Darkness at the Edge of Town (Iris Ballard #2)(97)

Chapter 16


Whatever little bit of luck I had when it came to the case vanished on the tense ride back to the Sheriff’s station. There was a wreck on the road that blocked both lanes and created a half-hour traffic jam. Joyce promised to hold a deputy in the station to take our statements, but with the long wait as they cleared the wreck, he had to return to duty. Every officer, even the volunteers and part-timers, was either watching the Movement’s properties, out on calls, or participating in the search of The Temple, which I later learned netted nothing of value. Not a joint, not a pill, not a health code violation. The “friendly” judge hadn’t found sufficient evidence to issue a warrant for The Apex since the ambassadors met at the house, not the farm. Apparently The Temple was near deserted, save for a handful of newer members and the children. It appeared as if Mathias had moved anyone who had been to The Apex there to “rejuvenate their energy after the unwarranted attack.” The fact that it happened not ten minutes after Helen was released gave me another stomachache. I was a hairsbreadth from getting an ulcer.

My bad-luck streak continued when we reached the station. They’d just begun the search at The Temple when we arrived and the one deputy not on cult watch had to cover the whole of Grey County, so there was no one to take my statement then, or even an hour later. I couldn’t stop pacing around the bullpen and Luke was about ready to punch a wall, not to mention we hadn’t eaten all day or showered. Joyce promised to call the house when someone came back, so off my silent partner and I went to clean ourselves up.



Luke hadn’t spoken a nonprofessional word to me since the farm, and that didn’t change when we returned to the house. He went into one bathroom to shower as I made a sandwich, then we silently switched. Forget talking, I would have settled for a look. A throttling. Something besides cruel silence and avoidance. Finally around three, Joyce called. Back to the suffocating tension-filled car we went. The station was buzzing, mostly with disappointment after the failed search. Carmichael and Lucerno were in the interview room, so we made a beeline for Hancock’s office. If I never saw them again I would have been a happy gal. Hancock was on the phone when we barged in.

“…might have operated in your jurisdiction. They did this ambassador crap all over, even in Ohio. It can be a joint case, Harrv. I need more people. We’re not staffed for long-term surveillance and the DEA won’t send more agents. All the others in the Pittsburgh field office are on some heroin ring.” Hancock listened for a second and frowned at me. “One or two, more if you can spare them.” He shook his head. “Fine. One. Thanks, Harrv. Bye.” He hung up. “Sheriff in Amity County.”

“I heard the warrant turned up nothing,” I said as I sat.

“Looked like they’d been cleaning all night. Place was spotless in every way.” He sighed. “I also heard I should be charging you two with trespassing and obstruction. The surveillance team saw you leave the farm. You are damn lucky they called me and didn’t log it. I—”

“No, have them log it,” I said. “It’ll back us up. Prove we were there.”

“What?” Hancock asked.

I removed my phone and played him the entire recording. He grimaced a few times, especially when the Paul allegations came up. Luke retained his professional poker face. When it ended, Hancock shook his head. “Jesus. What the hell were you thinking? They could have killed you.”



“But they didn’t. They only threatened to murder us. And Mathias admitted he tried to blackmail me. It’s on tape. Plus he did it in front of an FBI agent. Is it enough to pick him up?”

“Any lawyer worth his salt will get that tape thrown out. You didn’t have a warrant for a wiretap.”

“But I’m not acting for law enforcement. One-party consent recordings have been admissible before. And even without the tape, I have a witness beyond reproach.”

“It’s enough to pick him up for the weekend, and that’s all we want,” Luke said.

“And it will get Mathias in that interview room,” I pointed out.

“Have you really thought about this? All the allegations he made about you will be out there in the legal record,” Hancock said. “Not to mention he’ll probably want us to charge you both for trespassing.”

Luke and I exchanged a glance. “We know. But that’s a chance we’re willing to take,” Luke said. “If I had jurisdiction, I would have arrested him there and then.”

Hancock frowned. “Fine. Let’s get your sworn statements, make a copy of the recording, and I’ll call the DA about an arrest warrant.”

“Thank you,” I said.

We were separated. Hancock took my statement and a deputy took Luke’s. Halfway through my retelling, an irate Carmichael and Lucerno walked into the bullpen. Their interviews hadn’t been going well, by the looks of their sneers and Carmichael’s literal huffing. “What the fuck is she doing back here?” Carmichael bellowed.



“Pressing charges against Mathias Morning for blackmail and extortion,” I said. “You’re welcome.”

Hancock gave him the abridged version. “It won’t stick,” Lucerno said.

“Yeah, but it’ll get him away from my brother and get you a crack at him. Like I said, you’re welcome.”