Merciless (22 page)

“Was so he didn’t figure out you and Verline were sleeping together.”

He nodded. “I also wanted to poke Rollie, about me being friends with Arlette. When
he let me move in with him two years ago, he was such a dick about who I could and
couldn’t hang out with. Entire families on the rez were off limits. Such old-fashioned
bullshit, the grudges he kept.”

“Did Rollie know about you and Verline?”

“I don’t know!”

I called bullshit on that. Rollie was too astute not to see what was right in front
of him. “Any idea what Rollie would do if he found out?”

“He’d probably kill her.”

We both froze.

Junior didn’t retract the statement. He continued to stare at me with some weird kind
of childish hope I’d assure him that his father couldn’t possibly have murdered Verline.

But I couldn’t assure him because he’d just given me exactly what I hadn’t wanted:
Rollie’s motive for murder. This insight from Rollie’s son would convince Turnbull
of Rollie’s guilt. It’d definitely give him a reason to bring Rollie in for an official
interrogation. And knowing Shay like I did, he’d do it tonight. Hammer away at Rollie
until the wee small hours.

Rollie needed time to grieve.

Or did he need time to come up with an alibi?

I stilled. Where had that thought come from? As much as I’d like to deny it, the logical
side of my brain insisted I consider Rollie a suspect in Verline’s murder.

I had to do my job. I shoved my gun back in the holster. “You need to listen to me
very carefully. I’m a federal officer. What you just told me is crucial information
on a homicide case. I cannot ignore it. I cannot pass this on to my supervisor as
secondhand information. You will have to come in, either to the FBI office in Rapid
City, or here to the tribal police station, and answer a few questions.”

He started to back off, and I regretted putting my gun away. “I can’t. I told you
what Saro would do to me.”

“Saro’s power is negligible. Mine is not. I can issue a warrant on you. I can actually
arrest you for obstruction of justice if you don’t cooperate.” I kept edging closer
to him. “Remember one very important thing, Junior. You didn’t tell me this information
because we’re friends.” I did question whether Junior had told me this because he
wanted to put the screws to his old man.

“But—”

“You told me because you want justice for Verline as much as I do. If you loved her,
you wouldn’t hesitate. In fact, if you
really
loved her, you
would follow me back into the station right now so I could take your statement.”

He pulled his hood over his head. “Lemme think about it, okay?”

“I’ll give you twenty-four hours. If I don’t see you or hear from you before then,
I’m bringing out the big guns.”

He nodded and slipped into the darkness.

D
awson and Lex weren’t home, which was probably a good thing. Sadness had lodged itself
deep in my gut at what I’d witnessed today. Violent death. Grief. Hatred. Suspicion.
Family rivalries. Add in my questions about Rollie’s guilt . . . and my brain was
fried.

A five-mile run followed by a full hour of yoga would be the healthiest way to push
my body into the same exhausted state as my brain.

So why had I headed straight for the liquor cabinet?

I knocked back two generous slugs of Wild Turkey before I put away my gun, or even
took off my coat. I carried the third glass with me into the bedroom. Once I’d stripped
to nothing, I took it into the bathroom, draining the whiskey before I climbed in
the shower.

Steam, water, heat, and a slight buzz took some of the edge off. But didn’t stop the
images from flashing in my mind. Verline’s body. Rollie’s tender farewell kiss. The
Dupris family’s angry accusations. Junior’s tears. Junior’s accusations. Junior’s
stubbornness.

Wet hair braided, lotion applied, I left the bathroom stark naked and heard the kitchen
door open. I ducked inside my bedroom. I needed to get into the habit of wearing a
robe so Lex wasn’t traumatized by my naked body. I pressed my back into the bedroom
door. Had it been only this morning Lex had walked in on us? Seemed like that’d happened
a week ago.

As much as I fantasized about crawling into bed with a bottle, I dressed and joined
father and son in the kitchen.

Two pizza boxes sat on the table. “I thought we were having antelope?”

“We were starved, and it’d be at least another hour to cook the steaks
after we got home, so we’ll save those for another night when we’re not so rushed.”

Mason walked to me and curled his hand around my face, locking his gaze to mine. “So
it’s Wild Turkey therapy, not yoga, for your rough day?”

I nodded, appreciating he didn’t pass judgment.

