The way certain shipments only moved at night, on the overnight shifts, and the way you learned not to ask about them.

I remember the rumors that went around, about the water, about people in the county getting sick, about things being buried that shouldn’t have been.” He opened his eyes.

“And I remember Julian.

A young man, not from around here, showing up and asking questions that nobody else was willing to ask.”

My heart was beating hard.

“You knew he was investigating,” I said.

It was not quite a question.