Episode 3: The Detour

Continuing her investigation into suspected timber poaching, Evelyn joins Theo for a conservation compliance check along Rambling Roads Walking Tours' new route. The discovery of a hidden stash of valuable wood strengthens her suspicions. Jordan worries about her safety, and Avery Treadwell, a Rambling Roads ghost tour guide, shares a chilling local legend. When a massive sugar maple crashes outside Evelyn's house during a storm, a mysterious figure approaches the fallen tree...and her.

About Rambling Roads Mysteries

Rambling Roads Mysteries is a full-cast audio drama set in the town of Turners Grove, Massachusetts, where former journalist Evelyn Carlisle teams up with the enterprising guides of Rambling Roads Walking Tours to solve ecological mysteries and conservation crimes. Cozy mystery meets environmental suspense in a series about community, second chances, and protecting the places we love.

Credits

Rambling Roads Mysteries was created and written by Diana Renn, with production management by Nora Shalaway Carpenter and sound design by Hayden Robinson. It was recorded at the Western Piedmont Community College Production Studio in Morganton, North Carolina. 

The production incorporates professionally licensed sound effects and music from sources including Monument Studios, Adobe, and CC0 recordings from Freesound.org, all used in accordance with the applicable licenses.

Theme music "HEAP" by Life Span (FineTune Music), licensed through Adobe Stock.

For cast and crew bios, visit our website https://ramblingroadsmysteries.com/

Follow the Trail

Connect with us on Instagram at @ramblingroadsmysteries and on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@RamblingRoadsMysteries for behind-the-scenes conversations and more! 

Want to read along? Official transcripts for every episode are available on our podcast host page if your podcast app doesn't display them: https://ramblingroadsmysteries.buzzsprout.com

Support the Show!

Rambling Roads Mysteries is an independent podcast production. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the show, leave a rating or review, and share Rambling Roads Mysteries with a fellow mystery lover.

We welcome donations! Listener support helps cover the costs of producing the show and paves the way for future seasons! https://buy.stripe.com/7sY3cw2Fi7XG4Go66qgEg00

Transcript

Announcer 
You're listening to Rambling Roads Mysteries, an audio drama. Episode Three. "The Detour."

Evelyn 
[voiceover narration] Thursday afternoon, I'm waiting for Theo for the walking tour. Not sure I'm up for a walk. I barely slept last night. That note on my door still echoes in my head. "Watch where you step." Someone knows where I live and what car I drive. Maybe whoever left the note also took the map from my car. Someone definitely doesn't want me poking around the Hargrave Woods. But who? Is it Alex Hargrave? Or the guy I saw with the pruning pole? Or someone from Heritage Tree Services who didn't like the questions I asked them on the phone? And I gave them my real name! Well, if someone's trying to scare me off, it's not going to work. I'm not walking away. I just need to stay two steps ahead. This tour with Theo, checking for conservation compliance, gives me the perfect cover. A reason to get back to the woods and find more evidence to see if there's even more going on in the Hargrave Woods and beyond.

Evelyn 
[traffic sounds, church bell chimes] [voiceover] Theo told me to meet him in an alley off the square. I'm waiting next to a bronze statue, a man with one hand resting on a lathe, the other gripping a long-handled tool, curved and sharp. A gouge, I think, but the sculptor has him raising it almost like a dagger. He wears a flowing cloak. Shoulder-length hair carved into sharp points. His tall bronze boots catch my eye. They're curiously polished, despite the bird droppings everywhere. I read the plaque: Silas Carrington, 1700 to 1765. Master Turner. Relentless in craft and cause." [loud, sharp fife trill] Oh, Theo! You startled me!

Theo 
You looked deep in thought. Everything okay?

Evelyn 
Oh, just tired. Didn't sleep well. Squirrels in the carriage house walls. I was just getting acquainted with Mr. Carrington.

Theo 
Ah, yes, our founding father of friction reduction. With chisel and gouge and lathe, Silas Carrington carved a path forward for Turners Grove. His precision gears powered the mills, and his vision helped Turners Grove shift from untamed forest to furniture empire.

Evelyn 
The way he's gripping the gouge, it looks more like a weapon.

Theo 
In his hands, it probably was. He shaped the town, but not always ethically. That's why he's tucked back here in this alley instead of in the square up on the green. Some still debate his legacy.

Evelyn 
Interesting. So this tour today, "Patriots and Poachers," is more on the nose than I realized.

Theo 
I'll tell thee -- I mean, you --  all about it. Ready to walk in their footsteps?