He pressed his mouth to mine, giving me a sweet kiss as his thumb gently stroked my
cheekbone. He pulled back and murmured, “I believe I’ll join you in that drink.”

I noticed Dawson had bought spinach salad as a side dish. The man had healthy eating
habits, much to Lex’s dismay. I wondered if the kid had ever tasted a fresh vegetable
before coming to live with us.

After we dished up, I asked, “So the school project supplies are purchased?”

“Yep, Lex can start on it tomorrow after school.”

“What’s the subject?” I asked Lex.

He gave me a look like he couldn’t believe I cared, but I needed something to take
my mind off murder and lies.

Lex launched into an explanation. It was encouraging that he was taking an interest
in his classes, given he’d been pulling straight Ds at his previous school. His cell
phone vibrated on the table. He ignored it.

Mason picked it up and slid it next to the pizza boxes. “It’s your mother.”

Lex scowled. “I don’t wanna talk to her.”

“We’ve had this discussion, Lex. You can’t just blow her off. She cares about what’s
going on with you.”

“Only so she can use it against me. And use it against you.”

“I don’t follow.”

“If she finds out I like living here, she’ll make me go back to Colorado. I just know
it.”

“Son, that won’t happen.”

“You don’t know her like I do, Dad. She’s already mad I’m using your last name. She’s
said when I go see her for Christmas that maybe she won’t let me come back here. I
don’t understand why I have to spend Christmas
with her. I’ve
never
gotten to spend Christmas with you. She doesn’t care about me. She just doesn’t want
me to like you better than her.”

Dawson was agitated; Lex was miserable. And the phone kept ringing. I picked it up.
“Hello?”

“Who’s this?” Mona demanded. “Why are you answering my son’s phone?”

“Hey, Mona, it’s Mercy. I see Lex left his phone on the counter again.”

“Where is he?”

I looked at Lex. “He and his father went to town for supplies for a school project.
They should be back in a couple hours. Would you like me to give Mason a message?”

“No, but tell that kid to call me tomorrow since I’m on my way to work.” She hung
up.

“Crisis averted.” I slid the phone to Lex. “You’re supposed to call her after school
tomorrow. Let’s hope she’s in a better mood. Now finish your spinach so your dad will
let us have cookies.”

Dawson had Lex clean up the kitchen. I’d just poured myself another drink when the
house phone rang. “Gunderson.”

“Mercy? Is it true? About Verline?”

“Hope, hang on a second.” I took the cordless phone into the office away from Lex’s
curious ears. “I’m sorry to say it is true.”

“That’s so horrible. Who’s taking care of those poor babies? Rollie?”

“No. Verline’s mother.”

“Oh.” I heard her juggle the receiver. “Joy is just Little Miss Grabby Hands. Jake,
take her for a sec.” More phone-clunking noises, then a sigh. “Now we can talk.”

“About what?”

“Sophie.”

I was not in the frame of mind to hear Hope complain or whine. “What about her?”

“She . . . wants to quit.”

Okay, not what I expected. Good thing I was sitting down. “Really? Why?”

“Penny is being difficult, I guess.”

“So Penny’s gotten worse?”

“No, that’s the thing. Penny is actually improving. I mean, not like she’s in remission,
but some of the natural herbs and stuff have helped her. She’s back to walking every
morning. She’s eating. Her spirits are better.”

I took a long sip of my drink. “That sounds like good news. Not like Penny is being
difficult.”

Hope sighed. “That’s what Jake and I think, too. But you know how stubborn Sophie
is. She has it in her head to spend every waking moment with Penny while she can.”

“I take it Penny doesn’t want that?”

“No. She told Sophie to worry about doing her job.”

“Which caused Sophie to quit that job.” I swirled the amber liquid in my glass. “How
do you feel about her quitting?”

“Jake is worried she won’t be able to live on just her Social Security checks.”

My little sister wasn’t very good at evasion. “That’s how Jake feels. How do
you
feel?”

When Hope hesitated, I braced myself, anticipating she’d break down. Her curt response
shocked me. “Look, I love Sophie. But after Levi . . . and during my pregnancy, she
smothered me. I thought that after Jake and I moved into our own place, she’d keep
working at the ranch like she always has and give us a chance to be a family. But
she comes over here every day. Tells me how to do things. She basically tries to run
my house. I can’t even watch the TV shows I want. And I can’t really talk to Jake
about this stuff because she
is
his grandmother. So to be honest, I’m glad she’s quitting.” Another pause, and I
could almost see Hope biting her lip. “Sounds horrible, doesn’t it?”

