by Rose, Karen
Shoot him now! Mercy wanted to scream. But she could see Ephraim’s finger on the trigger and logically knew that even if the bastard got shot in the head, he could release the trigger on reflex in death and Farrah would die. But the logic didn’t calm the frantic need to scream, so she clenched her teeth, keeping the words inside.
‘Drop your guns and step back, boys,’ Ephraim barked. ‘Or I will pull the trigger. I’ll shoot her head off. I have absolutely nothing to lose.’
Farrah’s eyes had closed and her mouth moved, no sounds coming out. But Mercy could see the words on her lips. Please, God, please. Farrah was praying.
Mercy followed suit, afraid to draw a breath.
Gideon and André dropped their guns and stepped back, both breathing hard, fists clenched. Gideon continued to back away, inching toward his Suburban. He was going to follow them.
‘You too, blondie,’ Ephraim said, jutting his chin toward Rafe. His eyes were wild. ‘Then I need to see your hands. Gideon, stop moving, right now. I swear to God, I will shoot her. My finger is fucking itchy.’
André shifted, his hands visible, but curved, as if he wanted to get his hands on Ephraim’s neck again. ‘I will kill you if you harm one hair on her head.’
‘But she’ll still be dead,’ Ephraim snapped. ‘Blondie, drop the fucking gun.’
Rafe dropped his weapon to the snow, and Mercy wanted to pick it up. But it wouldn’t make any difference. She’d only fired a weapon a few times in her life and she didn’t want to get Farrah killed.
‘Very smart.’ Using Farrah as a shield, he backed up until he could hoist himself into the Tahoe. In one movement he put the SUV in gear and shoved Farrah away. She landed on her knees in the snow, collapsing onto her hands as Ephraim floored it, nearly hitting the gatepost when the Tahoe fishtailed as it raced away.
Both André and Rafe dove for their guns, both firing at the Tahoe as it sped out of view. André gave chase, shooting as he ran.
Rafe muttered something about his ‘fucking cane’ as he moved toward his Subaru, dragging his bad leg behind him.
Gideon had already jumped into his Suburban and . . . nothing. Mercy could hear him cursing as she ran to Farrah’s side, dropping to her knees to draw her friend close.
‘Oh my God, oh my God,’ Mercy whispered, rocking Farrah, who was sobbing silently. ‘Did he hurt you?’
Farrah shook her head and clung to Mercy. Rafe had joined them, looking grim as André reappeared, a scowl on his face and Ephraim’s knife still embedded in his upper arm.
‘Fucking sonofabitch,’ Gideon swore as he got out of his SUV.
‘Why didn’t you follow him?’ André yelled, breathing hard. ‘He got away, for fuck’s sake.’
Gideon lifted the hood of the Suburban, shaking his head as he stared at the engine. ‘Because that bastard took my fucking spark plugs,’ he shot back. ‘Fucking asshole.’
Rafe popped the Subaru’s hood. ‘Mine too,’ he muttered once he’d checked. ‘I bet he disabled Erin’s Rover, too.’ He checked the Range Rover’s engine, his shoulders sagging. ‘Motherfucker. We’re stranded here.’
André was now kneeling beside Farrah, and Mercy let her go so that André could hold her. Trembling, Mercy stood, took a few steps, then sank back into the snow when her legs gave out.
‘André,’ Mercy croaked out. ‘Your arm.’ The knife sticking out of his biceps, all the blood in the snow . . . It felt like a bad horror movie. Except it’s real. ‘I’m trying to remember my first aid. Do we pull it out or not?’
Holding on to Farrah with his good arm, André gave the knife a disgusted glance. ‘Depends on how far away we are from help. If more than two hours, we yank it and pray. I’m fine at the moment. It hurts like a bitch, but I can deal.’ He turned his attention back to Farrah, crooning comfort into her ear. ‘You’re okay. I love you.’
‘Gideon!’ Daisy shouted.
Mercy’s attention was yanked toward the hill, where Daisy and Sasha supported a pale Erin between them. Daisy waved a phone at them. ‘Molina’s sending backup.’
‘Thank you,’ Gideon called back. ‘Sat phone,’ he explained before making his way to Erin and taking Daisy’s place when Sasha stubbornly refused to relinquish her hold.