Theo 
[walking sounds, leaves crunch underfeet] Silas Carrington was born in 1700, the first in his family born on American soil. His father, a skilled woodworker from England, taught young Silas the trade as soon as he could hold a knife and a stick to whittle. By age thirty, Silas had taken over the business. His father had died, and Silas was already a respected artisan. His shop made not just tables and chairs, but church pews, ship fittings, even gears for mills. Through his forties and fifties, he served on town councils and guilds and trained scores of apprentices. But as Turners Grove grew, Silas didn't just cut trees. He cut corners.

Evelyn 
What do you mean?

Theo 
Back then, the crown had strict controls on forests and timber reserves. Silas made a deal with certain woodsmen. They harvested timber from lands beyond sanctioned zones. Under his direction, they secretly cut Crown timber to help fund militia supplies. Was it for patriotism or profit? Depends who you ask. Some say Silas shaped Turners Grove and gave us a thriving industry. Others say he exploited the land and we're still living with the consequences.

Evelyn 
Complicated.

Theo 
Lots of historical figures are. Was he evil? Maybe not. His work built this town. It helped fuel resistance efforts, supplies for a war he didn't quite live to see.

Evelyn 
Sounds like you're on Team Silas.

Theo 
Well, no. He used unethical methods, and we see the environmental cost today. Some people don't want to celebrate that legacy, and I get that. But I also think context matters. What drove him? Greed? Pressure to outdo his father? A hunger to leave a mark? If that statue could talk, I think Silas would have a lot to explain.

Evelyn 
[voiceover] In my mind, when I picture Silas's face, he's muttering the words from the note I found, telling me to watch where I step. I try to focus on Theo's stories, something about timber laws, the king of England, but it's hard to watch my step and listen at the same time, and the trail he's turned onto isn't easy to navigate.

Evelyn 
[aloud, to Theo] This trail's so narrow. Ow! I think I just got snagged by a bush. You might want to widen it for accessibility. You've got some breathing room here, over a hundred feet from a protected vernal pool, according to my zoning map. I can ask Walt and his volunteer trail stewards to help you with that.

Theo 
Yeah, thanks. We could really use some boards over this muddy patch up ahead. It's important to make these walks more accessible.

Evelyn 
I'm sure it's hard sometimes. Preserving while thinking about the future.

Theo 
That's my whole issue with Henry. He's stuck in time. Rambling Roads won't survive if we don't evolve. We need more tourists, and we need to keep things interesting for locals too. But he's right about caring for this trail. It's older than your carriage house.

Evelyn 
Really?

Theo 
Yep. This used to be the cart path Silas's men used for sneaking timber out of this forest.

Evelyn 
How'd they get trees out without anyone noticing?

Theo 
For the big timber, they worked at night. It probably took days to cut down and move a white pine. For smaller trees, they'd carry wood by hand or sled. This path offered cover. Once they hit the main road, they could cart it out fast.

Evelyn 
[distant whirring and grinding sound] Am I hearing chainsaws?

Theo 
Wood chipper. I've been hearing more of those since the last storm. [griniding sound continues] Town crews are cleaning up everywhere. A big oak fell in my neighbor's yard, blocked her driveway. Took a tree crew two days to clear it. We were lucky it didn't hit our house.

Evelyn 
That's scary. Where do you live?

Theo 
Oh, I've got an apartment near the high school.

Evelyn 
I thought you said it was a house. And I thought you said "we"?

Theo 
It's a room over the garage, but I call it an apartment. [hesitates] My parents do too.

Evelyn 
So you live at home?

Theo 
It's a way station. I'm regrouping. Saving some money.

Evelyn 
I get it. Just be careful. Way stations can turn into permanent stops. I just left one. A three-month dog walking gig turned into three years. [grinding wood chipper sound, distant] Wood chipping, right on cue. Adds to the mood of your tour.

Theo 
Well, it's not period accurate, of course. In Silas's day, they used axes.

Evelyn 
Still, I'd love to check it out. It's coming from that direction, toward the Hargrave Woods. It's not too overgrown here. We could cut through.

Theo 
We can't go on the Hargrave property. It's private.

Evelyn 
We can get close. The Ashcroft Forest cuts off at this stream. See, it's right here on the map.

Theo 
I don't know . . .

Evelyn 
Theo. Don't you run a shadow tour called "Off the Beaten Path"? And don't you lead a group directly onto private property? Where I live?

Theo 
Okay, fair. But I pick my places and times carefully. People like the Hargraves have security cameras. I don't want to be caught trespassing, especially when I'm on Rambling Roads business. That could put the whole team at risk.

Evelyn 
It's barely trespassing. Just a quick look. I just want to see what tree company they hired. If we get close, maybe I can see a truck with a logo or a sign.

