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“Who are you?” Mercy sat up to glare at the man standing outside her cell door.
His bushy gray brows rose at her churlish tone. “I’m your attorney, Huntley Higgenbottom.”
“Are you any good? Never mind. When am I getting out?” She pressed her face to the bars of the small jail. It wasn’t what she expected when the officer loaded her into the back of his squad car. After cheesing off the FBI, Mercy anticipated a prison surrounded by razor wire and guards with weapons capable of cutting her in two, along with an ugly interrogation room containing a table and hard chairs. Instead, she had been processed and put into a cell after calling Grammy.
Mercy nearly snorted out loud when she recalled that brief and pointed conversation. Then she realized her lawyer was speaking, and she struggled to focus her overworked mind.
“You mean I’m not getting out?” Her knuckles showed white against the bars she gripped tightly.
“Get used to it. You’re considered a flight risk and will undoubtedly be refused bail at your arraignment. In the meantime, you’re being transferred.” After explaining the federal charges she faced, he nodded to the officer who stood nearby with a door key and handcuffs. “He’s your transport guard.”
“Well, at least in Denver I can—” Mercy closed her working eye when she saw the expression on the lawyer’s face. The officer unlocked her cell, and she stepped out, offering her hands for the cuffs. “I’m not going to Denver, am I?”
“You’re being returned to Sinful where I understand you are facing another charge,” Higgenbottom replied.
Mercy was skeptical. “Why am I going there? Isn’t that rather unusual under the circumstances?”
He shrugged. “Count your blessings. The feds made that decision and in your place, I wouldn’t question it.”
“That’s because you haven’t been incarcerated in Sinful,” she muttered under her breath. In the quiet that followed her comment she explained, “Even the motel violates basic prisoner rights.”
“If you’d rather be transferred to a larger facility—”
Mercy paused as the officer prepared to lead her to the transport vehicle. She rolled her head sideways to address her attorney. “What other charge am I facing?”
He glanced at a sheet of paper, then looked over his reading glasses. “Montgomery Spencer alleges you stole an electronic device.”
Mercy bared her teeth. “Inform the Sinful Sheriff’s Department I’m on my way.”
“Okay, I will see you when I get word about your arraignment, or any other meeting the feds request. I’m surprised they haven’t been here to get a statement and question you. Maybe they’re waiting for your return to Sinful. I’ll keep you posted.”
By the time Mercy reached the Sinful jail, word had reached Gertie and Ida Belle, who were waiting to visit her once the transfer was complete.
“Can I bring you anything to make your stay comfortable?” Gertie asked. “Your face looks terrible.”
Ida Belle pushed Gertie to the side. “Save the chit-chat. Mercy, what happened? Our friend Myrtle works the night shift. She told us an arrest warrant came through for you last night.” Her eyes twinkled, and she lowered her voice. “She also said Carter was plenty pissed to discover you’d left town, and he wasn’t aware of it. So what happened? Did the feds find your cousin?”
Mercy shrugged. “I have no idea where he is now, and that’s the truth. He passed me a note last night and told me to butt out of his business.”
“We didn’t expect you’d leave so suddenly,” Gertie said, sounding disappointed in her.
“I’ll make sure Grammy pays you back,” Mercy replied, a little disappointed herself that Gertie’s visit was prompted by money.
“For what?” Gertie looked confused and Mercy pressed her fingers to her forehead. Spence had a lot to answer for!
“You didn’t lose a thousand dollars playing craps last night?”
“The pastor frowns on gambling,” Gertie said primly.
Ida Belle gave her friend a mocking look and turned to Mercy. “That’s why Gertie only plays the lottery.”
“As a retired school teacher, it’s my duty to support the state’s education system,” Gertie said defensively.
“Is that why you cash in your winning tickets?” Ida Belle hooted.
“Mere pittances,” Gertie sniffed dismissively. “Of course, if I won the big jackpot, I’d make a generous donation supporting education.”
“Like your retirement fund,” Ida Belle remarked dryly.
“You’re getting sidetracked,” Gertie stated with a slight chuckle at the peeved look Ida Belle gave her. They turned their attention to the woman in the cell. “So Mercy, what can you tell us?”
“That’s her subtle way of asking if we should expect to be arrested as accomplices,” Ida Belle translated.
“Of course not. I already told you I wouldn’t say anything to get you in trouble. But I haven’t even been questioned. And frankly, I’m curious as to why the feds had me transferred to Sinful.” She lowered her voice and whispered, “I’m sure what I did qualifies me for a position in the really bad girl’s corner- a federal pen.”
“What did your lawyer say?” Gertie asked.
“Not much. He just read me the charges, said the feds requested I be transferred back to Sinful, and that I’m facing an additional charge of theft.” Her brows went straight and her voice rose. “For a cell phone charger! A cord, no less! Not even a power bank. Can you believe it?” She didn’t understand the amused look of understanding the ladies shared. “Spencer was the one who told me you gambled away a thousand dollars, Gertie.”
Gertie reached through the bars to pat Mercy’s hand. “I’m sure he had his reasons. I’ll see about a poultice for your black eye. Can I bring anything else?”
Carter stepped through the connecting door, interrupting them. “She’s due for her arraignment in Chalk Lake, so wrap it up.” He left the door cracked while they finished their conversation. He unlocked Mercy’s cell after the women left.
“Would you like a comb?”
“Shut up!” Mercy stomped past the grinning Carter to the patrol car waiting to drive her to Chalk Lake for a brief and predictable arraignment. It went as her lawyer anticipated and she was back in her cell within an hour.