I tried to wrap my head around this side of my sister. Hope had never wanted to do
things for herself.

Or maybe she had. But our dad and Sophie wouldn’t let her. They made her think she
was incapable.

“Do you think I’m an awful person?” she whispered.

“No, sis, not at all. I’m just surprised. Sophie got pissy with me when I asked if
she’d considered retiring.”

“That’s because it wasn’t
her
idea,” Hope retorted.

“When did she talk to you about this?”

“Today. And before you get all up in my face that she didn’t talk to you, she told
me you’re under a lot of stress with Lex living with you.”

“Lex is one of the least stressful aspects of my life.”

“I’m happy to hear that. He’s a sweet boy. I like him. I liked Levi a lot at that
age, too.” She cleared her throat. “Anyway, a couple afternoons when I’ve been over
there doing books, he’s kept Joy entertained.”

Had I been so wrapped up in my day and making sure Mason’s needs were being met that
I’d forgotten Lex was part of my life, too? Probably permanently. I needed to stop
treating him like a guest and start thinking of him as part of my family. “Thanks.
Sometimes I get the feeling he’s disappointed Mason and I won’t have other kids.”

She laughed. “That’s not true, trust me. He likes being the sole focus of his father’s
attention. Anyway, I hear Little Miss screaming, but I wanted to run one last thing
past you.”

“Shoot.”

“Sophie has asked for the rest of her yearly salary and her year-end bonus. Is it
okay to cut her a check for fifteen grand?”

I whistled. “We can afford that?”

“Yeah. But . . .”

“Spit it out, Hope.”

“I think Devlin may be pushing Sophie to get the money. I overheard him in the background
coaching her. She’ll probably give it all to him. And he’ll blow it all at the casino.”

Dammit. I’d gotten so busy I hadn’t dug into Devlin’s gambling issues. “Does Jake
have any idea who Devlin owes money to?”

“No. He don’t wanna know. I don’t, either. And you should stay out of it, too.”

I’d heard Rollie mention Saro, but I wouldn’t get within a mile of that psychotic
motherfucker if I could help it. Asking John-John wasn’t an
option. The tribal cops probably knew who on the rez was in the business of loans.
Maybe I could discreetly get the information.

“Mercy? You still there?”

“Sorry. Been a rough day. Nothing you can do but write the check. What Sophie does
with it after that . . . out of our hands.”

“I hate that.”

“Me, too. Thanks for the heads-up. Give Poopy a kiss for me.”

“Stop calling her that,” Hope huffed, and hung up.

I returned to the kitchen and topped off my drink.

Everything in this kitchen had Sophie’s touch. The arrangement of the dishes in the
cupboard. Where the utensils were placed in the drawers. Where the kitschy objects
hung on the walls. The positioning of refrigerator magnets. The style of the tablecloths
and the place mats. I didn’t remember much from when this space had been my mother’s
domain.

I’d changed only one thing in this room in all the years I’d lived in this house—I
hated the frilly, moth-eaten curtains that blocked the great view of the ranch, so
last month I’d yanked them down.

Sophie had thrown a hissy fit, claiming she felt naked without the coverage the curtains
provided. But I’d held my ground. And she’d backed off.

Even though she hadn’t been here every morning recently, she was around often enough.
I couldn’t imagine Sophie not being here at all. Would I ever see her? Would she stop
by to chat? Would she call me? Would she welcome me into
her
home? Or would the relationship end like every other working relationship I’d had?
Where she’d become part of my past? Where she’d be gone like she’d never been there
at all?

That thought sucked the air from my lungs. I’d already dealt with so much loss in
my life. I couldn’t stand losing Sophie, too. But I couldn’t push her to stay. That
would be awfully damn selfish.

“Mercy?” Mason yelled from the living room.

“Yeah. Coming.”

Apparently, this was our family bonding time: watching the boob tube together. I sat
on the couch next to Mason, and we chuckled
through an episode of
The Simpsons.
Then the Xbox came out, and father and son became embroiled in World of Warcraft.