“Tell you what. I’ll make you a deal. If you can outshoot me, I’ll show up at the meeting.”
And yeah, maybe it was petty, but I felt smug when Turnbull’s smile slipped. If he knew as much about me as he’d claimed? He also knew I’d placed first in every official and unofficial military sharpshooting event in the last fifteen years.
Turnbull pushed away from the pickup. “Deal.”
Sucker. “Pick your poison. I’ve got six guns.”
“I’ll use my own gun, if it’s all the same to you.”
“Suit yourself. What’s the caliber?”
“Nine mil.”
“Same as mine. We’ll gauge by the ring of three.”
“That’ll work.”
The ring of three was a standard marksmanship test. Distance marked at thirty feet. Eight bullets in the outer ring. Eight bullets in the middle ring. Two each at twelve o’clock, three o’clock, six o’clock and nine o’clock. Five bullets in the center in the shape of a plus sign. Closest mark to the line in each section wins.
I released the clip on the Sig and reloaded. I had two other clips, each held ten bullets, so I reloaded those, too. I looked over at Turnbull. “I don’t suppose you’ve got extra clips.”
“No. Didn’t know we were gonna have a shoot-out at the Gunderson corral.”
I smiled and slammed the clip in. I jogged to the hay bale and switched out the paper target. I marked off thirty feet and drew a line in the mud with the heel of my boot.
Turnbull inclined his head. “Ladies first.”
I stepped up to the line. My focus sharpened. I lifted the gun and solidified my stance. After flicking the safety off, I sited in my first two target shots in the outer ring.
Bang bang.
Then I fired rapidly, until I emptied the clip at the top of the inner circle. I ejected the clip and shoved in a fresh one. Although I still had bullets left after I finished the middle ring, I changed clips for the five shots in the center so I could squeeze them off without interruption.
Bang bang bang bang bang.
We walked to the target. My shots were damn close to perfect. Symmetrical. Precise. “Okay, hotshot, show me what you’ve got.”
Pause. “You know, I’ve changed my mind.”
I smirked. “Really?”
“Yeah. I believe I will use your gun.”
Damn. And here I’d hoped he’d decided to back out. I ejected the clip and handed him the Sig. I yanked down my target and tacked up a fresh one. We walked back to the truck in silence. As I watched him speed-load the clips, my first sense of unease surfaced.
Agent Turnbull aimed and fired. He emptied and replaced his clips almost without pause.
Bluish gray smoke eddied around us, and the ground was littered with hot brass.
He handed back my gun. The wet earth squished under our boots as we returned to the hay bale. Shoonga trotted happily along beside us, oblivious to the tension, panting from chasing his tail.
I stared at the target in complete disbelief.
His shots weren’t side by side in the inner and outer circles. No, Agent Turnbull had put both the bullets through the same hole. Not once, as a fluke, but in both rings. So instead of having sixteen holes … he’d made eight. Eight big, ragged holes, so I knew he hadn’t fired off to the side to trick me. His bull’s-eye shot was clean, meticulous, and perfect.
I’d been had. Big time. I gaped at him. Because I’d never met anyone who could shoot like that. Never.
Agent Turnbull pulled a pen out of his pocket and scrawled across the top of his target. He ripped it off the hay bale and handed it to me with a grin that rivaled the devil’s. “See you next Tuesday, Sergeant Major.”
Son. Of. A. Bitch. I poked my finger through each jagged hole. I’d known some amazing shooters, but this? This was damn near art.
When I looked up to ask him where he’d learned to shoot like that, he was gone.
Typical.
I memorized the address and phone number before I folded the target and shoved it in my back pocket. It wouldn’t hurt to just listen to what they had to say, would it?
Shoonga yipped agreement.
I loaded up. With my dog by my side and the truck windows open to savor the temperate spring breeze, we drove down the dusty gravel road leading home.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I’d like to thank the following people for their assistance in helping this book come together. I’m lucky to have experts who are willing to share their knowledge with me:
A big Hooah! to George Reynolds, Col., U.S. Army (Ret.), not only for his fast, invaluable assistance in reading and fact-checking certain combat scenes, and for his good humor and patience while gently steering me in the right direction, and for giving me the best compliment an author could ever hope to receive, but he also gets my heartfelt thanks as an appreciative American for the thirty years he served this great country in the U.S. Army.
To my “baby cousin” Shannon Gutzmer, Pharm.D., and to Melvin “Mick” Harris, B.S., R.Ph., for the wealth of information on prescription drugs and pharmacy protocol.
