“Harassing? Of course not.” Abigail brushed the air with one hand as if to push the idea away, but her eyes gleamed. “Why would I do that?”

To show that she could? To prove that Laurel needed to stay close to protect her mother? Laurel stood and planted both hands on her desk. “Do not leave footprints around my mother’s vehicle again, do not follow her around, and do not try to scare her. Ever.” Laurel had feared she’d have to protect her family from this new half sister. “We both may favor logic, but I’ll destroy you if you hurt my mother. Hard and fast and with a viciousness even you couldn’t match.”

Abigail’s smile showed too many teeth. “Again, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but your point is well taken.” Her tone was coy. “However, do not for one second consider rejecting me as a sister.”

Laurel straightened. “Why not?”

Fire splashed across Abigail’s high, smooth cheekbones. “You would not like the result. At all.” She grabbed her purse and spun out of the room, clipping rapidly down the hallway and through the door.

Laurel sank back to her chair, her entire body shaking. Heat blasted from the vents pointed at her, but she didn’t feel the warmth.

What had she just done?

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Huck stopped by Monty’s office on his way out. “Hey.”

Monty looked up from his computer, his eyes bloodshot. “Hey. Where are we with the investigation?”

Nowhere good. “Now with warrants, we’re heading out to search the other greenhouse owned by the first victim, and the Seattle FBI is searching Dr. Rox’s shared workspace at the hospital.” Huck motioned for Aeneas to sit. “You don’t have to be here if you’d rather rest.” The radiation treatments were obviously taking a toll.

“I don’t have anywhere else to be.” Monty looked at the framed photo on his desk. “I guess when my sweet wife died, I just stopped meeting people. Dropped friends and only worked. This is all I have.”

Huck didn’t have any words of comfort.

Monty ran a hand through his rapidly thinning hair. “It’s nice having you here in the office. I know you’d rather be called in only when needed, but the office requires strong leadership, and I think you can provide that. You seem more comfortable these days.”

“I am.” Huck wasn’t certain he wanted to be more comfortable, but he did like most of the Fish and Wildlife officers, and they were a strong team. “Though I’m ready for you to be healthy again so you can take over.”

Monty’s smile looked more like a grimace. “Might take a while. I know we’re not friends, but—”