Fatal Frost

by Nancy Mehl

  Mark laughed, and Mercy forced a smile.

  “I’ve got to go back and get your friend,” Daniel said, walking out onto the porch.

  “You shouldn’t go out on your own,” Mercy said. “We’re here to protect you.”

  “Have you ever driven a snowmobile?” Daniel asked.

  Mercy shook her head.

  “How about you?” he asked Mark.

  “No, sorry.”

  “And neither of you know how to get to the car from here. I’m afraid there’s no other choice. The last thing we need is for you to run into another tree or go off the edge of an embankment and get stuck. If it makes you feel any better, if it’s hard for us to get around, it’s just as difficult for anyone else. I’ll be fine, but your friend could die if we don’t get him back here.” Without another word, Daniel headed back outside.

  Mark and Mercy watched him as he walked down the sidewalk and got onto the snowmobile. The engine started up and he took off.

  “I don’t like it,” Mercy said. “If he really is in danger, sending him out alone isn’t the best idea. Even under these conditions.”

  Mark nodded. “We’ll talk to him when he gets back and make certain he stays close to home from now on. In the meantime, let’s find that plywood and fix this door before he gets back. Otherwise we’ll have a tough time staying warm.”

  About thirty minutes later they’d carried up several pieces of plywood from the basement. Although she was still sore, the pain pill had kicked in and Mercy was feeling much better. Mark found a drill and some screws and set about repairing the door.

  Mercy watched as he worked. Once Mark finished, he came over and slumped down in a chair near the couch.

  “I could really use some coffee,” he said.

  Mercy could see the weariness in his face. “Stay here. I’ll get you a cup.”

  Mark’s eyes widened with surprise. “Hey, thanks. That would be great. Usually you’d tell me to get off my rear end and get it myself.”

  “Unusual circumstances call for unusual measures,” she said wryly. “Just don’t count on this happening again anytime soon.”

  Mercy made herself another latte, then brewed a cup of regular coffee for Mark. That’s the only way he’d drink it. Strong and black. She used to tease him about not having a taste for the finer things, and he’d come right back at her, claiming no real man should drink “froufrou coffee.” As she stood in the kitchen, she found herself smiling at the memory. They’d had fun when they were together. In fact, Mark was the only person besides Tally who could make her laugh.

  She was carrying the cups back into the living room when she heard the snowmobile approaching. She quickly sat the cups on the coffee table. Mark got up and followed her to the front door.

  Daniel pulled the snowmobile up as close to the house as he could. The ice had changed to snow again, and the wind had created drifts that pushed up against the porch. Mercy and Mark fought their way through the snow toward Tally, who seemed to be having trouble getting off the snowmobile.

  “He’s pretty cold,” Daniel shouted. “We need to get him inside fast and warm him up.”

  Mark and Mercy helped get Tally onto the porch and through the front door. Mercy slipped twice and had a hard time getting back on her feet. The second time she accidentally used her right arm to break her fall. Pain sliced through her shoulder. She bit down on her lip to keep from moaning. The last thing she wanted was for the men to think she wasn’t capable of doing her job.

  Once they got inside, they took Tally over to the couch. Mark held on to him tightly as they lowered him down.

  “I’m going to get you some hot coffee,” Mercy told him.

  Tally nodded. “Thanks. I . . . I’m fine. Jus . . . just cold.”

  “Let’s get this coat off before the snow melts,” Mark said. As he helped Tally off with his outer garments, Mercy brewed a large cup of coffee. After adding sugar and cream the way Tally liked it, Mercy carried the cup back into the living room.

  Mark had wrapped a large blanket around the chilled police officer, who seemed to be much more comfortable. He was slowly taking off his gloves when Mercy put his coffee cup down on the table in front of him. She noticed Daniel standing by the front door, removing his coat and ski mask. She picked up her parka and held her hand out for Mark’s. With a grunt he took it off and gave it to her. As she walked toward the coatrack, Daniel turned around. Mercy was surprised by how young he looked. She’d forgotten he was her age. At first she thought he looked familiar, but then she realized he was the spitting image of a young Hugh Jackman. Longer hair but with the same intense eyes.

