“I’m sorry.”
Evelyn moved toward the kitchen.
“People always say that.”
“You don’t like it?”
“I don’t know what anyone is supposed to say.”
Daniel nodded.
“Fair.”
She placed her medical kit on the table.
“Sit.”
“I prefer standing.”
“You prefer pain apparently.”
Daniel sat.
Evelyn examined the leg again.
Swelling increased.
She touched his abdomen.
He tensed.
“Tender?”
“Not much.”
“Dizzy?”
“No.”
“Nausea?”
“No.”
“Vision?”
“Fine.”
“Headache?”
“Manageable.”
“Any loss of consciousness?”
“Maybe.”
“How long?”
“Couldn’t tell you.”
“That concerns me.”
“Everything concerns you.”
“Yes.”
“That’s why I survived nursing.”
Daniel leaned back.
Evelyn brought ice wrapped in a towel.
“Hold this.”
He did.
Then she sat opposite him.
“Now we talk.”
Daniel’s expression changed.
“About?”
“Why someone tried to kill you.”
He looked toward the window.
“Not tonight.”
Evelyn stood.
“Then you can leave.”
Daniel looked at her.
She meant it.
He exhaled.
“Fine.”
He reached toward his torn jacket.
Inside was a slim waterproof pouch.
Evelyn had not noticed it.
He placed it on the table.
“What is that?”
“Reason.”
He opened it.
Inside were photocopied documents.
Photographs.
A small flash drive.
And an old envelope.
Evelyn recognized the handwriting before she saw the name.
Her breath stopped.
Daniel watched.
She reached for the envelope.
On the front:
D. Cross
Underneath, in James Hart’s handwriting:
If anything happens to me, finish what I couldn’t.
Evelyn did not move.
The kitchen became silent.
Daniel looked at her.
“I was trying to find you.”
She raised her eyes slowly.
“You knew my husband?”
“Not well.”
“How?”
“We worked the same case.”
Evelyn’s voice hardened.
“James was a civil engineer.”
“Yes.”
“He didn’t work cases.”
“No.”
“But he found one.”
She held the envelope with both hands.
“What are you talking about?”
Daniel looked tired.
Older suddenly.
“Your husband discovered that a contractor was falsifying geological reports along a highway expansion project.”
Evelyn frowned.
“What project?”
“Route 88 realignment.”
She remembered.
James had worked on that project nine years ago.
Long days.
Travel.
Arguments with somebody on the phone.
Then sudden resignation.
He told her he was tired of consulting.
She believed him.
Daniel continued.
“The contractor was using unstable land because it was cheaper.”
“James reported it.”
“To who?”
“County first.”
“Then state.”
“And?”
“Reports disappeared.”
Evelyn stared.
Daniel’s voice lowered.
“Then people started getting hurt.”
“A rockslide killed a maintenance worker.”
“Two crashes.”
“One lawsuit settled quietly.”
“James kept copies.”
Evelyn looked toward the envelope.
“Why did he send them to you?”
“I was investigating insurance fraud connected to the same contractor.”
“At the time I worked for a private compliance firm.”