“Go on.” His voice is gruff and to the point.
“There is a building on the east industrial spur in Redwater City. Brandon’s. I need it to burn to the ground. Can you make that happen?”
He laughs. His laugh is hard and empty.
“Darlin’,” he says. “I can make anything happen. It will cost you, though.”
He tells me the amount and I tell him I will wire it. I tell him the specifics I want with the fire. The funny thing now is I have access to a lot of money. We had a lot of money, Daniel and myself. But I never would have dared use any without asking him. Now I can use what I like. I can go on Margot’s Mac and get on my internet banking, go to our joint account and just wire him a vast sum of money.
The call is four minutes. I hang up.
I have arranged a man in Reno to burn a building.
I have done it to destroy the records that put Max Hale's name anywhere near the Clark fire.
I have done it knowing what she did.
I have done it because I am completely and irrevocably in love with her.
My hands do not shake.
I take out this list of Margot’s.
I dial a number. The number is a Redwater City exchange. The voice that answers is a woman, and the woman puts me through in a count of three to a woman who says, "Detective Warren."
I close my eyes.
The cabin in the woods does not exist on any list a detective has, and the cabin in the woods is not going on any list a detective has, because Chief Valentina Mercer drove from the city last night to make sure of it.
I am the only person on this call who can put the cabin on the list.
I am not going to put the cabin on the list.
"Detective. I am Evangeline Clark. I believe you are looking for me.”
"Mrs. Clark." She sounds surprised.
"Yes."
"You are alive?”
"I am. Very much so.”
"I am very glad to hear your voice, Mrs. Clark. Where are you calling from?”
"A motel."
"In what city."
"I would prefer to not say."
"Mrs. Clark."
"I am scared, Detective. I have been scared since the night of the fourteenth. I climbed out of an upper window of the house onto the roof and I climbed down a fire escape and I walked to a road and I got into a truck with a man who took my money and drove me as far as Twin Falls. I have been moving since. Ihave been alone. I have not contacted my husband's firm or my mother-in-law or the insurance company or anyone in Redwater City because I do not know who set the fire, and I am not coming back to that city until I know who I can trust.”
The line is quiet for a count of three.
"Mrs. Clark."