Mercy forced herself to stand, meeting the others at the tailgate of Rafe’s Subaru, which he’d opened so that Erin could be lowered into the hatch. Sasha climbed in beside her, using the blankets and parkas to elevate Erin’s head and feet.
‘She needs a hospital,’ Sasha said quietly. ‘She’s lost a lot of blood and she’s still bleeding.’
‘I’m right here,’ Erin gritted through clenched teeth. ‘Not dead.’
‘Hush,’ Sasha admonished. ‘Let me help you. Rafe, where’s your damn first-aid kit?’
While Rafe got it for her, Mercy pulled the scarf from her neck and handed it to Sasha. ‘Wrap her leg. It’s no tourniquet, but it might help stop the bleeding.’
Sasha obeyed, her hands shaking. ‘Thank you.’
‘It was nothing.’ Truly nothing. With a nod, Mercy stepped back, wrapping her arms around herself. All this pain, this . . . havoc was because of her. Because Ephraim wants me back. Leaning against the Subaru, she closed her eyes, feeling very helpless. Very alone.
And then Rafe was at her side, hugging her so hard that it hurt. He pulled away, giving her a head-to-toe visual assessment. ‘Are you okay?’
She could hear him mostly, the ringing in her ears having sufficiently subsided. She nodded. ‘You?’
‘I’m fine.’ And then his expression changed from worry to anger. ‘What were you thinking back there? You got up. You let him try to shoot you. Made yourself a fucking target. What were you thinking?’
‘That he wanted me, not you,’ she admitted.
Fire flashed in Rafe’s eyes. ‘Never do that again. Never.’
Mercy nodded but left her true answer unsaid. She would totally do it again, if it made a difference. ‘What if Ephraim comes back?’ she asked. ‘We’re sitting ducks.’ Plus they needed to get help for Erin, André, and Gideon, and somewhere warm for the rest of them. Their clothes were soaked, and everyone was shivering.
Rafe pointed to Gideon, who was talking on the satellite phone he’d taken back from Daisy. ‘He’s calling for help. Sat phones are the only way to get a signal out here. I should have made sure I had one, too. I won’t make that mistake again. In the meantime, we’ll defend ourselves if he returns. We’ve at least got cover now.’
Gideon joined them, still on the phone, the wound on his hand covered with gauze from the first-aid kit. He muted his end of the conversation and said, ‘Molina is on her way from Sacramento. She’s sending locals to pick us up and take us into town. Hunter will be here any minute to secure the scene.’
André led Farrah to the Subaru and lowered her into one of the backseats, the knife in his arm making the scene even more surreal. ‘Stay here. I’ll be right back,’ he told her before coming to stand with the three of them. ‘Gideon, tell your boss that the Tahoe is missing its back window and that both passenger windows are pebbled. Your dad must have had run-flat tires installed, because I shot the back right tire but it didn’t slow him down.’ He closed his eyes wearily. ‘I’m out of ammo. If he comes back, we’re toast.’
Gideon told Molina about the damage to the Tahoe that Ephraim had stolen, then ended the call. ‘The locals aren’t too far out and they’re sending a medic team. Until they get here, I’ve got more ammo for my service weapon and my backup.’ He handed the backup to André, then scooped his own gun from the snow. ‘The medics were told about the knife in your arm. They said the ER docs would remove it, that we shouldn’t touch it.’
André turned his scowl on the knife. ‘I’ve had worse. I can wait.’
‘What happened, André?’ Mercy asked.
André sat on one corner of the tail
gate. His jaw was tight, perspiration beading on his forehead despite the cold temperature. ‘We got here as the shooting started. Ephraim was running toward the main road and Farrah was driving so that I could be on watch, just in case, y’know? She pulled your dad’s SUV sideways to block the road. She was afraid he’d killed you. She got out before I could stop her and . . .’ He swallowed hard. ‘Dammit. She and I will have words about this later.’
Mercy patted his uninjured arm. ‘She’s okay, André. He didn’t hurt her.’
André’s eyes flashed. ‘He killed her aunt. He terrified her. He needs to be stopped.’
He needs to die, Mercy thought grimly. ‘Did he come after her?’
André swallowed again. ‘Yeah, so I tackled him. Fucker’s stronger than he looks.’
‘He raises the animals,’ Mercy said. ‘Daily manual labor.’
