“Alright. Jay, and Deborah,” Erik smiled, committing the names to memory.
“Do you have plans for Thanksgiving?” Deborah inquired thoughtfully.
“He doesn’t,” Amber answered promptly. “I invited him to the church dinner tonight, but he doesn’t have anyone to spend Thanksgiving Day with.”
“You do now,” Deborah said firmly.
“I don’t want to impose,” Erik quickly replied. “I figured I’d spend the day watching the game, and catch up on some reading.”
“You can watch the game here,” Amber said, with a determined tilt to her chin. “You can even read, if you want. But you’re spending the day with us.”
“You heard the woman,” Jay said.
“I did, and I know better than to argue with her,” Erik smiled. “Thank you, I’d like that.”
ROB looked over Samantha’s shoulder at his phone’s screen, as she scrolled slowly through the list of Facebook profiles. He suddenly pointed.
“That could be him.”
“The location is right…” she replied, and tapped the screen. She and Rob scanned the information on Jerome Randall’s home page.
“This may take a while. What are we looking for, exactly?” he wondered.
“I’d like to know if he’s in a relationship.”
“He isn’t, but why?” Rob wondered.
“Peace of mind, I guess. The thought of a relationship being severed like that, is heartbreaking.”
“It is. It’s awful,” Rob agreed emphatically. He hoped she felt the same way about their own relationship. Because it didn’t have to stay severed. He bit back the desire to point that out.
“I’d also like to know who he works for… at least we know what he does.”
“Construction,” Rob read. “Destruction, is more like it.”
“How about his contacts? Does that tell you anything?” Samantha wondered, as she turned her search in that direction.
“I think that…. Wait! Go back!” he said in excitement. “There, that’s Amos Burns! He’s on Grampa’s list, he’s a foreman. This guy could’ve been working for him. It was Amos Burns’ office that hired Paolo’s cousin to pick up the counters. That’s what he was told, anyway.”
“That’s a solid link, then,” Samantha said, her excitement matching his.
“It is, but if we’re right, he’s got to be working with someone. Or for someone. There’s too much risk involved in sabotaging a project like this.”
“After finding the two saboteurs frozen to death, I’d say that’s an understatement,” she said wryly.
“Considering the forecast, this storm was the last on-the-job hazard they expected to encounter. Back to Burns, though. Having multiple people involved in this, also increases risk.”
“Are you Facebook friends with the guys who work for you?”
“No,” he answered. “I’m not on Facebook, at all.”
“Neither am I, but if I was, I wouldn’t have my boss on my friends list,” she pointed out. “He wouldn’t try and add me, either. Burns and Randall may do different, but this indicates they were friends, or associates, outside of work. They could be related.”
“Assuming we’re right, then Burns trusts that the people working for him, won’t turn him in. But how do any of them profit? Even if we lost the contract, and Burns was hired by Davison Construction’s replacement, none of them would make any more than they would on an ordinary job.”
“And there’s no reason to believe he’d be hired. Did you turn him down?” Samantha wondered.
“We didn’t offer to hire him, that’s for sure. He didn’t come looking for a job, either,” Rob answered.
“He knew from experience that you wouldn’t hire him, or else he was already working for the person who’s determined to destroy what you’ve built.”
“I’m inclined to believe Burns is being paid by a contractor, who may be promising more, if he succeeds.”
“Then let’s do some more digging, and see if we can’t turn up a connection to one.”
ERIK tapped his phone’s screen and returned it to his pocket, then took a moment to look over the list of names written in the notebook he held. Amber sat beside him on her parents’ living room couch, reading over his shoulder.
“That was Mr. Henry’s office assistant,” Erik said, in case she didn’t already deduce that.
“And these are all the other contractors who bid on the Pine Mountain project?” she asked.
“This is it,” Erik answered.
“Mr. Henry’s list has some names your grandfather’s doesn’t,” she commented.
“Yes, it does,” Erik concurred.
“What do you know about them?” she wondered, as he marked several of those off the list.
“A month after we were awarded the project, a major developer in the next state contracted with Wilson Construction,” he said, tapping one of the names with the pen he held.
“So they’d have no reason to want to sabotage the work you’ve done.”
“Exactly. Other than the date and the developer, the same can be said for the rest of the names I’ve marked. They couldn’t live up to their current commitments and take on the development at Pine Mountain, even if Davison Construction lost the contract.”
“Would Mr. Henry consider them at all, since they’ve got these other commitments?” she wondered.
“No,” Erik replied with certainty.
“Moving on, then,” Amber said. “Sherman is on here. So is Conner. But not Whitman.”
“Whitman didn’t bid, after all. That doesn’t mean he won’t, if opportunity arises.”
“And so he could have something to gain. Does Burns work with him? Because that would give both an incentive,” she pointed out.
“Whitman is one of several builders that care more about profit than quality, so yes. Burns and his team do work for Whitman, and that does give them both incentive. They could be in on this together. You’re right about that,” Erik acknowledged.
