Page 51 of Guess Again
“We don’t know much yet, other than that she lives up in Nekoosa. We’re working to figure out who she is and what her connection to Francis Bernard is.”
“Where’s the phone now?” Mark asked.
“I’ve got the forensics team at DCI looking at it,” Pete said. “As soon as anything comes back, I’ll let you know.”
Ethan refrained from mentioning that he had Christian Malone working on recovering the deleted text messages from Callie’s phone. Christian, he knew, had come to Cherryview to get away from stress and drama. Mentioning him to the governor was ill-advised.
“I want to see the son of a bitch,” Mark said. “I want to see Francis Bernard.”
“That’s not a good idea,” Ethan said.
“The bastard is dangling information about my daughter in front of us like a carrot. I want to speak with him.”
“Hear Ethan out, Mark.”
The governor stared at Pete a moment and then looked at Ethan and nodded.
“Francis has managed to put himself into a powerful position,” Ethan said. “In addition to the cell phone, Francis led me to a photo of a woman named Portia Vail. She went missing from Milwaukee about a month ago. Francis knows that if his demands are tied to another girl who has recently gone missing, then we’ll have to act quickly.”
“Act quickly to do what?” Mark asked.
“Comply with his demand for a transfer to Columbia Correctional Institute, where security is lighter and where he will not be kept in solitary confinement.”
The governor continued to pace.
“Francis also promises,” Ethan said, pausing at what he needed to say. “To provide the location of your daughter’s body in exchange for the transfer. And supposedly, with your daughter’s remains are clues about who killed her.”
The governor ran his hands through his hair. Ethan knew that even a decade later, Mark Jones had hoped his daughter might be found alive.
“Sorry to be so blunt about this, sir. But Francis knows you have the power to make the transfer happen, and he’s giving you one week to get it done. He wants to be transferred next Monday.”
“Or what?”
“Or Portia Vail dies.”
CHAPTER 46
Nekoosa, Wisconsin Tuesday, July 29, 2025
ELTONJOHN’S“GOODBYEYELLOWBRICKROAD” ECHOED THROUGHthe bathroom as she stepped from the shower and examined her body in the mirror. The tattoo of a python twisted around her calf and climbed up her thigh, slithering around her hip until the head of the snake crept to her navel, mouth open and fangs exposed. She turned sideways and raised her arm, pulling her right breast to the side to examine the newest tattoo etched into the side of her ribcage—a black heart.
As she dried her hair and applied makeup—dark eyeliner and thick mascara—she replayed her journey to the rail yard and the abandoned warehouse from two weeks before, and her success in securing the storage unit where she placed the contents of the footlocker. She wanted so badly to tell Francis how well she had done setting up all the photos just like he’d asked her, and that she had followed his every command to a tee. But she’d have to wait until the next time she saw him, which, if things went according to plan, wouldn’t be long now. Soon she’d be able to see Francis as much as she wanted. They’d finally be together. But only if she followed the plan, and followed it perfectly.
She finished her makeup and then dressed. She checked her watch. Five minutes until the required therapy session began. She hurried to the kitchen table, opened her laptop, and followed the login prompts.
CHAPTER 47
Milwaukee, Wisconsin Tuesday, July 29, 2025
DR. LINDSAYLARKIN FINISHED HER MORNING MEETINGS, SKIPPEDlunch, and took the cup of coffee her assistant handed her.
“What’s my afternoon look like?” Lindsay asked.
“Busy,” Beth said. “You’ve got six clients scheduled from noon until six o’clock. Then the evening board meeting until seven. Then the fundraiser at The Box.”
“That’s tonight?”
“Yes. Should I cancel?”
