Page 14 of Finding Home

“Has any group claimed responsibility for what’s been happening?” Julie asked.

“Not yet, but give it time.” Marcus gestured at the equipment. “This wasn’t random vandalism. Whoever did this knew how to cause the maximum damage with minimum effort.”

Julie moved closer to the excavator, studying the cut hydraulic lines and the fuel tank where sugar had been poured. Marcus was right about the precision. This wasn’t teenage mischief or drunken destruction. Someone had targeted specific systems with deliberate intent.

She crouched down, examining the ground beneath the machine. The spring mud showed boot prints, though weather and construction traffic had muddled most of them. She pointed to a pattern pressed into the softer earth near the tree line. “Did anyone photograph the tire tracks over there?” Julie asked.

Marcus checked his notebook. “They were photographed a few hours after the call came in.”

Julie continued searching outside the cordoned-off area. Apart from a few cigarette butts and an empty soda can, nothing felt wrong for a construction area.

A voice called out from across the site. Julie looked up and saw a man in his early sixties approach them. He wore a bright orange safety vest over a flannel shirt, with a radio clipped to his belt.

“Morning, Deputy,” the man called. Then, to Julie, “You’re the journalist Cole mentioned?”

“That’s right. I’m Julie Harrison.”

“Ryan Kowalski.” He extended his hand. “I’m one of the surveyors. I’ve been working on this site for the last few months.”

Julie frowned. The man’s name was familiar. “Are you any relation to Beth Kowalski?”

“Beth’s my sister,” Ryan told her. “She mentioned that you’re in a cooking class together.”

Small-town connections, Julie thought. Everyone was related to or connected with everyone else. It made investigating Cole’s case even more complicated.

“I was hoping to talk with the staff who’ve been working here,” Julie said. “If you have the time, I’d appreciate it if I could ask you a few questions.”

Ryan glanced at the deputy, who nodded. “Go ahead. I need to check in with the sheriff anyway.” The deputy walked toward his cruiser, already pulling out his radio.

When he was out of earshot, Julie turned back to Ryan. “Tell me about the night of the sabotage. Were you here that day?”

“I got here at about eleven o’clock that morning, and left around six.” Ryan adjusted his safety vest. “We were working on the foundation markers for the main building. I didn’t see anything unusual. The site was secure when I locked up.”

Julie knew the police report had said the same thing. “Who else has keys to the security gates?”

“Cole, obviously. Noah, his project manager. The security company that looks after the BioTech buildings farther around the point. They have them in case they see anything odd. And Graham Tully, the general contractor.”

Julie wrote their names in her notebook. “Have there been any disagreements on site? Arguments with workers, or problems with local suppliers?”

Ryan hesitated, and Julie recognized the look. He wanted to be helpful but didn’t want to speak out of turn.

“It’s all right,” she said gently. “I just need to understand what’s been happening here.”

“There was some tension a few weeks back,” Ryan admitted. “One of the equipment operators got fired. He’d been showing up late, and Noah caught him drunk on the job. The guy made some threats when he left. He said Cole would regret treating local workers like disposable labor.”

“Do you remember his name?”

“Doug something. Waterson, maybe? I can check the records if you need me to.”

“That would be helpful,” Julie told him. “Did you tell the police about the disagreement?”

Ryan shook his head. “I was away when the police interviewed everyone. Sheriff Thompson said she’d call me to arrange another time to talk, but no one’s called.”

Julie made another note on her phone. She was slipping back into her old habits without meaning to. She was asking questions that built on each other, watching for inconsistencies, and noting what people said and what they carefully didn’t say.

“What do you think about the resort?” she asked Ryan. “I won’t repeat what you say.”

Ryan considered the question. “I think it will be good for the area. Cole’s not like some developers I’ve worked for. The resort design incorporates a lot of community feedback.” Ryan paused. “But I also understand why some folks are worried. Change is hard, especially when you’ve lived here your whole life.”