Chapter 15 - The Man Everyone Trusted.
Sheriff Daniel Mercer walked toward the grounds office with both hands visible.
He was sixty-three, broad-shouldered, silver at the temples, and still carried himself like the Marine officer he had been before entering law enforcement.
Gabriel had known him since childhood.
Mercer had taught him to drive.
He had stood beside Gabriel at both parents' funerals.
He had been the first person Gabriel called when his father had the stroke on October fourteenth.
Now Gabriel watched him approach as if seeing a stranger.
"Nobody says a word about the card," Gabriel said.
Pike nodded.
Mara moved the memory card into her pocket.
Celeste closed the files on the computer.
Elena leaned the broom against the wall.
Mercer entered.
His eyes scanned the room with immediate professional awareness.
Mara.
Bell.
Pike.
Elena.
Then Gabriel.
"This is a hell of a reunion."
Gabriel did not smile.
"Why are you here?"
"My deputies said your estate security was impersonating law enforcement authority."
"It was."
Mercer looked at Elena.
"Ms. Torres, you're not under arrest."
"Good to know."
"The necklace recovered from your apartment was reported stolen from the Reyes estate three years ago."
Gabriel frowned.
"I never reported it stolen."
Mercer looked at him.
"Your estate manager did."
All eyes turned toward Celeste.
She looked stunned.
"No, I didn't."
Mercer pulled out his phone and showed the report.
Celeste Hart's digital signature appeared at the bottom.
She laughed bitterly.
"Another stolen credential."
Mercer looked at Gabriel.
"You have a serious internal security problem."
"That's becoming clear."
Mercer's eyes rested on Mara.
"And you."
Mara's posture stiffened.
"Me."
"I've been looking for you for years."
"You knew exactly where not to look."
Mercer looked hurt.
"Is that what you think?"
"It's what I know."
Pike stepped between them slightly.
"Sheriff, how did you learn about the necklace before I filed the evidence return?"
The room changed.
Mercer looked at him.
"Dispatch told me."
"I never sent it through dispatch."
A long pause followed.
Mercer smiled faintly.
"Then I must be mistaken."
Pike's face hardened.
"You're never mistaken about chain of custody."
Gabriel stared at the man who had spent thirty years telling him to pay attention to small inconsistencies.
Now one sat in the middle of the room.
Mercer looked toward the old computer.
"What are you all doing out here?"
"Talking," Gabriel said.
"About?"
"Family history."
Mercer's expression remained friendly.
"Anything I can help with?"
Mara answered.
"October fourteenth."
Mercer's eyes moved to her.
"Ancient history."
"Not to me."
"No. I suppose not."
She stepped closer.
"Did Isabel call you that night?"
Mercer hesitated.
"Yes."
Gabriel's chest tightened.
"You never told me."
"Your mother asked me not to."
Another secret protected by another promise.
Gabriel looked exhausted.
"What did she want?"
Mercer looked at Mara.
"Protection for an employee who had found something dangerous."
"Did you provide it?"
"I tried."
"How?"
"I arranged a safe location."
Mara's expression sharpened.
"The lake house?"
"No."
That surprised everyone.
"Where?" Pike asked.
"A county-owned cabin near Glen Ridge."
Mara shook her head.
"I never went there."
Mercer looked at Bell.
"Because somebody changed the route."
Bell went pale.
"Mrs. Reyes told me the lake house."
"Then she changed the plan without telling me."
Mercer sounded almost wounded.
Elena watched him carefully.
His story was plausible.
That was the problem.
Every dangerous person in this story had a plausible explanation.
Gabriel decided to test him.
"We found Northstar records."
Mercer's face did not change.
"Where?"
"Under the east wing."
A tiny pause.
Less than a second.
Elena saw it.
So did Mara.
"You knew there was an archive," Gabriel said.
Mercer sighed.
"Your father showed it to me once."
"When?"
"Years ago."
"Why?"
"Because he wanted advice on protecting sensitive family records."
"Northstar bribe ledgers are family records?"
Mercer's expression hardened slightly.
"Be careful what you accuse people of before you understand the facts."
There it was.
Not proof.
But the tone changed.
The godfather disappeared.
The sheriff remained.
Mara reached into her pocket.
Gabriel saw the movement and gave the smallest shake of his head.
Do not reveal the card.
Mara stopped.
Mercer's radio crackled.
A dispatcher reported a vehicle found burning on a rural access road five miles from the estate.
The registered owner was Marcus Hale.
Mercer looked surprised.
"Hale?"
Pike grabbed his coat.
"We need to go."
Mercer nodded.
"I'll lead."
Gabriel stopped him at the door.
"One question."
Mercer turned.
"What?"
"When my mother died, you gave me a box of her personal effects."
"I remember."
"There was a letter missing."
Mercer looked at him.
"How would I know?"
Gabriel's voice stayed calm.
"Because I never told anyone there was a missing letter."
Mercer stared at him.
Then he smiled.
"You're tired, son."
Gabriel's face went still.
"Don't call me that."
Mercer walked out.
Pike waited until the sheriff's footsteps disappeared.
Then he whispered.
"He's dirty."
Mara nodded.
"Maybe."
Elena looked at her sister.
"If you say maybe one more time, I'm going to lose my mind."
Mara almost smiled.
Then Bell spoke from behind them.
"She's right to say maybe."
Gabriel turned.
"Why?"
Bell looked toward the driveway where Mercer had just left.
"Because Daniel Mercer didn't create Northstar."
"Who did?"
May you like
Bell swallowed.
"Isabel Reyes did."
