Page 105 of Trace of Doubt
I must be cursed. Their narrow escape from death was my fault.
Sheriff Wendall’s deer lease looked like the perfect hiding place. But it was also the perfect spot to have a firefight without raising any attention. What else had someone tracked on Edie’s phone? And how had it happened? Surrounded by mesquite trees and flat land, the rustic cabin provided a look at nature without bringing nature inside... like the tank after a huge renovation. The pantry contained staples, and a small freezer held enough deer, in every form, to feed Mike and me for weeks.
My protector for the next several hours or days shared the same cautious gene I’d come to recognize in Denton.
“This area is known for rattlers,” he said. “Wear your shoes and watch where you step.”
His warning resembled the vigilance of my life.
Mike and Denton exchanged phone calls. I learned the woman who’d named Dad as running a money-laundering operation haddied of a barbiturate overdose. I assumed one of Marissa’s henchmen had forced the woman to take them. I’d grown cynical.
Shortly before 3p.m., my burner rang with an unfamiliar number. Mike studied me, as though we knew the caller. I pushed Record, not that it was admissible in court, but Mike and Denton needed it to prove my legitimacy to the FBI.
I prayed for wisdom. “Let me guess who this is.”
“Are you getting smarter after spending years behind bars?” Marissa said.
“It’s amazing the schemes some of those women shared with me.”
“What’s this all about anyway? You leave a crazy message about the FBI having evidence about my so-called illegal activities. Then you accuse me or Eli Chandler of targeting you? What kind of cash pie do you think I have?”
I allowed a heavy pause. “I gave you fifteen years to be a good mother, and you walked out on your daughter.”
“Is that why you’re hot?”
“Actually, it’s the reason I want in your organization.”
She laughed. “Organization, as in a business? You’ve lost your mind. I’ve met someone, and I intend to spend the rest of my life with him. Aria and Dad deserve each other.”
“Who is he?”
“None of your business. You know, little sister, I can call your parole officer and tell him you threatened me.”
“He’d have to find me first.”
“Are you in the States?”
“None of your business, big sister. I picked up a lot of tricks from harder women than you’ll ever know. But if the Feds get to you first, then you can have special girl time too. Let’s talk about you. Everything points to you either as ringleader for a money-laundering business or entrenched in the operation with someone else. Possibly Eli Chandler since the Feds have pics of you at Stage7 in Miami. Oh, by the way, they are on to your traveling alias, Janae Frosk. Denton showed them to me when he was fishingfor leads to the money you stole from Travis’s nonprofit.” I allowed my words to sink in.
“What do you want?”
“What’s owed me. I paved the way for you to make millions.”
“Maybe. Maybe I’m calling your bluff.”
“Try this on. Arthur Shell and Stan Watson are dead. Nick Hanson is in custody. He said Eli Chandler hired him to eliminate me, and the big boss gave orders to kill.”
“I’ve never heard of Hanson. That doesn’t mean Chandler’s boss is me.”
“I can’t help you grow your organization if you aren’t honest with me.”
“Even if I was interested, any positions I have involve a learning curve.”
“Really? Check out my previous address. Who’s running your call center? Purchasing leads? Collecting the cash? What are you outsourcing?”
“I can’t approve you.”
“Yes, you can. Decide soon before I leave the country.”
