A delivery truck driver entered the rescue center. “I have a delivery for a Tawny Granger,” he announced.
Her file cabinet and bookcase had arrived. “That’s me.” She turned to Ariel. “We need to get together.” She leaned closer. “I need a bit of advice on my love life.”
Ariel smiled. “I will be happy to give you any advice. Call when you are free. I know you are dealing with a lot.”
“I will. Stop by the office before you go.”
“Will do.”
After she handed the cat to Julia to take to the men, Tawny showed the driver where she’d like her new office equipment delivered. Once she tipped him, he left.
Thankfully, the metal furniture didn’t need assembling. She even had many of her hanging file folders ready to go. First though, she needed to move a few boxes out of the way to make room for the bookcase and file cabinet. And that meant moving her desk. As she slipped her hand under the left-hand overhang, her fingers touched something.
What the hell?She bent down to see what it was, but she couldn’t identify it. The small black box was no longer than an inch long by a half inch wide. Then reality hit. It had to be some kind of listening device.Now what should I do?
Mason would know, but it wasn’t as if she could call him from her office. They—whoever they were—would know she’d uncovered it.
Two could play at this game. She grabbed her safe phone that Mason had lent her and returned to the back room where Ariel was treating a dog.
She looked up. “What’s up? I thought you were organizing your office?” Ariel scrunched her brows. “You look troubled.”
Tawny leaned close and kept her voice barely above a whisper. “I found a bug under my desk. I need to call Mason but I can’t do it in my office.”
“That’s horrible. How did they get in the building to plant the device?” Ariel asked.
“Shh. That’s what I would like to know.”
Since there was no telling if there were other bugs in the center, Tawny stepped to the corner to call Mason.
“Hey. Did you talk to Dad?” he asked.
“Not yet, but I need to see you.”
“Any particular reason?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Tawny, what’s going on?”
“You know how neat your office is? I want mine to look the same. Care to help me set up my bookcase and file cabinet?” Mason had to know that she was in some sort of trouble with that lie.
“Sure. When?”
“Now?”
“Be right there.”
She disconnected and faced Ariel. “I hate this.”
Ariel said nothing as she gave Tawny a hug. “You’ll find Zach,” her friend said loud enough for any possible bug to pick it up.
That comment meant she understood what was at stake. Tawny stepped up to Julia who was at the front desk. “My brother Mason will be here shortly to help me move a few things around in my office.”
“I can help.”
She was sweet. “That’s okay. Now that he has your brother to help with surveillance, I figure he has more time to spend with me.”
Not wanting to get into a discussion with Julia, Tawny went back to her office. Since there was a bug in there, the safest thing to do was write Mason a note when he came in. He’d know how to proceed. Once she did that, she worked on organizing more of her files.