Page 91 of Forgotten Path

“I was cleaning out Joel’s camper, boxing up his things to send to his cousin in Duluth, and I got thirsty, as one does.”

“Let me guess. You visited Mike’s cart for a Doc-a-ri?”

“Guilty as charged. Mike and I started talking, and he mentioned this independent project he’s working on.” She poked the guy in the ribs. “Go ahead, tell him.”

“It’s still a prototype, but I’m working on a system to use a specific blend of seagrasses to filter excess nutrients out of fresh, salt, and brackish water and to re-oxygenate the water to counteract the effects of eutrophication.”

“And you think it could work?”

“It works under lab conditions. But I haven’t been able to get approval to plant any in the wild. We work in protected areas, so they hesitate to let us experiment. But Detective Williams thinks there’s an estuary here when I can plant some and see what happens.”

“Emerald Estates?” Bodhi asked her.

“Construction’s shut down. I heard Gulf Paper is looking for an as-is buyer. I don’t know who’s gonna buy a half-built neighborhood of overpriced homes, but Brianna set up a meeting with the real estate department. Apparently, someone there owes her a favor. And Brianna hinted heavily that donating the lagoon to the project would go a long way toward rehabilitating the company’s image in the aftermath of Chad and Fred’s arrests. Anyway, Mike and I are going to pitch the idea today.”

“Good luck. I hope they agree. It sounds like a worthwhile project.”

“They’ll agree,” Felicia told him. “I have a secret weapon.”

Bodhi raised an eyebrow. “Do tell.”

“We’re bringing Louisa with us. If Mike’s seagrass works, once the shellfish are safe to eat again, she can put all the old favorites back on the diner menu.”

“The way to a corporation’s pocketbook is through its stomach,” Bodhi observed.

“Sometimes it is. I know you’re busy. Let’s catch up later.”

“Sure. One quick question before you go, though,” he said.

She jutted her chin toward the pantry. “Go introduce yourself to Clara and Mrs. Wolfe,” she told Mike. “I’ll be along in a minute.”

“See you around, Dr. King.” Mike gave a half-wave before heading out to the pantry.

Felicia leaned against the doorframe. “What’s up?”

“Are you okay? I mean, really okay?”

“I’m great. Why do you ask?”

“I don’t know. Maybe because a police detective from the Keys is almost eight hundred miles from home setting up meetings about a marine environmental technology pilot programs?”

She gave him a look. “I thought I knew Joel, but I didn’t. This is—”

“We talked about this. He was a private person; it wasn’t anything you—”

“Un-uh, don’t interrupt.”

He clamped his mouth shut and gestured for her to continue.

“I didn’t know him as well as I thought I did. But it’s clear that these people in this place mattered to him. So, the least I can do for him is to make sure they’re not forgotten. Plus, I have almost three months of accumulated personal time that I need to use.”

He nodded. “Is it my turn now?”

“The floor is yours.”

“I think it’s an admirable and fitting way to honor Joel’s memory.”

She grinned. “Glad to hear it. Because I’m too old to drink any more Doc-a-ris. Let me tell you, they pack a punch.”

“To be fair, a roaring hangover isalsoa fitting way to honor Joel’s memory.”