll get with Colin on this. For now, Keenan looks like our top suspect.”
“Agreed,” Ryleigh said.
“I’ll have my team go back through those video lapses,” he said. “See if we missed anything. And I’ll ask them about the silver-heeled boots.”
She also told him about the blood in Gates’s truck and Sierra’s take on it.
“Interesting twist, but she’s right,” Russ said. “We should wait for the DNA. Keep me updated on any developments, and we’ll meet again first thing tomorrow.”
He spun and departed without waiting to see if they had any questions. He was clearly used to being a leader, something Finn could respect.
Finn glanced at the clock. “We should get going.”
Ryleigh sat for a moment before getting up and heading for the door. “I wish these videos had provided answers—not more questions.”
“Agreed.” He walked by her side to the lobby. He wanted to be the one to give her those answers, but he couldn’t. At least not yet, and that grated on him. He was a fixer. A doer. The past two days had been more waiting and pondering than doing. Not his wheelhouse at all.
He held the exterior door for her and opened the truck door too. He should be spoiling this woman. Pampering her on a nice date. Not helping her find a killer.
“We should review Colin’s reports again.” She climbed up on the seat, her mind obviously still on the investigation. “Especially the ones on Keenan, Carla, and the other Sovereign Earth members. Maybe we’ll see something we missed.”
“We can do that right after Avery goes to bed,” he said, closing her door. He jogged to his side of the vehicle, wishing that they could spend quiet time together instead. Recouping. Refreshing. And getting to know even more about each other.
Yeah, he’d changed all right. For the better he hoped, but what if once Ryleigh got to know the softer, more relaxed side of him, she didn’t like him?
She buckled her belt with a solid click. “Can we make time to play a little soccer with Avery? She’s really talented, and I’d love to give her more pointers.”
“We’ll have to ask her what she wants to do. Pizza night is usually movie night too, but she might make an exception for you.”
“Either way, some downtime sounds good.” Ryleigh sat back and looked out the window.
She was done talking. He didn’t mind the silence between them, but he wanted more. Maybe the easiness they’d once shared. Talking. Joking. Laughing. Finishing each other’s sentences. She’d been much more lighthearted than him, and she brought that side out in him too.
As a SEAL, he’d been constantly on edge. Waiting for danger. Planning and prepping for the worst so it didn’t come to pass and take out anyone on the team. But he’d honestly felt more balanced around her. Relaxed and content.
Could they ever get that easiness back and find a way to be together even with hundreds of miles between them?
He hadn’t changed his mind about moving Avery before she was ready. No compromise on that. None at all. And just like he couldn’t see how Keenan got the explosives from the depot, he couldn’t see a way around a long-distance relationship.
So stow it. Stow your feelings.