‘Still.’ André huffed. ‘He got in a few good punches until I got my hands around his throat. I wish I’d squeezed harder.’
Mercy nodded, the tiny movement harder than it should have been. I’m so damn tired. ‘Me too.’
Rafe turned Mercy toward the backseat of the Subaru. ‘Sit with Farrah. She needs you. We’re going to keep watch. If he comes back, you duck low. You do not sacrifice yourself again. Do you hear me?’
Mercy didn’t even consider arguing. She was cold, her legs like rubber, and Farrah did need her. She gave Rafe a tired nod, then climbed into the seat next to her friend and put her arms around her. ‘We’re okay,’ Mercy murmured.
Farrah shuddered out a breath. ‘I heard Rafe. You shouldn’t have sacrificed yourself for me like that. When Rafe pushed you out of the way, you should have stayed there.’
Sasha looked over her shoulder in irritation. ‘She did it again? Dammit, Mercy, you make me want to smack you.’
Farrah’s eyes widened. ‘Again? Fucking hell, Mercy.’
Mercy hesitated. ‘It turned out all right. That’s how Rafe shot him.’
Farrah shook her head in disbelief. ‘You idiot.’ She threw her arms around Mercy’s neck for a rib-crushing hug before pulling back. ‘Never again. Promise me, Mercy.’
Mercy gave a single nod, but it was a lie. I’d do it again. In a heartbeat.
Reno, Nevada
Monday, 17 April, 8.15 P.M.
Special Agent in Charge Molina settled into the hospital waiting-room chair. ‘How are Miss Sokolov and Detective Rhee?’
Erin had been airlifted to the Reno hospital, and even though Sasha’s injuries hadn’t been urgent enough to require the helicopter ride out of Snowbush, she’d refused to allow Erin to be alone.
The rest of them had first headed to the smaller hospital in Alturas, about thirty minutes north of Snowbush. Both Gideon and André had received stitches. Luckily Mercy, Farrah, and Daisy were unhurt, physically at least. Farrah was still withdrawn, the attack piling on top of her grief over her aunt Quill. Mercy was worried about her, holding one of her friend’s hands tightly while André held Farrah close with his good arm.
Mercy also worried about Rafe. He grimaced whenever he moved his leg. He shouldn’t have been doing all that running. Not any of that running, she corrected herself. He was in pain and it was so hard not to feel guilty about that. Her mind knew it was all on Ephraim’s head, but her heart kept reminding her that none of her friends would have been targeted had it not been for . . . Me.
But she kept the thought to herself. It wasn’t true. She’d told herself so a hundred times as the six of them had been driven from Alturas to Reno, traveling in two FBI vans as their personal vehicles had been taken into evidence. Gideon and Rafe had been extremely irritated by this, but it was necessary. Ephraim had tampered with their engines. They had to be certain that he hadn’t done more than steal their spark plugs.
‘Erin is out of surgery,’ Rafe told Molina wearily. He looked like he’d aged twenty years in the past four hours. ‘She should make a full recovery in time. Sasha only needed stitches – it was just a graze. She and my mother are with Erin now. They’ll stay with her until she can be released, and they’ll all go back to my parents’ house.’
‘That’s good,’ Molina said. She looked over at Gideon. ‘And you? You’re all right, too?’
Gideon was glaring at Mercy – really, he hadn’t stopped glaring since the bullets had stopped flying – but now turned to his boss with a sigh. ‘Physically, yes.’ His hand had taken one of Ephraim’s first shots, but there would be no lasting damage and for that, Mercy was grateful. His bruised ribs seemed to be giving him more pain at the moment. Thankfully the Kevlar had stopped the bullets, but the impact wasn’t insignificant. ‘I won’t be boxing anytime soon, but I suppose that’s a small price to pay.’
Daisy’s lips twitched. ‘You didn’t box before, Gideon.’
He smiled down at her, a true smile. ‘That’s why it’s a small price to pay.’
Molina shook her head, maybe even fondly, Mercy thought.
‘Captain Holmes?’ Molina leaned forward to look at André and Farrah, who sat at the end of the row. ‘Dr Romero? You are also all right?’
‘I’ll be fine,’ André said, his deep voice a soft rumble. ‘Farrah is shaken up, but we’ll both be okay.’
