"What about the old mine shafts?" Miles asked. "Are they still accessible?"
"Oh sure…well, the main shaft anyway. Diana's got it all sealed up properly for safety, but she goes down there from time to time." He pointed toward the deteriorating forest behind the property. "Mines are back that way, maybe half a mile through the trees."
"She goes down into the mines?" Vic's voice carried a note of increased interest.
"Yeah, every few weeks or so. I suppose she goes out there sometimes to remember her father and the better days." Sam's expression grew wistful. "This place was something special backthen. Families would come from all over the Bay Area. Kids loved the underground tour, and Larry was a natural showman. Could spin stories about the Gold Rush that'd make your hair stand on end."
Miles felt pieces clicking together in his mind. "What happened to change that?"
Ragland’s face darkened. "Corporate greed, plain and simple. Around the mid-nineties, some development company got interested in this land. Prime location, they said. Perfect for a resort or housing development. Larry wouldn't sell, though. This place meant everything to him."
"So they gave up?" Vic asked.
"Hell no. Started playing dirty. Inspectors showing up unannounced, looking for violations. Permits getting delayed or denied for no good reason. Anonymous complaints to the county about safety issues." Sam spat into the dust. "They were trying to force Larry out, make it too expensive and too much hassle to keep operating."
"Did it work?"
"Eventually. Between the insurance costs and all the regulatory pressure, Larry couldn't afford to keep the place going for the tourists. Broke his heart, really. He died just a few years after closing it down." Ragland looked toward the distant forest. "Diana's never gotten over what they did to her family. Can't say I blame her."
Miles exchanged a meaningful look with Vic. A person with deep resentment toward corporate greed, expert knowledge of gold, and access to the very substance being used in the murders. The profile was becoming clearer.
"Mr. Ragland," Miles said carefully, "do you think there's still gold in those mines?"
The old man winked at them, a conspiratorial gleam in his eyes. "Officially…no. But between the three of us, yeah, thereis. I doubt there’s much, but Diana showed me some that she pulled out of there just a few weeks ago. Nice chunks too, not just dust and flakes. I imagine she went down one of the old tunnels and found a vein of it. Larry, he went down there and puttered around for time to time and I think he had some luck, too."
Miles felt his pulse quicken. "So you think Diana has been extracting gold recently?"
"Yeah. But not for profit or anything. Just enough to satisfy her curiosity, I think. She's got her father's appreciation for the stuff. Always said gold tells the story of California better than any history book. I think it’s like a hobby for her, you know?"
Vic stepped closer. "How much gold would you estimate she's pulled out over the years?"
Sam scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Hard to say. She doesn't talk about it much, and I don't pry. But she's got proper equipment down there—sluices, pans, even a small rock crusher Larry installed back in the day. If she wanted to extract significant quantities, she'd have the means if she knew where to look."
"And no one would question her having it," Miles added quietly.
"Why would they? It's her land, her gold. Been in the family for thirty years." Sam looked between them with growing curiosity. "And like I said, she’s not profiteering off of it anyway. So…what's this all about? Is Diana in some kind of trouble?"
"We're just following up on some leads," Vic said diplomatically. "Nothing concrete yet."
But Miles could see in her expression that they both understood the significance of what they'd learned. Diana Hartwell had motive—deep resentment toward the kind of corporate greed their victims represented. She also had the means to access significant quantities of untraceable gold and the knowledge to process it.
And she had opportunity: a job at a museum that would give her cover for possessing and working with gold, plus detailed knowledge of the city's mining history. And as Miles considered it all, he also supposed that working at such a position in a museum might also give her at least periodic access to high-profile people from time to time.
"Mr. Ragland, thank you for your time," Vic said, pulling out a business card. "If you think of anything else unusual, or if Diana mentions anything about recent visitors or people coming by with questions about the mine, please give us a call."
Sam Ragland took the card and squinted at it. "You think Diana's mixed up in something bad?"
"We're just being thorough," Miles said. "Covering all our bases."
As they walked back to the car, Ragland called after them. "You want me to tell Diana you came by?"
Vic paused with her hand on the door handle. "That won't be necessary. We'll catch up with her ourselves."
Once they were back in the car, Miles instantly turned to Vic. "Tell me you're thinking what I'm thinking."
"I’m thinking Diana Hartwell just became our prime suspect." Vic started the engine and started down the driveway toward the main road.
"And she's been extracting gold recently," Miles added. "Which, if I’m being honest, I didn’t think would be possible in these old mines anymore.”
