Welcome to Creep's Cast. There are things in the woods that should never be disturbed. Written by, Saturday.

The logging industry might not seem like an action-packed world of politics and schemes,

but you'd be surprised.

Where I used to work, there were about four different companies all trying to put each

other out of business.

There was also an adjacent area that bordered on a national park.

So yeah, if you looked at it from above, it all looks like forest, but there are a lot of invisible

lines to look for.

I was part of a regulatory watchdog. All the companies in the area

called on us as an independent third party to settle land disputes and accusations of obristeping

regulatory boundaries. Basically, we were the checks and balances that made sure that they all played nice.

That this particular case landed on my desk was a matter of contention.

The last two cases that had been dropped in my lap ended up being lengthy and unnecessary

legal battles, so my supervisor had been putting off giving me field work for about two months.

There was some pressure to vacate my seat entirely, and I wasn't eager to make a fool of myself

for a third time. So whatever this was, it had to go off without a hitch.

I was given a couple of files, satellite images, statements,

interviews, and witness testimony. There was this space at the edge of company property that had been cut down and cleared out illegally. Insurance companies had demanded a complete third-party review before they agreed

to a payout. There is also an issue with the nearby park services, as damage had been

done to protected land, making the rangers suspect that this was either self-inflicted or the work of an

organized third party.

Now, making arrests or proceeding with a formal criminal investigation is the work of the police,

...