“I wonder if the model homes in Whitman’s subdivision are open today?” Amber considered.
“It’s very likely,” he answered.
“I’ve been thinking, Erik,” she said, as she turned to face him. There was determination in her eyes. “I’m tired of renting, and ready to own.”
“And you’re considering a home by Greenfield Construction,” Erik summed up.
“Exactly. It’s a huge investment, of course. I’ve got to see for myself, whether or not these homes are all they’re cracked up to be.”
“Give them a few months, and they will be. Literally,” he said in response.
“I’m a hard sell. They won’t convince me easily.”
“Okay, good, because otherwise, not only will you end up with a house that falls apart down the line, you’ll break my heart. I thought we were friends, you say you trust me, and here you go to Whitman…”
“We are friends, I do trust you, and you can stop looking so hurt. This is all about furthering our investigation, and you know it,” she said tolerantly. A smile flashed across his face, then he got back to business.
“Like you said on Monday, I may not recognize the person behind all this. But that doesn’t mean they won’t recognize me. Especially if I show up at their place of business. That makes no sense, however you look at it. If I wanted a house built, I’d buy land, and build it myself. And build it right. I wouldn’t go to Whitman.”
“That’s why I’m going in alone. Your job is to drop me off, wait nearby, and pick me up after,” she replied.
“Keep your phone on speaker the whole time, and me on the line, and I’ll agree to this,” he bargained.
“I will,” she readily assented.
“Whitman’s subdivision is nothing major, just a couple of streets.”
“Something he could finish, while working on Pine Mountain? Should he be offered the opportunity?” Amber wondered.
“Sure. Especially if Amos Burns is working for him,
and he’s found an inspector to buy off,” Erik answered. “What I’m getting at, is that he has model homes at that site. I don’t think you’ll be in danger if all you do is talk to a realtor. As long as you don’t put down earnest money, and sign anything. I’ll park nearby, and pick you up when you’re ready.”
“Perfect,” she said with satisfaction.
SAMANTHA handed Rob his phone. He put it in his pocket, as he glanced at the cell phone plugged into the charger.
“The charge light is on,” he commented, picking it up.
“That’s a good sign,” Samantha said hopefully.
“It is, it’s a great sign,” he agreed.
He held in the wake button, and the screen lit, as the phone came to life. The excitement level in the room went up several notches. Samantha held out her hand, and he gave her the phone.
“If you can get us in, we’re bound to get more than we did from the other guy’s name,” Rob said.
“I’ll get us in,” she replied with confidence.
The lock screen appeared. Samantha traced a pattern on the phone’s surface.
The lock screen suggested she try again.
“It’s okay, swipe from the other direction,” Rob encouraged her, and she did.
The lock screen suggested she try again.
Rob’s shoulders slumped. Samantha turned, and gave him a stern look.
“You’re ready to give up, I can tell. But don’t. I’ve watched my cousin do this lots of times. I know what I’m doing.”
“I was just getting comfortable,” Rob said, holding up his hands to distance himself from any other motive. “I trust you completely.”
“Good, because… voilà,” she said triumphantly, as the home screen appeared.
“No way! Samantha, that’s amazing!” he exclaimed, and she smiled.
“First stop, text messages,” she said, and tapped the messages app. It opened, and she frowned a little. “Either he rarely utilizes text, or he deletes messages on a regular basis.”
“I would too, if I was involved in something illegal,” Rob reasoned. “He didn’t get everything, though… This was sent during the night. He and Randall Jerome were already dead by then.”
Samantha seemed reluctant to investigate further, so he reached out and tapped to open.
Are you coming, or what? the latest text read.
Rob scrolled to the first, which was outgoing.
“This was sent yesterday afternoon,” Rob commented. “Before Erik sent our crews home, and saw the SUV leave model F.”
Be done in a few.
Any trouble? was the recipient’s response.
“There’s not a name or number for the recipient,” Samantha noticed. “Just an iCloud address.”
“Whoever it is, we know the recipient is in on it,” Rob replied.
None, the owner of the phone answered.
On our way, the owner texted, thirty minutes later.
Zero visibility, stuck until wind dies down, was texted an hour after.
Wake me when you get here, the recipient responded.
Are you coming, or what? was the last text, received during the night.
“If this person was watching the weather predictors, they knew there was a break in the storm,” Rob commented.
“They didn’t know how deep the snow was,” Samantha noted.
“These guys must have died before we headed to the cabins. Their accomplice didn’t know that, either.”
“It’s awful,” she shuddered. “But, we know for certain that these are the two guys your brother saw.”
“And, that they weren’t acting alone. We know the driver’s name is Randall Jerome. How about the owner of this phone?” Rob wondered.
“Let’s find out,” she said, and tapped the Facebook app. It slowly loaded, and she selected the home page.
“Jess Stilton,” Rob read.
“He also does construction, and Randall Jerome is on his friends list,” Samantha noticed.
“So is Amos Burns.”
“Do you recognize anyone else?” she asked, and he shook his head slowly, as she scrolled through the images.
