Page 15 of Lord Have Mercy Part Four: Big Son

Maggie nodded, subtly. Approving. It gave Ava the nerve to press on.

“I know you cared about her,” Ava said. “And I know that, even though she’s dead, your loyalty lies with her, and not us. Not Felix. I’m not here to resurrect ghosts. I’m looking for my son. Loyalty to Dee aside, you should at least want to protect an eight-year-old boy who never hurt anyone. Dee’s grandson, at that.”

Barbara jerked, sat somehow more upright, and crossed her legs the other way. Picked an invisible spot of lint off her skirt. She met Ava’s gaze head-on, and Ava thought she was seeing the real Barbara for the first time. In a sharp, affronted voice, she said, “Did I say I didn’t want to help your little boy?”

“Not in so many words,” Ava shot back. “But you sure were beating around the bush about it.”

Barbara snorted – and then relaxed. “You’re not unlike her, you know.”

“That’s one hell of a way tonotcompliment someone.”

Barabara regarded her another moment – and then smiled. Broadly. It was fleeting, though. A moment later she grew serious again, but in a softer, more sincere way. “What’s the name of the man who took your boy?”

“Harlan Boyle.”

Without prompt, Reese stood and produced his phone to show Barbara a photo of him, an official headshot Ratchet had forwarded to everyone. Barbara gripped his wrist to pull the phone closer, squinted at it, then nodded, and pushed his hand back.

“I’ve seen him before, but not recently.”

“When?” But Ava had an ugly, wriggling sense that she knew.

“Long time ago.” Barbara caught her gaze and held it, not merely serious, but worried, true emotion bleeding through, at last. “I checked his ID myself. He’d just turned eighteen. I took his license in to put it under the blacklight to make sure it was real. He lookedyoung.”

“Holy shit,” Colin muttered.

“He was a customer?” Ava asked.

Barbara nodded. “He requested Dee by name. She thought he was cute, so she was on board…”

Before she could register the thought, Ava was on her feet and pacing the room. “Oh my God.” She pressed a hand to her forehead, and felt her pulse throbbing there. “He had sex with Mercy’smom. Oh myGod.”

“I didn’t know he was FBI,” Barbara said.

Maggie said, “He wasn’t, then. Just a kid. Clearly one who wasveryobsessed.”

“Oh my God,” Colin said. “Holy – okay. I think – I think maybe he talked to me, once.”

Ava rounded on him. “And you didn’t think to tell us?!”

“I didn’t remember!” He threw his hands out. “I never knew his name! He was just some guy who came by my locker. He was asking about Mercy – about Felix – and said he knew his dad, but not his mom. I…” He faltered, sighing. “Imayhave said she was a hooker.”

“Damn,” Maggie said, twisting around, looking stunned.

Ava pegged Barbara with a look. “What happened? After, I mean.”

Barbara shook her head. “I wasn’t in the room, obviously. But he left, same as everyone. I didn’t see him again.”

“But this proves he was obsessed. He – he fucking banged Mercy’s mom! That speaks to…something.”

“Something fucked up,” Colin muttered.

“You said people have been asking about Mercy,” Maggie said. “Was one of them Boyle?”

Barbara shook her head emphatically. “No. Not him, and not the FBI. But…” She hesitated, and folded her arms – protectively, Ava thought. “Bad men. Dirty. Rowdy.”

Ava caught Maggie’s gaze, then Reese’s. “Hired guns,” she said to Barbara, who nodded.

“I didn’t tell them anything,” she assured.

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