The woman shook her head. “Had one of them flip phones once, but I never got the hang of it. Every time that thing rang in my pocket, nearly scared me to death.”
“Great,” said Pine under her breath.
“Now, let’s get going,” the old woman said as she sat up straighter, took off her glasses, and rammed down the gas pedal.
The truck leapt forward but then settled into a sedate forty miles per hour pace.
The woman looked over at her and smiled. “This truck belonged to my father. Got it wound all the way up, missy. All hundred and forty horsepower. Can you feel it? We’ll be there lickety-split. This is so exciting.”
“Yes, ma’am” was all Pine could manage.
CHAPTER
52
THERE HE IS,” SAID BLUM.
Stephen Marbury had just walked out of the detention facility. He had a pleased expression on his face as he climbed into the back of the Escalade. As soon as the door closed, the vehicle drove off.
Blum put the Porsche in gear and followed at a discreet distance.
Mercy said, “You really think this is connected to Lee’s disappearance?”
“I would be shocked if it weren’t. But I’ve been to Desiree’s house. If she was working with a drug ring that has this kind of legal muscle, I would have thought she’d be more affluent.”
“She might be socking it away and living light to avoid suspicion,” opined Mercy.
Blum glanced at her. “You’d make a good detective.”
“I’ve lived life and learned my lessons,” replied Mercy tersely.
The Escalade turned onto the main road and sped up. Both vehicles traveled several blocks in moderate traffic before stopping at a red light.
“Do you remember anything of your life before you went to the Atkinses?” asked Blum. “Except what you’ve already told me?”
“I sort of remember my mother. She was tall, too. I remember Lee being up in a tree. And I went back to the Atkinses’ place in Crawfordville, to my little prison. Found my doll, Sally, and took it. She’s in my duffel.”
“It must have been painful reliving all that.”
“It was, at first. And then I remembered that I survived all that.”
The light changed and they started up again.
“I wonder where he’s going,” said Mercy.
“Hopefully to a place that will lead us to Agent Pine.”
“Do you like working with her?”
“It’s the best job I’ve ever had.”
“Lee sounds perfect,” Mercy said with a bit of snark.
Blum glanced at Mercy. “If that was your impression from what I said, then I said it wrong. She grew up largely alone. Even when her mother was there, she told me that she really wasn’t. After what happened, it was like your mother both smothered your sister as far as never letting her out of sight, but then cut her off emotionally.”
Mercy looked over at Blum, her expression now more nuanced. “That must’ve been tough. A double whammy, ’cause I kind of remember Lee liked to do stuff Mom didn’t want her to do, but then Mom was really proud of her for doing it. That seemed to mean a lot to Lee, like they were real tight.”
“I’m a mother. I know how important maternal nurturing is. Nothing comes close to what you endured, but Agent Pine has suffered the effects of that motherly absence, too.”
Mercy nodded and looked thoughtfully out the window. “And my dad is this Jack Lineberry character? How exactly did that shake out?”