Farrah only nodded her agreement, her lips pressed firmly together. But she squeezed Mercy’s hand encouragingly, which was exactly what Mercy needed at the moment.
‘Glad to hear it.’ Molina crossed her arms. ‘Tell me what happened.’
They’d been put in a private waiting area at Molina’s request, having informed the hospital that the shooter was still out there, his behavior unpredictable. A federal agent out of the Reno office had positioned himself outside the door to the waiting room as soon as they’d been shown in.
Mercy wondered if it was to keep Ephraim and the press out, or to keep the six of them in. Because now that the pleasantries were over, Molina looked pissed off.
Mercy cleared her throat. ‘This is my responsibility. I wanted to check out a store where an Eden quilt had been purchased.’
Molina nodded. ‘Agent Hunter told me that Gideon had mentioned the quilts. What happened then?’
‘We drove to Snowbush and found the jewelry box in the general store.’ It had also been taken into evidence, and Mercy had almost cried at the loss. ‘It was made by my stepfather, in Eden. I recognized his handiwork.’ She went on to explain what had happened in the store, that the young woman behind the counter had remembered DJ Belmont. ‘We didn’t know Ephraim was tracking us.’
‘I found a tracker hidden behind Detective Rhee’s hubcap,’ Gideon said. ‘I gave it to the agents who took over the crime scene. Burton had been following Erin.’
‘When would he have had the opportunity to plant the tracker?’ Molina asked.
‘I’ve been thinking about that,’ Rafe said. ‘There was only a short window when her vehicle would have been completely unattended, and that was when we’d all first arrived at my house last night and Erin was clearing each room. That would have been around nine thirty, maybe nine forty-five. Gideon and Daisy had already left, and the rest of us were either in the garage or in the house. After that, she was either sitting in her own vehicle or her backup was on watch outside. She was still there when we left this morning.’
‘Detective Schumacher was assigned to night watch,’ Molina said. ‘I handpicked her for the job. I know she’s trustworthy. At least we’ve established the time frame. And none of you left the house until morning?’
‘Sasha and Erin went for a run, but Mercy and I didn’t leave.’
‘And my friend Farrah and her fiancé were there for an hour or so after we left,’ Mercy added.
Molina’s brow went up. ‘I know. Dr Romero called me after she’d read the email you left her saying where you’d gone.’
Mercy glanced at Farrah, who glared back at her. ‘You scared me,’ Farr
ah said, her vulnerable tone at odds with her glare. ‘I don’t apologize for snitching on you.’
Mercy squeezed her hand. ‘I’m sorry I scared you.’
Farrah sniffed. ‘Don’t do it again. And thank you, Special Agent Molina, for acting so quickly to get us help.’
Molina acknowledged her thanks with a nod. ‘As soon as you told me, I sent Agent Hunter after you.’ Tom Hunter had arrived at the clearing as the local emergency personnel had been caring for Erin. He had been extremely unhappy with all of them.
Molina turned back to Gideon. ‘That call you made to my office is going to save your bacon, Agent Reynolds. It’s going to allow me to protect you from repercussions.’
Repercussions. Shit. ‘Has your team found anything at the scene?’ Mercy asked tentatively, because this clusterfuck really was her responsibility and had left her with very mixed feelings.
She was terribly sorry that Erin, Sasha, André, and Gideon had been hurt. She was sorry that Farrah had been terrorized. But she wasn’t sorry that she’d gone to Snowbush herself, and she wasn’t sorry she’d found the prior Eden compound.
And she still was definitely not sorry that she’d made herself a target to Ephraim Burton. That she’d caused her friends and family a moment of fear, yes. That she’d faced Ephraim, knocking him off guard long enough to be shot by Rafe? Not a single sorry for that.
‘The scene is secured,’ Molina said briskly. ‘We’ve arranged for a team with ground-penetrating radar to scan the grounds around the graveyard at first light. If the Comstock family is buried there and you believe that they were likely killed because of Eileen’s escape, we need to find their bodies.’
‘And Burton?’ Rafe asked.
‘Still missing,’ Molina said. ‘We found a Cadillac parked off the county road, about a half mile from where you turned off.’ She hesitated. ‘It belonged to Sean MacGuire.’
Rafe’s mouth fell open. ‘He lives behind my parents.’
Not another death, Mercy thought. Please. ‘Did Ephraim kill him?’