Theo 
Okay, just a quick detour. Can't hurt, I guess. [footsteps crunching on leaves, distant wood chippers grinding] So this little side trip, does it have anything to do with the questions you were asking at the museum? About the market for wood?

Evelyn 
I can't say much. Miriam wants me to stay in my lane. But yeah, I think timber poaching could still be happening here.

Theo 
Seriously?

Evelyn 
Some valuable trees are scattered in these woods. [wood chipper grinding] Some were cut without permits. Maybe when Eleanor Hargrave was too sick to notice. Maybe more recently. That's what I want to find out. [distant truck beeping, as if backing up]

Theo 
I knew something was up. The way you asked those questions, focused but casual. You reminded me of a newspaper reporter or something.

Evelyn 
I was, for a little while.

Theo 
Why'd you stop?

Evelyn 
It's a long story.

Theo 
I like long stories. Maybe you'll tell me another time.

Evelyn 
Maybe. And maybe you'll tell me how you ended up at your way station.

Theo 
Maybe.

Evelyn 
[wood chipper grinding. Then crackling of underbrush, thudding sound on path] Who's there? [crashing sound through bushes]

Theo 
Whoa! A deer. [hoofbeats as deer runs away, become distant] Okay, that got my heart rate up.

Evelyn 
Mine too. Do you hear that?

Theo 
The deer? It's gone.

Evelyn 
No, the chipper. It stopped. Let's keep going.

Evelyn 
[burbling stream sounds] [voiceover narration] We stray farther from Theo's official route. I tell myself it's just a detour, but I know what I'm doing. I'm chasing a lead, dragging Theo along, using him as my cover. I don't want him to be caught on camera or get in trouble, but I can't let this opportunity slide.

Theo 
And so we come to a stream, the border of the Hargrave Woods. This actually ties in with my tour. Some smugglers floated lighter pieces of timber out of the forest using rafts. This could have been one of those routes.

Evelyn 
Fascinating. Huh. It's wider than I thought. I crossed somewhere else the other day, but that must have been farther upstream. Think we can find a crossing?

Theo 
Let's try. Though it might be deeper than usual, we've had a lot of rain.

Evelyn 
[voiceover] We split up along the bank, searching for a fallen log or large stones. But there's no good crossing, not without getting soaked.

Evelyn 
[truck door slams shut, truck starts up] [aloud, to Theo] Oh no! Hear that? The truck! They're leaving. We missed them!

Theo 
I'm sorry. We almost made it.

Evelyn 
Ugh! I was hoping to see a company name. [sighs] Let's head back and finish your tour.

Evelyn 
[voiceover narration] We head back toward the old cart path. Theo keeps talking, something about colonial timber laws. It was unfair. England making all the rules across an ocean. But I'm distracted. The deer bolting, my scream, the wood chipper stopping, the truck pulling out. Is that all coincidence, or did I spook someone? Did my yell scare off workers in the middle of some sketchy job? I'm replaying it all in my head again when Theo stops short and I crash into him.

Theo 
[thudding sound, twigs snapping] Oops, sorry. Look, see that tree over there? And the clump of shrubs? Look underneath.

Evelyn 
[voiceover] A black plastic tarp. Trash, maybe? Walt would want me to check it out. [sounds of rustling plastic, dragging heavy object] It's a contractor bag full of something.

Evelyn 
Oof, heavy.

Theo 
Here, I'll grab one end. You grab the other. Ready? One. Two. Three. [loud dragging sounds, twigs snapping, Theo and Evelyn groan with effort.] This is really heavy. What's in it? A body?

Evelyn 
Don't even joke about that. Okay, we've pulled it out far enough. Let's open it. Ready? [plastic tarp rustling] [gasps] Wood!

Theo 
Looks like thick old branches. Maybe someone's collecting firewood?

Evelyn 
Could be. But the cuts are clean. The bark's still moist. And here, see this? Dark sap seeping out.

Theo 
It almost looks like it's . . . bleeding.

Evelyn 
Recent cuts.

Theo 
There's some lighter wood in here too. Smells like gum.

Evelyn 
Wintergreen. And the darker pieces smell sweet and nutty. Black maple. Yellow birch.

Theo 
Wow, you know your trees.

Evelyn 
I'm learning. With help. But I'm pretty sure this is wood from two different trees. Valuable trees.

Theo 
You think we can drag this bag all the way back into town?

Evelyn 
No way, it's too heavy. I'll take photos. Then we'll put it back exactly as we found it. The town owns this land. They'll want a report.

