Page 79 of Buried Secrets

A cold dread began to rise in her gut. But she rose to her feet. The photos of the journal were on her phone and now safely in her and Amy’s email clouds—retrievable anywhere in the world.

She couldn’t let him know that. Obviously, he thought she’d made paper copies.

Agent Cook’s hand shot out, gripping her wrist with bruising force. “Don’t. Lie. To me.”

Her heart skipped against her ribs. His facade had completely crumbled. This wasn’t the charming federal agent that had flirted with her. This was someone desperate and dangerous.

“You’re hurting me,” she whispered.

“Where are the copies, Kaitlin?” His grip tightened.

“I don’t have any copies—”

Agent Cook slammed her against the old plaster wall with enough force to knock the breath from her lungs. A cry of pain escaped before she could stop it.

“My grandfather was a good man who made mistakes,” Agent Cook snarled inches from her face. “I won’t let you destroy his legacy over thirty-year-old lies written by a hysterical teenager.”

Through the window behind Agent Cook, Kaitlin caught a glimpse of movement. Jasper, working outside on a ladder, had stopped and was staring directly at them. Their eyes met for a split second before he disappeared from view.

“Those women were murdered,” Kaitlin gasped, trying to buy time. “Margaret Straub was just nineteen years old—”

“She was a stupid girl who made bad choices.” Cook’s grip shifted to her throat. “Just like you’re about to make a very bad choice if you don’t tell me where those copies are.”

Kaitlin’s vision began to spot at the edges. “Amy’s office. File Cabinet. Bottom drawer,” she choked out.

Cook released her throat, and she collapsed against the wall, gulping air. “Show me,” he said.

He dragged her down the corridor toward Amy’s temporary office, his fingers digging into her upper arm. Kaitlin’s mind raced as they walked. Had Jasper gone for help? She needed more time. Time for someone to realize what was happening.

In Amy’s office, Cook shoved her toward the file cabinet. “Get them.”

Kaitlin knelt beside the cabinet, pulling open the drawer with shaking hands. Behind her, Cook bent over to watch, his attention focused on her search through the folders.

On Amy’s desk, the chunk of granite from the basement she’d been using as a paperweight caught the light. Heavy, solid, roughly the size of her fist.

“Here,” Kaitlin said, shoving a random manila folder in his hands and reaching slowly toward the desk while he was distracted.

“What the hell…”

Kaitlin’s fingers closed around the rock. She spun and brought it down on Cook’s temple with every ounce of strength she possessed.

He crumpled to the floor.

“Jesus Christ, Kaitlin!”

She spun toward the doorway where Jasper stood, Matt rushing past him into the room.

“Are you all right?” Matt grabbed her and swallowed her into his arms briefly before grasping her shoulders, his eyes scanned her face and throat where finger-shaped bruises were already forming. “Did he hurt you?”

Kaitlin looked down at the unconscious federal agent, then at the chunk of granite still clutched in her hands. “I think I handled it.”

Jasper stepped forward, studying Cook’s prone form with admiration. “Solid hook.”

Kaitlin leaned against Matt’s warmth, adrenaline finally giving way to relief. “He wanted the copies. He was going to kill me for them.”

“Copies?” Matt’s arms tightened around her.

She pulled out her phone with a shaky hand. “Every page of Margaret Straub’s journal. Safe and sound.”