Chapter 39
I drove back to the motel assuring myself I did the right thing by confronting Ranger Pine. On the one hand, I learned why he was cooperating. His wife was the leverage to coerce him into participating in the operation in the valley. She did not leave him, as the folks in Willow Run had been led to believe. She was kidnapped. She was not from Willow Run originally and had not become an integral thread in the fabric of the town, so her disappearance seemed to be accepted as just another marriage falling apart.
On the other hand, Andrew Pine was now on edge. He was at risk of falling apart over concern for his wife. Understandable. But he had become a liability. Mixed with his fear was a glimmer of hope. He needed to keep his wits about him for just a while longer, and everything would work out fine. At least I certainly hoped so. But deep within me was the concern that I might have dragged yet another hapless victim into my wake.
Of course, there was nothing I could do about it now except talk with Jeff. There was no taking back my visit to Pine. It was done, and on balance I felt it was still the right thing to do. The visit confirmed the opium poppy connection. It helped to reveal a bit more about how this operation was tethered together. Through intimidation and pay offs, it seemed they had the cooperation of key people in the area: the Ranger and Deputy Powell. There could be more. That was why now I was truly ready to hand this investigation over to someone else. Probing any deeper or hanging on any longer might put me in way over my head.