Page 79 of Something’s Brewing

“I . . .” She cleared her throat. “I need copies of everything with dates attached.”

His mouth twitched slightly as he ran a finger down her cheek. “I can do that.”

Nick looked between them. “You two gonna flirt or solve the case?”

Garrett grabbed the nearest highlighter and threw it at him.

Sawyer chuckled, eyes not leaving his laptop screen.

Hours slipped by without any of them noticing. The light outside shifted slowly from bright afternoon gold into dusky blue.

Garrett had ordered pizza a while back. It now sat, half-eaten, in the open box in the middle of the table next to empty coffee cups and assorted highlighters.

Madison rubbed at her eyes while scanning another spreadsheet. She thought back to the numerous cases she’d worked. When they were close to solving one, she’d purposely set her watch so it would beep—what everyone called a Sophie reminder. She’d stop what she was doing and call her daughter to let her know she’d be late getting home. Though Sophie had a live-in nanny, she didn’t like missing dinner or their bedtime ritual.

Garrett brought her out of her reminiscing by placing a paper plate with a slice of pizza onto the stack of papers in front of her, along with a napkin.

“Eat.”

She blinked up at him. “Bossy.”

“You haven’t taken a break in six hours.”

She opened her mouth to argue.

He raised one brow, and she sighed dramatically and grabbed the slice. “You’re annoying.”

“You like me anyway.”

“Unfortunately, yes. Very much.”

An hour later, Kate arrived carrying dessert. “I brought much-needed sugar,” she announced.

Sawyer immediately reached for a brownie, and Nick went for the apple turnover.

Madison barely noticed because she was too focused on a timeline Valerie had emailed back with three sections highlighted. “Gotcha!”

Nick looked up. “What?”

Madison pointed toward the laptop screen. “The transfers increase every time the inspection company lands a large commercial project.”

Garrett leaned over her shoulder. “Meaning?”

“Meaning Benson’s getting kickbacks.” Madison’s voice sharpened with adrenaline. “Valerie thinks we’re close. Really close. She’ll keep looking when she has more time.”

Sawyer suddenly sat straighter. “Wait.”

His fingers flew across the keyboard again.

“What now?” Nick asked.

“I put a tiny camera outside the detached garage.”

Nick froze. “You WHAT?”

Sawyer winced slightly. “Not admissible. I know. He won’t find it.”

Then he opened a video file and a grainy live feed appeared on-screen. Everyone in the room went silent as they stared at the screen over Sawyer’s shoulder. A large black truck rolled slowly into the frame.