To Ev Murphy, for her speed and expertise in phonetically translating the Lakota words and phrases for the audiobook version and for the Lakota pronunciation guide on my website.
To Mark Sanders, whose vast knowledge of everything under the sun, especially about critters like mountain lions, is invaluable. I’m proud and lucky to call Mark a friend.
To Mary LaHood, for her willingness to critique my work at the drop of a hat and to give it to me straight.
To Karen Hall, for the insight and information into the permit process and environmental impact for proposed oil pipelines, and her amazing ability to boil the language down so a non-engineer can get a tiny grasp on what it means.
To my husband Erin, not only for tracking down all the gun info for me, even after he’s been working in the gun business all day, and trying to ensure I don’t somehow royally screw up said info in translation, but for the love and support in all aspects of my life.
To my daughters; I’m proud and humbled by these amazing young women every day, especially when they don’t complain when I’m under deadline again.
Thanks to my awesome editor, Stacy Creamer.
Thanks to my agent, Scott Miller.
Any content errors in the book are mine alone.
TOUCHSTONE READING GROUP GUIDE
MERCY KILL
FOR DISCUSSION
1. In the first scene of the book, Mercy is faced with a decision of whether or not to kill a sick female mountain lion that she spots during target practice. Ultimately she chooses not to kill the animal. What does this decision tell you about Mercy? Why do you think the author decided to open the book with this scene?
2. Early on in the story, when Mercy is discussing with Rollie her drinking, Mercy refers to herself as “just another drunk Indian.” Were you surprised that Mercy thinks of herself in this way? What does Mercy’s comment indicate to the reader about her personality and the way that she views herself ?
3. Mercy does not like Kit McIntyre, but admits that since he spends so much money at Clementine’s, she can find a way to disregard her personal issues and make nice with him. Does this decision seem out of character for Mercy? Why or why not?
4. Given how close they were and the fact that he had saved her life in the past, were you surprised by Mercy’s reaction upon finding J-Hawk’s body? Do you think that the way she reacts is a reflection of tough character and/or the influence of her army background, or do you think that she is still in shock at this point in the novel?
5. When Mercy is talking to John-John about her relationship with Dawson, she comments that she has a hard time “separating the man he is from the job he does.” Could the same thing be said about Mercy and how she views herself and her profession? Do you think that Mercy recognizes her similarities with Dawson or not?
6. Do you think that Mercy compares herself to Anna? Does she compete with her o
r embrace the similarities between them?
7. Despite the fact that she is the former sheriff’s daughter and her background in the army, Mercy is not flattered when Kiki and Geneva approach her to run for sheriff. Why do you think that Mercy is reluctant to run when she is such a strong and qualified candidate for the job?
8. Is Mercy’s disappointment with Dawson’s police investigation into J-Hawk’s murder a reflection of her trust issues or a reflection of his capability as sheriff ? Why doesn’t Mercy trust him to do his job even though she trusts him in other aspects of their relationship?
9. Cherelle is a very interesting character in that her “flaws” allow the reader to discover a great deal about the surrounding characters, namely Mercy and Anna. How do Mercy and Anna relate to Cherelle? Can you relate to Cherelle at all and if so, how?
10. Since Mercy is a strong woman who would not tolerate abuse like the kind that Cherelle suffers at the hands of Victor and Saro, what do you think explains Mercy’s reaction to Cherelle’s situation? Does Mercy have sympathy for her and her abusive home life?
11. During Mercy’s interaction with Saro and Victor in Stillwell’s, it seems imperative to Mercy that she not be intimidated or back down from the situation. Do you think that this was more important to her personally, or do you think that she just didn’t want to look weak in front of friends, acquaintances, and voters?
12. Why do you think the author chose to have Mercy actually take the final shots and kill Anna? What does Anna’s death symbolize? Do you see symmetry between this climactic scene and the opening scene when Mercy declines to shoot an injured mountain lion?
13. By the end of the book, do you think that Mercy has changed, or do you think that she remains essentially the same person as she was at the beginning of the book?
A CONVERSATION WITH LORI ARMSTRONG
This is your second time writing about Mercy Gunderson. Now that you’ve spent more time with Mercy, in what ways do you relate to her?
It’s always a challenge writing the second book in a series, because I know more about Mercy now than when I started, but in most cases her actions on the page surprise even me. I relate to her in that we both have a low tolerance for BS, and she and I have the same taste in music.
In what ways do you not relate to her?
Mercy’s tendency to drown her troubles in alcohol is something I don’t relate to at all. Nor do I understand her inability to ask for help. But those types of characters fascinate me just for that reason, because we are so different.
