Chapter Sixty-Two
SIXTY-TWO
Tim
“Pick up, pick up,” Tim muttered as he dialed Mikko’s number for a third time, but again the call rang out with no reply. “His phone must be silenced.”
“Drive faster,” said Mac. All she could think about was finding Blair.
Through the windshield, Tim could see the white lighthouse perched at the uppermost point of the peninsula, nothing but wide-open lake beyond.
It had been strange driving past Mikko’s house, knowing how much they’d learned since he first stepped through the door.
Acknowledging how much they still didn’t know.
What they lacked were the ligaments that would link every part of the case, connecting joints with bone.
Blair was central to that. Blair and Molly, if the woman was lucky enough to survive the night.
“Nic’s calling,” Mac said, looking down at her phone. “I’ll put her on speaker.”
“Maureen!” Nicole’s voice sounded raw, her pitch harried. “Are you with her? Do you have Blair?”
“We’re just pulling up. I see the Toyota, so she’s definitely here—and there’s another car too. Well, that explains why she’s been MIA.”
“No.” Nicole’s delivery of the word raised all the hairs on Tim’s arms. When she spoke again, her voice was shaky. “I saw Mikko and Stacy. I asked them about the party. Maureen, I think I know who killed Angelica.”
Tim had given up watching the road. His eyes were on Mac, whose baffled expression mirrored his own.
When Nicole was done talking, Mac said, “Nic, I hear you, but this doesn’t make sense.”
“I’m telling you, it’s true. Please,” she said, “please, you have to make sure she’s safe.”
“We will,” Mac said evenly, glancing at Tim. “We’re parking right now. I’ll call you soon.”
Through a whimper, Nicole had agreed to stand by.
Tim pulled up next to the two cars, and turned off the engine of his SUV.
“This is crazy,” said Mac.
“I agree. But if she’s right …” Tim shook his head. “He could be armed. We need to be ready.”
“Yeah. OK.”
In unison, they opened the doors.