Huckleberry and I stood alone in the forest for a moment while I pushed down the panic attack that was rising in my chest. It had been a long time since I’d had a real attack. When I first moved to LA, they had been a common occurrence; I had still grappled with losing Logan and Grandma Bellamy so close together. But then I started taking care of my health and seeing a counselor. I thought I had beaten the panic attacks. I supposed I shouldn’t be surprised that being accused of murder would bring my anxiety back to the surface. I counted myself lucky I hadn’t had a full-out attack earlier.
I sat back down on a stump along the path and took a couple of deep breaths. I closed my eyes. I tried to just focus on the sounds around me. The scarlet tanager that Hedy pointed out sang high above in the canopy, and there was a soft hum of wind through the trees and the buzzing of insects. Behind it all, I could just make out the faintest sound of the lake lapping up against the shoreline. Slowly, I felt better, but I did feel an underlying hum of nerves. I doubted that feeling was going to go away until I had a better grasp on this situation.
Huckleberry put his head on my lap, and the weight of it brought me comfort.
Nothing was solved, but I felt mildly better after my slow breathing session. I stood up and retraced my steps along the path to my car. To my surprise, all the cars that had been in the lot when I arrived were gone. They must have been Hedy’s novice birders.
There was an SUV idling beside my convertible.
“Shiloh Bellamy and her faithful pug. I would have never taken you for a nature hiker.” Wes laughed as if this were the funniest joke he’d ever heard.
“Hey, Wes. What are you up to this morning?”
“Oh, just making my rounds about the park. All in a day’s work. Did you go down to the lake?”
I nodded.
“Isn’t it gorgeous in the early morning light? This is my favorite part of the day before the park fills up with visitors.” He chuckled. “Without the visitors, I wouldn’t have my job, but at the same time, they can really disturb the natural order of things here in the park. What are you doing up so early?”
“I had a meeting with Hedy Strong about the wind farm, like you suggested.” I leaned on my car for support. I was still a little wobbly from my panic attack and didn’t want to show Wes any signs of weakness.
“Oh, and how did that go?” he asked.
I frowned. “I don’t know. I think I’m even more confused by it all.”
He leaned farther out of his car window and hung his arm outside the SUV. “I’m sure the police will sort it all out in the end. Why don’t you just relax about it?”
Relax? “I can’t. There’s too much at stake, not just for me but for all of Bellamy Farm.”
He shook his head. “All right. I see your mind is made up, and if you’re anything like the Shiloh I remember, there is no hope of me talking you out of your plans. Did Hedy say anything that helped at all? There had to be something.”
“There was one thing. She said the government forced Crocker to pay for a study on the effect the wind farm would have on migrating birds.”
He nodded. “I remember that. It was all Hedy could talk about for months. She was thrilled and really thought she was going to win out in the end. I never heard the findings.”
“The findings were that Crocker’s proposed wind turbine field was directly in the migration path of many birds, including some endangered species.”
“That should have ended it then.” He wrinkled his brow. “Why has the debate continued at all?”
“An environmental source said the results of the test weren’t valid, and a judge agreed with the source, throwing them out.”
“Who was the source?”
I shrugged. “Hedy doesn’t know. I have a feeling she would have told me if she knew. She’d also have whoever it was tarred and feather and dragged through the streets of Cherry Glen.”
Wes winced. “That sounds about right.”
“Would you have any idea who might do that?” I asked.
He shook his head. “Everyone who is green-minded and involved agreed the wind farm shouldn’t be in Cherry Glen. It wasn’t someone from the area. Perhaps an outside source? Like an expert that Crocker hired.”
I nodded. Crocker had hired a lawyer to protect him. Who was to say he didn’t hire environmentalists too? I remembered my initial thought about the wind farm being a positive one. Maybe other people saw the wind farm as a good thing, despite the bird issue.
After I left the park, I went straight to the town planning office like Hedy suggested. As soon as Huckleberry and I reached the front door of town hall, my shoulders sagged. It was still early morning, and the office didn’t open until nine. There was a giant “closed” sign hanging on the inside of the door.
“Now what, Huck?” I asked.
“It seems every time I see you, you are talking to your dog. Are you sure he doesn’t talk back?”
I looked up to see Baker Loyal smiling at me. I flushed. “He hasn’t answered in English at least.”
“I don’t know if I’m relieved or disappointed by this. Is there something I can help you with?”
“Actually, maybe. I was hoping to get into the town planning office. To look up some records.”
He raised his brow. “Records for what?”
I licked my lips. “I just want to take look at the property lines of my farm.” I smiled. “Maybe since it’s your office, I can take a look.”
He shook his head. “I wish I could, but I can’t let you in the building yet, I’m afraid. Town policy. As the town planner, it is important I set a good example. We open at nine. It’s not that long from now.”
“I can come by later.”
“Tell you what,” he said. “Let me take you to coffee and make it up to you.”
I eyed him. “You want to make it up to me that I arrived at town hall too early?”
He shrugged. “I’m a nice guy.”
“That’s so nice of you to ask, but the only place to get coffee around here is Jessa’s Place, and…” I couldn’t tell him I didn’t want to go to Jessa’s Place because I was the talk of the town over the murder.
“Jessa’s is nice,” he said, not seeming to have noticed my discomfort. “But our general store in town serves coffee too. If you ask me, it’s a lot better than Jessa’s.” He laughed. “By the look on your face, I would guess you’re debating whether or not I’m an ax murderer.”
“Sorry. I lived in LA for a very long time. After living alone in a big city, maybe some of my defenses are up.”
“I’m sure you got asked out on coffee dates all the time in LA.”
My face turned red. Okay… So, he was asking me on a date now?
“Listen, I’m going to the general store for a cup of coffee regardless of whether you come or not. I just thought you would want to pick my brain since I’m the town planner. I have heard that you are quite interested in the wind farm.” He turned to walk away.
When he did, I realized my mistake. He was right. I couldn’t let this opportunity go by, but I sure as heck wasn’t considering this a date. There was something about Baker that put me on edge. I picked up Huckleberry and hurried after him. “Baker!”
He turned around with a wide smile.