“Yes, headphones. Ms. Oakley used them on occasion to listen to music while working. She did indicate she only visited music sites Granger deemed unrestricted. Take a close look at them, Bruce,” Marcel suggested.
Bruce picked them up and studied every inch of them before he began to dismantle them piece by piece. When he didn’t find anything unusual, he put them back together. “Now, let’s see what I missed,” he said, reaching for his briefcase and placing it on the table.
Bruce opened what was referred to as his briefcase of toys, software and hardware specifically created to combat computer espionage. Taking out what looked like nothing more than a miniature flashlight, he scanned the headphones. When the scanner began flashing, he looked over at Marcel, smiled and said, “Bingo. Whatever is in here cannot be seen with the naked eye. And it’s my guess that once the device makes contact with a computer, the spyware is automatically downloaded and activated.”
“Damn,” Caden said, shaking his head. “How did she get it?”
“Her boyfriend,” Marcel responded.
“The older man?” Dalton asked.
Marcel nodded his head. “Yes. He recently dumped her, but she should count her blessings.”
“Why?” Shana asked, staring down at what looked like a fancy pair of headphones.
“Because that same type of headphones was found in Brandy Booker’s apartment when it was searched.” He then tossed another set on the table. Hers are identical except in color.
Jace leaned back in his chair. “Are you saying...?”
“Yes,” Marcel said, nodding. He glanced over at Dalton. “I think your hunch might have been right on the money. The same older man who was dating Brandy, and used her to install the spyware on her computer, is more than likely the same man who used Ramona Oakley for the same purpose. My job is to find out who he is.”
*
Sandra Timmons’s features went into shock. Some people were good at masking their emotions, but she was not. Jules thought it might have had something to do with the way her mouth seemed to drop, almost falling to the floor. But it didn’t take long for her to recover and put that iron face back into place. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Really?” Shiloh asked, moving to stand in front of her mother. “Well, let me tell you what I’m talking about. You were seen with him.”
“Him who?”
“Vance Clayburn.”
Again, another shocked look. It was there one second and gone the next. Mrs. Timmons attempted to look thoughtful. “Vance Clayburn. I believe that’s the man Nannette Gaither is engaged to marry. Why would you think that—”
“You were seen with him. Years ago. In our stables. Caden saw you, and don’t you dare call my husband a liar.”
Sandra Timmons opened her mouth to do just that and then thought better of it. She closed her mouth tightly and then switched her gaze from Shiloh to look out the windows where those same stables could be seen. It was obvious she was trying to hold her emotions together. Either that or she was trying to get her lie straight before she told it, Jules thought.
“Well, Mother?”
It was obvious Shiloh wasn’t cutting her mother any slack. She wanted answers, and she wanted them now. When Sandra Timmons’s gaze came back to rest on Shiloh, there were emotions etched across every inch of her features.
“We need to talk privately, Shiloh.”
“No, Mom, we don’t. You might be a murder suspect if you don’t—”
“Suspect for murder! What are you talking about?” Sandra Timmons asked in a panicky voice.
It was Jules who spoke. “You and Sylvia Granger were involved with the same man, Ms. Timmons. For all we know, you could have killed her in a jealous rage.”
“That’s insane. I would not have killed Sylvia—she was my best friend. She didn’t even know Vance and I knew each other, and she told me she only messed around with Vance to—”
When she didn’t finish, Jules pressed. “To what?”