Evelyn 
[voiceover] I take photos and slip a pocket-sized chunk of wood in my coat pocket. I'm hoping to match it to one of the stumps I found on the Hargrave easement. Then we shove the bag back in its hiding place. Something tells me this is a hidden stash, just like the woodsmen used to leave centuries ago. And this stash changes everything. Whoever's cutting trees isn't just targeting the Hargrave land. [instruemental music, mysterious] They're moving deeper into protected forest, expanding their reach. And I have a gut feeling someone's coming back for this stash, maybe soon.

Evelyn 
[faint office sounds, printer] [voiceover] I get back to the office and find Miriam here on the phone. She gives me a long look. Yikes! Why? I had left a quick note on office scheduler that I was taking Walt's slot on the Rambling Roads tour dry run. He was slammed with site visits, so it seemed like a good way to help out. And Miriam hadn't been around all morning. I figured if she had a problem with it, I'd hear about it when I got back. That icy look she gives me tells me I was right. I slip past her into my closet of an office and try to edit "Roots and Branches," but my head's not in the newsletter. Should I tell Miriam about the wood stash in the Ashcroft Forest? I want to. I wasn't trespassing. It's public access. But I'm scared. The stash wasn't on the walking tour route. It was closer to the Hargrave Woods, near the spot where Theo and I detoured, so I could spy. I'm scrambling for a good reason why I was so far off route when my door opens. [sound of door opening] And Miriam's there.

Miriam 
That was an interesting phone call.

Evelyn 
Who was it with?

Miriam 
Megan Hargrave.

Evelyn 
Really?

Miriam 
She was calling for you.

Evelyn 
Me? Why? That's weird.

Miriam 
That's what I thought. I told her you were out and offered to help. She wanted to let you know she'd emailed a document that turned up at her house. A misfiled invoice for tree removal contracted by Eleanor Hargrave two years ago.

Evelyn 
Oh.

Miriam 
She sent a photo to the office email. Here, take a look on my phone.

Evelyn 
[reads aloud] "Removal of one black walnut tree near kitchen garden." [pause] "Heritage Tree Services."

Miriam 
She thought it might help with the easement inspection. Said you'd been asking her about tree work . . . when you visited them?

Evelyn 
Yeah. Um. Super helpful. Thanks.

Miriam 
[sighs] Evelyn. I can't pretend this is okay. I checked with Walt. He said he did not visit the Hargraves with you. You went without clearance, outside work hours, without even notifying them. That's not our process.

Evelyn 
I'm sorry. I just thought I could follow up on the cut black walnut stumps, ask a few questions, maybe . . .

Miriam 
Or maybe cause problems. Look. Conservation compliance here is as much about relationships as regulations. That work order's perfectly legit, and the country wasn't on the easement.

Evelyn 
Well, and I did find two stumps on the easement, though, and a broken chainsaw piece and--

Miriam 
A couple of extra trees were taken. Eleanor Hargrave probably misfiled that paperwork too. It may turn up eventually. We can't keep pressing. Megan already sounded defensive, like we're accusing them of something.

Evelyn 
But there might be more trees missing because--

Miriam 
You work for a town conservation office. You're not a rogue journalist. And we're walking a tightrope with these landowners. They've got lawyers on speed dial.

Evelyn 
Okay. Noted.

Miriam 
[sighs] Honestly, here's the thing. We've got three parcels, three, coming up for review that could be flipped to developers by year's end. I'm trying to save hundreds of acres from turning into condos, parking lots, or a golf course. I can't afford to rattle legacy landovers over one or two trees.

Evelyn 
I understand.

Miriam 
I don't want the Hargraves poisoning the well, talking to their friends, spreading doubt about our office. Walt's report will mention a couple of stumps, some invasives they'll need to clear. Then we're moving on.

Evelyn 
His report? But we didn't even finish the inspection.

Miriam 
I'm sorry if I sound harsh, but we have to keep a tighter handle on this. If Rambling Roads Tours needs any more compliance checking of that tour route, from now on, I'm sending Walt or Laila. I saw you slotted yourself into Walt's tour. I didn't say anything because I thought you and Walt had arranged that. But then I found out that wasn't the case. Now I see it's part of a larger pattern. If you want to help, Evelyn, I need you to follow our protocols. No surprises. No solo field trips. Clear?

Evelyn 
Crystal.

Evelyn 
[door opens and shuts] [voiceover] Miriam has a point, and I like that she cares. There's a lot of land to care about in this town, and I didn't realize how much of it was threatened. But small things, if they're ignored, they grow. Like rot beneath the surface. I saw how corruption works at the paper. We dug up a lot of dirt. So no, I'm not convinced what the Hargraves are hiding is small. This could be big. I'm going to keep gathering evidence, and if I have to bring it to somebody else, like the police, I will. [instrumental music, mysterious] But first, I need help, and I know exactly who I need to reach out to.

