CHAPTER FIVE: LEWIS ARRIVES
Lewis Mercer arrived in a silver pickup just after three twenty.
He parked across Daniel’s driveway rather than along the curb.
His blue jacket bore an embroidered patch reading HAVEN WING RESCUE.
Daniel had seen the patch on fundraising flyers outside the supermarket.
Lewis looked younger than forty and smiled as though he expected people to recognize him.
“Daniel, I can explain everything,” he said.
Daniel pointed toward Priya and Ben.
“Start with them.”
Lewis carried a neat binder and a folding travel crate.
He presented the binder to Priya before she asked for identification.
“I’m licensed to rehabilitate small birds,” he said.
Priya checked the front page and asked him for the facility address.
Lewis gave Carol’s address.
“Why were animals housed in Mr. Reed’s kitchen wall?” she asked.
“It’s a temporary overflow space.”
“Did he consent to its use?”
Lewis looked at Daniel.
“The previous owner authorized the construction.”
“The previous owner sold me the house,” Daniel said.
“You didn’t tell me about any of this.”
“I assumed your closing documents mentioned it.”
“They didn’t.”
Lewis spread his hands in a gesture of polished regret.
“Then there’s been a misunderstanding.”
Priya did not move.
“Do you have records identifying each animal and its origin?”
“Of course.”
He opened the binder and showed her printed forms.
Priya looked through several pages without commenting.
Then she asked about the two birds removed Monday.
Lewis turned a page.
“They were transferred to a home in another county.”
“What was the recipient’s name?”
Lewis named a woman named Sandra Vale.
Carol looked up sharply.
“That’s not what you told me,” she said.
Lewis kept his eyes on Priya.
“Carol gets confused about the placements.”
“I do not,” Carol replied.
“You told me you were taking them to the airport.”
Daniel felt the temperature of the conversation change.
Lewis snapped his binder shut.
“I said I was picking somebody up at the airport.”
Carol stood.
“You put the blue cages in your truck, and you said somebody would pay enough to cover our costs.”
Lewis stared at her.
The smile disappeared.
“You don’t understand how rescue funding works,” he said.
Carol pointed toward the kitchen.
“Then explain why you wouldn’t let me take Little Finch to a veterinarian.”
The yard fell silent.
Priya asked Lewis to remain available while her team reviewed the situation.
Lewis attempted to move past her toward the patio door.
Ben stepped into his path.
“The birds have been moved to county care,” Ben said.
“You can’t enter the residence.”
Lewis turned back to Daniel.
“You’re going to regret making a circus out of this.”
Daniel looked toward the shattered kitchen window.
“You made a circus out of my house,” he answered.
Lewis climbed into his pickup and slammed the door.
He waited there for several minutes, watching the county team load the carriers.
Then he drove away so abruptly that his rear tire crossed the grass.
Carol followed the truck with her eyes.
“He’s not done,” she said.
Daniel believed her.
