Page 28 of Fire Bear

“All right,” Parker said, motioning to the screen. “Could you load up the footage from last night, maybe the two-hour window before the fire?”

Eliana clicked through the software’s menu. “Yes, it should be recording around the clock,” she explained, tension building in her chest. “Let me pick the time period from about six in the evening onward. The orchard staff left around that time, so we might see if anyone was sneaking around afterward.” She double-checked the date and time on the playback bar, then clicked “Play.”

The screen went dark for a moment, then a scene from earlier in the evening flickered into view. It showed one angle of the orchard near the barn. She recognized Talia and a couple of other staffers finishing up, carrying tools to the barn. The timestamp read 5:48 PM.

“Looks normal so far,” Parker said, leaning in. “Keep going.”

She fast-forwarded slightly, scanning the smaller thumbnail feeds in the corners, each representing a different camera: the orchard rows, the fence line, the main barn door.

For a few minutes, everything seemed routine: employees tidying up, exchanging waves, and eventually heading off-camera as they left for the night. The orchard grew quiet with the fading light, the cameras capturing just the gentle sway of trees.

She paused the playback around 7:10 PM, switching to the fence line camera. “Here we should see if anything odd happens,” she murmured, pressing Play again.

The footage advanced. For a few seconds, nothing. The orchard appeared empty in the darkness, though motion-triggered floodlights gave the cameras enough light to record. Eliana’sheart hammered, waiting to see a suspicious figure cross the fence. But the screen froze. She blinked in confusion, then tried to click the timestamp again. The software didn’t respond.

“Something’s off,” she said, shifting in her chair. She tried to exit the playback screen, but it remained frozen. “Let me reboot the timeline.” She closed the window and reopened it, selecting 7:15 PM. A small loading icon spun at the center of the black screen. She waited, pulse rising. Five seconds. Ten seconds. Still black.

Parker’s voice was tight. “Does the system usually freeze like this?”

She frowned. “It’s new, but I’ve never seen it do this.” She clicked forward an hour, then two hours, but the result was the same: a black screen with no video. The feed didn’t resume until she’d logged on this morning.

Eliana’s stomach sank. She scrolled in smaller increments, hoping to find something. The same thing happened every time. At 7:10 PM, the recorded footage abruptly ended, and it didn’t come back on until the system’s real-time feed that morning.

“It’s not there,” she said quietly, frustration burning in her chest. “All the time between last night and early this morning is missing from the archives.”

Detective Parker’s mouth pressed into a thin line. “That’s a serious gap.” A short silence followed, tension thickening in the small room. The detective rubbed his forehead. “It seems we have a case of deliberate sabotage. The question is how they got in and shut it down. Do you leave the barn office unlocked at night?”

“Absolutely not,” she said, placing a hand on the desk as if seeking stability. “We lock everything. Plus, the system has apassword. Only a few of us know it. Talia, me…” Her words trailed off as her mind supplied another name. Her heart lurched. “Mateo. He helps with orchard technology. He’s the one who set up the schedule for updates. He has the admin login.”

Detective Parker raised an eyebrow, turning to face her fully. “Mateo is your missing apprentice. The one who disappeared.”

She nodded, a swirl of guilt and fear tangling in her chest. Mateo had the system codes. He knew the orchard’s entire security layout. “He has remote access,” she mumbled, voice catching. Tears pricked at her eyes. “What if that’s why they took him?”

A hush settled over the office. Ash laid a hand on Eliana’s shoulder. Detective Parker scratched a few notes in his pad.

“This is significant. They must have forced your missing apprentice to sabotage the orchard’s security. Or, at the very least, they compelled him to give up the codes.”

Chapter

Twenty

Eliana stoodin the middle of the barn’s small office, one hand pressed against the desk for balance. Detective Parker had left moments ago, and she was still trying to wrap her head around everything.

The stale smell of charred wood lingered in the air. She let out a slow breath, telling herself she had already shed enough tears for one day. Yet the orchard, her orchard, now felt more vulnerable than ever.

Ash was by her side, arms folded, posture tense. He looked as rattled as she felt. She stepped outside into the barn, and he followed. The orchard, in full morning sun, looked deceptively tranquil. Beyond the orchard rows, ash and soot painted the ground in dull grays and browns. She drew in a shaky breath, trying to ward off tears she did not want to shed.

Ash slipped an arm around her waist, and she felt his warmth against her side. The simple comfort of his touch reminded her that she was not alone in this. Months ago, she had managed every crisis by herself, from pest outbreaks to minor orchardmishaps. Now, Ash was here, and she had an ally in a battle she never expected to fight.

A buzz broke her thoughts. The sound came from Ash’s pocket—a phone vibrating. He withdrew the device and glanced at the screen. A flicker of surprise crossed his features. “It’s Marta,” he said, meeting Eliana’s eyes.

Eliana’s pulse jumped. A trembling wave of anticipation rushed through her, though she tried not to get her hopes too high. If anyone could uncover secrets from the encrypted phone, it was Marta.

Ash accepted the call, pressing the phone to his ear. “Marta, it’s Ash. Got any news?” He paused, and Eliana saw the seriousness settle into his face. “Really? … We’ll be there as soon as we can.”

A knot formed in Eliana’s stomach. She stared at him, waiting for some sign that Marta had found something hopeful or, at the very least, revealing. But the intensity in his gaze told her it might not be the news she wanted. She swallowed. “What happened?”

He slipped his phone into his pocket. “Marta cracked the phone. Ivy told her to let us know right away. She says there’s important info, so we should come to the Institute.”

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