Evelyn 
[distant train sounds, wheels on tracks,.whine of a trail coming to a stop] [voiceover] That evening, I find myself at the train station waiting for Jordan. He texted me near the end of my workday, asking me to meet him there at six. No explanation. Now I'm pacing the platform, wondering what this could possibly be about. Is he coming from somewhere? Going somewhere? And taking me with him? I'm glad we're meeting though, because suddenly I have a lot to tell him. Right after work, I couldn't stop thinking about the wood stash Theo and I found, so I drove to the edge of the forest, then ran back to check on it. I took a shortcut using a detailed GIS map I found hanging above Laila's desk. I put on a baseball cap and a running jacket from my dog walking days, just to look like someone out for a jog, since I no longer had Theo for cover. Fortunately, I didn't see anyone except a woman in the distance walking her black lab. But when I got to the site, the stash was already gone. I was too late. Had someone seen Theo and I going through it? Had we been followed? Again, that note on my door repeated in my mind. "Watch your step."

Jordan 
[calling out] Evelyn! Over here!

Evelyn 
[voiceover] Jordan's waving at me on the opposite side of the track. I've been waiting on the outbound side. I check for trains, then run across the pedestrian bridge to meet him.

Evelyn 
Hey, Jordan. Looks like I was on the wrong track.

Jordan 
Nah, you're good. Thanks for meeting me on short notice. I wanted to show you something in person, not over text. [sound of rummaging in a bag]

Evelyn 
Oh, is that one of your trail cams?

Jordan 
Yeah, I was checking footage this afternoon. Something came up. [click of a button, distant voice in a recording] Look here, lower left-hand corner. Legs. Two people walking. The time stamp says this was today. And listen closely. It's faint, but you can hear one of them talking.

Theo 
[tinny / distant sound, on a recording] OK, fair. But I pick my places and times carefully. People like the Hargraves have security cameras. I don't want to be caught trespassing. Especially when I'm on Rambling Roads business. That could put the whole team at risk.

Jordan 
It's almost a confession. And this isn't just one guy. This is a team! A network targeting the Hargraves. Maybe they call themselves "Rambling Roads" as a cover. A code name for their operation.

Evelyn 
Ugh. I hate to tell you this, Jordan, but Rambling Roads is a walking tours company connected to the town museum, and that voice is someone I know, Theo Lambert. He works for them.

Jordan 
Are you sure? He sounds so . . . sinister.

Evelyn 
He's a . . .  friend. And a bit theatrical. Tour guide flair. And those other legs you see in the frame? Those are mine. My hiking boots. I was there.

Jordan 
Right. So I dragged you out here to show you footage of . . . you. And your friend.

Evelyn 
I was doing a walk-through with Theo .Rambling Roads is planning a new tour, through the Upper Ashcroft Forest, about old-time timber smugglers. Ironically. But I wasn't exactly above board with Theo. He was my cover. I needed to get back to the area without raising Miriam's eyebrows, so I convinced him to take a little detour to check out who might have been running a wood chipper near the Hargrave estate.

Jordan 
A wood chipper? Poachers wouldn't grind up the timber. That sounds like standard storm cleanup.

Evelyn 
Maybe. Unless they're grinding up unusable pieces from trees they took, or using the sound as cover while they cut more trees to sell.

Jordan 
Hmm. Maybe. Plausible deniability. A company could look like they're doing one job while covering for another. So did you see who it was? Was it Heritage, that tree company you mentioned?

Evelyn 
Not sure. I mean, that company is suspicious. The complaints about sloppy work line up with the broken chainsaw piece Walt and I found with the sawdust piles left behind. I really hoped I'd see their truck or a work crew sign, but I just heard a truck leave the Hargrave Woods as we got close. Too late. Or maybe, conveniently, just in time.

Jordan 
Ugh. So close.

Evelyn 
But we did find something else. Something big.

Jordan 
I'm listening.

Evelyn 
[voiceover] I tell Jordan about the stash of wood in the contractor bags. I show him the photos on my phone. I tell him how it was gone when I checked after work. I hand him the wood sample I took from the scene.

Jordan 
Yeah, this isn't firewood. This was a haul. From the wood grain, I can see it's more yellow birch, and you've got birch and black walnut both in these photos.

Evelyn 
I think you should put up a trail cam at the stash site. There's a pine tree and some shrubs. Perfect spot to hide one. Maybe it's a drop point they'll use again. [distant rumble of train]

Jordan 
Good thinking. But my car's in the shop all weekend. That's why I'm taking the train. [train whistle]

Evelyn 
You're heading out somewhere for work?

Jordan 
I have to go to Waltham. Won't be back till after ten. Here, you take this trail cam and set it up.

Evelyn 
Me? I've never used one before.

