The Silence (Columbia River #2)(75)

“I’ve heard of that,” Ava said. Mercy layered gauze packs over the wound and secured it with tape. Then she ripped open another and did the same thing on the entrance wound.

The sirens were nearly on top of them. Two vehicles came to a rapid stop, and car doors slammed.

“The Mustang?” Ava asked as one of the deputies slipped on vinyl gloves and then checked Mercy’s dressing. Ava sat hard on the ground, out of the deputy’s way, her adrenaline rush gone.

“Two other units en route. They’ll intercept him at the other end of the road.”

“Good.” Drenched in sweat, she wiped her forehead on her shoulder, and something on the ground far to her left caught her eye. Blood, a lot of blood.

She looked at Tony, trying to understand how his blood had landed five feet away.

It’s Jayne’s.

“Mercy.” Ava pointed at the blood, unable to speak. Mercy scowled at it, and then her face cleared.

“That has to be Jayne’s blood.”

“She’s pregnant,” Ava whispered, her adrenaline spiking again.

Sympathy flowed from Mercy’s gaze. “I know. Don’t worry. We’ll find her in time.”

I hope so.





29

Mason was ten minutes from The Dalles exit off the highway when Ava called.

“We found Jayne.” Ava’s speech was high and fast. “But Reuben got away with her. He shot her, Mason. I don’t know how bad, but she left a lot of blood behind.”

“Slow down,” Mason ordered. “What happened?”

Ava’s story made his jaw drop several times.

“They haven’t caught up with him yet?”

“They lost him.” Anger rang in her voice. “They’ve got every Wasco County deputy hunting for the Mustang, and I’m searching on the highway west of The Dalles. Jayne didn’t look good, Mason. He’d tied her hands together, and she had a big cut on her face, and now who knows how bad she’s wounded?”

“I’m so sorry, Ava. I’m sure they’ll spot him.” He crossed his fingers in the hope that Jayne wasn’t badly hurt. He didn’t know how Ava would handle it if Jayne was killed when she had been so close to getting her twin away from Reuben.

Ava would blame herself.

“Reuben killed Kaden,” she said. “Tony owed him money for guns. I assume the ones you found.”

“Reuben murdered Kaden because of a few guns?” Mason nearly steered into another car.

“I know. It’s horrible. Tony said he’s lent this cabin to Reuben before and decided to check if he was hiding here. I think these men were originally friends.”

“That’s a twisted friendship when you murder your friend’s son over a debt.”

“There has to be more to it than that. Reuben returned to the scene of the original crime when he killed Kaden. He had to have a powerful motivation to do that.”

“Maybe Kaden knew something about the courthouse shooting,” Mason said.

“That seems most likely.”

His phone beeped. “I’ve got another call. I’ll see you in ten minutes or so.”

“Love you.”

“Love you too.” Mason switched over to the other call. “Callahan.”

“Detective Callahan?” a female voice whispered.

He frowned. “Yes. Who’s this?”

“Veronica Lloyd.”

Mason’s pulse stuttered. Reuben’s sister.

Moaning and sobbing sounded in the call’s background.

“What happened?”

“Reuben’s not dead.” Her voice cracked. “He just showed up at my house, and he’s got a gun.” Terror filled her tone. “I don’t know what he’s going to do.”

“I just passed your exit!” Mason slowed on the busy four-lane highway. A concrete divider kept him from pulling a U-turn, and The Dalles was the next exit, which was miles away. “Did you call 911?”

“Yes, we’re covered by the county sheriff’s department here. Sometimes it can take twenty minutes for them to arrive.” Her voice quivered. “He brought a woman with him and she’s hurt. She’s bleeding all over the place.” More moans rumbled.

Jayne.

“Are your kids there?” An image of Veronica’s two young girls popped into his head.

“Yes. I shut them in the playroom and ordered them not to open the door. They’re petrified. Reuben thinks they’re at a friend’s.”

Ahead, Mason spotted a gap in the concrete divider, probably for police and emergency services to reverse direction. He pulled onto the shoulder and steered through the gap, his speed far too high for safety. He merged onto the highway, stomped on his accelerator, and received an angry horn blast from a semi.

“I’m headed back your way. Where is Reuben now?”

“He’s upstairs grabbing towels. This woman is really bleeding. I think he shot her!” she exclaimed in a hushed voice.

“Are you in danger? Did he threaten you?” His knuckles turned white as he gripped the steering wheel.

“I don’t know. He said he needs my minivan, but he’s trying to stop her bleeding first.”

“She’s inside your house?”