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“It’s basically the construction plans for the fulfillment center.”

“Why would Toby have had that?”

“I was hoping you could tell me. Did he ever mention working on the center?”

“Before he was injured he seemed to like the construction work. It paid pretty well, and he didn’t have to lift stuff. He drove a forklift and other heavy equipment. Maybe this paper relates to the work he did there.”

“But I don’t know why he would bother toreplicate construction drawings on graph paper. Did he say anything about the centerafterhe was injured?”

“Not much until they turned against him. Then he was angry.”

“How angry?”

“Well, since he’s gone now, I guess it doesn’t matter. He said he was going to get back at them.”

“How?”

“He never said.” She paused. “You don’t think he was planningto, oh, I don’t know, maybe bomb the place? Would that be why he would have made those drawings?”

“It’s possible. Do you think he was capable of that?”

“Before his injury, no. But after, he changed. Head injuries can change you, did you know that?”

“Yeah, I’ve heard something like that,” Decker said drily. “So, you think it was possible for him to be violent?”

“I don’t want to think that. He never was with me. But I guess it was possible. They really had screwed him.”

“Anyone in particular?”

“It was mostly the company lawyers. Toby didn’t have the money to hire anyone, so he handled all that himself. It was a chore, I can tell you that. Lawyers can be nasty.”

“No one wanted to take it on contingency?”

“Toby said there weren’t that many lawyers left in town, and none of them wanted to get on the bad side of the biggest employer in town.”

Decker nodded. “Did he ever mention Joyce Tanner, Michael Swanson, or Bradley Costa?”

“No, never. But wasn’t Joyce Tanner the name of the woman he was found with?”

“Yes.”

O’Connor shrugged. “Well, he never mentioned herto me.”

“How about John Baron?”

She frowned. “He lives in the mansion on the hill.”

“Yeah. Although I’ve been up there and I wouldn’t call it a mansion anymore.”

“Well, it’s a lot more than I’ve got.”

“But did Babbot ever mention John Baron?” asked Decker.

“Not that I can recall. I’m not from here, but Baron’s not very well liked, ishe?”

“Not very.”

O’Connor said, “I’ve heard some people say he’s really rich. That he has money stashed away up there.”


Tags: David Baldacci Amos Decker Thriller