Jordan 
Nothing to it. Just strap it to the tree or the shrubs. Push this button to set it. It's motion activated.

Evelyn 
Maybe I should mount one of these on my front door.

Jordan 
Wait, why?

Evelyn 
Someone left me a note. Told me to watch my step. Computer printed, no signature. I don't know if it's from Heritage. Maybe they traced my call. Or the Hargraves? Maybe they didn't like my questions.

Jordan 
What? Evelyn, that note is a threat. Forget the cam. I'm taking it back. I'll handle it. The last thing you should do is go back there alone.

Evelyn 
I know, and it's working. I'm looking over my shoulder a lot.

Jordan 
This changes everything. We're not just talking about illegal logging. This is intimidation. You have to report it.

Evelyn 
Not yet. If I do, the police will want to talk to Walt, and then Miriam will get wind of it, and I'll get sidelined. We'll lose our shot at figuring this out,

Jordan 
But you could be in real danger. This could be the same person who took the map from your car. Maybe they followed you home and then to this stash site.

Evelyn 
I'll be extra careful. Let's give it the weekend. See what the trail cam turns up. If we don't have something solid by Monday, I'll go to Miriam. Or the police. I promise.

Jordan 
Fine. Monday. I don't love it. . . . Actually, tell you what. I have a permit to be in the Ashcroft Forest to put up cameras, but it doesn't say how many. I have three more on hand that I can add in that area. First thing tomorrow, I'll move them as close to the Hargrave Woods border as I can, and by the spot where you found the stash. I don't think you should go back to the drop point. Even going back today was risky.

Evelyn 
Don't you think we should find a way to get cameras there tonight? Won't the poachers work in the cover of darkness? They did in the old days. I learned that on the tour.

Jordan 
We're having some weather tonight, I hear. Strong winds again, and thunder. I think that might buy us some time, but it'll be clearing up by morning. We want the cams in position first thing, so I'm on it. [approaching train comes closer]

Evelyn 
All right, thanks. I appreciate it. Can I ask you something? Why are you going out on a limb for me? This isn't exactly in your job description.

Jordan 
Protecting forests should be in everyone's job descriptions these days. The woods belong to all of us, even when they're on private land. And they belong to the birds, which are in my job description. And well, it's kind of personal. I grew up next to a forest that got cut down for an office park. I'll never forget the sound of those chainsaws. It never left me. [sounds of train pulling up to the station] That's my train. I'll text you when I place all the trail cams tomorrow morning, and if anything shows up on the others.

Evelyn 
Thanks, Jordan, and have a good time at . . . at . . . Sorry, where did you say you were going?

Jordan 
Oh, a thing for-- [train whistle]

Evelyn 
[train departing] [Evelyn voiceover] I'm not sure what Jordan was trying to say, but he made his why clear. He cares about the woods and everything in them.

Evelyn 
[instrumental music, contemplative] [voiceover] But what's my why? Is it about the trees? About being right? Or just proving I still matter? And . . . cue the rain. [rain sounds on pavement] [sighs] I even get a severe thunderstorm warning on my phone. Maybe that's not a bad thing. As Jordan pointed out, bad weather could deter poachers from working tonight. If we get more storm damage, tree crews could be busy tomorrow. I'm starting to see how this whole business might work. A tree company gets hired to do legit work, like removing storm-damaged trees. Then they help themselves to extras, blending theft into the job.

Evelyn 
[voiceover] Whether the Hargraves hired Heritage for that, and Megan Hargrave has buyers for veneer wood, is still a mystery. Maybe the Hargraves don't know what's going on and are being taken advantage of. Maybe Eleanor Hargrave was swindled before them. [rain intensifies] The rain's picked up, and I'm feeling more unsettled since more questions than answers come to mind. Also, I'm starving. It's dinner time.

Evelyn 
[voiceover] I decide to stay in the area and look for a meal. An old-fashioned wooden sign hangs off a brick building, swinging in the breeze. "The Hollow Tree." A soft orange light glows behind lace curtains. I head toward it like a moth to a flame.

Evelyn 
[door opens, bell jingles] [voiceover] I'm greeted by a woman around my age, maybe a little younger. She has long, straight hair and a long crocheted sweater that sweeps the floor. Not exactly a restaurant uniform. And this place isn't serving food. I'm not exactly sure what it's serving. Dried herbs hang from the ceiling. Cabinets overflow with jars, soaps, lotions, books, picture frames, and more. It smells like tea and candles.

Avery 
Good evening. I'm sorry to tell you, but I'm just closing up shop. If you're looking for something special, I can stay open a few more minutes.

Evelyn 
Sorry, I thought this was a restaurant. What is this place?

