Chapter 3 - The Camera Over the Barn DoorSarah had installed cameras after two baby goats disappeared during a storm three years earlier.
One covered the pasture gate.
Another covered the kidding stalls.
A third camera faced the barn entrance.
Garrett knew about them.
He also believed the third camera had stopped recording.
Sarah believed that too.
Until farmhand Miguel Santos told her:
“I fixed it in January.”
Sarah stared.
“What?”
“The cable.”
Miguel wiped his hands on his jeans.
“Garrett said not to bother adding it back to the app because you guys barely used it.”
“Does it record?”
Miguel nodded.
“Local drive.”
Sarah’s pulse quickened.
“Show me.”
They went into the feed office.
Miguel connected the storage unit.
Sarah searched the day Clover became sick.
10:14 a.m.
Elias was at school.
Sarah was delivering orders.
Garrett entered the barn.
Normal.
He carried a small feed bucket.
Normal.
Then something appeared in his left hand.
Small.
Dark.
Sarah leaned toward the screen.
Miguel paused.
“What is that?”
“I don’t know.”
He enlarged the frame.
Blurry.
But unmistakably bottle-shaped.
Garrett walked toward Clover’s stall.
Then disappeared beyond the camera angle.
There was no footage showing him using anything.
Seven minutes later he emerged.
The object was still in his hand.
Sarah’s skin went cold.
Miguel looked at her.
“Sarah?”
“Keep going.”
12:42 p.m.
Clover walked normally across the aisle.
3:16.
She moved more slowly.
4:05.
She lay down.
4:23.
Garrett entered.
Looked at her.
Did not call Dr. Wilson.
Instead, he walked back toward the farmhouse.
4:47.
Elias returned from school.
5:12.
Garrett called him from the pasture.
The accusation.
The punishment.
Sarah leaned away from the screen.
Miguel whispered:
“He knew she was sick before Elias got home.”
Sarah closed her eyes.
That alone destroyed Garrett’s story.
He had blamed Elias for failing to notice something Garrett himself had observed nearly an hour earlier.
“Make copies.”
Miguel looked nervous.
“Sarah…”
“Three copies.”
“Does Garrett know I fixed the camera?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Miguel hesitated.
“There’s something else.”
Sarah slowly turned.
“I’ve seen bottles like that in his truck.”
“What bottles?”
“Small dark ones.”
“Skull label?”
“I never looked close.”
“How long?”
“Couple months.”
Sarah’s heartbeat became louder.
“What were they for?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did you ever see him use one?”
“No.”
Miguel looked frightened by his own answer.
Sarah remembered what she had told Elias.
Do not guess.
Facts.
Garrett entered the barn.
Bottle.
Clover became ill later.
Garrett knew she was sick.
He blamed Elias anyway.
Those were facts.
Anything beyond that was suspicion.
Enough suspicion to call Rachel Morgan.
Rachel had been the Carter family attorney since Sarah’s father was alive.
She listened without interrupting.
Then asked:
“Who owns Hollow Creek?”
Sarah frowned.
“What?”
“The LLC.”
“Why does that matter?”
“Answer me.”
“I have fifty percent.”
“And Elias?”
“Twenty-five.”
“From Daniel.”
“Yes.”
“And your mother?”
“Twenty-five.”
Rachel became quiet.
“Garrett?”
“No ownership.”
Sarah suddenly understood why Rachel asked.
“Rachel.”
“Has Garrett discussed restructuring?”
Sarah remembered.
Twice.
Maybe three times.
He had said spouses should not work full-time on farms they did not own.
Sarah had agreed in principle.
They never completed anything.
“Why?”
“Because your operating agreement requires eighty percent approval for a sale of major farm assets or changes affecting member rights.”
Sarah’s stomach tightened.
Her fifty plus Garrett’s zero meant nothing.
Even with Sarah’s mother, June, they could reach seventy-five.
Elias’s twenty-five mattered.
Rachel continued:
“And Daniel’s trust names you as trustee of Elias’s interest.”
“Yes.”
“Has Garrett ever asked you to change that?”
Silence.
Three months earlier.
Garrett sitting at the kitchen table.
You shouldn’t have to manage a child’s business interest alone.
Maybe we put it into a family holding company.
Sarah had said no.
Not because she suspected anything.
Because it sounded unnecessary.
Rachel asked again:
“Sarah?”
“Yes.”
“What did he ask?”
Sarah told her.
Then Rachel said:
“Do not sign anything.”
“I wasn’t planning to.”
“No.”
Her voice became firmer.
“Do not sign anything at all until I review the farm records.”
Sarah looked at the frozen barn image.
Garrett.
Bottle in hand.
Walking toward Clover.
May you like
The sick goat might not be the entire problem.
It might be the first thing that made Sarah look closely enough to see it.
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