Are any of the characters in the book based on people that you know?
No. I’m a self-admitted people watcher, so I’m constantly observing interactions and mannerisms and physical characteristics. And I will use pieces of what I’ve seen, be it hair or eye color, or a funky mannerism, or a certain way a person speaks or walks or interacts with others. I’ve leaned a lot about human nature just by watching and listening. But I’ve never based any fictional character on anyone I know personally.
You address many social and racial issues surrounding Native American culture in America in this book. Why did you choose to incorporate such themes in your writing?
Because it’s such a huge part of our life in western South Dakota, and to gloss over it would be a disservice not only to all the people of my state, but to people who’ve never been to South Dakota, who only know about historical Indian “issues” from what they’ve read in textbooks, detailing things that happened more than a hundred years ago. I get asked a lot on book tours if I know any “real, live” Indians, and I honestly have to stop and think about what that means, because I think some people still think of western South Dakota as the untamed Wild West, where Indians ride horses, wear elaborate headdresses, live in tepees, and hunt buffalo. Although many Native Americans never stopped celebrating their culture, religion, and traditions after being relegated to reservations, many hid their practice or denied their heritage, in some cases—like Mercy; she knows little of her Indian heritage because her mother didn’t deem it important.
You live in South Dakota and have expressed in various interviews that you really wanted the setting of South Dakota to come through in your writing. Why did you choose to set Mercy’s story in South Dakota?
I never considered setting the book anyplace else, and that’s not just because the research is easy, since it’s right outside my door. I’m a South Dakota girl and even if readers don’t see the beauty in the area the same way I do, I think it’s obvious I love where I live, and hopefully that’s what gives the books the authenticity I’m striving for.
Many of the male characters in Mercy’s life are kind, thoughtful, and gentle (John-John, Jake, and Rollie) turning typical gender roles on their heads. Did you intend for these characters to serve as foils for Mercy?
Yes and no. Mercy is a tough-as-nails character, and it’s been a challenge to keep her from becoming a caricature. The loner who doesn’t need anyone, which always seems sadder, somehow, when it’s a female character. I didn’t intentionally set out to ground her with men who might be seen as soft, but I wanted her to interact with men she’d had history with—the best friend, the former lover, the father figure—all men who knew her and loved her in some form, before she became so hard and tough. All these men remind her of who she’s been—as well as who she can become.
What’s next for Mercy Gunderson?
I’m working on the third book, titled Dark Mercy, which will send Mercy in a new direction.
If Mercy Kill was made into a movie, who would play Mercy?
I get this question frequently, so you’d think I’d have an answer … but I really don’t. I can tell you physically what Mercy looks like, but I hear her more than see her. On a purely gratuitous note, I’d love to see North Dakota native Josh Duhamel play Dawson.
Who are your favorite authors to read, mystery or otherwise?
I read widely across many genres, but my must-have mystery/thriller authors are J. D. Robb, Robert Crais, and C. J. Box.
Whose writing, if anyone’s, would you say has had an influence on your own style?
Sue Grafton, Stephen King, Carolyn Keene, and Laura Ingalls Wilder are the biggest influences, which is a pretty eclectic list! But whenever I think of books that’ve had the biggest long-term impact, it’s always the first book I read from those authors that have stuck with me.
ENHANCE YOUR BOOK CLUB
1. Prior to the book discussion, read a brief article or essay about the history of the Native American reservations in the Dakotas. Several of the main characters are from the Lakota tribe, and reading about their culture in particular will provide better insight into the story. Here are some suggested articles and websites:
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award97/ndfahtml/ngp_nd_native.html
http://www.crystalinks.com/sioux.html
http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/tribes/reservations/sdreservations.htm
2. Discuss whether or not you have ever known any family or friends who have been part of elite branches of the military (Special Forces, Green Berets, Navy SEALs, etc.). If so, and if you’re comfortable talking about it, please explain what that experience was like for you and for your friends and/or family.
3. Since much of the book revolves around nature and the outdoor elements, hold one of your discussions in a local park or, if possible, a nature reserve. This will give you unique insight as to how nature affects Lori Armstrong and her main character, Mercy. Consider your relationship with nature and how it affects your day-to-day life.
4. Learn about the author, Lori Armstrong, by visiting her website www.loriarmstrong.com and on the Simon & Schuster author page authors.simonandschuster.com/LoriArmstrong/47550782.
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Twenty
Twenty-One
Twenty-Two
Twenty-Three
Twenty-Four
Twenty-Five
Acknowledgments
Back Cover
Mercy Kill Page 31