  He smiled at her and reached out for the coats she held in her hand. After they were all hung up, Daniel walked over to the couch where Tally and Mark sat.

  “What now?” His question was addressed to Mark.

  “Well, for now, we need to hunker down and survive,” Mercy said, letting him know Mark wasn’t the only Marshal in the room. She turned to Mark. “Have you tried your cell again?”

  He nodded. “Nothing. The towers must be down or something.”

  “Not necessarily,” Daniel said. “It’s hard to get a signal way out here. That’s why I have a landline.” He went to the kitchen and pulled a phone out from beneath a counter. He picked up the receiver, listened, clicked the switch hook several times, and listened again. “Sorry, it’s not working,” he said. “The ice must have knocked down the line.”

  A loud crack sounded from outside, and the lights went out. Mark and Mercy jumped up, guns drawn.

  “That wasn’t a gunshot either,” Daniel said firmly. “You guys have got to get used to that. Until this storm is over, it’s probably going to happen a lot.”

  As if confirming his statement, there were several more loud crashes. Mercy moved to the back door to peer outside, but it was too dark to see much of anything. All she could see was a small area around the barn. The sound of frozen branches falling to the ground continued intermittently.

  “We need to get some candles or—” The lights suddenly came back on.

  “Backup generator,” Daniel said. “We don’t have as much power, but we’ll be fine.”

  “Does this happen a lot out here?” Mercy asked.

  Daniel nodded. “That’s why there’s a generator.”

  “I didn’t see it when we rode up here. Where is it?”

  Daniel hesitated and he glanced at Mark.

  “It’s on the west side of the house, isn’t it?” Mark said quickly. “I noticed it when I looked out the windows.”

  “Yep. Great thing to have. Especially as cold as it is.” His hazel eyes locked onto Mercy’s. “You must be starving. Why don’t I fix us something to eat?”

  “Actually, I am hungry,” Mercy said. “But before we eat, we need to make sure you’re secure. I mean, that’s why we’re here, right?”

  “Sure, but you can keep an eye on me while you’re eating.”

  She studied him for a moment. “Can you explain to us why you think you’re at risk?” she asked.

  “A strange car driving by slowly,” he said. “More than once. I’m pretty isolated out here. No one should be that interested in me.”

  “Maybe they want to buy your house.” Mercy couldn’t keep a note of frustration out of her voice. Why would Batterson send them out here unless he thought the threat had some merit?

  Mark cleared his throat. “I believe the main problem was that someone in town asked about you—using your real name, right?”

  That made more sense, though Mercy wondered why Daniel hadn’t mentioned that first. Maybe she was reacting to the stress of the accident and the weather. Daniel was their witness, not a perp. Perhaps after she got a little food in her stomach, she’d feel better.

  “Why don’t I do a quick perimeter check before we eat?” Mark said. He pointed at Mercy. “You make sure the house is secure from the inside.”

  “What about the basement door and windows?” Mercy asked. “Th
at would be the first entry site in my opinion.”

  “I wouldn’t worry about it,” Daniel said. “Metal door with locks and bolts, and the windows are barred.”

  Mercy looked carefully at him. “Were you expecting trouble?”

  He shrugged. “The guy who owned this house before me put them up. I have no idea why.”

  “I can go with you,” Tally said to Mark. “I’m fine now. Nice and warm.”

  “No, you stay here,” Mark said. “I know you feel okay, but you’ve been in a car accident, and you’ve spent hours out in freezing temps. I need you to be one hundred percent. Rest up. And don’t let Daniel out of your sight. I’ll be fine.” He gestured toward Daniel. “Are there any other outside lights on besides the front porch?”

  “Not right now. There’s a backyard light, but it’s off. There’s also a light in the barn, and it illuminates the back of the house some.”

  Mark nodded. “Okay. Why don’t you scare up something for us to eat while I get a firsthand look at our surroundings?”

  Mercy noticed the tension in his face and wondered about it. She’d worked with Mark many times, and she could tell he was worried about something. Since they seemed to be safe at the moment, she found his reaction a little unusual.

