Ash hesitates, then says, “No. I mean, sometimes he’s asked to borrow tools and I always say yes, but he never asked to borrow that saw. Teddy or someone else must have just taken it.”
“Why do you have these tools?” says Clay.
“What do you mean?”
“You’re not exactly the handy type. You don’t seem like the kind of guy who would have a well-supplied workshop, so neat and organized.”
“It’s…” starts Ash, then trails off. He starts again. “My grandmother bought all these tools for her groundskeeper. She loved living on this piece of property, but she was too busy driving around in her pink Cadillac selling cosmetics to take care of it.”
“You’re saying these tools came with the place when you inherited it?” says Judd.
“That’s right,” says Ash. “I can’t remember her groundskeeper’s name, but he must have organized everything like this.”
“Who uses the tools now?” says Zoey.
“Alejandro,” says Ash.
“Who’s Alejandro?”
“He’s the man I hire to take care of things now.”
“What’s his last name?”
Ash pops the collar on his polo as if feeling it on the back of his neck gives him comfort. “No idea. I just call him Alejandro. I never asked his last name.”
“So you pay him in cash, not electronically or with a check?” says Clay.
“That’s right,” says Ash. “I’m not even sure where he lives. He just shows up once a week. He has that old sage-green Chevy pickup. You’ve probably seen it parked up here.”
“I have,” says Judd, his eyes on the pegboard. He can’t help but marvel at how well he and Clay and Zoey are working together. They way they’re tag-teaming Ash with questions, it’s like they’re reading each other’s minds. “And just so we’re clear, Alejandro didn’t have anything to do with acquiring and organizing these tools. Your grandmother bought them and her old groundskeeper organized them.”
“Right,” says Ash. He shoves his hands into the pockets of his khakis and rocks back on his heels.
“Does Alejandro have a key to the pole barn?” says Clay.
“He does,” says Ash. “That way he can come work whether or not I’m home.”
“Does anyone else have a key?” says Zoey. “Did Teddy? Or Deb?”
“No,” says Ash. “No one. I have one key. Alejandro has the other.”
“When is Alejandro scheduled to work here again?” says Zoey.
“Thursday,” says Ash. “He works on Thursdays.”
“The day before Teddy disappeared,” says Clay.
“I guess,” says Ash.
“Do you keep your key to the pole barn in the house?” says Judd.
Ash holds up his key ring. “I keep the key right here.” He smiles. “You just saw me use it to open the service door.”
“And you don’t have a spare in the house?” says Zoey.
Ash thinks about this. Thinks about it a little too hard and too demonstrably like a cartoon character before answering a question, looking up and twisting his lips. “Well, there might be a spare in the junk drawer. I haven’t cleaned that thing out in years.”
“And who has a key to the house other than you?” says Clay.
