Dying for Mercy
Page 1
Mary Jane Clark
Dying for Mercy
Once again, for Elizabeth and David.
And for Steve Simring, who helped me solve my own puzzle.
Contents
Prologue
The moonlight trickled through the glass roof. He pulled a…
Sunday October 4
Chapter 1
You look pretty, Mom.”
Chapter 2
Everything had to be perfect tonight.
Chapter 3
As the sun set over the Ramapo Mountains, the man…
Chapter 4
After Innis finished his task, he found his wife standing…
Chapter 5
Eliza sat back and looked out the window at the…
Chapter 6
The party guests were arriving, and Valentina and Innis Wheelock…
Chapter 7
The car inched along the crushed-stone driveway, behind the other…
Chapter 8
There you go, sir,” said Bill O’Shaughnessy as he put…
Chapter 9
As they took their place on the buffet line, a…
Chapter 10
Close to one hundred well-dressed and well-connected guests gathered in…
Chapter 11
He was fairly certain that he had slipped out of…
Chapter 12
Why was Innis creeping about late at night, on his…
Chapter 13
I have been all things unholy. If God can work…
Chapter 14
Eliza was standing by the fireplace admiring the beautiful carvings…
Chapter 15
Excuse me. Pardon me.”
Chapter 16
In their final conversation in his study, Innis had said…
Monday October 5
Chapter 17
B.J. D’Elia groaned. “These hours kill me.”
Chapter 18
Eliza Blake’s voice announced the top stories of the morning.
Chapter 19
Snapping off the television set, Susannah Lansing got out of…
Chapter 20
They got off to school all right?” asked Annabelle.
Chapter 21
Throughout the broadcast, whenever she wasn’t on camera, Eliza checked…
Chapter 22
Lacing up his athletic shoes, Zack Underwood was determined to…
Chapter 23
Eliza paced her office, stopping to look out the huge…
Chapter 24
Listening to Mike snoring beside her, Annabelle could not get…
Chapter 25
With the midterm elections fast approaching, political guru Peter Nordstrut…
Chapter 26
The hybrid sedan stopped in the driveway.
Chapter 27
Valentina Wheelock stood inside the walk-in closet and stared unseeingly…
Tuesday October 6
Chapter 28
Nobody locks their doors in this park. Anybody could just…
Chapter 29
The cab dropped Annabelle off in front of the Broadcast…
Chapter 30
The clock screeched, rousing Eliza from a deep sleep. She…
Chapter 31
Eunice showered and dressed in her basement apartment before going…
Chapter 32
What took you so long?” asked Unity as her husband…
Chapter 33
Cleo had slept later than usual, allowing her father to…
Chapter 34
There was hot coffee waiting, and an empty cup on…
Chapter 35
Linus Nazareth strode right past Paige’s desk without acknowledging her…
Chapter 36
Standing on her terrace in her cashmere robe, her short…
Chapter 37
As the hybrid sedan crossed over the George Washington Bridge,…
Chapter 38
Peter was watching MSNBC on his office television set and…
Chapter 39
The walls of Zack Underwood’s office were decorated with old…
Wednesday October 7
Chapter 40
Reporters, producers, and camera crews were staked out in front…
Chapter 41
Even without an invitation, Susannah was determined to attend Innis…
Chapter 42
It’s going to be okay, Mother,” said Russell, patting her…
Chapter 43
His palms were clammy as he waited for his turn…
Chapter 44
Leaving the dimness of the church, Eliza squinted as she…
Chapter 45
As Eliza was driven inside the gates of Tuxedo Park,…
Chapter 46
The gold walls, the rose-based Oriental rug, the drapes printed…
Chapter 47
Was that what the great Innis Wheelock meant when he…
Chapter 48
At one of the round tables, there was an empty…
Chapter 49
Eliza finished her coffee and looked around the ballroom. She…
Chapter 50
Once the last of the luncheon guests had departed, Russell…
Chapter 51
Chief Clay Vitalli reviewed the security logs, checking to make…
Chapter 52
Once Bonnie had let her know that there was a…
Chapter 53
When he arrived at his office in town, Zack returned…
Chapter 54
As she walked through the front door, Eliza was greeted…
Chapter 55
Unity was grateful that they’d had such a big lunch.
