Fire in the Vineyard by Christa Polkinhorn

Author:Christa Polkinhorn [Polkinhorn, Christa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bookworm Press
Published: 2018-11-08T00:00:00+00:00

Later, in Robert’s office, Janice, Robert and David Lauer were discussing the situation.

“This is just terrible,” Robert muttered. “Who would do something like this?” Then he remembered the anonymous letters he had received a few months ago. They had stopped in the meantime.

“The letters?” Janice said, echoing Robert’s thoughts. “Didn’t you give them to the sheriff?”

“I was going to, but I never got around to it. And they stopped, so I forgot about them, but now?”

“What letters?” Lauer asked.

Robert told him about a few anonymous letters he had received several months before. He showed him the last one he had kept. Lauer perused it, then looked up. “Have you received any more?”

“No, and that’s why I didn’t pursue it any further.”

“Any suspicions?” Lauer asked.

“The only person that comes to mind is this crazy woman, a Mrs. Selby. We call her the Water Queen. She and a few of her friends protest in front of vineyards and wineries, claiming we’re raping the land, wasting water, and poisoning people with alcohol. She’s clearly unstable, but I’ve always considered her harmless.”

“Honey, you should’ve reported the letters,” Janice said.

“I know,” Robert said. “Matt gave me a hard time about it, too.” He hesitated. “Do you really think she could’ve done all this?” He motioned with his hand in the direction of the burnt shed.

“I actually doubt it,” Janice said. “I mean stealing wine, selling it, and burning down a shed? I don’t think she’d steal or sell wine. She’s a member of an anti-alcohol organization after all.”

“Well, we’ll look into it, of course. And if you get any more letters, let me know right away. Okay?” Lauer measured Robert with a stern look.

Robert nodded. “Of course.”

“What about the person who died?” Lauer continued. “How was he involved in your business? I know he was the manager. How well do you know him?” Lauer asked.

“Very well. We have been friends for many years and our two families are close.”

“You don’t think he could’ve had anything to do with the wine theft?” Lauer gave him and Janice a questioning look. Janice shook her head.

“No way,” Robert said. “Absolutely not.”

“I’m just curious. The wine was stored in a shed close to his home. Wouldn’t he have seen if anybody had hidden bottles of wine in there? I mean whoever put the bottles into the shed would’ve had to go in and out. And the Guerreros wouldn’t have noticed?”

“Not necessarily,” Janice said.

“No,” Robert repeated. “As you saw, the door to the shed is on the side facing away from Romero’s home. Anybody could’ve gone in and out without him noticing it. Also, there was brush between his home and the shed, which the fire burnt away. Nobody paid attention to that old building. And couldn’t whoever hid the wine have done it at night or at a time the family wasn’t outside watching?”

“They could have,” Lauer acknowledged.

“You don’t seriously think Romero had anything to do with this? I mean he was the one who saw the fire and called the fire department.

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