Chương 11
“No.”
“Don’t get out.”
“I wasn’t born yesterday.”
Louise whispered, “Grandma says that a lot.”
Mara pressed a finger to her lips.
Evelyn continued.
“There are two officers walking toward me.”
“Stay in the car until they tell you otherwise.”
“I can see them.”
A pause followed.
Mara heard a muffled exchange.
Then Evelyn said, “One is coming to my window.”
“Good.”
Another pause.
The line remained open.
Karen stared at Mara’s phone.
Benton listened to his radio.
Noah began chewing on the neckline of Mara’s cardigan.
Mara gently pulled the fabric from his mouth.
“No.”
He tried again.
For several seconds, the most urgent conflict in Mara’s world was between her infant son and cheap knitwear.
Then Benton’s radio crackled.
His face changed.
“What?”
Mara asked.
He held up a hand.
The transmission continued.
Mara caught only fragments.
Gray Honda.
Unoccupied.
Temporary plate.
No immediate threat.
Benton lowered the radio.
“They found the SUV.”
Karen looked at him.
“And?”
“It’s empty.”
Mara’s skin prickled.
“Where’s the driver?”
“They don’t know.”
Karen swore.
Benton looked at her.
“Temporary registration.”
“What state?”
“Arizona.”
Karen went very still.
Mara noticed.
“You rented a car in Phoenix?”
“No.”
“You recognize something?”
“The woman in the blazer.”
“What about her?”
“She was carrying a rental-car sleeve.”
Benton frowned.
“What sleeve?”
“The paper jacket they put keys and contracts in.”
“How did you see that?”
“It was in her hand.”
Mara stared.
“You notice a lot when you’re terrified.”
Karen did not answer.
Benton radioed Ruiz.
Mara returned to the phone.
“Mom?”
“I’m here.”
“Are the officers still with you?”
“Yes.”
Evelyn’s voice had lost its irritation.
“Mara, one of them says they want me to come inside.”
“Do it.”
“You’re going to tell me what this is about.”
“Yes.”
“When?”
Mara looked at Karen.
“Soon.”
“That means you don’t know.”
“No.”
Her mother sighed.
“Fine.”
“Do not argue with the police.”
“I never argue with police.”
Louise whispered, “She argued with that parking officer at Target.”
Mara covered the phone.
“Not helping.”
Evelyn heard anyway.
“That man was not police.”
Despite everything, Mara smiled.
“I’ll see you inside.”
The call ended.
Mara put the phone on the table.
Aaron Price was still connected on Karen’s phone.
Nobody had remembered him.
His voice came through the speaker.
“Is everyone safe?”
Mara looked at the device.
“So far.”
“That vehicle may have nothing to do with Daniel.”
Karen said, “Or it may.”
Aaron’s tone hardened.
“Do not make assumptions.”
“You weren’t on the plane.”
“No.”
“You didn’t get the message.”
“No.”
“Then spare me the caution.”
Mara looked at Karen.
“You’re doing the thing you accused me of doing.”
Karen frowned.
“What thing?”
“Turning uncertain things into certain ones.”
Karen stared at her.
Then she sat down.
“You’re right.”
The admission surprised Mara.
Karen rubbed both hands over her knees.
“I hate that you’re right.”
Louise said, “Mom likes being right.”
Mara looked at her.
“Whose side are you on?”
“Mine.”
Benton almost smiled.
Mara sat beside Louise.
“Aaron.”
“Yes?”
“Who else knew Daniel had a locker?”
“I did.”
“Karen knew he wanted one.”
“Yes.”
“Who at his company knew?”
“I can’t answer that.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t know.”
Mara looked at Karen.
Karen lifted both hands slightly.
“Not me this time.”
Mara ignored her.
“What about the key?”
Aaron paused.
“Daniel said only Louise knew where it was.”
Mara looked at her daughter.
“Did you tell anyone?”
“No.”
“Grandma?”
“No.”
“Aunt Rachel?”
“No.”
“Friends?”
“No.”
“Teachers?”
Louise frowned.
“Why would I tell Mrs. Hall about Dad’s weird key?”
Mara rubbed her temple.
“Okay.”
Aaron said, “Then whoever sent Karen that text may not know about the key.”
Karen leaned toward the phone.
“They knew I found Mara.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“That’s the better question.”
Officer Ruiz returned.
“We have airport security reviewing concourse cameras.”
Karen stood.
“Did they find the woman?”
“Not yet.”
“The SUV?”
“Still empty.”
Mara asked, “Was my mother actually being followed?”
Ruiz hesitated.
“We can’t establish that.”
“Was the SUV there before she arrived?”
“We’re checking.”
Karen paced once across the small room.
“Could someone have known Evelyn was picking her up from social media?”
Mara looked at her.
“My mother barely knows how to post a birthday photo.”
“Could you have posted the trip?”
“No.”
Louise said, “Aunt Rachel did.”
Mara turned.
“What?”
“She posted our pool picture.”
“When?”
“Yesterday.”
Mara grabbed her phone.
She opened her sister’s profile.
Rachel’s account was public.
There they were.
Mara in sunglasses beside the pool.
Louise holding Noah’s tiny feet above the water.
The location tag named Phoenix.
The caption said their visit ended tomorrow.
Karen leaned over her shoulder.
“That narrows it.”
Mara felt anger rise.
“She didn’t mean anything.”
“I didn’t say she did.”
“You looked like you were blaming her.”
“I was looking at the location tag.”
Mara stared at the post.
She suddenly wanted to throw the phone.
Instead she sent Rachel a message.
Take this down now.
Rachel responded almost immediately.
Why?
Mara typed.
Please.
Three dots appeared.
Then disappeared.
Then returned.
Okay.
No argument.
That frightened Mara more.
“A person could still have guessed our return flight,” Karen said.
“Or looked at schedules.”
Benton nodded.
“Or the SUV may be unrelated.”
Mara looked at him.
“You keep saying that.”
“Because until we have evidence, it matters.”
He spoke without condescension.
Mara appreciated that.
Aaron said, “Mrs. Mercer, I think you should reconsider going directly home.”
“Where should I go?”
“A hotel under another name.”
Karen shook her head.
“Terrible idea.”
Aaron’s voice sharpened.
“I wasn’t asking you.”
“It’s still a terrible idea.”
“Why?”
“Because if somebody actually is watching them, moving a widow with two children into a random hotel without proper security creates more variables.”
Benton said, “She has a point.”
Karen looked briefly pleased.
Mara said, “Don’t enjoy that.”
“I’m not.”
“You are a little.”
Karen almost smiled.
Then her face fell again.
“What about her house?”
Mara’s stomach tightened.
May you like
“What about it?”
“If Daniel believed his accounts were compromised, did anyone search the house after his death?”
