Chapter 9 - THE CAR AT THE END OF THE ROAD
A black sedan appeared near Walter’s mailbox shortly after midnight.
Its headlights remained off.
Mara had already arranged for patrol officers to pass the property, but Walter refused to leave.
“I spent months being told where I could sleep, what I could eat and when I could speak,” he said. “I’m not abandoning my own home because another thief wants me frightened.”
Evan offered to stay.
Walter looked at him for a long moment before answering.
“You can use the couch.”
It was not forgiveness, but it was the first night Walter had allowed his son inside since the attack.
At 1:18 a.m., the sedan rolled toward the house.
Evan stood beside the front window, gripping his phone. Mara remained behind the wall, watching through a security feed.
A man stepped out carrying a gasoline can.
Evan moved toward the door.
Mara grabbed his arm. “You don’t confront him.”
“He’s going toward the barn.”
“You call it in and stay alive.”
For once, Evan obeyed.
Deputies intercepted the man before he reached the building. His name was Curtis Wynn, a maintenance contractor employed by three of Mercer’s companies.
Inside the sedan, officers found gasoline, disposable gloves and Alicia Price’s purse.
There was no sign of Alicia.
During questioning, Curtis claimed he had found the purse in a restaurant parking lot. Then investigators showed him footage of Alicia entering his sedan two days earlier.
His attorney ended the interview.
At dawn, Walter stood on the porch watching the vehicle being towed.
“They weren’t trying to burn the barn,” he said.
Mara followed his gaze.
The old barn contained farm tools, tax files and forty years of Walter’s business records.
Including the original mineral survey.
“They were trying to erase proof that Mercer knew what the land was worth,” Mara said.
May you like
Walter turned toward Evan.
“And somebody told him where I kept it.”