  “Daniel, do you have a light-colored parka?” Mark asked. “Or anything warm that would make it hard for someone to see me out there?”

  “I do. Follow me upstairs and I’ll show you.”

  As the two men climbed the stairs, Mercy took the opportunity to check on Tally. She sat down next to him on the couch. “Are you okay?”

  After taking a sip from his coffee cup, he nodded. “I told you I was fine. Can’t figure out why Mark won’t believe me.”

  “He’s just being cautious.” She glanced toward the stairs before lowering her voice. “Have you noticed that Mark seems distracted? Not quite himself. I can’t figure out why. We haven’t encountered any real threat.”

  “I haven’t noticed anything,” Tally said, frowning. “I mean, we wrecked our car, were stranded in the snow, and had to be carted through a major storm on a snowmobile. Not really the way we’d planned this assignment. I suspect we’re all a little uptight.”

  Mercy sighed. “Maybe so. I don’t like being in a situation where we can’t get help if we need it.”

  “I don’t either, but there’s not much we can do about it, is there?”

  Mercy agreed with him but found Tally rather dismissive, not the way he usually responded to her. Finally she decided she was just being paranoid. Besides the lack of outside contact, her chest was sore, and she wasn’t happy about being snowed in with Mark. Maybe the stress she felt was making her overly sensitive.

  They sat in silence as Tally finished his coffee. Mercy wanted to bring up his comments about leaving the police department, but she knew it wasn’t the right time. It was probably her fear of losing him that was making her feel out of sorts. Still, the sense that something else was wrong just wouldn’t go away. She rubbed her face with her hands. Some food and a good night’s sleep would probably set her right again. Or as right as she could be under the circumstances.

  A few minutes later, Mark and Daniel came downstairs. Mark was wearing khaki pants and a white hooded sweatshirt. He’d pulled it on over his coat, which made it a tight fit, but at least he would blend in with the snow a little better.

  “Make it fast,” she said. “It’s freezing out there.”

  “I think the ice has finally stopped,” Daniel said. “It’s just snow.”

  Mercy shook her head. “Doesn’t make much difference now. We’re imprisoned in the stuff.”

  Mark arched an eyebrow. “If there really are any bad guys out there, hopefully it will be tougher on them than it is on us.” He nodded at her before opening the front door. Then he slipped out into the night.

  “I don’t like him being out there alone,” Daniel said. “The cold makes it hard to keep his head on a swivel.” He walked toward the kitchen while Mercy watched him. She unbuckled her holster, put her hand on her gun and then started forward, following him.

  “So someone in town asked about you? Using your real name?” she said to him. “Can I ask how you found out about it?”

  Daniel frowned. “Why is that important? You sound as if you don’t believe me.”

  “It’s not my job to believe you or not believe you. It’s my job to check out your situation and try to figure out if you’re in danger. Asking about the threats against you is part of the job. What I can’t figure out is why you seem to be bothered by my attempts to assess your situation. I thought you wanted our help.”

  “I do.” He opened the cabinets and took out some cans. “Lots of chili.” He then pulled the refrigerator open and scanned its contents. “Cheddar cheese, onions, sour cream. Looks like we’ve got it made.”

  “Chili will be fine,” Mercy said. She walked closer to the kitchen. “So what do you expect us to do for you? Are you hoping to be relocated? That rarely happens a second time.”

  Daniel stared at her for a moment before clearing his throat. “I’m not sure. I guess that’s why you’re here. As you said, once you assess the threat, we can come up with a resolution.”

  She’d had enough and pulled her weapon, aiming it at Daniel’s chest. He dropped a can of chili and made a quick move toward his waist.

  “Well, that clinches it. But you’re not armed, remember?” she said. “I want to know what’s going on, and I want to know now.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Are you nuts?”

  “Keep his head on a swivel? Assess the threat? You’ve got training. You’re not a witness. You’re in law enforcement. Samuel Murphy, the person you used to be, was studying to be a chiropractor. There’s no reason you should know the terms you do. And chiropractors don’t automatically reach for a weapon when someone draws down on them.”