Chapter 56
For the third time in a row, Peter served the…
Thursday October 8
Chapter 57
It was midmorning when the first wire-service story ran about…
Chapter 58
On the ride out from Manhattan, Annabelle and B.J. came…
Chapter 59
After dropping Aurelia back at Underwood’s office, Annabelle called the…
Chapter 60
Aurelia Patterson was in tears when she finished taking inventory…
Chapter 61
Eliza was in her office talking with Margo Gonzalez when…
Chapter 62
He had tried to put her off—evading her questions or…
Chapter 63
Spreading the collar of his white shirt on the ironing…
Chapter 64
The tennis house, with its white columns and piazza, was…
Chapter 65
After dinner Russell went back to his Columbia University residence…
Chapter 66
It was Janie’s last evening before going off to Hershey…
Chapter 67
I didn’t have lunch today, or dinner either,” said the…
Chapter 68
One of the things that never ceased to amaze Clay…
Chapter 69
Each laminated page of the turquoise-leather photo album taken from…
Friday October 9
Chapter 70
In the moments after the alarm clock sounded, Eliza moved…
Chapter 71
The successful Middle East peace talks and the president’s arrival…
Chapter 72
Finished with morning prayer, Father Gehry closed his breviary. He…
Chapter 73
Knowing that he’d already blown off his nine o’clock class,…
Chapter 74
Doubting that Aurelia Patterson was going to call and volunteer…
Chapter 75
Mack appeared at the doorway, hol
ding his index finger up…
Chapter 76
Fitzroy had been very quiet all morning, and Unity was…
Chapter 77
The carriage house on Clubhouse Road was one of several…
Chapter 78
Wrapped in a heavy sweater against the chill late-afternoon air,…
Chapter 79
It could not be allowed to happen.
Chapter 80
Aurelia slapped the side of her thigh.
Saturday October 10
Chapter 81
Slipping from bed as quietly as she could, Eliza put…
Chapter 82
Valentina answered the door herself.
Chapter 83
After thanking Valentina for lunch, Eliza and Mack headed to…
Chapter 84
They went back to the carriage house. Eliza spread the…
Chapter 85
When he heard Eliza Blake’s words transmitted via the listening…
Chapter 86
Midnight stayed with his mistress all through the night. At…
Chapter 87
What’s the matter?” asked Fitzroy. “What was so important that…
Chapter 88
Eliza called the Cohens to see how the trip was…
Chapter 89
There they were, laughing and leaning against each other.
Chapter 90
Let’s take the long way home,” said Eliza, edging a…
Chapter 91
What if the job wasn’t complete? What if Eliza and…
Chapter 92
Eliza climbed up, grabbing hold of rocks and branches to…
Chapter 93
The moonlight reflected off the roof of the Volvo. It…
Chapter 94
Crouched in the darkness, Eliza heard strange pinging sounds, metal…
Sunday October 11
Chapter 95
Sitting alone in the waiting room at Good Samaritan Hospital,…
Chapter 96
After the sun came up, the Tuxedo Park police, led…
Chapter 97
We all wanted to come,” announced Annabelle when she arrived…
Chapter 98
Clay came home to grab a cup of coffee and…
Chapter 99
The surgeon finally emerged.
Chapter 100
She’d been so excited she hadn’t been able to sleep…
Chapter 101
They think he’s going to be out for quite a…
Chapter 102
News that someone had tried to kill Eliza Blake and…
Chapter 103
Easing herself out of the bathtub, Eliza dried herself carefully.
Chapter 104
Blue and white balloons decorated the fences surrounding the tennis…
Chapter 105
Cleo Vitalli finished her tennis game, a broad grin on…
Chapter 106
Eliza was tired, sore, and having a hard time keeping…
Chapter 107
Chief Vitalli got out of the police vehicle and headed…
Chapter 108
As soon as she saw the car drive up, Eliza…
Chapter 109
Clay reached out and grabbed Russell by the collar of…
Chapter 110
While we’re in here, we really should get some shots…
Chapter 111
As they drove out the front gate, they passed the…
Chapter 112
The leather strap used to kill Zack Underwood represented the…
Chapter 113
Sunday was always a long day for Father Gehry, and…
Monday October 12
Chapter 114
Hearing noise coming from the other twin bed, Unity rolled…
Chapter 115
Confronting him with the information about the staged murder scenes…
Chapter 116
Ever since the maintenance man retired some four years earlier,…
Chapter 117
With minutes to go before the broadcast concluded, the story…
Chapter 118
Valentina knocked softly on the door of her son’s room.
Chapter 119
Eliza, Annabelle, and B.J. made a stop at Good Samaritan…
Chapter 120
Susannah couldn’t be happier about the way things had gone…
Chapter 121
Good morning, Bonnie,” said Eliza as she stood at the…
Chapter 122
It was a glorious Indian-summer day, clear and warm.
