Page 58 of Battle Mountain

She knew nothing about Special Agent Rick Orr, but hisdemeanor suggested he wasn’t out to entrap her. Still, she sat up straight and resolved to be careful with her responses.

“I can give you his cell phone number,” she said, “but Joe will tell you the same thing. Nate has been off the grid for months. We’re watching his child for him until he returns.”

“That would be little Kestrel,” Sheriff Bishop said, rising in his chair so he could get a good look at her.

Marybeth felt the hairs go up on the back of her neck. Something about the way Bishop looked at Kestrel set off alarm bells. The reaction was entirely instinctual, and unexpected.

“What about Axel Soledad?” Orr asked, oblivious to what was going on.

Marybeth turned to him. “I’ve heard the name, of course,” she said. “My understanding is he was working with Dallas Cates to go after Joe and Nate, as well as our local judge and the ex–county prosecutor. But I never laid eyes on him, and I know very little about him. Why are you asking about Nate and Soledad?”

Orr’s eyes twinkled as he said, “I’m sorry. I really can’t comment on an ongoing investigation. I just want to assure you that neither you nor your husband are suspects at the moment.”

“Well,” she said icily, “that’s nice to know. Especially since Joe is in law enforcement and he takes his job very seriously. And, as you can see, I’m the director of the county library.”

“I’m well aware of both of those facts,” Orr said.

“So she lives with you?” Bishop said, once again back to Kestrel. “And you bring her to work with you every day?”

Marybeth turned to the sheriff and studied him for a moment. She was unsure why Bishop’s sole interest seemed to be aimed atKestrel. He was apparently uninterested in Orr’s line of questioning, or her answers.

She said, “We changed our staffing policy during the pandemic to allow employees with children to bring them to work, as long as they didn’t interfere with their jobs. The same applies to me.”

“Don’t trust day care, huh?” Bishop asked.

“If you weren’t aware of it, Sheriff, our day care center in town has a waiting list.”

“Interesting,” Bishop said. “I didn’t know that. I don’t have kids myself.”

“Obviously,” Marybeth responded with ice in her tone.

“I’m sorry to interrupt your conversation about day care,” Orr said, “but I just have a couple more questions for Mrs. Pickett.”

Bishop looked over at him and waited for Orr to proceed. Marybeth was grateful, even though she had to be prepared for whatever was coming.

“Another name has come up in regard to my inquiry,” Orr said. “His name is Geronimo Jones. We know he lived outside of Denver, but his residence burned down in a suspicious fire and he hasn’t been on-site for weeks. Neither has his wife or child.”

“What about him?” Marybeth asked.

“Have you spoken to him recently?”

“No, I haven’t spoken to him.”Sheridan has, Marybeth thought.

Orr studied her demeanor while she spoke, and Marybeth felt her cheeks flush slightly. The man was a professional and he knew she was withholding something. He stared at her in silence for a long thirty seconds.

“I believe he spoke with my daughter,” Marybeth said. “He, like you, was looking for Nate.”

Orr’s expression softened. He believed her, and what could have become an issue between them was apparently resolved to his satisfaction. For now.

“Did he find him?” Orr asked.

“I honestly don’t know,” Marybeth said.

“Would Sheridan know?”

“I can’t answer that,” Marybeth said.

“Perhaps you can give me your oldest daughter’s contact information as well,” Orr said. “Again, none of you are suspects. I would just like to talk to her.”

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