Amos laughed. ‘I am, Abi-girl. I am so glad.’
Farrah left André’s embrace, coming to stand behind Mercy’s chair, still sniffling. ‘Oh, look at you, cutie-patootie. We need copies of these. My mama’s going to want to pinch your cheeks.’
‘We can scan them,’ Irina offered. ‘The photos will not be harmed, Amos,’ she added when Amos looked alarmed.
Mercy let go of Amos’s hand to touch Abigail’s sleeve. ‘Thank you for reminding him to bring the pictures. I haven’t seen my mama’s face in so long.’
Abigail shrugged. ‘I’ve never seen mine. She died when I was being born.’
‘I’m sorry,’ Mercy said softly. ‘Amos, do you still have her locket photo?’
He shook his head. ‘I didn’t think to take it after she—’ He cleared his throat. ‘Afterward. The healer removed the locket and it went back to the forge.’
‘Who took the photos?’ Rafe asked. ‘For the lockets, I mean?’
‘For a long time it was Waylon. He would take the film into the town to get it developed. Then DJ took it on after Waylon died. We haven’t had many weddings lately, but I assume DJ still does. He got a fancy new camera a while back. Seemed a waste of money to me.’
‘May have been a digital camera,’ Gideon said. ‘If so, the images might be on that computer you saw in Sister Coleen’s office. Which means you might be able to get one printed later.’
‘That would be nice,’ Amos said, laying his cheek on Abigail’s hair, ‘wouldn’t it, Abi-girl?’
Abigail snuggled closer, patting Amos’s pocket. ‘Yes, Papa. And you could keep it here, like you did with the other pictures.’
The sight of Abigail patting Amos’s pocket sparked a memory and Mercy patted her own pocket, panicking when it was empty. ‘Oh no. Belinda Franklin’s key is gone. I know I had it in my pocket.’ She rose from her chair. ‘Maybe it fell out in the van.’
‘Tom has it,’ Liza said.
Mercy blinked, having forgotten the woman was still there. ‘You’re sure?’
‘Positive,’ Farrah said. ‘You were sound asleep and we didn’t want to wake you to ask for the key, so I got it from your pocket.’
‘What does it open?’ Mercy asked, light-headed with relief.
‘Probably a safe-deposit box,’ Farrah said, but Molina cleared her throat imperiously.
Rafe leaned in close. ‘We’ll talk about it later.’
Because Molina was still here. Mercy had nearly forgotten about her, too. It seemed that it was all right for them to have discovered the key, but its purpose was something they weren’t supposed to know about. ‘Oh. Okay.’
‘Oh. Okay,’ Molina said dryly, clearly understanding what hadn’t been said. ‘Mr Terrill has given us enough information for the time being. I’ll be going to my office to begin working on it. Agent Hunter will be returning with me. Liza, we’ll drop you off on the way. Where will you be staying, Mr Terrill? We want to be sure you have a safe place.’
Because he is a valuable witness.
‘He’s staying here,’ Irina said.
‘But my presence here may be dangerous,’ Amos said, a worried frown creasing his brow.
‘I am leaving one of my agents to watch this house and the surrounding properties,’ Molina said. ‘Burton has already broken into one house in this neighborhood to use as a lookout. If he comes back, we want to catch him. Plus, I believe that Irina’s daughter Meg will also be staying to make sure Zoya remains safe.’
‘We want you to stay,’ Irina assured him. ‘You and Abigail. You are Gideon and Mercy’s family. We take care of family.’
Amos drew a thick breath, overcome. ‘Thank you. Where will you two go?’ he asked Mercy and Gideon.
‘Back to Rafe’s,’ Mercy said. She loved the Sokolovs, but she needed the quiet time. ‘All my things are there and I need to make sure I feed my cats.’
‘You could stay here,’ Irina said doubtfully. ‘We have enough rooms here for us, and there’s no reason for Agent Molina’s people to guard two houses.’
To guard me, Mercy thought. None of this would be happening if Ephraim weren’t obsessed with me. Well, Ephraim and now DJ. And, now that she thought about it, the fact that no one had really talked about DJ’s involvement was a giant red flag. Molina knows something that she’s not saying.
Still, Irina was right. As much as she needed the quiet of Rafe’s place, it really was selfish to ask the FBI to expend so many resources. She was about to say so when Molina stepped in and settled the issue.
‘We have agents stationed at Detective Sokolov’s house as well,’ Molina said. ‘Burton was able to plant trackers on Detective Rhee’s vehicle, so he was clearly in that neighborhood, too.’ She glanced at Rafe. ‘He also put a tracker on your sister’s Mini Cooper. We found it this morning, after you all had left for Santa Rosa.’
Rafe briefly closed his eyes, his fist clenching. ‘Thank you for finding it. And for adding coverage to my neighborhood. I’d hate for any of my neighbors to be assaulted like Mr MacGuire was.’
Molina pushed away from the table. ‘You’re welcome, Detective. Thank you for your hospitality, Mrs Sokolov. Call me if anything comes up. Anything at all.’
Granite Bay, California
Tuesday, 18 April, 8.10 P.M.
‘I have food for you to take with you,’ Irina announced once Agents Molina and Hunter were gone, Liza going with them.
And none too soon. Rafe liked Tom and Liza a lot, and, while he appreciated Molina’s protection of his family, the older woman made him antsy. She knew things that he needed to know to keep Mercy safe. Which he’d figure out, but first he’d see that his mother rested. Irina looked bone weary and Rafe didn’t like it one bit.
‘We still have food from the last time you sent stuff home,’ Rafe said.
Irina raised a brow. ‘I have food for you to take with you,’ she repeated.
Joining Irina at the stove to help, Daisy snickered. ‘Give it up, Rafe.’
Rafe sighed, knowing when to retreat. ‘Yes, Mom. Thank you, Mom.’
‘Abigail,’ Irina said, ‘I have a cake that you will love, but it’s also Mr Karl’s favorite. Will you go tell him to come to the kitchen? If the movie is almost over, you all can stay to finish it.’
Abigail looked to her father for permission and Amos nodded. ‘You know where to find the office?’ he asked.