Page 100 of Coveted Justice

“There’s some marks here,” he said, his brows pulled down into a frown. “Like someone was trying to break into the desk.”

“They weren’t there before?”

“Sam didn’t mention them, and I don’t remember seeing them. They look fresh, too.”

“Do you think someone tried to pry open the desk and then changed their mind? Maybe one of Sam’s deputies started to and he stopped them.”

“That’s probably what happened,” Tanner replied. “I’ll ask him about it when I go back to the hospital.”

Tanner slid the key into the lock and turned it. A soft click sounded and the drawer slid open easily. He pulled a stack of papers out of the top drawer along with a large black leather satchel.

“Let’s take a look at what we’ve got here.”

Opening the satchel, Tanner’s brows shot up.

“What is it?” Maddie asked, coming to stand beside him. “Is that money?”

It was money. The bag was stuffed full of it. Stacks of hundred-dollar bills.

“Maybe Marty liked to keep cash on hand,” Tanner observed. “There’s probably ten grand in here.”

There wasn’t anything else in the top drawer that looked interesting, but the second had even more files. He leafed through the first one, smiling as he held it up.

“Bingo. These were papers that Marty had drawn up to invest in Drew’s startup. The attorney was telling the truth.”

“And Drew Parnham was lying,” Maddie remarked. “I wonder why.”

“Because he’s a big fat liar. That’s why.”

Both Tanner and Maddie swung around at the sound of the voice. Her heart dropped to her stomach and the breath caught in her throat.

Trisha Parnham stood there in the doorway, a smile on her face.

And a gun in her hand. Pointed directly at them.

---