CHAPTER FIVE: THE MAN BEHIND THE WEBSITE
At six thirty, Ethan drove to the industrial road with Denise and a municipal employee named Oliver Price.
They did not enter the warehouse without permission.
A woman with a yellow safety vest met them at the loading dock and asked why a county investigator needed shipping information.
Denise showed her identification and explained the concern.
The woman introduced herself as Tessa Grant, operations supervisor for Northline Storage.
“I remember the festival order,” she said.
“It was unusual because the first pallet was returned before it went anywhere.”
“Returned by whom?” Denise asked.
“A representative named Voss.”
Tessa checked the receiving schedule.
“He brought six sample cartons in a small rental van.”
“Our team unloaded and photographed them because they were marked for inspection.
”
“The next morning, he collected the samples and substituted a larger shipment from a freight carrier.”
Oliver asked whether the freight carrier’s driver had examined the contents.
“We don’t open sealed merchandise without a reason,” Tessa said.
She sounded annoyed by the suggestion.
“The labels were still different.”
Tessa retrieved two photographs from an internal terminal.
The first showed tidy white boxes with the manufacturer’s full address.
The second showed brown cartons bearing only a distributor code.
“Did you point out the change?” Denise asked.
“I emailed the contact on the purchase order.”
“Who was that?”
Tessa turned the screen toward them.
The address belonged to Martin Hayes.
Her message, sent nine days earlier, said the replacement cartons did not correspond to the inspection lot.
Martin had answered within an hour.
His reply instructed her to release the shipment without delay.
Denise photographed the screen with Tessa’s permission and requested preserved copies through formal channels.
Ethan had expected to feel vindicated.
Instead he felt sick.
Nine days meant Martin had been warned before he began distributing the viewers.
“Do you have a current address for Voss?” Denise asked.
Tessa shook her head.
“He paid by wire transfer through the festival organizer.”
“He did leave something behind.”
She led them toward an office window overlooking the loading area.
On the wall hung a printed photograph from the warehouse’s annual charity tournament.
Graham Voss stood beside a trophy wearing a blue jacket.
Ethan recognized him.
He had seen the man at the volunteer orientation, where Martin introduced him as a visiting science educator.
Graham had demonstrated a telescope mount and joked about children demanding to see the moon during daylight.
He had looked comfortable in front of a crowd.
“I know where he said he’d be tonight,” Ethan told Denise.
Graham was scheduled to speak at the astronomy club’s final orientation in the middle school gym.
Denise checked the time.
“That begins in twenty minutes.”
They reached the school to find the gym half full of volunteers.
Graham stood near a portable screen discussing the difference between direct viewing and projected observation.
His explanation was technically careful.
Ethan disliked the realization that a dishonest person could still sound competent.
Graham recognized Denise’s identification before she reached the front row.
He smiled, finished his sentence, and asked everyone to take a five-minute break.
Denise introduced herself and requested a private conversation.
Graham agreed without hesitation.
In the hallway, he claimed that the festival organizer had selected the goods.
“My job was to arrange bulk delivery.”
“Did you represent the viewers as coming from Solstice Optical?” Denise asked.
“I represented what the distributor represented to me.”
“Which distributor?”
“Daybreak Outfitters.”
“Who owns Daybreak?”
Graham’s expression barely changed.
“That information is in the contract.”
“The contract lists a postal mailbox and a disconnected phone number.”
“Businesses close.”
Ethan stepped closer.
“You were present when volunteers inspected six sample cartons.”
“That’s right.”
“Why did you replace them?”
Graham looked at him with sudden interest.
“You’re the neighbor.”
“I’m the person named on the warning Martin burned.”
Graham turned back to Denise.
“I’d prefer to discuss this with counsel.”
“You’re entitled to do that,” she said.
“You should also understand that the event cannot rely on your assurances until the product has been independently verified.”
The conversation ended without a confession.
As Graham returned to the gym, Ethan watched his reflection disappear along the trophy cases.
He wondered whether people who arranged dangerous shortcuts always believed they could escape just by sounding composed.
Outside, Rachel was waiting beside Ethan’s car.
Maya had called her with news.
“Martin sent another message to ticket holders.”
The message claimed that an outside activist group was spreading misleading information and urged visitors to retain their glasses.
It directed premium ticket holders to a private entrance at the fairground.
The event was becoming two events.
One would follow the city’s instructions.
The other would operate under Martin’s personal assurances.