Chapter 123
Eliza and Annabelle gathered around B.J. as he manipulated the…
Chapter 124
From Pentimento, Eliza, Annabelle, and B.J. drove to the rented…
Chapter 125
Columbus Day was a big campaigning day. There were parades…
Chapter 126
There were several boats floating in the water at the…
Chapter 127
Directory assistance provided the number for William O’Shaughnessy. He answered…
Chapter 128
A walk along the water’s edge, a close examination of…
Chapter 129
Eliza, Annabelle, and B.J. kept interested but dispassionate expressions on…
Chapter 130
As they left Bill O’Shaughnessy’s house, Eliza’s phone sounded. The…
Chapter 131
After she left the hospital, Eliza called Mack’s parents and…
Tuesday October 13
Chapter 132
All of the morning shows did pieces on the “stigmata…
Chapter 133
The KEY News car pulled up in front of the…
Chapter 134
Fitzroy Heavener finally answered the phone on the fifth ring.
Chapter 135
Susannah stood on her balcony, looking down at Pentimento. She’d…
Chapter 136
Are you sure you’re going to be all right?” asked…
Chapter 137
It was a lesson learned long ago.
Chapter 138
What did happen as a result of the affair?” asked…
Chapter 139
Scores of newspeople waiting in the church parking lot received…
Chapter 140
The birds chirped and chattered as the door to the…
Chapter 141
Where was the clue? Where was it?
Chapter 142
The police officer had fielded an onslaught of reporters’ questions…
Chapter 143
The table was covered with sacks of seed, pellets, and…
Chapter 144
While the newspeople packed up their gear and filtered away…
Chapter 145
Eliza swung around at the sound of the voice but…
Chapter 146
The guard at the front gate was having none of…
Chapter 147
I don’t quite understand,” said Eliza, fearing that she did.
Chapter 148
Annabelle leaned over from the passenger seat to speak with…
Chapter 149
Eliza’s heart pounded as she ran through the aviary. She…
Chapter 150
Valentina and Susannah stopped talking when Bonnie entered the living…
Chapter 151
Russell held her arms against the stone floor as Eliza…
Epilogue
Eliza tapped on the sliding glass door of B.J.’s editing…
Author’s Note
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Other Books by Mary Jane Clark
Credits
Copyright
About the Publisher
PROLOGUE
A FEW HOURS FROM NOW…
The moonlight trickled through the glass roof. He pulled a large clay pot from the corner of the room and sa
t on the cold ground beside it. Then he removed his shoes and socks.
To be accurate, he would have had to use thick nails and a lance to make the wounds—but how would he be able to hammer the nails into both his hands or maneuver the long spear into his own side? The hunting knife would have to do.
He held the blade in his right hand first. He drew up his knees so that his feet would be as close to the rest of his body as possible. Leaning forward, he positioned the point of the knife over his foot. He closed his eyes and pushed.
He let out a long groan while pulling out the knife. Then he quickly repeated the motion on the other foot. He tried to block his mind from the searing pain, directing his thoughts instead to the greater good that would come from this act.
Turning his left palm upward, he held the back of his hand against the ground to steady it. The knife found its mark in the middle of his lifeline.
He must act quickly, not knowing how rapidly he would bleed out or if he would lose consciousness. He transferred the hunting knife to his left hand, opened his right hand, and stuck the blade into his palm. There was only one thing remaining to do.
SUNDAY OCTOBER 4
CHAPTER 1
You look pretty, Mom.”
Facing the mirror, Eliza stared at the reflection of the child standing behind her in the middle of the bathroom floor. Janie was wearing her soccer uniform. One kneesock was bunched around her thin ankle, dirt smudged both her knees, and more wisps of brown hair sprang free from her ponytail than were caught up in it. Her cheeks were still slightly flushed from running up and down the school field. Turning, Eliza bent and kissed her seven-year-old daughter on the top of the head.
“Thank you, sweetheart.” Eliza held herself back from gathering the child in her arms and holding her close. It was a familiar urge now, the desire to hang on to Janie and not let go. Almost three months since the kidnapping, and Eliza still woke up in a cold sweat many nights. How close she’d come to losing her only child, the daughter whose father had tragically died before she was even born, the little girl who was at the center of Eliza’s world.
“I want to come with you,” said Janie.
“I wish you could, honey, but it’s a party for adults. There won’t be any children there.”
“But Valentina and Innis would want me to come,” insisted Janie, hands on hips. “They like me. When we went to their house that time, they said I could come again anytime I want.”
Eliza turned back to the mirror and picked up a tube of mascara. “I know they did. And we will go there again. Remember I told you about the little house we’ve rented near the Wheelocks’? Our lease starts next week. I’m sure we’ll be able to visit Valentina and Innis when we go up there on weekends.”
Janie’s expression brightened. “Can we go in the birdhouse?”