Page 75 of Forgotten Path

“Did anything else happen?” Judy asked suddenly. “I mean, between the time you saw Chad and when he fired you this morning?”

“Well, Doc died.”

“Besides that.”

“Yeah, actually. I stopped by the paper mill to pull the copies of the old violations, and they were gone. They should’ve been in the file room, but they weren’t. I told Chad that, too, this morning.”

“Destroying those documents shows evidence of guilt, right?” Dr. Owens murmured to Bodhi.

He nodded. “Probably.”

He turned back to Brianna, who was girding herself to ask a question she wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer to. Finally, she squared her shoulders and took the plunge. “So, these health effects I heard you talking about—if the level of marine toxins kept surging above safe levels because of the nutrients in the water, then Gulf Paper is responsible for the illnesses, at least partially. I mean, right?”

Before anyone could answer, the door flew open, and Craig Lowell stormed into the room.

CHAPTERTHIRTY-NINE

Judith jumped up from her chair as her grandson burst into the room. “Craig, what’s the matter?”

His face was a thundercloud as he glared at each of them in turn before settling on Brianna.

“What are you doing in here? You were supposed to be helping Steffi and me in the parking lot?”

Brianna gave him a wide-eyed look but didn’t respond.

Bodhi attempted to step in. “We’re in the middle of something, Craig. Could you find someone else to help direct traffic?”

Craig fisted his hands and yelled. “No, I can’t!”

Judith snapped, “That’s enough of that. What’s gotten into you?”

Craig frowned and clenched his fists tighter. Then he filled his lungs with air and spoke in a more moderate tone. “I’m sorry for interrupting, Gran. But I need Brianna to come with me. Now.”

Judith frowned, but it was Brianna who spoke next.

“Isthatwhat you’re doing for Fred Glazier? Spying on me?”

Craig clamped his lips shut. Judith cocked her head as if she must’ve misheard.

“Are you working for Fred?” she asked her grandson.

“It’s not like that,” he mumbled to his feet.

“Tell me, then. What is it like?”

He was silent for a full minute. “Fred’s concerned that the investigation into Doc’s death is going to mess up the project over at Emerald Estuary Estates. Those houses are expensive, and rich people aren’t going to move into a town with a bad reputation.”

“And?” Judith felt her mouth puckering like she’d sucked on a lemon, but she couldn’t seem to smooth it out.

“And he asked me to be his eyes and ears. You know, keep him in the loop.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Is that why you were asking questions about my ‘gal pals’? Is that why you were so eager to come and help today? Did you go through my purse looking for information for Fred?”

As she peppered her grandson with questions, she watched him wilt, bit by bit.

Until finally, deflated and defeated, he hung his head and said, “Yes. Yes to all of it.”

Her chest tightened, and she clutched the front of her blouse.