He knew she would be flat out at the crime scene right now, but he would try in a while and she would see that he called if she couldn't answer at the time.
“Wow, you weren’t kidding when you said you lived in the middle of nowhere,” Carson said as he got out of the car. “I’ve never been to a place so quiet as this.”
“You’ll be safe here,” Tyler said walking up to the house and opening the front door.
Carson followed him in and looked around the place. Tyler could tell he was impressed but in what way he couldn't be sure.
“This is some place,” Carson said, “You must earn a pretty penny in your line of work.” There was a hint of doubt in Carson’s voice and Tyler knew it was meant to mean he suspected Tyler had something on the side, something perhaps illegal to fund a house like this.
“Everything you see is flat pack,” Tyler said, “It didn’t cost much at all.”
“Looks more expensive,” Carson said.
“Make yourself at home,” Tyler said, “You want something to eat?”
“I’m not too hungry, but do you have a bathroom I can use?”
“Down the hall, on the right,” Tyler said, pointing, “I’m going to go up and get changed, I’ll be back down in a few minutes.”
When he was upstairs, Tyler closed his bedroom door and called Sarah as he slipped out his clothes and took a fresh t-shirt and pants from his closet. As he expected she didn’t answer. It would most likely be a couple of hours before she called him back- at the very least. It might even be tomorrow at this stage, late as it was.
Tyler got dressed and went back downstairs. As he got to the bottom two steps, he was annoyed to see that Carson was over near his work desk in the other room. He marched over,
“You okay?” he said, trying not to betray too much of his annoyance; he still wanted this guy to think of him as a friend. Carson jumped a little but composed himself at once and then picked up a glossy page with the photos of the ‘Agrarian’s’ victims on it.
“I know these guys!” Carson said and he looked scared.
“You know them?” Tyler said, instantly forgetting his anger, “All of them?” Carson nodded, “You’re sure?”
“Yeah, damn sure,” he replied, his voice wavering a little. “Are these the guys killed out in the farms?” he asked.
“Yeah, how do you know them?”
“They used to let the gangs leave jacked cars or compromised cars, or weapons on their land. They weren’t involved in anything, they just needed some extra money and took it to turn a blind eye to cars left in the back field from time to time.”
“What do you mean ‘compromised’?” Tyler asked him.
“You know,” Carson looked embarrassed, “Car’s used in hits or things like that.”
“You knew them all?” Tyler asked looking at the photos again.
“I didn’t know them, but I met them all at least once when I was dropping things off or collecting.”
“This isn’t going to look good for you, Carson,” Tyler said, taking the paper and putting back down the desk.
“Don’t I know it,” Carson replied without humour.
“What else do you know about these guys?” Tyler asked.
“Nothing, but I do remember hearing about tip offs about raids and all the stuff was getting pulled from the farms.”
“There are more of these farms being used?”
“Yeah, but like I said, everything was pulled out in the last few weeks to new locations, I don’t know where.”
“Have you been to the other farms doing this?”
“One other one,” Carson said,
“Rural Route Nine, the one on the news tonight?”
“No,” Carson shook his head vehemently at this, “never heard of that one, I was in one more down near the West Virginia border with Maryland.”
“What’s the guy’s name, the farm address?” Tyler asked.
“I only know his first name,” Carson said.
“Which is?”
“Simon.”
“And the address?”
“Off Koontztown Road in Falling Waters.”
Tyler got up and tried Sarah's phone again. This was definitely information she was going to want to have.
“Who are you trying to call?” Carson asked nervously but Tyler put up a hand for him to be quiet.
The ringing went on for what seemed longer than usual and then Sarah’s voicemail clicked in. for a moment he almost spoke but then thought better of it.
He hung up and turned his screen and started typing a message letting her know the information. As he typed this out he wondered if he should make an anonymous call to the FBI Field office in West Virginia, or Falling Waters Police Department, assuming it had one.
He held off on this, there had already been a murder today, it was unlikely the ‘Agrarian’ would have killed more than one in a day. If he let Sarah claim to have figured out the mob link with the framers that might go some way towards her getting back on the Spalding case- or at the very least coming closer to solving this case- and that would be good for both of them in the long run.
“Who were you on to?”
“The FBI,” Tyler said, and then seeing the terror on Carson’s face, “An informant in the FBI, don’t worry, I didn’t mention you, I just gave the information you told me. It might save some lives.”
“Let’s hope so,” Carson said, “saving lives is something I don't mind being accused of.”
Chapter 27
THAT SAME EVENING THAT Sarah was rushing to the latest murder scene and Tyler was almost home with Carson Lemond, Megan Stanver was sitting down
