“Mercy?” Sophie called out. “You have a visitor.”
Before I could ask who, Anna walked in.
“Hey, Gunny.”
Speak of the devil. “A-Rod. What’s up?”
“You didn’t come back to the cabin after the debate last night.” Anna smiled and propped a hip next to mine. “You still in bed this time of day when you’re not hungover means something’s up.”
“Just exhausted.” I let my gaze roam over her face. Anna wasn’t traditionally pretty, but there was something compelling about her. Compelling and deadly.
“Can’t blame me for worrying with all this craziness going on.”
Craziness that you caused by killing Victor Bad Wound?
“Anyway, I know it’s a big day for you, but I wanted to touch base and let you know I’m taking off tomorrow morning.”
“Places to go, people to kill?” I said only half jokingly.
“Yeah, some stuff’s come up. And I think I might’ve overstayed my welcome.”
I didn’t deny it.
Her gaze winged around the room. “I can see why you’d rather sleep here. Does Sophie serve you breakfast in bed, too?”
“Screw you. Sophie would whap me upside the head if I even suggested it.”
Anna smiled. “I know, Gunny, I was just trying to lighten things up.”
When she reached over to squeeze my arm, I flinched.
She froze.
Smooth, Mercy. “Sorry. Habit when I’m nervous.”
“Understood. I’ll see you tonight.”
Anna’s body language changed, as did her expression. I backtracked and became contrite-hard as it was. “You’re coming tonight?”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” she said brightly.
“I’m glad.” I sighed. “Look, Anna, I’m sorry. I know this wasn’t the type of visit you had in mind, with me being busy with election stuff. It sucks we didn’t get to hang out more… especially with what you’re going through. But I’d like to make it up to you. Yes, I’ll be busy tonight, but we should plan on breakfast tomorrow morning before you leave.”
She relaxed. “Great, meet you at the diner? Ten o’clock?”
“It’s a date.”
I hauled my ass out of bed and faced the day.
TWENTY-THREE
Election night in Eagle River County was as laid-back as any other night. No ringing banks of phones. No media demanding real-time interviews. No one obsessing about exit-poll numbers. The polls were closed. The county election workers were tallying votes in the courthouse basement. We’d know the outcome of the election the same time as the Rapid City TV stations announced the winners.
The Gunderson campaign committee was headquartered in the basement of Leo Harvey’s Coast-to-Coast hardware store. I’d suggested Clementine’s. No one had taken me seriously. Or maybe they had, and that’s why we were here.
I looked at the people who’d shown up to support me. Hope with Joy. Jake. Sophie. John-John. Geneva and her brood. Kit. Rollie. Anna. My neighbors. Community members I’d known my entire life. A few people were absent. Muskrat was holding down the fort at Clementine’s with Winona. Kiki was on duty tonight since Dawson and his campaign crew were at the Blackbird Diner, just a block down the street from us. Tempting, to sneak out and peek in the diner windows to see Dawson’s supporters.
Anna had wedged a folding chair into a corner and rested her head against the wall. She appeared to be sleeping, and several people sent disapproving looks her way.
The same disturbing thoughts I’d shoved aside earlier resurfaced. I knew Anna was a killer. It’d never bothered me. Not when I watched her snuff a terrorist. Not when she’d become a private soldier. But it bothered me now.
If I was elected sheriff, could I arrest Anna for killing Victor? Or would I keep my mouth shut and let her go? Really, what purpose would throwing Anna in jail serve? Victor Bad Wound had been a horrible man. Who cared if he was dead?
But no one had cared when Jason Hawley turned up dead either, so I couldn’t help but draw the parallels.
And if I really wanted to throw a monkey wrench into my decision, I had allowed a murderer to go free before. In fact, it’d been my bright idea to cover up the murder. How could I possibly justify letting Jake off the hook for killing Iris, and not do the same for my grieving friend who just wanted to avenge the man she’d loved?
Despite my claims that no one was above the law, I’d taken the law into my own hands several times. Everyone, including law enforcement, already believed Cherelle was guilty of murdering Victor. Seemed logical to say nothing and see how it played out.
“Mercy. How you holding up?”
I faced Leo Harvey. I’d snap like a chained pit bull if one more person asked me that question. I pasted on a smile. “Doing great, Leo. Thanks again for letting us use your store tonight.”
“My pleasure. Anything you need?”
A shot of Wild Turkey. “No, I’m good. Your wife laid out quite a spread for us. I can’t thank her enough.”
“Barbara lives for this kinda stuff.”
Hope waved at me frantically from across the room. “Leo, if you’ll excuse me.” I wove through the crowd until I reached my sister. “What’s wrong?”
“Oh, nothing. Good news for a change. I’ve been talking to Kit. He has a line on a new double-wide trailer outside of Rapid that was in mortgage default. He said me ’n’ Jake can look at it tomorrow. Isn’t that exciting?”
“Very. Where would you put it?”
Hope switched Joy to her left hip. “Where my old trailer was. Like Jake said, all the hookups are already in place, so it’d be a quick move in.”
“But you’ll be okay living there?”
“It wasn’t the location I hated, Mercy. It was the trailer. I hated the reminder that Levi wouldn’t ever slam that crappy door again. Or leave his pop cans all over the living room.” Her eyes welled with tears, and she hugged Joy closer. “There was just too much of him in such a small space. I felt like I was suffocating in the silence of him not being there.”
“Hope-”
“I’m okay. I miss him. Not an hour goes by that I don’t think of him.”
Instead of witnessing the pain in my sister’s eyes, I poked Joy’s jelly belly. “You deserve a place of your own. But the house will be empty and quiet with you guys gone. I’ll miss you all.”
“Prove it.” Hope thrust Joy between us.
“Whoa. What are you doing?”
“Making you hold your niece. She’s five months old. Don’t you think it’s time?”
“I just can’t-”
“Yes, you can. You did last night. I watched you.”
“You did?”
“Yes. I still don’t know why you were bleeding, but I figure if you’d wanted me to know, you’d tell me.” She stepped closer. “Now. Go on. Take her.”
I panicked and started to back up. “But-”
“No buts.” Hope softened her tone. “Mercy. You won’t drop her. I promise. I’ll be right here.”
Shame heated my cheeks. “How did you know-”
“Sophie told me. I trust you with her. But, that said, I wasn’t gonna let you hold her when you were drinkin’ all the damn time.” Her eyes narrowed on mine. “You haven’t been sneaking shots of whiskey tonight?”
I shook my head. Then I looked at Joy’s perfect little face, her tiny little body. I had guns that weighed more than she did. The next thing I knew, Hope was pressing Joy against my chest. My heart galloped. “Wait a sec.”
“You’re fine. Just hold her with your left arm, like this”-she pulled my forearm across Joy’s rounded belly-“and slide your right arm under her butt. Perfect. She likes to face the front so she can see what’s going on.”
Joy made a funny noise, then turned her head to stare at me. Were her eyes scared? Did she sense my fear? Would she take advantage of my inexperience and squirm out of my arms?
Something else caught her interest, and she looked away.