BooksBarbecue
Back Cold Aim
Chapters (64)
  1. Cover
  2. PRAISE FOR JANICE CANTORE
  3. Map of Rogue’s Hollow
  4. Dedication
  5. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  6. Epigraph
  7. PROLOGUE
  8. 1
  9. 2
  10. 3
  11. 4
  12. 5
  13. 6
  14. 7
  15. 8
  16. 9
  17. 10
  18. 11
  19. 12
  20. 13
  21. 14
  22. 15
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. 38
  46. 39
  47. 40
  48. 41
  49. 42
  50. 43
  51. 44
  52. 45
  53. 46
  54. 47
  55. 48
  56. 49
  57. 50
  58. 51
  59. 52
  60. 53
  61. EPILOGUE
  62. 1
  63. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  64. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

After a long, tense moment, Harp did blink and strode to the door, stopping with her hand on the knob. “I’m serious, Chief. Maybe you have no reason to trust me, but you can pick up the phone and let the people at Faith’s Place know that anyone with a little computer savvy could find out they’re sheltering a witness there. Please tell them to be extra vigilant. Cyrus Beck is evil personified.”

She opened the door and was gone. Leaving Tess wide-awake and feeling as if she’d just been through a washing machine spin cycle.

26

Oliver listened to Tess tell him the story of the late-night visitor. Six thirty in the morning and they were eating breakfast at the Hollow Grind, a rare and pleasant way for them to start the day.

“I’m amazed that she came to talk to you. She came to talk to me once shortly after she moved into her mystery mansion.”

“What did she want to talk about?”

“She had Bible questions. As I recall, she wanted some proof the Bible is true. And she wanted an explanation for all the evil in the world.”

“Oh, she had easy questions, huh?” Tess grinned at him.

“We talked; I invited her to church.” He shrugged. “I’ve only seen her briefly once or twice since then, and she doesn’t seem interested in talking to anyone. How are you going to handle this?”

“I called Agent Bass right after I called Bronwyn and Nye and asked them if everyone was okay. Things have calmed down since the market fiasco. But it worries me more than I can say. Harp knew the girl was there, knew her name. The whole episode spooked me a bit.”

She sipped her coffee and picked at her breakfast. Oliver could tell she hadn’t gotten much sleep.

“Bass has no idea how anyone could find Chevy via the computer. There is no record of her anywhere on a public domain. She’s in a secure law enforcement system, and that’s not public. He was rattled about that and the market incident, but a text I got from him this morning said he wants her to stay put anyway. He’s completely tied up in the court proceedings and extremely worried that part or all of the evidence will be excluded. If he is able, he will find out exactly who Livie Harp is.”

The angst in her voice got to him. Oliver reached out and put his hand over hers. “Tess, you’ve done everything humanly possible to keep that girl safe. And Bronwyn and Nye are capable as well. I wish I knew more about Livie Harp and what would possess her to come to you like that.”

Tess gripped his hand; her hands were always warm, and Oliver loved the firm touch of her hand in his.