Avery 
I sell esoteric gifts. Curios, candles, and charms, tarot cards, and teas, belladonna, and bat wings.... Kidding. Mostly.

Evelyn 
Is this like a witchcraft shop?

Avery 
Oh, I don't like to be classified. I carry things relevant to witches, past and present, mixed in with gifts, home decor, and a few oddities. People typically come in for the unusual, and leave with dish towels and door knockers. You sure there's nothing you're in need of?

Evelyn 
Hmm. Got any charms for protection? I could probably use one.

Avery 
Yes, they're extremely popular these days. Protection of person or protection of home?

Evelyn 
Um, good question. Person, I guess. No, wait. Let's do home.

Avery 
Here you go. This amulet does double duty. Hang it on your door or wear it around your neck. Just don't break the bottle, cause it nullifies the spell.

Evelyn 
[sniffs] Ew! What's in it?

Avery 
Garlic. High potency to ward off negative energy and anyone who might wish you ill. Blended with dewdrops for softness, infused with hope, topped off with a twist of humor.

Evelyn 
I can't resist. I'll take it.

Avery 
That'll be nineteen dollars.

Evelyn 
For this tiny thing? Wow!

Avery 
[cash register sounds] I'll throw in a free ghost story.

Evelyn 
Oh, that's okay. I have to go.

Avery 
Just a quick one. I'm closing anyway. They're free with any purchase.

Evelyn 
Interesting business model.

Avery 
It's great practice for my other work.

Evelyn 
I'm really just out looking for dinner. Maybe another time.

Avery 
Dino's Pizza, around the corner. Best slices in town.

Evelyn 
Thanks. I probably shouldn't ask, but what is your other work?

Avery 
It's this. Take a brochure. Take two. One for a friend.

Evelyn 
"Rambling Roads Walking Tours." You work for them?

Avery 
All roads lead to Rambling Roads eventually. I do the ghost tours. I was supposed to do one tonight, but it's been canceled for weather. I've had a lot of canceled tours lately. The stories just bottle up inside me. I have to let them out.

Evelyn 
Huh. So you must know Theo Lambert and Henry Treadwell.

Avery 
I do. Henry's my dad.

Evelyn 
Oh!

Avery 
And Theo. Yeah, of course. Small company, small town. We went to high school together. I know everyone around here, living or dead. How do you know Theo?

Evelyn 
I'm new to town. Started working at the conservation office. I did a walkthrough of the new tour today. "Patriots and Poachers." I'm Evelyn Carlisle.

Avery 
Nice to meet you. I'm Avery Treadwell.

Evelyn 
I'll take a brochure. And I'll plan to do your ghost tour once I get settled. I have a lot on my plate right now.

Avery 
I understand. Are you sure I can't interest you in a micro ghost story? Consider it a sample.

Evelyn 
[sighs] Sure. Why not?

Avery 
Okay. So there's a statue in a cobblestone alley off town square. It's a man with a gouge in his hand, standing beside a lathe. You've seen it?

Evelyn 
Yes! Silas Carrington. Theo told me about him.

Avery 
But did he tell you of Silas's ghost, who continues to roam?

Evelyn 
I think he left that part out.

Avery 
He would. Theo's still all about the daylight stuff. The interesting things happen at night. All right. Legend has it, near the end of his life, Silas murdered a man in his workshop, a rival who came to steal his revolutionary design for a new mill part. Days later, Silas was murdered by the man's wife as revenge.

Evelyn 
Wait. The wife was murdered, or she did the murdering?

Avery 
Silas murdered a man. Then the man's wife murdered Silas They say Silas still walks the streets and forest paths, a gouge in one hand, a chisel in the other, looking for anyone who digs too deep.

Evelyn 
Whoa, that's creepy.

Avery 
I know, right? That's just the short version. The full version is way more gruesome. I save it for the tour.

Avery 
How do people know he's around? His ghost, I mean. Do they see him? Hear something?

Avery 
They say that air takes on a sharper edge, and then you hear it. Sshk. Sshk. Sshk.

Evelyn 
What is that?

Avery 
Metal whispering on stone. Silas sharpening his tools. Sshk. Sshk.

Evelyn 
Got it. Okay, that is chilling. Actually, have you ever encountered Silas?

Avery 
Sadly, no. I'd love to meet him someday. Maybe help put his mind at ease. Anyway, have a good evening and be careful on the roads. Lots of tree branches come down around here in the winds.

Evelyn 
I'm noticing that lately, yeah. I hope this is the last storm for a while. Seems like Turners Grove could use a break.

Avery 
Storms always bring things to the surface. They can be cleansing that way. Though maybe some things are better left buried.

