Page 77 of See How They Hide

“Did your booth or products have a label? A name? Something that, maybe, we can trace?”

“Originally, it was simply Havenwood. But after my grandmother died, it became Calliope’s Creations,” Riley said.

“Why didn’t Zack find it under Havenwood?” Kara said to Sloane.

“Every state has to be checked individually,” Sloane said. “We can’t get tax records without a warrant, so Zack has been contacting state offices for incorporation and nonprofit records. Older records are harder to find, especially if they haven’t been digitized. But having the new name might give us another angle.” Sloane got on her phone.

“How does that help?” Riley asked.

“If your mother is selling goods or services, she needs to pay taxes. Have annual filings, that sort of thing. If she hasn’t, then she’s in violation of major tax laws.”

“Hmm.” Riley looked like she was thinking about something else.

“Do you know something more?”

“We didn’t make most of our money at the fairs.”

“Oh?”

“Long before I was born, we had a barn dedicated to growing marijuana. That made a lot more money for Havenwood than our quilts and jams.”

Michael had spoken to Andrew Gardner’s doctor first thing in the morning and Andrew was stable enough to be interviewed. As he drove to the hospital, Matt called.

“Dean Montero and I just landed. I texted Kara that we’ll be at the hotel in about twenty minutes. We all agree that keeping the witness in one place is safer if she is, in fact, a target. Have you talked to Gardner yet?”

“On my way,” Michael said.

“His doctor cleared it?”

“Conditionally,” Michael replied.

“If she or anyone else at the hospital throws up roadblocks, pull in Catherine. She speaks their language. Gardner is a material witness to homicide.”

That was a stretch, but Andrew Gardner could have information that would help them. “Will do.”

“Thanks for picking up the slack while I’ve been traveling. Ryder is already working the drug angle, and Zack has a new theory about the craft fairs. He’s pulled in another analyst to help him track fairs in the country now that we have a couple names to work with. There are no LLCs with ‘Havenwood’ or ‘Calliope’ in the name, but they could be under a different umbrella.”

“And,” Michael interjected, “the craft fairs may have contracted with the umbrella corporation.”

“Exactly. It’s a long shot, but right now, other than the two witnesses who are marginally reliable, it’s our best shot,” Matt said. “Call me when you’re done with Gardner.”

The closest hospital was off a country road in nearby Del Norte, about fifteen minutes east of South Fork. It looked more like a modern office park than a hospital.

Michael pulled into a visitor space in the parking lot, then entered the main building.

He showed his badge and told the information desk that Dr. Heather Granderson was expecting him. She came out only a minute later. “Agent Harris?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said and showed his identification.

“I’m so sorry, but Mr. Gardner has taken a turn for the worse. Thirty minutes ago, a nurse found him unresponsive and we’ve airlifted him to a larger medical center in Colorado Springs. He was stable but unconscious when he left.”

“I need to talk to the deputy who was sitting outside his room and the nurse who found him.”

“The deputy left after Mr. Gardner was safely transported to the helipad, and I can answer any of your medical questions, though at this point we don’t know what happened. He was monitored 24/7 under suicide watch. We have a camera in his room, and a nurse dedicated to that wing.”

“Dr. Granderson, I need to speak to the nurse and view all security footage from that wing.”

She looked put out, so Michael attempted charm, though he was more than irritated that the deputy hadn’t contacted him immediately.

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