Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 105748 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105748 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
“He was aggressive toward Taran in her store.”
“I know, and he was given a warning about that.”
“What about the spray paint across Cammie’s Defender? I’m the only thing that connects Cammie and Taran.”
“Are you?” She frowned. “I’m not being deliberately argumentative, Quinn, or telling you that you’re for sure barking up the wrong tree. But I can’t have tunnel vision in an investigation. I need to look at all possible avenues. Cammie and Taran grew up together, and they’re friends independent of you. We don’t know that the vandalism against Cammie’s vehicle is connected to Taran. Oban Police have run out of leads, so we need you both to be extra vigilant going forward. If anything happens, even something small, I want to know about it. The more we know, the faster I can get to the bottom of this.”
Frustrated at the situation and not at DC Alice, we thanked her and left the station. We both needed to return home to change. Quinn wanted to be at the Lantern when I met with Ramsay. Since I was feeling confusingly clingy after our night together, I told him I’d meet him there. He looked like he wanted to say something as we stood by my car, but whatever it was, he squelched it with a quiet “See you soon.”
34. Quinn
“It all looks good.” Ramsay strode out of the Keatons’ house to stand with me as we looked up at it.
I tossed the keys into the air, studying our handiwork and feeling proud. “It’s crackin’.”
“It is. All signed off?”
Building control had been this morning, followed quickly by the building warranty officer, who had just left, leaving me and Ramsay to lock up.
“All signed off. The Keatons arrive this weekend to pick up the keys and see it for the first time.”
“One thing off your plate.” Ramsay rubbed the nape of his neck. “Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful.”
I shook my head.
Yesterday, Taran and I had met Ramsay in the Lantern. While he had been able to trace where the call came from using phone mast trilateration there had been only one call made on the phone and that was to Taran. It was clearly a burner phone and there were no other call or text records. And while Ramsay had traced the call, he couldn’t trace the phone, which meant it had been switched off or destroyed.
Strangely, the call had come from Glasgow.
Which had Taran racking her brain, thinking of any confrontations she’d had in recent history when she lived there. I reminded her that Eoghan McCall had moved to Glasgow with his wife, so he surely had contacts there too.
Ramsay had his own contacts search the CCTV in Oban. Taran had many questions about how he’d managed it, but Ramsay evaded and Tierney distracted. Unfortunately, they’d lost Taran’s attacker too.
“You’re doing what you can.” I winced. “Taran might be onto you, though.”
Ramsay frowned. “How so?”
“She kept asking me how you could get access to the camera footage from Oban. Why you knew about phone trilateration and tracing. I told her you were in the military and had some connections who could help. But … your ringtone is the Austin Powers theme song. It’s made her suspicious.”
To my shock, Ramsay let out a bark of laughter.
Eyebrows raised, I was incredulous as he grinned at me. “I thought you’d be pissed off.”
“So, Taran’s a bit suspicious. As long as you don’t tell her, we’re good. But Austin Powers?” He shoulder-checked me as he passed. “Cheeky bastard.”
I chuckled, calling after him. “Tierney’s changed you!”
He grunted and pulled open the door to his SUV. “Change my ringtone. I’ll see you back in Leth Sholas. What time are we meeting Taran?”
“In two hours.” I gave him a two-finger wave and headed toward my truck, eager to get back to town. To get back to Taran.
“Quinn!”
My pulse jumped at the sound of my name, and I glanced over my shoulder only for it to start racing.
Taran wore her hair loose, and it blew back from her face in the strong breeze as she strolled toward where Ramsay and I waited for her.
Right on the plot of where the LSLS Charity Shop would soon stand.
My blood heated at the way her shirt molded to her breasts and stomach against the wind. Last night, it had taken me ages to fall asleep, wishing she was in my bed with me. Wondering if she wished the same. Hoping that the giant fucking risk I was taking by entering into a casual relationship with her would work out for us in the end.
She tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear as she stopped before us, and she didn’t avoid my gaze, which I took as a good sign. “Hi. What’s happening?”
“Planning permission was approved.” I gestured to Ramsay. “We’re going to start work on the foundations today, but we wanted you to know. The kit company started the building before approvals since Aodhan was so sure it would happen. The kit will be here in two weeks, and we need to get started.”