He drove the pickup instead of the tractor.
At the repair shop, the young mechanic waited near the side entrance.
Not inside.
That mattered.
He held a tablet.
“I went through cameras.”
“What did you find?”
“Nothing around your tractor.”
The farmer frowned.
“That’s something.”
“I know.”
The young mechanic swiped the screen.
“Camera over bay three stopped recording at 7:42 last night.”
“The tractor arrived this morning.”
“Exactly.”
“It came back at 8:16 this morning.”
The farmer looked at him.
“You think someone expected it?”
“I don’t know.”
“Why would the camera be off?”
The mechanic lowered his voice.
“Manual disconnect.”
“Who can do that?”
“Owner.”
“Senior mechanic.”
“Me.”
“Two others.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
“I believe you.”
The young mechanic looked surprised.
“You shouldn’t just—”
“I watched you argue with your boss to open the plate.”
The farmer shrugged.
“Good enough for now.”
The mechanic looked toward the building.
“There’s more.”
He opened another file.
A view of the rear parking lot.
Timestamp 7:38 the previous evening.
The senior mechanic walked toward the electrical room.
At 7:40 he disappeared inside.
At 7:42 the bay camera went dark.
At 8:17 the next morning the senior mechanic returned through the same corridor.
The farmer watched twice.
“Could be coincidence.”
“Yes.”
“Why are you showing me?”
The young mechanic looked embarrassed.
“Because he told me not to.”
The farmer stared.
“He knows you checked?”
“He asked who accessed the footage.”
“And?”
“I said me.”
“What’d he say?”
“That whatever fell from your tractor happened before arrival.”
“True.”
“He said checking cameras would make the shop look guilty.”
The farmer’s eyes narrowed.
“That’s not true.”
“I know.”
“Why would he say it?”
“I don’t know.”
The farmer handed back the tablet.
“Where was my tractor between pickup and here?”
“Towing company yard overnight.”
“Why?”
“Driver picked it up late. Shop closed.”
The farmer nodded.
“Who arranged the tow?”
The young mechanic looked at him.
“Senior mechanic.”
The old farmer felt the mystery shift.
Not away from the nephew.
Wider.
“Who called your shop about my tractor?”
“Your nephew.”
The farmer became very still.
“I called.”
The mechanic shook his head.
“You called about appointment availability.”
“Yes.”
“Your nephew called later and arranged transport.”
The farmer had not known that.
He remembered mentioning at lunch that he might need a tow.
The nephew offered to handle it.
Helpful.
Efficient.
The farmer asked:
“Did he talk to the senior mechanic directly?”
“Yes.”
“Know each other?”
The young man hesitated.
“Apparently.”
“How?”
“I don’t know.”
The farmer stared toward the repair bay.
“Keep the footage.”
“Owner already made copies.”
“Good.”
The mechanic continued:
“There's one other thing.”
He opened a photograph.
A handwritten estimate.
The tractor.
Suspected catastrophic internal engine seizure. Recommended replacement or disposal.