Spence stopped by to visit her that evening, and Mercy agreed to see him. She waited until that lean handsome face was a few feet from her cell before hurling the dinner spoon and metal tray through the bars. The spoon bounced off his chest and he jumped to the side, avoiding the tray that clattered against the concrete floor, splattering gravy as it bounced.
Deputy Breaux opened the connecting door, poked his head in to check on the disturbance, and quickly pulled back after seeing Mercy’s thunderous expression.
“You’ll get a reputation for being abusive and destructive,” Spence cautioned, knowing she’d take the bait.
“Since I’m already facing a long sentence, what’s another few years?” she flared. “Is Louisiana a capital punishment state?”
“And you’ll never qualify for a good behavior sentence reduction unless you learn to control that temper,” he scolded.
“I’m willing to risk it in exchange for enjoying the satisfaction of strangling someone- like you.” She looked for something else to throw but decided he was unworthy of the toilet paper. “If you’re looking for your stupid phone charger, it’s been confiscated as evidence, so take it up with the feds.”
“Well, that’s upsetting,” he said gravely.
“Really? Then try this on for size,” she suggested, raising both middle fingers. “Now, what do you want?”
He grinned at her response, and she nearly melted into a pool of jelly. Then she found her mental meat mallet and proceeded to beat her head with it. Spence was undoubtedly smoking hot. He was also a complication, and she didn’t have time for handsome complications. Not when her foreseeable future included locked cells, angry inmates, and indifferent prison guards.
“Are you even listening? You have a bad habit of daydreaming.”
“Of course I’m listening,” she lied. “But you aren’t speaking clearly.”
“Ah. Let me rephrase it. You’re no longer facing a theft charge. I assured the good deputy it was just a misunderstanding.”
She rolled her eyes. “Wow, I appreciate that. Because that one weighed heavy on my mind. I’m sure it would have resulted in two weeks of community service. Thanks for saving me from that! Why are you staring?” Her hands unconsciously went to her hair, springy and wild from the humidity.
He shook his head. “For a woman with a quick wit, you’ve made some incredibly stupid personal choices.”
“Like trusting my family? I can’t argue with that one.” She flopped backwards on the bunk. There was no point in getting upset. After all, she was responsible for not insisting on details before jumping out the plane door with Loyal’s anvil strapped to her back, so to speak. Then, unable to resist, she rolled to her side to ask him, “Or are you referring to absconding with your phone charger?”
Even with her black eye and swollen lip she was dang cute. He found himself staring stupidly, wondering what would have happened had they met under different circumstances. Then he mentally berated himself. The last thing he needed was to get mixed up with this crazy brunette who was facing serious criminal charges. Not to mention the whole “family money” issue.
But Mercy seemed nothing like the woman he once had a serious relationship with; before he discovered she planned his whole future, along with her father who expected Spence to join his investment firm and her mother who wanted him to hobnob at the country club. None of them seemed to understand he liked wearing jeans and working with his hands, and not from a high-rise office desk on Casual Friday.
Still, there was no point in even considering a possible relationship with Mercy. Not with the bleak future she faced. It was best to say goodbye and move on.
“So, what’s next?” he asked.
Mercy flipped onto her back again. “Beats me. I guess I sit here until I hear from my lawyer.”
“Do you want to play cards?” he heard himself ask.
Her enchanting dimples made another appearance. “Poker? What’s the buy in? Because I’m officially broke.”
“I have a bag of candy in my truck,” he offered jokingly.
“As long as it’s not gum! If I blow a bubble and it pops on my hair? Well, it won’t be pretty.”
“I’ll make a note to bring super blowing bubble gum next time,” he said with a grin.
“Along with a side of goo remover. Now go get that candy. I plan to eat my winnings. See if the deputy will let you use a chair and a small table from the office.”
He returned with a folding chair, an empty box which served as a table, a deck of cards, and a bag of candy. They avoided the subjects of money, prison, and family while they played, and by the time he was ready to leave Mercy had consumed most of the bag.
“I thought you didn’t play poker,” he accused, rising from the hard folding chair.
“Chocolate is an inspiration,” she replied from inside her cell, standing and rubbing her tummy.
He reached through the bars to wipe a bit of melted chocolate from her cheek and then yanked his hand back when he realized what he’d done.
Mercy saw his reaction. Obviously, he regrets that wild impulse because he looks like he swallowed a live weevil that’s still squirming in his stomach. Well, she didn’t need his pity, and she didn’t care for his hot and cold performance. She fluttered her hand dismissively. “I hope I’m not up puking all night from the candy. Goodbye.”
She bit back a smile at the surprise on his face. He hadn’t expected her to say that. While he stood with a slack jaw, she waggled her fingers and flopped down on the bunk with her back to him.
“Uh, Mercy? You forgot something.”
“Go away, Spencer. I’m planning a busy day tomorrow, and I need my beauty sleep.”
Again she left him speechless, or so she thought. He cleared his throat, and she rolled over to ask, “What?”
A bright pink flip-flop sailed across the room. “You left it in my truck.”
This man is all over the map! Can’t he make up his mind? She bristled and sat up with a hiss. “Is that all?”
“No. Don’t request an early wake up call. Your beauty sleep, remember?”
Her pillow hit the cell bars, and she’d have thrown the toilet paper if he hadn’t hustled to the connecting door with a cocky grin. After he escaped, she threw herself down on the hard little bed and wondered what game he was playing. And why. Finally, she gave up the exhausting search for answers and fell into a fitful sleep.