Stone didn’t say anything.
“Guy named Harry Finn said that Simpson admitted to having her killed. That he ordered a CIA hit on you and your family.”
Stone stared at the ceiling, slowly flexing his limbs against the thick leather bindings. “Harry’s a good guy. Knows how to cover your back.”
“I’m sorry about your family . . . Oliver,” he murmured.
“Get some sleep, Knox. Just get some sleep. You’re going to need it.”
Stone closed his eyes.
A few minutes later an exhausted Joe Knox did the same.
CHAPTER 64
“WE’RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME,” Caleb said.
The three of them were sitting around an old picnic table in a small clearing off the main road to Divine. A meal Annabelle had purchased at Rita’s was on the table. Reuben gnawed on a piece of fried chicken while Annabelle glared at Caleb.
“I’m open to suggestions,” she said.
“Maybe Alex can help,” suggested Caleb as h
e carefully picked the skin off his piece of chicken.
“Help what, screw things up?”
“We talked about Alex, Annabelle,” retorted Reuben. “He’s as professional and brave as they make ’em. And I think Caleb’s got something.”
“What do you expect him to do, come running to help us? It’ll mess up his career. You heard him.”
“You can always ask.”
“Why me?”
“Okay, I’ll do it,” said Reuben. “Anything to help Oliver.”
Annabelle stared at each man, sighed and pulled out her phone. “No, I’ll do it.”
A minute later she said, “Alex?”
“Annabelle? You okay?”
“I—” She stopped. “We need a favor.”
Five minutes later she clicked off.
“Well?” Reuben and Caleb asked together.
“He’s going to help us. He’s coming up here, in fact.”
Reuben slapped Caleb on the back, almost sending him headfirst into a tub of potato salad.
“I knew it. Friendship is thicker than official duty.”
“Yeah, well, we’ll see, won’t we?” she murmured. “But in the meantime we can’t just sit on our butts. We need to keep digging away.”
Reuben tossed the bones of his chicken breast into the woods, wiped his mouth and balled up his napkin. “I’m ready to roll. I’ll do a recon of the area, see if anything hits me.”
“And me and Caleb?”
“Talk to some more people in town. And Caleb stays with you. Remember there’s a killer on the loose. We’ll meet back here later.”
“I’m worried about that reporter,” said Annabelle. “Even if we find Oliver, that guy could screw it all up. I didn’t like his look. It was like he’d just suddenly figured something out.”
Caleb said, “Well, maybe we have to convince him it would not be in his best interests to follow any of that up.”
Annabelle considered this suggestion. “I think you might be right.”
Reuben drove off on his Indian while Caleb and Annabelle headed back into Divine. When they reached the main street Annabelle had Caleb park near the courthouse.
“The sheriff told me that Willie Coombs’ mom works at the courthouse as the clerk. I want to see if I can get a word with her.”
Caleb looked around and his eyes brightened as his gaze fell on the library.
“I think I see something I can do,” he said. “But if you need a bodyguard, I can hang with you. Like Reuben said, there is a murderer on the loose.”
She gave him a gracious smile. “I appreciate the offer, killer, but I think I’ll be fine. The sheriff’s office is just right next door.”
Caleb headed off and Annabelle went inside the courthouse.
Shirley Coombs looked up from her desk when the door opened. Annabelle introduced herself and said why she was there. Though Annabelle couldn’t know it, Shirley Coombs looked as though she’d aged several decades.
“I’m really sorry about your son.”
Shirley eyed her suspiciously. “Did you know Willie?”
“No, but Sheriff Tyree told me what happened.”
“Parents aren’t supposed to outlive their children,” she said in a hushed tone and then lit up a cigarette; her fingers shook so badly she was barely able to work the Zippo.
“No, ma’am, they’re not.”
“Lost my husband too. In an accident,” she said quickly. “And my daddy in a mine cave-in.”
“God, that’s awful.”
“Yeah, life is just awful, ain’t it?” she said sarcastically. “What can I do for you?”
“I was hoping you could tell me something about my dad.”
“I never met him,” she said immediately.
Annabelle studied the woman closely without appearing to do so.
Okay, that was a lie.
She looked over at the stack of boxes.
Shirley said, “Got a lot of work to do.”
“I’m sure. I’m really worried about my father.”
“Somebody told me he was heading out of town.”
“Who was that?”
“Don’t recall. Probably heard it over at Rita’s.”
“You’re friends with Abby Riker?”
At that moment an interior door opened and Judge Mosley ambled out. He wore a suit and held his driving cap in one hand.
“Shirley, I’m—” He broke off when he saw Annabelle. His smile was instant.
“Well, who is this?”
Annabelle shook his hand and felt his fingers linger just a beat too long on hers. She explained who she was and why she was here.
“Ben seemed to be a very interesting man,” said Mosley. “I wish I’d gotten to know him better. I hope you find him. Well, I have to be off.”
“Up to the prison, Judge?” said Shirley.
“That’s right.” He turned to Annabelle. “I go up there once a week and resolve disputes between the prisoners and the guards. And there are many, I’m afraid.”
“I’m sure.”
“Rehabilitation is the key,” he said. “Although not many of the folks at Blue Spruce will ever see the light of day as free men, they still deserve some respect and dignity.”
“That’s what Josh thought,” blurted out Shirley.
They turned to look at her.
She reddened. “My husband. He was a guard up there.” She glanced at Annabelle. “He’s the one who died in the . . . accident. He thought you should treat folks with respect regardless of what they’ve done, prisoner or not.”
“Exactly,” said Mosley. “I would be the first to admit that Howard Tyree is not exactly sold on that concept, but that’s why it bears repeating. And my weekly presence I hope lets everyone see that common ground in fact can be reached.”
“Howard Tyree?” said Annabelle sharply.
“He’s the sheriff’s brother,” answered Shirley. “The warden up at Dead Rock.”
Mosley smiled at Annabelle. “Its official name is Blue Spruce, but folks ’round here call it Dead Rock.”
Shirley snapped, “They call it Dead Rock because a bunch of miners got trapped in a cave-in. Never could get to them. Sealed up in there and they built a damn prison on top of them. And one of ’em was my daddy.”
Tears smeared Shirley’s mascara while Annabelle and Mosley looked politely away. The judge finally said, “Mining is a very dangerous business.”
“I can see that,” replied Annabelle.
“Well, good day, ladies.”
After he’d gone, Annabelle rose. “I guess I’ll let you get back to work.”
“Sorry I couldn’t help you,” Shirley said gruffly.