Chapter 53
FIFTY-THREE
Grayden
I walked with Milo through a door and onto the work floor. Earl looked up from the Yamaha he was servicing.
“Earl, got a minute for Grayden?” Milo asked.
“Sure.” He grabbed a rag to wipe his hands. “Been meaning to stop by your place, O’Neal. I’m about halfway through a new piece with that fabric you gave me.”
Milo tilted his head toward me. “Earl considers himself a fabric artist. Not a quilter. Just FYI.”
Earl pointed at him. “Damn right. Want to see a progress photo?”
“Another time,” I said. “I have a question for you. It’s about the day you, Milo, and Zach stopped by. When you took the fabric with you.”
His face scrunched behind his unruly beard. “You want me to pay for it or something?”
“No, not at all. I just need to know. Was it you who found that package that looked like drugs? Or was it Zach?”
“Uh.” The big man thought. “It was Zach. I was poking through one crate of fabric, and then he tapped my shoulder. Showed me that brick of powder inside another box.”
“Did you happen to see a sweatshirt with Seattle written on it?”
“I dunno. Maybe? Why all these questions?”
Milo was watching me curiously too. I didn’t want to make an unfounded accusation against their friend. But the evidence was lining up, and I didn’t like where it led.
“Why did you all come see me that day in particular?” I asked. “Did you ask Zach to come along? Or…”
“It was Zach’s idea, now that you mention it.” Milo tugged at the zipper pull on his leather jacket. “He said he’d heard about a new tattoo studio going in. And I realized you were my old classmate and Ashford’s brother. Seriously, why is this important?”
“Because a Seattle sweatshirt disappeared from my house at some point. I have no idea when, since I didn’t notice it was gone. Then it turned up at the scene of Danny Carmichael’s stabbing. I have an alibi, as the police have already confirmed.”
Earl held up his hands. “Whoa, I’ve got nothing to do with any of that.”
“It’s also a pretty big coincidence that those drugs turned up when you all were at the house,” I went on. “I immediately assumed Danny Carmichael was behind it. That he’d broken in again. But now? After somebody attacked him and tried to frame me?”
I didn’t even mention the part about Ollie’s camping knife.
“Wait, do you suspect Zach?” Milo asked. “You’re making it sound like he planted the fake drugs. Why would he do that? Or go after Carmichael? Yeah, he’s been a shitty employee lately, but you’re talking about attempted murder.”
“I don’t know why. All I know is that something is going on with Zach, and that he had the opportunity to plant the fake drugs and take that sweatshirt.” He could’ve hidden the shirt in Earl’s fabric and gotten it later.
Earl and Milo were both shaking their heads. They didn’t want to believe their friend could do any of this, and I understood. Didn’t change the facts.
I probably had to go to Chief Nichols about this. The police were supposed to be handling this investigation, and I’d refused to do their job for them. But it seemed like I was doing it after all.
I checked the time on my phone. I’d been here far longer than I’d planned. It was almost time for me to meet Piper and Ollie at Ashford’s martial arts class. I could tell Piper what I’d discovered then.
“I know you’re both tight with Zach,” I said. “Maybe I’m wrong about him. I hope I am.” I doubted it. “But if you could keep my theory to yourselves, I’d appreciate it.”
Milo and Earl just glanced at each other.
It was entirely possible they’d tell Zach my suspicions, and Zach would skip town. But there was nothing I could do about that.
My phone rang in my hand. It was Ollie.
“I need to take this. I’ll be right back.” I went through the reception door and then out to the lot, squinting at the bright afternoon sun. I felt the smile on my face as I answered. Ollie’d had my number programmed in his phone for less than a day, and here he was calling me.
It didn’t even occur to me that something could be wrong.
“Hey, Big Air. Finished with school for the day?”
“I’m outside at the pickup circle. My mom was supposed to get me, but she’s not here. She’s really late and didn’t answer her phone. Is she with you? I’m going to be late for Jiu-Jitsu!”
An icy sensation slid down my spine. “Hold on. Back up. Are you alone?”
“My teacher’s still here. She tried to call Mom too.”
I raced toward my truck. “I’ll be there soon, okay? We’ll figure out what’s going on.”