then leave shortly after lunch. I’ll call you later.”
Gage Wheeler owned the local lumberyard and was an active volunteer in the community. Although I wouldn’t say we were close, I’d known him for years. He had a reputation for being gruff and outspoken, but he cared about his neighbors and could be counted on to roll up his sleeves and pitch in if there was a task to be accomplished. The lumberyard was located on the east edge of town and could only be accessed by a graded road. Luckily, someone had come by with a plow, so the property was accessible by a four-wheel drive vehicle.
Charlie looked out of the passenger-side window and barked as we were greeted by two large dogs as we pulled up in front of the trailer Gage used as an office. The trees surrounding the property were blanketed with snow, as were the large piles of logs waiting for processing. I knew that the large barnlike structure at the back of the property housed the lumber that had been cut and processed and was now available to be purchased by local contractors.
While the lumberyard was a busy place in the spring and summer , Gage and a couple of assistants held down the fort during the heart of the winter, when new construction was at a standstill and remodels were few and far between. I parked near the entrance to the trailer and told Charlie to wait while I climbed out of my giant truck and carefully made my way along the icy path to the front door. I knocked and waited for Gage to invite me in.
“Zoe Donovan. What are you doing all the way out here on this snowy day?”
The interior of the trailer was drab and gray, with metal desks and tall black file cabinets. There was a computer on the desk Gage was sitting behind that was probably older than I was. To the right of the desk was a locked cabinet holding several guns on display. I knew Gage was a hunter who often went into the forest for weeks at a time.
“I’m trying to round up all the keys we gave out during the remodel and wasn’t sure if I’d gotten your s back or not.”
“Actually, I do still have it.” Gage opened the top drawer of his desk , found it, and handed it to me. “I was waiting to bring it back until I found out if you were going to need more wood for the enclosure in the bear cage. It looked like you might be short.”
“ I wasn’t aware you’d been by to see the work we’d done.”
“Stopped in the other day , when I was in the area.”
“Jeremy didn’t mention it.”
“He wasn’t there. It was after hours, so I let myself in. The offices look really nice with all the new paneling.”
“Yeah, they are nice. Listen , I wanted to ask you about a man who stopped into Rosie’s the other day while I was having lunch with my dad. He came in from the street, spoke briefly to Blythe, and then left. You were eating at the counter. I was hoping you’d seen him.”
Gage appeared to be thinking about it.
“I’m trying to determine if the man who came in was this man.” I showed him the photograph of Anthony Martucci.
Gage shook his head. “I had my back turned toward the main dining area. I remember you and your dad having lunch. I remember seeing Blythe come in. But I’m afraid I don’t remember this man , although I’ve seen him before.”
“Can you tell me where and when?”
“He was talking to Kevin Michaels in the parking lot of the grocery store. To be honest, it looked more like they were arguing.”
“ When was that?”
“ It must have been Saturday. I was in town doing my errands.”
“And you don’t know what they were arguing about?”
“No, I didn’t really stop to listen.”
“Okay , thanks.”
Gage hadn’t provided the proof that I needed to convince the masses that the man I’d seen in the café was the same man who’d killed Trent, but he had given me a clear direction and a solid lead. Maybe I was getting somewhere.
I decided it might be worth my while to talk to Kevin. Not only was he one of the few
Gage Wheeler owned the local lumberyard and was an active volunteer in the community. Although I wouldn’t say we were close, I’d known him for years. He had a reputation for being gruff and outspoken, but he cared about his neighbors and could be counted on to roll up his sleeves and pitch in if there was a task to be accomplished. The lumberyard was located on the east edge of town and could only be accessed by a graded road. Luckily, someone had come by with a plow, so the property was accessible by a four-wheel drive vehicle.
Charlie looked out of the passenger-side window and barked as we were greeted by two large dogs as we pulled up in front of the trailer Gage used as an office. The trees surrounding the property were blanketed with snow, as were the large piles of logs waiting for processing. I knew that the large barnlike structure at the back of the property housed the lumber that had been cut and processed and was now available to be purchased by local contractors.
While the lumberyard was a busy place in the spring and summer , Gage and a couple of assistants held down the fort during the heart of the winter, when new construction was at a standstill and remodels were few and far between. I parked near the entrance to the trailer and told Charlie to wait while I climbed out of my giant truck and carefully made my way along the icy path to the front door. I knocked and waited for Gage to invite me in.
“Zoe Donovan. What are you doing all the way out here on this snowy day?”
The interior of the trailer was drab and gray, with metal desks and tall black file cabinets. There was a computer on the desk Gage was sitting behind that was probably older than I was. To the right of the desk was a locked cabinet holding several guns on display. I knew Gage was a hunter who often went into the forest for weeks at a time.
“I’m trying to round up all the keys we gave out during the remodel and wasn’t sure if I’d gotten your s back or not.”
“Actually, I do still have it.” Gage opened the top drawer of his desk , found it, and handed it to me. “I was waiting to bring it back until I found out if you were going to need more wood for the enclosure in the bear cage. It looked like you might be short.”
“ I wasn’t aware you’d been by to see the work we’d done.”
“Stopped in the other day , when I was in the area.”
“Jeremy didn’t mention it.”
“He wasn’t there. It was after hours, so I let myself in. The offices look really nice with all the new paneling.”
“Yeah, they are nice. Listen , I wanted to ask you about a man who stopped into Rosie’s the other day while I was having lunch with my dad. He came in from the street, spoke briefly to Blythe, and then left. You were eating at the counter. I was hoping you’d seen him.”
Gage appeared to be thinking about it.
“I’m trying to determine if the man who came in was this man.” I showed him the photograph of Anthony Martucci.
Gage shook his head. “I had my back turned toward the main dining area. I remember you and your dad having lunch. I remember seeing Blythe come in. But I’m afraid I don’t remember this man , although I’ve seen him before.”
“Can you tell me where and when?”
“He was talking to Kevin Michaels in the parking lot of the grocery store. To be honest, it looked more like they were arguing.”
“ When was that?”
“ It must have been Saturday. I was in town doing my errands.”
“And you don’t know what they were arguing about?”
“No, I didn’t really stop to listen.”
“Okay , thanks.”
Gage hadn’t provided the proof that I needed to convince the masses that the man I’d seen in the café was the same man who’d killed Trent, but he had given me a clear direction and a solid lead. Maybe I was getting somewhere.
I decided it might be worth my while to talk to Kevin. Not only was he one of the few
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