Chapter 44
Forty-Four
S ean caught Ethan up on his investigation before he left. Champlain Security Solutions had unearthed another business that was acquired at a bargain and sold for a profit exceeding its actual value. They tracked it to a group out of Massachusetts but couldn’t prove they were laundering money. There was no law that protected idiots who paid more than the property was worth.
He left Jane’s farm feeling good about the new cameras and her safety. Also, Sean really liked Jane, so there was that. Not that Ethan needed his brothers’ approval, but it helped.
Bucky was returning to work today. He knew Jane was running into town to have coffee with Claire and Leah at Wild Bean Roasters and then order a few things for the farm. She also had a pottery class at Earth & Fire. Clarence promised to draw up some new plans for the greenhouse after the insurance approved the claim and demolition began.
All in all, everything was good except for the nagging issue of who was targeting Jane’s farm and who killed David Thornton. They hadn’t gotten anywhere with the name Viper, and it didn’t ring a bell with Sean. But they’d keep digging.
Later today, he was getting together with Tanner, Adam and Matt to grab a beer. He hadn’t seen Matt in a while, but with winter coming on, Matt had more down time. Come spring and summer, they wouldn’t see much of him. And Tanner was taking a break from the farm to join them.
They would head over to the Beaver Creek Brewery. Their new selection of winter beer and ales was available, and he wanted to try them. He’d only stay for an hour or so and then get back to Jane. He promised he wouldn’t leave her at night and would keep that promise.
Savannah was coming up for the weekend, and Jane was excited to see her. Him, not so much. Only because he liked having Jane all to himself. However, he’d heard how much fun Savannah was from Tanner and Leah, so it promised to be an interesting weekend. Ethan was working both days, and he was happy Jane would have company.
The day went by fast. Jane had texted him a picture of her and the girls making funny faces and laughing at a table. At four o’clock, he clocked out and headed toward the brewery.
It was conveniently located close to town and situated on the bank of the Mills River. The two-story brick building had been a fixture for over fifty years but had been transformed into a brewery for twenty. Beer barrels in the window reminded everyone what it was now. Ethan remembered an insurance company having the space when he was younger.
He parked his truck, walked into the comfortable bar and spotted Adam, Matt and Tanner sitting at one of the wooden tables in a corner near the recent addition, where glass windows overlooked the processing plant. Tall steel barrels stood stoically like sentinels along each side.
There was a long bar along one wall with a dozen taps.
Ethan shook hands with the men and sat down. “Haven’t been in here for a while. Have you looked at what’s on tap?”
“Yeah,” Adam replied. “The beers all sound good, but I think I’m going for a flight before I decide.”
“That’s a great idea,” said Matt.
Ethan agreed. Their flights consisted of four different beers of their choosing served in sample glasses of three ounces each. Perfect if you were undecided, plus you got to sample beers that were new to you.
They looked over the menu and, when the waiter came over, ordered four flights, which came with pretzels and salted nuts. Ethan snorted. That was perfect business sense: Serve salty foods that actually tasted good with beer and made you drink more. It didn’t matter. He’d drink the flight, decide on one and then head back to Jane’s.
“Heard Sean was out this morning installing security cameras,” Adam said. “Are you hopeful you’ll catch whoever is doing this?”
Ethan shrugged. “Who knows. Maybe we’ll get lucky. I really want this settled so Jane can get on with her life.”
“You mean you and Jane,” Matt teased, lightly punching his arm.
“Potato, potahto,” he replied. “Jane deserves to feel safe and be happy.”
“So do you, Ethan.” Matt was about to say something else, but the flights arrived with the snacks, and they spent a few minutes tasting.
“I’m guessing Bucky is no longer a person of interest,” Matt said, taking a few pretzels.
“No, turns out he was in foster care with Jane’s husband. He was looking for a diary that his girlfriend wrote.”
“I like him,” said Tanner. “He’s had a hard life but seems to be turning it around.” He picked up a handful of nuts and tossed them in his mouth. “Jane has really turned that farm around. Maybe with her spare time, she’ll start writing again.”
“Writing? What do you know about her books?” asked Ethan.
“Hey, I read,” quipped Tanner. “For your information, Leah picked her books up at the library. You know she’s a best-selling author, don’t you?”
Ethan never thought about it. He rarely read unless it was for work or a magazine that caught his interest, like hunting. Maybe he’d pick one from the bookshelf and read it.
“What I’m hearing is that no one has confessed to the murder or burning the greenhouse,” said Matt. “Do you have any information that might solve this case?”
“Wish I did.” Ethan picked up his last small tasting of beer, gulped it down, and wiped his mouth with his hand. “Sean mentioned a ring of thieves laundering money by buying businesses and houses, then selling high. We believe Thornton was involved with someone named Viper, but that’s all the information we have.”
“So, you think this Viper is the man behind everything?” asked Tanner.
“Think so. He gets other people to do his dirty work, but it’s been tough connecting him and Thornton. Thornton’s financials were a mess, with questionable transactions linked to that name.”
“But you still don’t know why the fire was set?” asked Matt.
“Still a mystery,” said Ethan. “We think it’s a message to scare Jane off or cover something up.”
“Is there something in the barn that would indicate Thornton or who this mystery man is?”
Ethan sighed. “I don’t know for sure. Jane had a couple of break-ins and a strange note. I’m guessing it does, but…” He threw up his hands and shrugged. “But what it all means, I don’t know.”
“Well, we still have those keys we found at Thornton’s house. I bet they open a ledger of some kind,” said Adam. “I wonder if it’s buried or hidden in the barn. That would make sense.”
The conversation paused as the server came back and asked if they wanted more beer. After they placed their order, Ethan’s thoughts drifted to Jane.
This past year had been a roller coaster for her, but she never backed down, never made excuses, just put one foot in front of the other and moved forward. And that was what he loved about her.
Loved? Holy shit! He loved her.