Mercy (Atlee Pine #4)(84)

“Probably helps out with your job.”

“It doesn’t hurt.”

“I do some MMA and local UFC stuff to make money. You do what you have to, you know?”

Pine stared up at her. “I know it’s been incredibly hard, Mercy.”

“I don’t look back. At least I try not to. It’s not good for someone like me.” She paused. “So, Carol?”

Pine sat down on the bed. “Do you remember where this house was?”

“Not really. Carol was driving and I wasn’t paying attention. I used a Lyft to get here but I had to walk quite a bit to a spot where he picked me up. We might be able to piece it together. But it looked to me like they were just using it temporarily. I don’t think they lived there. But I did see a guy in the window.”

“The lawyer?”

“No, another guy.”

“Can you describe him?”

“Tall, lean, forties, well-dressed, classy-looking dude. Did you see whoever grabbed you?”

“The goons, but not the boss. But I’m betting he’s the guy you saw.”

“What’s his beef with you? Not Desiree? Guy didn’t look like your typical drug dude, even the higher-ups. He was classier, like I said. He looked like one of those CEO types.”

Pine cleared her throat and looked nervously at Mercy. “His beef apparently is with you.”

Mercy had gone over to the window to stare out. She turned back around. “Me?”

“He was looking for El Cain.”

“Why?”

“He said you killed his brother.”

Mercy took a few steps toward her. “I killed the guy’s brother? He said that?”

“Yes.”

“I haven’t killed anybody. Just like I didn’t kill Joe Atkins. Carol told me you got Desiree to confess.”

“We did. The confession is safely uploaded to my personal cloud.”

“I was worried when I saw that the FBI was after me.”

“They weren’t after you. They just wanted to find you.”

Mercy knitted her brow. “Did this dude say why I supposedly killed his brother?”

“Not really, only that he deserved it.”

Mercy plopped down in a chair. “That makes no sense. The guy’s nuts. I’ve beat some guys up because they deserved it, but I haven’t killed anybody. I swear.”

“I believe you. But this guy is dead set on getting to you. It was really personal to him.”

“You think he snatched Carol?”

“I think he might have.” Pine rose. “An FBI team is downstairs. They’re here to deal with a separate matter involving Tim Pine.”

“Yeah, Carol told me about him. And about our biological father with the big bucks.”

“Jack Lineberry.”

“So what was up with our mother? Was she a slut, or nuts, or both?”

Pine felt her face burn at this blunt question. Mercy seemed to read her mind.

“I’m sorry. I don’t really remember her. Carol said she was a mole against the mob or something. But then she upped and left you.”

Pine’s face burned even hotter at this last statement. “Yes, she did. I’m trying to find her, and Tim.”

“If she left you, why bother? You have something you want to say to her, Lee? But would it really matter? After all this time?”

Pine went to the closet and pulled out an envelope from her jacket. She held it up. “I just got this letter. It’s from Mom to Jack Lineberry.”

“What’s it say?”

“I’ll let you read it while I go back down and talk to the agents. I . . . I don’t want them to know about you right now.”

Mercy glared at her. “You said it was all cool for what happened to Joe! He was stabbed. I didn’t do it. I just hit him when he tried to stop me. You said you had Desiree’s confession. Carol told me the same thing. Were you two lying or what?”

“No, it’s the truth, Mercy. But let me handle this. I know the Bureau. Just trust me. I can work this out. I promise.”

“I haven’t trusted anybody my whole life. I don’t think I can start now. I’m sorry, but that’s just the way it is.”

“Okay, I can understand that, so just stay here and read the letter and I’ll be back.”

Mercy took the letter. “We need to find Carol. I like her.”

“We will. I like her too. She’s . . . she’s . . .”

“ . . . like a mother to you?” said Mercy as she watched her twin closely.

Pine didn’t answer. She left, and Mercy sat on the bed and commenced reading the letter.





CHAPTER





58


MCALLISTER WAS STILL SITTING at the same table in the hotel café. He was on the phone when Pine walked in. The man held up a finger for her to wait, then he finished the call and looked up at her.

“What do you got, Pine?”

“Carol Blum is missing. We need to put out an APB.”

“Neil checked video from the parking lot. Blum was earlier seen getting into her vehicle with a tall woman in a hoodie. Any idea who that could be?”

Pine knew this question might be coming and still didn’t have a good answer.