Ada shook her head. “This is insane. It’s like half the town is possessed by the devil.”
Cecil cleared his throat, dismissing Ada. “Let’s stay on track here. The goal is to get this Amanda woman to not take the job at the college. We could send a more distinct message to Mary, but it will have to be anonymous with no way of tracing it.”
Florence sat up straighter, drawing Edmund’s attention to her. “I have an idea. Has Rachel Hanson pulled her kid out of the preschool yet?”
Ada shook her head. “I don’t think so. She was still trying to make alternate arrangements.”
“Perfect. Let’s coach her about what to say when she gets there. Something that makes it clear that Mary’s sister is not appreciated in the community without making it sound like Rachel means anything by it.”
“That would work,” Edmund said, sitting up straighter while his mind raced with possibilities. “I like it. Let me figure out the details.” He turned to his wife. “Ada, can you get Rachel to stop by sometime today?”
Ada smiled. “I’m certain of it.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
By Wednesday everyone was on edge. The men had nearly paced a hole in the carpet in Logan’s condo. The waiting was unbearable.
“Sit down,” Amanda said. She pointed a spatula at him from the kitchen area. “You’re driving me crazy.”
Logan sat at the kitchen table, but he tapped his leg so hard, his actions were not any different. “It’s mind-boggling. We haven’t seen a single spirit in over a day, neither Corbin nor Trace can find anything wrong with the logging site, and we’re no closer to having a clue what the spirits are trying to tell us.”
Amanda lifted the grilled ham and cheese sandwiches out of the pan and slid them onto plates. “Maybe it was simple, and the spirits wanted me to be informed and safe since I just moved to the area.” She liked that idea.
“Not buying it. It’s never that simple. There’s more to this.” Logan flattened his palms against the glass tabletop, his fingertips turning white where they pressed into the surface.
As she slid a plate over to him, she tapped his hands. “Stop fretting. I don’t think this is a big deal.” She knew they were both worried, but from her viewpoint, it seemed futile. The weird black thing made its point. She did her part for safety, and now it was done. “I have an appointment at the junior college today at eleven.”
“No way,” Sawyer said around a bite of his sandwich. “We aren’t letting our guard down that quickly. You need to stay away from that place for a while longer.”
She lowered herself into her seat and cocked her head to one side. “This is crazy. Logan is intentionally not working, I’m doing nothing, and I’m sure you aren’t spending as much time at the gym as you usually do.”
“What’s crazy is how many days it’s been since there’s been a large fire within a hundred mile radius. Now that’s crazy. The conditions are ripe. The wind is strong. My boss is shocked. And frankly, so am I.”
Amanda held her sandwich midair before taking a bite. “Maybe there’s a connection.”
“I don’t see how,” Logan stated. “Not that I haven’t considered the idea, but where is the connection?”
“No idea.” Amanda set her sandwich down and reached for her water. “Is logging a fire hazard?”
Sawyer shook his head. “Not in and of itself. I mean, it only takes a spark to cause a fire, but the loggers are strictly regulated concerning any sort of potential risks during high-burn months. They go through this every year. No matter how many corners they may be cutting or what illegal activities they may be engaged in, they certainly don’t want to lose their livelihood, and a fire would wipe them out.”
Logan’s phone buzzed on the corner of the table, and he picked it up. “It’s Jackson.” He took the call. “Hey, Jackson. Sorry we haven’t gotten back with you… Yeah, my brother’s looking at the possibilities…” He sighed, and his shoulders fell as he rubbed his forehead with two fingers. “Yeah. I understand. Can you take someone with you? Perhaps a few people?”
There was a pause. Amanda held her breath.
“Right. Okay. Look, be careful. Maybe if you act like it’s a routine visit instead of a nark-incited request… Yes… Okay… If you find anything, I’d keep your face schooled and not let on that you did. Leave there first and then call someone… Right… Yeah… Make sure someone knows you’ve arrived and will contact them when you leave. Maybe say that in front of the boss… Yes. I’ll text you Trace’s number. Call him when you leave… Okay, bye.”