Page 34 of Edge of Steele
“No need. The grapevine already has.” He turned onto the road leading to the mill and Shadow Lake Logging’s office. “There’s no indication anyone outside of the mill and logging business is in danger, and my staff is warning the other local companies to be alert.”
He glanced at her. “You miss the law enforcement gig?”
“At times. I have to admit to enjoying this investigation. Not that a man has died though or even convincing Colin to come out of retirement.”
“Yeah, he was pretty broken when he came here. But he’s really lightened up the last few weeks.” Russ turned his blinker on for the office sitting down in a lush valley on the right side of the road. “He’s a real asset to the family business, just like I know you are to your family.”
She sat back. “Who’d have thought when we played together as kids that we’d be working on solving a murder together.”
“Well, wedidplay cops and robbers.” He grinned. “Remember the cap guns and holsters your grandad got us.”
The smile sent a wave of love for her grandad through her heart. “Gran was so mad at him. Said we had plenty of time to play cops when we grew up if we wanted to.”
“But she didn’t make us give them back. That was the important thing.” He turned into the driveway and cast her a mischievous grin. “Don’t tell anyone, but I still have mine.”
“Me too.” She looked at him and laughed. “I wonder if anyone else kept theirs.”
“We should ask.” His smile faded. He lowered his window and stopped next to his deputy guarding the mouth of the driveway along with one of Ryleigh’s company guards. Tobias’s truck was parked on the side of the driveway. “Let Mr. Hogan through too.”
The uniformed deputy gave a crisp nod and stepped back to let Russ pass. Russ rolled the car slowly down the driveway to the two-story cinderblock building that looked more like a bunker than an office.
They got out and waited for Tobias to park and cross the lot. Russ handed her a pair of booties and disposable gloves and held onto an additional set.
He took a step forward as if he couldn’t wait for Tobias to arrive. “Thanks for meeting us, Tobias. We have a warrant to search the premises.” Russ held it out. “That includes your explosives’ depot.”
He frowned at them. “You didn’t need a warrant. You just had to ask, and I’d let you look at anything you wanted to see.”
A perfect answer to point to his innocence. Or was he lying and playing them? She believed it was innocence.
“First up,” Russ said. “I’d like to get all of the keys for the depot.”
“In my office.” Tobias spun and marched up to the building where he unlocked the door and disarmed the alarm.
“Hold up,” Russ called out. “We’ll check for explosive devices.”
“You think they’ve put one here too?”
“Can’t be too careful.” Russ slipped on his booties and gave a pair to Tobias. “Put these on when I call you back to your office.”
Russ held out his hand for Ryleigh to come in.
She encased her shoes in the blue fabric, and they stepped side-by-side into the waiting area, their feet whisking over the checkerboard tile floor. They split, each taking a different side of the long hall that led to a bathroom, break room, and offices, including Tobias’s at the end of the hall. Logging photos filled the walls, covering decades of this business’s existence.
She went into Tobias’s small office with a desk, credenza, and a round table with four chairs. Every surface was covered with paperwork. The first time Ryleigh had seen the disorganization, she’d almost pivoted and walked out. She figured if he worked in such clutter maybe his business was a mess too, but she’d stayed and learned that he ran a tight ship.
She searched high and low, moving things when she was uncertain, but just found more of Tobias’s junk and released musty odors into the air. Or at least it looked like junk to her.
She went back into the hall. “It’s clear.”
“You can come back now, Tobias,” Russ yelled.
He hurried down the hall, his feet sloshing in the booties, and brushed past them. “Might look like I don’t know what I’m doing in here, but I have a system.”
Not one, Ryleigh had ever heard of. She was a messy person at heart but this office fell on the hoarder spectrum.
He squatted down by an ancient black safe and spun the dial. He took out a small wooden box and gave it to Russ. “The master’s in here and here’s mine.” He removed the key from his ring and gave it to Russ.
Russ put on gloves and withdrew a plastic evidence bag from his back pocket, then put everything in the bag. “I need to confirm that your two supervisors, Finn Durham and you, had the only four keys.”
