Page 37 of Edge of Steele
He blew out a breath. “Just don’t know if I’m too old to rebuild. I’d be happy to retire but so many people around here depend on these jobs.”
“God will give you the answer.” She released his arm, and after donning her new pair of booties, she followed Russ inside the small shed-like building.
The walls were lined with tubes of explosives that resembled giant sausages encased in different colors of plastic—big white ones and smaller red ones. The space had a distinct odor, but she couldn’t place it. Likely from the explosives. Each package had a date marked in black marker, perhaps the date the item was checked into inventory so they used the oldest product first.
Russ set the inventory record book on a nearby shelf. “You count the red ones, and I’ve got the white.”
She used her finger to tap the red tubes as she went up and down three rows in open cardboard boxes facing forward. She found a total of seventy tubes and went to the inventory book, which said she should find seventy-six. She counted again. Still only seventy.
“I’m short six tubes,” she said.
“There’s seventy-two of the white,” Russ called out.
She looked at the inventory. “Should be seventy-eight tubes.”
“No way I miscounted, but you try it.”
She moved to the white ones and used her finger again, going up and down the vertical towers. “Same as you. Seventy-two.”
“So six tubes are missing of each color.” Russ scowled. “Who all accessed the inventory since Finn took it?”
She glanced at the form. “All three key holders, but Gates was the last one, taking three tubes of each last night.”
“Maybe he took the missing ones on this visit and used the extra ones in the bomb.”
“I’m really starting to like the guy for this bombing,” she said.
“Me too,” Russ said. “But we can’t rule out the other key holders, including Finn.”
She ran her finger down the ledger columns. “According to the form, he hasn’t ever taken anything, and he had the inventory confirmed and signed off by the assistant.”
“Just because the paper doesn’t say he took anything, doesn’t mean he hasn’t.”
“True,” she admitted, but felt like a traitor to him.
“We need to get that security footage from the outdoor cameras ASAP.” Russ met and held her gaze. “For now, this shortage stays with task force members only until I can figure out a way to use it to our advantage.”
He was a shrewd sheriff, and her respect for him kept growing. “What if Tobias asks?”
“Then we play dumb and move on.” He picked up the inventory sheet. “Let’s get to counting the blasting caps and other supplies.”
She nodded and followed him out of the building, praying that when they reviewed the video files, Finn wasn’t caught anywhere near that building. And if he was, his hands weren’t filled with explosives.
Nearing six, Ryleigh went through Finn’s still open garage and knocked on the interior door. She tapped her foot as she waited for him to answer, her mind still overflowing with thoughts on the missing explosives. She really didn’t think Finn was involved, but even if he didn’t show up on video, he could still be guilty. After all, he knew about the cameras and would know how to avoid them, maybe disable them.
The door whooshed open, and he flashed a quick smile. “How did it go?”
“Tobias wasn’t happy we shut down his total operation. He’s concerned about paychecks for his workers.”
“I guess that would include me.”
“You going to be okay?”
He nodded. “I never had enough time to spend my money as a SEAL, so socked a lot of it away.” He pulled the door all the way open and stood back.
Ryleigh entered a combo mudroom/laundry room painted a deep purple with white cabinets. Laundry was stacked in baskets on the washer and dryer and the room held a slight odor of bleach.
“With getting up to speed in the new job, I’m a little behind on my chores,” Finn said. “Head to your left for the kitchen.”