  “That’s ridiculous. I watch shows on TV that—”

  “Sorry, that won’t work. Also, I don’t think you’ve spent that much time in this house. Maybe enough to get a general idea of its layout, but not enough to know where your generator is—or even what’s in your cabinets.” Mercy glared at him. “Look, Daniel. If you don’t explain yourself to my satisfaction, you’ll be sorry. I’m not playing with you. My partner’s exposed and I’ll do whatever it takes to protect him. Do you have someone out there? Someone who can harm Mark?” She took a few steps closer, her gun trained on him. “I will shoot you in an extremity if you don’t tell me what I want to know. You won’t die, but you’ll hurt more than you can imagine.” Her voice rose. “Tell me who you are. Now!”

  “Mercy, put your gun down,” another voice called out before Daniel could respond to her.

  She swung slowly around while backing up so she didn’t turn her back on Daniel. Tally stood at the entrance to the kitchen, his gun aimed at her.

  Chapter

  Thirteen

  Mark could tell something was wrong as soon as he came through the door. Daniel and Tally sat on the couch, and Mercy was across from them in a chair. None of them looked happy.

  After he put his gloves in his pocket, he took off his coat, hung it up, then walked slowly toward them. “What’s going on?”

  “You tell me,” Mercy said. She gestured toward Daniel. “This man isn’t who he says he is, and I think you know it.”

  Mark hated seeing that look on her face. Betrayal. Confusion. He looked over at Tally whose expression made it clear he wasn’t willing to push the deception any further.

  Mark took a deep breath. “Mercy, do you trust me?” He stared into her eyes and didn’t like what he saw there. “I know you have a hard time putting confidence in people, but I’m asking you to look into your heart of hearts. Do you trust me?” he asked again. He saw her mouth quiver. It was almost imperceptible, yet it was enough to tell him what he needed to know. “Okay,” he said with a sigh. “We’ll tell you everything. You won’t like it, but I know you’ll unders
tand.”

  For a brief second he wondered if he’d made a mistake. He glanced at Daniel, hoping he wouldn’t try to take over the operation. If he did, Mark could lose control. He intended to accomplish his mission and keep Mercy safe. Daniel looked like he was about to speak, but then he pressed his lips together and leaned back against the couch, as if waiting for Mark to resolve the situation.

  Mark took a seat next to Mercy. “I’ll tell you what you want to know, but it will take a while. Let’s talk while we eat.”

  Actually, Mark wasn’t all that hungry after downing two of the sandwiches Mercy left in the car, but he needed time to think. Should he tell her everything? What should he hold back? At that moment he just wasn’t sure. Hopefully, Mercy would allow him some time to figure out his next move.

  “I’m hungry, Merce,” Tally said. “It won’t take long to rustle up that chili.”

  Mark knew Tally was torn between his loyalty to his best friend and his commitment to protect her. Though they should be one and the same, at that moment it was hard to see it that way.

  “No one’s eating until I know who he is,” Mercy said, pointing at Daniel.

  “Okay,” Mark said. “Mercy, meet Jess Medina. He’s a detective with the gang unit out of LA.”

  “I . . . I don’t understand.”

  “I’ll tell you everything,” Mark said, “but not right this minute. Please. As soon as the chili is ready, we’ll tell you what’s going on.”

  “But if we’re not protecting Daniel from someone, what are we doing here?”

  “Merce,” Tally said in a low voice. “Please.”

  “Well, I don’t seem to have a choice. But I don’t appreciate being brought out here under false pretenses. I’m a federal agent. I should be treated as such.” She glared at Tally. “Why wouldn’t you tell me the truth? I can’t believe you would lie to me.”

  “I haven’t actually lied to you,” he said. “I just didn’t tell you everything.” He reached over and grabbed Mercy’s arm. “I couldn’t, Merce. You’ll understand once we explain . . .”

  She forcefully pulled her arm out of his grip. “For most of my life, there’s only been one person I trusted completely. Until now, that is.”