Page 16 of Bennett

“So much for no damage.” Carter sighed as they approached the door to the apartment on their right.

Matthew exhaled. “Not good.”

Bennett scowled at the busted lock, hanging deadbolt, and the metal frame warped where it had been forced. Whoever had done this hadn’t just tampered with the wiring, they’d made damn sure to break their way into the one place that looked remotely livable.

“Damn it,” he muttered, still eyeing the splintered wood. “Someone went at this with more than just a crowbar. This was deliberate.”

“Yeah,” Matthew agreed. “Almost afraid to look inside.”

Carter nodded. “I know. No telling what else they messed with.”

Bennett carefully pushed the door open, the hinges creaking in protest. Stepping inside, he was surprised to find the place further along than he’d expected. The walls were painted, the floors laid, and most of the kitchen cabinetry installed. The bones of the apartment were solid. But whoever was behind the sabotage had made sure to leave their mark.

The glass doors on two kitchen cabinets were shattered, shards of glass glinting across the counter. The flooring near the hallway entrance was scratched up, deep grooves marring thepolished wood. But it was the wiring that caught his attention the most.

Cables were yanked free from their housings and left dangling uselessly from the wall. Some walls had been slashed clean through, the exposed copper a clear indication of just how much work it was going to take to fix.

“Damn,” Bennett muttered. “Someone’s making a statement.”

“No kidding.” Carter exhaled, his gaze moving over the destruction with the kind of casual frustration of a man who’d already seen too much of it. “And the fact they broke the lock to get in here? That’s new. Usually, they focus on the open units.”

Matthew ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. “Means they’re escalating.”

Bennett quickly explored the rest of the apartment, finding more exposed wiring. “And if they’re that desperate to make their point, they’re not going to stop here.”

“Which is why I need to get this place wired up, fast,” Carter said. “And I’ll get cameras set up in the hallway, too.”

“Add more sensors.” Bennett shifted his focus to finding solutions. “If they think they can keep getting away with this, we need to prove them wrong.”

“My cameras and infrared sensors should do the trick,” Carter said, a hint of eagerness slipping into his voice. “But I need to get started on it right now.”

“Do it. I want this place covered from every angle. And make sure the footage is being backed up in real time. Last thing we need is someone wiping the evidence before we can get our hands on it.”

Snorting, Carter snapped his fingers as he made a circular motion with his hand. “Dude, don’t you know who you’re talking to? Of course, I back my shit up.”

Matthew laughed while Bennett rolled his eyes.

“Good.” He glanced back at the destroyed lock, his jaw clenching. “And make sure the damn locks are replaced, too.”

Whoever was doing this wasn’t just trying to scare Annie off. They were trying to bleed her dry before she even got the place up and running.

Bennett’s jaw tightened. Not if he had anything to say about it.

“Mac had asked Brandi and her crew not to come in today so we could get it outfitted.” Carter frowned as he looked around again. “I’m glad. She’s going to be gutted seeing her handiwork damaged.”

Bennett agreed. From what he could see, the designer had done great work, until, as Carter had put it, someone messed it up.

Matthew let out a low breath. “Yeah. Someone really doesn’t want this place opening.”

“Think it’s time to get the sheriff involved,” he said.

Matthew nodded.

“Already did,” Carter informed. “I called Mac just before you got here, trying to catch him before he left on assignment. Bossman told me to call Gabe, which I did. He’s on another call and will stop here when he’s done. But I hadn’t even seen this mess yet, so he doesn’t know.”

Bennett scratched his temple. “What about Brandi? And Annie?”

Carter exhaled heavily, running a hand over the back of his neck. “Haven’t told them yet. I was about to when I ran into you guys.”

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