“Can you describe the vehicle?” Holt asked, pulling out his phone to record her statement.
“I...” Lacey struggled to focus, clearly fighting the effects of shock and possibly a concussion.
“That’s enough,” Carmen interjected firmly, stepping between Holt and her patient.
“That’s enough,” Lucy snapped. “My sister needs immediate medical attention, not an interrogation.”
“I just need a few more details—” Holt began, but June caught his arm and shook her head slightly.
“I’ll come talk to you at the hospital later,” Holt promised Lacey. “Focus on getting better.”
Lacey nodded weakly and closed her eyes as she was taken up the embankment and loaded into the ambulance.
For the next hour, Holt and Tom conducted a thorough examination of the accident scene, with June providing insightful observations that reminded Holt of their old partnership. She had always been able to see patterns and inconsistencies that others missed, and her legal mind made her naturally suspicious of convenient explanations.
“The impact damage is definitely consistent with a rear-end collision,” Tom agreed as they examined Lacey’s truck more closely. “And these paint transfer marks on her bumper suggest the other vehicle was dark blue or black.”
“We need to check with local body shops,” Holt said. “If the other driver sustained damage from the collision, they’ll need to get it repaired somewhere.”
“You may want to try Cedar Creek as well,” June suggested. “If I had just run someone off the road, I wouldn’t be stupid enough to use a local body shop.”
“True,” Tom said, nodding in agreement. “I’ll get Rad to check out all the body shops in town and some of the surrounding towns.”
“Was there anything like this during the fires ten years ago?” Holt asked.
“You’re looking into the fire of ten years ago?” June’s brows shot up.
“I’m just looking into similar patterns,” Holt told her. “I thought Willa would’ve said something.”
June frowned. “I don’t believe she did.”
Holt felt a pang of guilt as he remembered his promise he’d made to Willa. But that wasn’t about the fire investigation of ten years ago. It was about the notes and what was happening to her.
“Actually, June,” Tom said, “you may be able to help us out with the current fires.”
June looked between the two men with curiosity. “How so?”
“The Henderson farm fire yesterday spread onto federal land,” Tom explained. “We need to coordinate with federal agencies to investigate the full scope of the arson, and we’re running into jurisdictional complications.”
Holt found himself nodding before Tom had even finished speaking. The idea of working closely with June sent an unexpected surge of anticipation through him, his heart doing an involuntary flip at the thought of their collaboration. He pushed the feeling aside, focusing on the practical benefits of her involvement.
“That’s actually an excellent suggestion,” Holt said. “Your experience, June, with federal regulations and inter-agency coordination could be invaluable. We need someone who understands how to navigate the bureaucracy quickly.”
“I’ve dealt with federal land use issues before,” June said thoughtfully. “Environmental law cases, mostly, but the jurisdictional principles are similar. What exactly are you looking at?”
Tom pulled out his phone and showed her photos from the Henderson farm scene. “The fire started here on private property but jumped to this section of national forest land. The Forest Service wants their own investigation, Fish and Wildlifeis concerned about endangered bird habitats, and we’re trying to prove this was deliberate arson connected to a larger pattern.”
“Multiple agencies, multiple agendas,” June observed, studying the images. “Everyone protecting their own interests instead of working together toward the truth.”
“Exactly,” Holt said. “We need someone who can help us establish a unified investigation protocol that satisfies everyone’s requirements while still allowing us to follow the evidence where it leads.”
June was quiet for a moment, considering. “The key would be getting all parties to agree on a lead investigative authority upfront. Federal crimes on federal land typically fall under FBI jurisdiction, but local law enforcement maintains authority over the private property aspects.”
“Could you help us draft a formal cooperation agreement?” Tom asked. “Something that would give us the access we need without stepping on anyone’s territorial claims?”
“I could,” June said slowly. “It would need to be carefully worded to address each agency’s concerns while maintaining investigative integrity. When do you need this?”
“Yesterday would be preferable,” Tom said with a wry smile. “But realistically, we need to have something in place before we can move forward with any meaningful investigation of the federal land portion.”
