The talk of Antonio Ricci made her skin crawl. Mercy glanced in her rearview mirror again. “I feel claustrophobic. Maybe it’s all the snow, the closed mountain passes, and how difficult it is to get around town right now. It’s as if there’s an invisible barrier around this area. I don’t like the thought of her father being in town.” An overwhelming need to get out of town boiled under her skin.
“That’s understandable. With the murder of Rob Murray and the attack on Michael, I’d be feeling boxed in too.”
“Any word on Michael?” Mercy asked.
“I checked in with him this morning.” Relief filled Ava’s voice. “He mouthed off to me on the phone, so I know he’s feeling better. They’ll let him go home as soon as the passes open so his wife can pick him up. He still can’t remember what happened right before he was shot.”
Two beeps sounded through Mercy’s speakers. “Jeff’s calling. I’ll call you right back.” She pressed a button on her steering wheel and cut Ava off. Excitement blazed through Mercy. I know exactly what Jeff’s going to tell me.
“What’d you find out?”
“Antonio Ricci is still in prison,” stated Jeff.
“What? Are you sure?” I was so certain he was out . . .
“Positive. I insisted on a visual verification before I called you back.” Jeff sounded as frustrated as she felt.
“Fuck.”
“Exactly.”
“Now what?” Mercy deflated, and her bones ached with disappointment.
“I arranged for a phone call with Ricci. Maybe he can shine some light on the situation. I don’t know how accommodating he’ll be, since he’s been in prison for forty years. He might harbor some anger against law enforcement.”
Mercy snorted. “You think?”
“I want you to do the phone interview.”
Yes! “I can do that.” Elation drove away her exhaustion as questions for Salome’s father ricocheted in her head. “When is the call?”
“They’re getting back to me. Since Friday is almost half over, I emphasized that I didn’t want to wait through the weekend. Hopefully they’ll pull their act together and get it set up for today.”
“Did you hear Salome was seen visiting the judge?” Mercy asked.
“Eddie just called me. And now that we know her father is still in prison, that new fact is shining the light back on her for the kills.”
Mercy shut her mouth, her emotions at war with the facts. I can’t rule out Salome as the killer simply because I have a feeling. She had to consider all options. “I was talking to Ava when you rang through. Anything else?”
“No. Let her know about Antonio Ricci.”
“I will.” Mercy ended the call and dialed Ava, who picked up on the first ring. Mercy wasted no time in telling her about Ricci’s location and Jeff’s attempt to get Mercy a phone call with the inmate.
“I’m not surprised he’s still in prison,” stated Ava. “Now to figure out why problems didn’t start until forty years after his trial.”
Mercy heard Ava rapidly tapping a pencil on her desk. The staccato beats were like a ticking clock.
“The entire Lake family claims they’ve never heard of Olivia Sabin,” Mercy said slowly. “Maybe they’ve heard of Olivia or Antonio Ricci.” She hadn’t forgotten Christian’s face as she asked about Salome Sabin. He knows something.
She needed to talk to Christian again.
“The whole Lake family is pissing me off,” said Ava. “They’re blocking us at every turn. That usually means they’re trying to hide that someone is guilty.”
“It’s not Christian,” defended Mercy.
“How do you know?”
She didn’t answer; she had no facts to back up her statement.
“Don’t let your old relationship affect your actions in the investigation, Mercy. We both know those were his Hummer tracks at the Sabins’ cabin.”
“We don’t know that,” said Mercy. “And until we have the evidence that says it was his, I won’t accept that as fact.”
“I understand.”
“I want to ask the Lakes about the Riccis,” said Ava.
“I think we’re wearing out our welcome with them . . . or at least with Gabriel and his mother.”
“I don’t care. I’ll call them again. Let me know when you speak to Antonio Ricci.”
“I will.”
“And watch the weather. They say the worst snow is supposed to hit your area this evening.”
“Of course it is,” muttered Mercy. “It’s the weekend.” She ended the call, Ava’s warning about the snow taking over her thoughts. This weekend could be a good opportunity . . .
She decided to swing by the grocery store and grab a few cases of bottled water.
Can never have too much.
Mercy pushed her cart down the candy aisle.
She’d picked up four cases of bottled water and decided to grab Truman’s favorite black licorice twists. And maybe some chocolate. There was already plenty of food at her apartment and her cabin. She had everything they could possibly need in case of being snowed in or losing power. Her mental checklist was fully checked off.
The chocolate peanut butter cups caught her eye, and she guiltily tossed a Halloween-size bag in her cart. Feeling watched, she looked up and met the surprised gaze of Brent Rollins.
He had a giant bag of gummy bears in his hand. Four cases of water, identical to hers, were stacked in his cart along with many bags of gourmet coffee, bottles of wine, loaves of bread, several steaks, and a few boxes of sugary breakfast cereal.
Someone else is concerned about the weather.
“More snow’s coming,” Mercy said conversationally.
“We heard,” he said as he gestured toward his supplies.
“Gabriel still staying out there?”
“Yes.” Annoyance flickered on his face, making her bite back a smile.
I don’t think he cares for Christian’s houseguest.
She wondered who did the cooking. Brent was clearly a capable guy, but she figured he drew the line at working in the kitchen. They parted awkwardly, nodding at each other, and Mercy headed to checkout.
Stepping outside, she realized grocery carts won’t roll in unplowed parking lots. She brought her Tahoe to the front of the store and loaded it.
She’d just finished when Jeff called. “The prison can’t arrange the call today. Monday is the best they can do.”
“Their phones don’t work on the weekends?”
“That’s exactly what I asked. No one was amused. Where are you right now?” he asked.
“Just leaving the grocery store.”
“They moved up the snowstorm by several hours, and I heard the schools have already let out their students. Why don’t you take off the afternoon?”
“What about the case?”
“Have any other leads to follow right now?”
Mercy thought. “Not really. Ava and Eddie seem to be on top of it.”
“Then go home. Be ready to talk to Antonio Ricci on Monday.”
She ended the call. Her wished-for opportunity had just presented itself, and she made a decision.
She texted Kaylie.
Get out of dodge #3
Her phone was silent for a long moment. Then came the return text.
Understood
Mercy set down her phone, adrenaline racing through her veins as she started the vehicle. Her brain felt sharp and energized, eager for the challenge. She didn’t know where Kaylie was, but the teen knew to drop whatever she was doing and meet Mercy at location number three, the abandoned service station two miles outside of Bend. From there they’d follow a circuitous route to her cabin as if the main roads were clogged with traffic as in a real emergency. Mercy planned to leave Kaylie’s car hidden behind the station. Her Tahoe was best suited for the current weather, and she could chain up if needed.