The front door quietly opened, quietly shut, and careful footsteps made their way across the entry.
From the direction of the kitchen, Phoebe Glass called heartily, “Miss Falcon, you have arrived exactly on time. Sheriff Kwinault and Miss Palmer are in the parlor waiting for you. We’re about to have refreshments. Won’t you join us?”
The footsteps paused, then continued.
“Do come. We’re so convivial!”
Merida followed Phoebe into the parlor. She wore purple cotton yoga pants, a man’s wide-armed T-shirt, a pair of white leather running shoes and carried a small one-shoulder leather backpack. She had a bloody scratch across her cheek, and sweat rimmed her hairline. She wiped her face with the hem of her shirt, leaving a damp stain, and she was silently panting.
She looked glorious.
She smiled widely at Kateri. Nodded politely to Lilith. Spelled, “A good day for a run. I’ve got to grab a shower,” and looked meaningfully at Kateri.
Kateri patted Lacey and when Lacey jumped down, Kateri came to her feet. “Now that I know you’re settled here, Lilith, I’ll go on my way.”
Lilith’s narrow face grew chill with scorn. “Wait. You haven’t yet given me your report.”
As if Kateri owed her a report. About anything. “About?”
“Any word about the box our father sent you?”
“Rainbow is not … not out of her coma yet. No one expects that she will live through this.”
“So you’re going to give up on the possessions our father sent you?”
Sudden irritation scratched at Kateri, like sea salt on an open wound. “Are they important?”
Her snappishness gave Lilith the chance to be calm, logical and patronizing. “The raven is of historical importance. You know that, Katherine.”
“That raven is almost alive. If he wishes to return to me, he will.” Kateri pivoted on her heel and, using her stick, stalked out of the room, past Phoebe with her tray of ice water.
Phoebe must have enjoyed the little scene, for she smiled smugly.
Merida hurried ahead toward the door on the left. She used a key in the lock, tapped in a code on the keypad and used her thumbprint to get inside. She held the door for Kateri and Lacey, then shut the door behind them and locked them in.
Kateri felt she locked Lilith out. “That woman. Lilith. My sister.” She could hardly speak for annoyance. “I’ve set a watch on Rainbow’s house because I believe she is going to try and search it. What does that say about me?”
Merida took the small backpack off her shoulder, put it on the table and pulled out her tablet. She typed, “What does it say about her?”
“That she’s desperate. And I’m suspicious. Has there ever been anything Lilith wanted she didn’t get?”
“Actually, I think many things. When I look at her, I see a woman eaten up with envy. Of you.”
Kateri laughed a litle. “No. She couldn’t be so patronizing and still envy me.”
Merida sank into one of the dining chairs, and leaned down to offer her hand to Lacey.
Lacey seemed cautious with Merida, sniffing her fingers, allowing her to pet her, but not snuggling as she had with Lilith.
Merida gave Kateri such a look of wisdom, Kateri laughed again.
“I shouldn’t let her irritate me so.”
Merida nodded.
Her calm combination of signing and text soothed Kateri’s ire, made her feel a little less exasperated and more rational, and helped her focus on her errand here. “Let’s talk about this morning. Someone called you and threatened you.”
“Yes,” Merida signed.
“A man?”
Merida nodded again.
“Tell me exactly what he said.”
Merida straightened up, started to pick up her tablet.
Kateri stopped her. “No. Use your hands. Tell me what he said.” She wanted to see the look on Merida’s face, interpret her expressions, her gestures. More and more, she didn’t trust Merida.
Merida signed, “He said, ‘Be careful. They’re hunting you. Remember, you cannot scream.’”
“Did you recognize his voice?”
Merida shook her head, but her eyes held that faraway expression as if she was looking at a time past.
“What happened to your face?” Kateri pulled a line on her own cheek where the bloody scratch marred Merida’s skin.
Merida lifted her fingers to the mark, then signed, “I was running. I fell into the hedge next door.”
She was lying. Kateri was sure of it. “Merida, don’t discount this as a prank. Threats like that are serious.”
“It wasn’t really a threat, was it? More of a warning.”
“Who would warn you? Who are they?”
Again Merida shook her head, but she spelled, “I thought I had left everyone behind. But your sister is here.”
“She recognized you from India. She said … you were married then, and your name was Helen.”
“Yes. Nauplius created me out of the ashes. He remade me. He named me. I was his … invention.” Merida looked at her hands as if she could not believe the things she had said. “He’s dead. Someone else must be here.” Merida leaned her palms against the table, pressing hard as if she could shove her troubles away. “None of them have any reason to waste their time chasing after me. I’m not news. Nauplius’s children are vindictive and foolish, but I walked away with comparably little money and I’m not worth tracking.”
“It’s not always money.”
“No one knows that better than me.”
Kateri watched Lacey wander toward the door and lean against it as if the emotions in this room urged her out. “Do you know anyone in Virtue Falls you trust?”
Merida looked at Kateri.
“Besides me. I’m the sheriff and I’m dealing with big problems. Last night we had a woman slashed to death. Every female in this town is in danger.”
Merida nodded acknowledgment. She signed, “I do have someone I can trust. For the moment, at least. Please, concentrate and find the murderer. That is the best thing you can do now.”