“I don’t know who these people are. They don’t work for me and Erik, anyway.”
“And no contractors that you recognize,” she stated.
“No.”
“Moving on, then,” she said. Closing Facebook, Samantha turned her attention to Jess Stilton’s contacts. Rob read over her shoulder, his eyebrows knitting in concentration.
“See anything familiar?” she wondered.
“No,” he answered slowly.
“He doesn’t have many,” she commented, as they reached the end. “So, let’s have a look at his recent calls.”
Samantha tapped the screen, and scrolled through the numbers listed there.
“Whoever they are, most of them aren’t contacts of his,” Rob noticed.
“Then we’ll call them later, and find out who they are.”
“How… what do we say?”
“What do I say, you mean. One of these people might know your voice,” Samantha pointed out.
“You’re right. So what are you going to say?” he wondered.
“If a business answers, we write down the name, along with the date he made the call. We match that against your list of orders that were delayed, or cancelled. If we find similarities, then we know for certain these guys are—or, were—responsible.”
“Sounds good. What about the rest of the numbers? Those that aren’t business-related.”
“I’ll play it by ear,” she replied. She closed the call list for the time being, and perused the phone’s apps. “He banks online… too bad that’s password protected. I’d like to check his deposits.”
“He probably gets paid in cash,” Rob pointed out.
“For work done illegally, probably so. But, checks might be deposited for work performed on an actual job.”
“You’re right,” Rob frowned a little. “It’s likely that Burns is the one that pays him, no matter who the contractor is. But… I wish we could get a look at that.”
“Since he banks online… it’s possible he receives transaction emails,” Samantha considered. “As long as he isn’t as quick to delete those, as he is his texts, we may find something there. But… considering it’s the day before Thanksgiving, and the businesses that are open may be closing soon, first I’ll make those calls.”
ERIK followed the snow-packed street toward the brief area of town designated as the La Centerra subdivision.
“I don’t remember ever having this much snow before,” Amber commented, as she observed the white world outside the windows of the SUV. As she watched, a few more flakes fluttered past, on their way to join the rest. “I guess this is nothing new to you, though.”
“Ashland has plenty of snow. And residents who know how to drive in it,” Erik cringed, as up ahead, a large SUV skidded straight through the red light, and into the intersection. Amber gasped as it spun out of control, narrowly missing another vehicle. When it came to a stop, it faced the opposite direction.
“That was close,” Amber said shakily.
“They gave their four-wheel drive and anti-lock brakes too much credit,” Erik replied, as he slowly approached the light, and came to a stop. “They didn’t take into account the weight of their vehicle and the condition of the road. They didn’t think they had to.”
“They’re not likely to make that mistake again,” she predicted, as the vehicle’s tires slowly began to turn, and it inched out of the intersection. “Now I know why you insisted on driving until we were past the snow, yesterday. It’s a good thing we don’t have this kind of weather often, I wouldn’t know what to do.”
“I’ll teach you, since I won’t always be here to do the driving.”
“Great. Thanks. How long will you be here?”
“I don’t know, exactly,” Erik considered. “It depends on whether or not Mr. Henry is satisfied with our work, and offers us a con
tract to complete the development on Pine Mountain.”
“Of course he’ll be satisfied with your work,” Amber declared staunchly. “Not only that, we’ll catch whoever’s trying to undermine your company, too. Mr. Henry will offer you the contract, for sure. I hope you don’t have anyone in Ashland that’ll miss you too much, since you won’t be going back for years, and years.”
Erik couldn’t help laughing, and missed the glance she gave him out of the corner of her eye.
“I doubt it will take years and years to complete the developments Mr. Henry has planned for this vicinity.”
A large sign advertising La Centerra came into view. Beyond it, three houses stood in a row on one side of the street. The colorful flags in front, identified them as model homes.
“They look good on the outside,” she commented.
“They’ll look good on the inside, too,” Erik replied. “Whitman wouldn’t get any takers, if they didn’t. Don’t count on the same care being taken with the rest of the subdivision.”
“You’ve convinced me. If I ever decide to give up apartment living and buy, I’m calling you for help.”
“You should. I’ll make sure you don’t end up disappointed.”
“I should hope so, since I expect you to do the building. Park here, and I’ll let myself out.”
“Answer my call, first,” he countered, as he pulled into the driveway of the first model home. “I’d like to hear what you find out.”
He took out his phone, and tapped the screen. Amber’s played a ringtone, and she did the same. She tapped the screen a second time.
“You’re on speaker,” she informed him.
“And you’re on mute, so you and the people near you, don’t hear every vehicle as it drives past,” Erik replied.
“That wouldn’t be very stealthy, would it.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
Amber slipped her phone into the outside pocket of her purse, then opened the door of the SUV.
“Be back in a few,” she said, as she climbed out.
“Don’t break a leg,” he smiled, and she laughed.
“I’ll try not to.”
Amber closed the door, and Erik watched as she followed the shoveled walkway to model home number one.
Disengaged (Terms of Engagement Book 3) Page 23
