The Silence (Columbia River #2)(66)

“Let me figure out exactly where this cell tower is. I should be able to plot its reach and see where no other tower’s reach intersects. Maybe I’ll be able to narrow down a location. Will you send me a picture of her? I’ll send it to motels in the area.”

“I’ll email you video we have from a motel. It shows the man she’s with, but only from the back.”

“Ava . . .” Mercy seemed to be at a loss for words.

“Yes?”

“You’ve told me several stories about your sister, and I got the impression that you don’t trust her that much. Is it—”

“I don’t trust her at all,” Ava said. “Not one bit.”

“That’s what I thought. Is it possible that the phone call was some sort of attention seeking?” Mercy asked delicately.

“It is. I don’t want you sinking a lot of time into this. It could turn out to be nothing.” Ava forced a laugh. “It probably will be nothing.”

“You think she’s lying.”

Ava didn’t know how to answer. “Yes and no and maybe.”

“I understand,” Mercy said. “I’ll contact the sheriff and keep you updated on anything I find.”

“One more thing.” Nervous, she met Zander’s gaze. “I don’t have an attendant for my wedding yet.”

Mercy was quiet.

Ava held her breath.

“Are you asking me?” Mercy finally said.

“I am.”

“But Ava, it should be your sister.”

“I know it should be, but my relationship with my sister isn’t . . . normal.”

“You waited until the last minute to ask me,” Mercy said. “Is that because you hoped Jayne would come through for you?”

“She’s supposed to be in Costa Rica.” Ava didn’t answer Mercy’s question.

“Right. And now she might be in trouble. Tell you what. If Jayne is unable to do it, I will step in since I’ll already be there. I’d love to be a part of your wedding.”

A knot released in Ava’s chest. “Thank you.” She meant it. The question had been a burden for weeks.

“What color dress should I wear?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Yes, it does,” Mercy said firmly. “I’m fully aware of how long you’ve waited to get married. What color?”

“Black.”

“Really? It’s summer.”

“I guess white would also work.”

“Even I know better than to wear that. Black it is. I’ll find something that works. It’s a black-and-white wedding?”

“No. I didn’t pick a color scheme,” Ava said.

“I’ve met Cheryl. She probably let you think that. I have no doubt she’s planned something lovely.”

“She did say she’d take care of the flower choices.”

“I can’t wait to be there. In the meantime, I’ll make some stills from the video to send out and see if I can find a lead on your sister.”

“Thank you.” Ava hung up.

“Feel better?” Zander asked.

“Yes, she’s got a plan to look for Jayne.”

“You need to tell Mason about Jayne’s call.”

“That was next on my list, but we need to go to the church and interview Pat Arthur again. I can call while you drive.”

She grabbed her bag and followed Zander out of her house.

Minutes later she had Mason on the phone, updating him on her conversation with Jayne.

“You understand why I’m cautious about taking her seriously,” Mason said.

“I do. I feel the same way. But I can’t not do anything.”

“You were right to call Mercy. She knows that area, even though it’s closer to Portland than Bend.”

“She was the first person I thought of when I saw the call originated near The Dalles.”

“I’ve got another call,” said Mason. “It’s the crime lab.”

“Go. I’ll talk to you later.”

Ava ended the call and looked at Zander, intent on his driving. “I feel better now that I talked to Mercy. I don’t know why I waited so long to ask her to be my attendant.”

“Yes, you do. We all know.”

“Mercy said if Jayne can’t do it, then she will. She understood how I felt about wanting Jayne to be there if possible.”

Ava pictured her twin standing beside her on one of the biggest days of her life. Pregnant. “It’s got to be Brady Shurr’s baby. Jayne hasn’t been gone long enough for it to be anyone else’s, judging by her size.” Ava grimaced. “Assuming she was faithful to Brady.” Jayne didn’t know the meaning of the word.

“If there is a baby,” Zander reminded her.

Ava’s phone rang. Mason was calling her back. “That was fast,” she answered.

“The call from the crime lab was about the ammunition used in Kaden Schroeder’s murder.” He sounded breathless.

“Are you all right?” Ava asked.

“The firearm examiner retrieving the ballistics information followed a hunch because the results felt familiar. He’d recently processed the bullets from another murder, and when he compared them to Kaden’s, he discovered they matched.”