Evelyn 
[Instrumental music, contemplative] [rain] [voiceover] By the time I get back to the carriage house, the storm's really whipping up. I feel uneasy, or maybe it's the Dino's pepperoni pizza, which I'm pretty sure was not the best slice in town. As I fumble for my house key, I check the door knocker. No new note. But when I turn the key, the doorknob falls off in my hand. [doorknob turns, falls] The wood's rotted around it. Great. Of all nights, not to have a working lock. I hang the protection charm from Avery's shop right on the doorknocker. I'm not superstitious. [distant thunder] don't even know why I bought the thing, except I'll take all the help I can get.

Evelyn 
[thunder] [door closes] [scraping sound, heavy object] [voiceover] My new lock: a big antique dresser shoved against the door. Then I call Judy Feldman. [beeping of phone buttons, ringing]

Judy 
[on phone] Evelyn! I was just thinking of you. Are you weathering the storm?

Evelyn 
So far. The lock broke on the front door, and the knob came off. Could you send someone to look at it as soon as possible?

Judy 
Oh dear! Always something with these old houses. This is one reason I want to sell it soon. I'll send my handyman over tomorrow.

Evelyn 
Thanks.

Judy 
I hope you're still comfortable. It's an old place, but it's stood the test of time.

Evelyn 
[voiceover] After talking to Judy, only mildly comforting, I lay in bed and listened to the wind howl. Judy selling the carriage house isn't news. Selling it soon, that's new. [wind outside, house creaking] It reminds me this isn't home. I'm on borrowed time. Maybe that's why I haven't even fully unpacked. What did Theo call it? A way station? Yes. I'm at one too. I'm here to earn a little money, get some references, figure out my next steps. I can't mess up my job. The home I left before college? Dead to me. There's no going back. Maybe my best path forward is to break a big story. "Timber Poaching in Turners Grove." I could pitch it to the Globe and get my name back on a byline.

Evelyn 
[voiceover] I set my alarm for five a.m. and try to sleep. Jordan said he'd be out near the Hargrave property first thing. [thunder, wind intesnsifies]

Evelyn 
[alarm clock beeping] [voiceover] Wow, I barely slept last night between the wind and -- [loud crash outside]

Evelyn 
[voiceover] What was that? It sounded like a massive tree going down, close to the carriage house. I throw on my clothes, grab a flashlight Judy keeps on a shelf, and run for the woods.

Evelyn 
[running footsteps outside] [voiceover] It's still dark. I can't tell if I'm on a path or off. I head toward where I think the tree fell. Was it storm damage? Or did somebody take it down? And then it hits me. Maybe I should have grabbed more than a flashlight. Maybe I need a weapon. I really didn't think this through. [owl hoots] I look up, hoping the owl I'm hearing will guide me, and then I see it. A hole in the sky. A gash in the tree canopy, like something was ripped away. Startled birds flutter and chirp nearby. I walk closer, shining my light on the thick trunk. Now on the ground, a tangled mess of broken trees and crushed undergrowth. If a tree falls in the woods and nobody hears it . . .  well, I heard this one, and what I'm seeing isn't natural.

Evelyn 
[voiceover] I trace the lower trunk with my light. I can't believe what I'm seeing. Peeled bark. Chunks of wood just missing. Gouge marks. These aren't storm scars. They're deliberate, like someone harvested the tree. For burls maybe. Those twisted knots with beautiful grain. This was a theft, a wound. Maybe all those cuts weaken the tree.

Evelyn 
Evelyn [voiceover] And then I understand what I'm really seeing. Someone took parts from this tree. Deep wood cuts. The grain's exposed, and the burls gone. I get it now. What Jordan said about how tree cutting feels personal. This sugar maple was alive less than an hour ago. Now it's gone. Someone took what they wanted and left it to die. This isn't about getting a great story anymore. It's about telling the truth and stopping this from happening again. [footsteps approaching, leaves crunch underfoot]

Evelyn 
[voiceover] Someone's here. I turn, forgetting to shut off my flashlight. And twenty feet away stands a man, a long tool in his hands. Oh my God! It's Silas Carrington. Or his ghost! I'm sure I can hear that sshk, sshk. No, not a ghost. He's lifting a tool like a weapon. It's the pruning pool guy, and he's coming toward me fast. [footsteps quicken, approaching, leaves crunch underfoot]

Evelyn  
[instrumental outro music] You've been listening to Rambling Roads Mysteries, written by Diana Renn, produced by Hayden Robinson and Jonathan Crumpler, with sound design by Hayden Robinson. Recorded at the Western Piedmont Community College Production Studio in Morganton, North Carolina. For more about the author, the cast, the production team, and show notes, wander over to RamblingRoadsMysteries.com.