Page 132 of Concrete Evidence
Granddad moaned. “I would have canceled my trip to help you, Craig. You’re like a son to me.”
“Thank you, sir, but there’s more. When I disappeared a few days ago, I returned to the same facility. Shipley said with all the problems here, I could use a break to reinforce the counseling. He feared I might start gambling again, and Leanne deserved a strong man. I refused because of all the trouble we were having with the dam and the murders. Again, I let Shipley talk me into going. He claimed he’d tell you in confidence that I had a personal situation and I’d be back this past Thursday night. I wanted to tell Leanne, but he claimed I’d lose her. What I didn’t say earlier is cell phones are not permitted at the facility, so I never saw anyone’s calls or texts.”
“Craig,” Marc said. “You really have no idea who shot you?”
“None. On the way back from the facility, I read the texts and listened to the voice mails. I immediately called Shipley, but he didn’tanswer. Then I called Leanne, who was hysterical. Feared I’d been killed. Rather than call the senator, I chose to use the Old River Gate and tell him the whole story the following morning. But a bullet stopped me. I fell and was knocked unconscious. I woke and called Avery. Honestly, I don’t remember much except at the hospital Shipley called and recommended I hold back telling you the story about my gambling, because you had too much on your mind.” He glanced at Marc. “My cell phone records have the numbers for both facilities.”
Marc shook his head. “Craig, you’re wrong. There’s nothing on your phone records linking you to any facilities or calls to Shipley.”
Craig stepped back as though he’d been punched. “Is it possible to have numbers deleted on my phone without my knowledge?”
Marc nodded. “Technology can accomplish far more than you or I can imagine. Your online calendar doesn’t show any info either.”
“I have no idea who erased my cell phone calls and calendar dates. I also don’t know who hired Jake Drendle to murder those men or who compromised the dam, but I am—” Craig swallowed hard, and Leanne took his hand. “I’m sure Shipley is part of the scheme. Why would he befriend me except to set me up for a string of crimes?”
Granddad rubbed his forehead. “Whoever shot you tried to kill you. That means you’re still a threat and a target.”
“I think surviving a bullet still stacks the cards against me.” Craig waved his hand. “I apologize for the pun.”
“It’s okay,” Granddad said.
“But you’re right, sir. A doctor could tell when the shooting happened, maybe pinpoint the time. And a good prosecuting attorney could take in the time aspect and still have a valid claim to my involvement.”
Avery digested Craig’s words. “How do we go about proving or disproving Shipley’s role?”
Marc picked up the conversation. “We have a possible motive. Senator, would you share what you told Roden and me earlier?”
Granddad explained Shipley’s daughter’s illness, the guilt, the cost of the medicine, the likelihood of his other children developing Huntington’s, and his wife filing for divorce. “I assumed he felt inadequate to take care of his family, but murder and sabotaging a dam? Hard for me to conceive a friend planned such evil, a man I poured out my guts to when I feared for Avery, Liam, and Abbott.” He paused. “Murdering Judas.”
Avery touched Granddad’s arm. She hadn’t seen him so upset since he cried openly at Grandma’s funeral.
He patted her hand. “Somewhere in all of this, he’s slipped on a big pile of manure. Marc, what are your thoughts?”
“We can easily prove Craig attended the rehab facilities. The conversations with Shipley could be tossed out of court, but if Jake offers to cooperate and names him, we’re on more solid ground for building a case that would hold up in court.”
“The problem is,” Roden said, “Jake stated the murder contracts were made via phone. I reviewed Jake’s phone records while you were gone earlier, and the number belongs to a burner. In fact, the same phone used to call Avery and the two calls to Marc, one a man and another a woman.”
Avery weighed their words, wishing she had more skills to help. “Is there software that changes a man’s voice to a woman’s?”
Roden huffed. “Sure. Shipley’s prior job with Army investigation would have alerted him to his own mistakes and the high probability of finding those flaws in his plan.”
“Then why deliberately plan a crime?” she said.
“Huntington’s disease affects the mind too.”
She nodded. “Makes sense.”
“Until this is sorted out,” Craig said, “am I permitted to work the ranch?”
Avery studied Marc and Roden. Hesitation stared back at her.
“What guarantee do we have you won’t attempt to leave?” Marc said.
“You don’t. Just my word, I’ll—”
“I’d like for Craig to go about business as usual,” Granddad said.
Marc glanced at Roden, and the two slowly nodded. “We’ll take it one day at a time. Any slips, and he’s behind bars.”
