“Evidence. The state is only beginning to assess the cause of the dam failure. But someone found these parts under the rubble near the failed buttress. Evidence techs are on the scene.”
“So it was bombed?”
“It looks like it. I know it was a traumatic experience to survive the flood. Did you hear anything that sounded like a bomb going off?”
He thought back to that moment. The shock of seeing the dam break. “I heard and felt something, yes, but I thought the sound was the dam collapsing. It all happened so fast.”
Trevor leaned back in his chair and concentrated, reading the articles, and Nathan absorbed this new information. He would need to head to Erin’s soon. But for the first time since this started, he sensed they were getting somewhere.
Trevor dropped the article back on his desk and scraped his hand around his jaw. “So the big question is, the missing woman whom the article identifies as the daughter of this mob boss, how does she fit in with a murdered WITSEC witness and several members connected to the Irish mob? Someone wants to find her? Or someone doesn’t want her found?”
“I’d say there are several big questions. I think we’re on the same page.”
“Good. And I get the feeling that someone is cleaning house. Getting rid of loose ends. In the meantime, I have another photograph for you.”
He pulled another photograph out of the folder.
“Someone was out taking nature photos. Caught this guy sticking a rifle back in his vehicle. The photographer would have deleted the image, he said, but heard about the shooting and that we were asking for information.”
Nathan’s chest tightened. The image confused him. “I can’t be sure, because his face is somewhat hidden, but I think I’ve seen this man before. And if it’s the man I’m thinking it is, it doesn’t make sense. Do we know who he is?”
“Not yet.” A call came through for Trevor. “I need to take this. Can you wait?”
Nathan glanced at his watch. “No, I need to go. I’ll check back with you later. Keep me updated on what you learn.”
“Will do,” Trevor said.
Henry hadn’t returned, so Nathan left the county offices. He needed to head to Erin’s. Just as he climbed into his vehicle, his cell rang. Mom. His heart rate kicked up. Did she have news about Dad?
“Hey,” he answered.
“Hey, honey, just letting you know that your father is sitting up and eating on his own today. His words are garbled and he’s frustrated, but this is progress. He’s alert and aware, just not communicating all that well.”
Nathan hung his head—grateful on the one hand, grief-stricken on the other.
Lord, please help Dad get back to his old self. Please help us find who shot him. I’m doing all I can here, so help me.
“Oh, and I meant to tell you, honey. Hold on...” A shuffling noise, then, “I’m out in the hallway while the nurses attend to him. You asked about the articles.”
“Yes, did Dad ... Was he able to...” What was he asking? Dad couldn’t tell them anything about the articles. He couldn’t communicate.
“I remembered something. You asked about some articles that Dwayne wanted him to investigate.”
“Mom, I have the articles now. I know what they’re about.”
“Oh, okay.”
Guilt flooded him that he’d been a little short with her. She was only trying to help. “But go on, what were you going to tell me? Anything you remember could help.”
“Since sitting here with your father, I’ve had a lot of time to think back and wonder why we divorced. Memories I’ve put out of my mind are coming back. It’s like everything around the time he left—vivid memories, unfortunately—is coming back. Dwayne had just married Celia. He hadn’t known her all that long, and she’d just moved to town. Your father warned him about that—”
“Mom. Enough on Erin’s mom.”
“You’re right.” She sighed. “Except Dwayne found those articles in Celia’s things. He asked your father to look into the articles.”
Nathan frowned. “Why would he do that?”
“Come on, he married someone he didn’t know all that well. He loved her, but then maybe he started having doubts. He became suspicious.”
Nathan rubbed his forehead. Erin’s mom had kept those articles.
And that’s why Dad had called Celia. It hadn’t been just a friendly call. He’d had questions about the articles, or maybe even answers. Then she tried to commit suicide—though she claimed she hadn’t.
And Dad was shot.
And right now, given the image that Trevor showed him of the man in the woods, it looked like the same man who shot at Dad also shot at them in the logging truck incident and was also seen in Seattle.
How could it all be related?
Looks like they’re cleaning house.