“I think we need to have a chat with Ralph Rousseau,” Rowan said.
Martinelli gave him a look. “You need to step back, Wallace. You’re not deputized.”
“I could be.”
The detective held up a hand. “Just, take a breath.”
“You said you were short-staffed.”
“Okay. Listen. I’ll talk to him. And I’ll keep in touch. I will let you know if…if we need to involve you.”
“I’m already involved,” he said with a growl.
Martinelli’s mouth turned into a grim line.
Rowan turned to Saxon. “What did you find out about Sierra’s grandfather?”
“Talked to Police Chief Bruce Balluff this morning. He said Elway Blackwood was old-school law enforcement, used to be a detective before he became police commissioner. Balluff mentioned that Elway had been investigating something on the side before he died.”
“Investigating what?”
“Land deals. Water rights. Balluff said Elway was also suspicious about the number of ranchers being pressured to sell, especially given the recent mineral surveys in the area.”
“And then he conveniently dies in an ATV accident.”
“That’s what I’m thinking too,” Saxon said quietly. “But thinking and proving are two different things.”
“What kind of minerals are we talking about?” Martinelli asked.
“I got these from the county office.” Saxon pulled out a geological survey report, spreading it across the desk next to Martinelli’s files. “Lithium-beryllium deposits. Significant ones, according to this. With the electric-vehicle boom and tech-industry demand, lithium mining has become incredibly lucrative.”
“Lucrative enough to kill for?” Rowan said.
“Potentially. Lithium extraction is a multibillion-dollar industry. If someone identified a major deposit under local ranch land, they’d need to acquire the mineral rights to access it.”
“And if the ranchers won’t sell willingly…”
“You make their lives miserable until they do.” Saxon’s voice was grim. “Fires, livestock poisoning, probably escalating pressure until they give up and leave.”
Martinelli leaned back in his chair, which creaked under the movement. “This is all speculation unless we can prove deliberate contamination.”
Rowan’s phone rang. Dr. Chen’s name appeared on the screen.
“Dr. Chen. What did you find?”
“Lithium levels three times what’s considered safe for livestock consumption.” Her voice was tight with concern. “This isn’t environmental, Mr. Wallace. Someone introduced concentrated lithium into your water source.”
“How concentrated?”
“Enough to kill every head of cattle that drinks from that pond within forty-eight hours.”
Rowan went a little cold. “Thank you, Doctor. Please document everything for a police report.”
“Already doing it. And Mr. Wallace? I’m calling the other ranchers to compare notes. If this is happening to multiple ranchers, we need to establish a pattern.”
Rowan ended the call and looked at Saxon and Martinelli. “Confirmed. Deliberate lithium poisoning.”
“That’s attempted destruction of property, at minimum.” Martinelli stood, reaching for his jacket. “Could be attempted murder if anyone had consumed that water.”
