Page 697 of Cold Case, Warm Hearts

“Two men in towns right next to each other? No one ever found out who killed Judge Crawford.” Before Walter could interrupt, Sydney rushed on. “I’ve spoken to Judge Crawford’s widow. She said her husband told her that he was headed to an appointment. He also said that he’d gotten a major break in a case he was working on.”

She shook her head. “I’m sure there are other clues in the journal.”

“Did you bring it with you? I knew Avery better than anyone. Maybe I could take a look at it.”

“That would’ve been good, but it’s impossible now.”

“Why?”

“It was stolen.”

Walter rocked back. “What? When?”

“Someone broke into my house and took it.”

“Well, that’s convenient.”

His comment sliced her to the core, and Sydney jumped to her feet. “You wanna talk about convenience? I’ll tell you about convenience. Do you think it was convenient when someone ranme off the road or threatened me with a switchblade?” She paced back and forth in front of the sofa.

“Why didn’t you tell me all this was going on?”

Sydney threw up her hands. “Oh, I don’t know. I’m just so sick of it all.” She stopped pacing and looked at him. “I was trying to gather enough evidence so that you would believe me.”

He moved toward her and put a hand on her shoulder. “Let’s sit back down, and I want you to tell me about the knife and how you were run off the road.”

He listened without comment while she related all that had taken place. Finally, he shook his head. “I had no idea you’ve been going through so much.”

“It has been rough.” Her mind went back to that day on the boat. “Avery asked me to check the bilge for fumes.” She bit her lip to stay the emotion. She’d not planned on telling Walter all of this, but somehow it just felt right. “I’ve replayed that day over and over in my mind so many times, trying to remember if I smelled gasoline. I keep thinking that if only I’d checked more carefully then maybe …”

Walter touched her arm. “Oh, Honey, it wasn’t your fault.”

She blinked back the tears. She wasn’t looking for sympathy from Walter. She just wanted him to understand. “I know how all of this must sound. Believe me, I’ve even had my doubts. There was a time—before the journal and the threats—when I feared that I was looking beyond the mark, trying to find something that wasn’t there so I could ease my own conscience. But now there are too many unanswered questions. Too many things that just don’t add up.”

She sat up. “Look, here’s what I think happened. I think Avery found out that something was going on at the sawmill. He went to Mrs. Phillips’ house shortly after Buford’s death because he suspected that it might not have been an accident. I think he told Judge Crawford, and that’s why they were both killed.”

“Why would Avery go talk to Judge Crawford? If he suspected foul play, he would’ve told me. Avery was like a brother.”

Sydney shook her head. “I know. You’re right. There are so many holes, but I have this feeling that I’m on the right track. I’m sure that’s why I’ve been threatened. There’s something missing, but I don’t know what. Walter, you were the general manager of the sawmill then. Can’t you try to remember?”

“You can bet your bottom dollar that if something had been goin’ on at my sawmill, I would’ve known about it.”

“I believe that something’s going on at the sawmill right now.”

Walter’s eyes widened. “What?”

Sydney told him about the fight between the two men and how she found the drug apparatus nearby. “If the guys at the sawmill are taking drugs, then that could explain all the random accidents. Look what happened to Reggie Kelly. He was out of his mind when he climbed on top of the bridge. And then there are the trucks.”

“What trucks?”

She told him about seeing the trucks leaving the sawmill late at night.

“Have you told anyone your suspicions?”

“Yes, I’ve talked to Sean O’Conner, the manager, about the drugs. He told me that he would check into it.”

“Well, I guess we’ll have to trust that he will.”

Sydney smirked. “I’m not holding my breath on that one. I don’t believe that Sean O’Conner has a clue about how to run a sawmill. He makes too many obvious mistakes.”

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