Bailey walks across the farmyard. “You must be Damon.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he replies.
Bailey turns to Alex. “Better-looking than his picture. Good manners too. I can see you raised him well.”
“Damon,” says Alex, “this is Detective Gail Bailey, Chapel Hill police. She’s been helping me look for you.”
“I’m sorry it took this long,” says Bailey. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, ma’am. Thank you.”
Bailey turns back to Alex. “I appreciate your talking us through the minefield out there. I’ll get some ordnance experts out here in the morning to defuse the place.”
“Damon!” Melissa’s voice.
Alex turns as a couple of cops lift her out of the hatch. She runs over to Damon and wraps herself around him. A few seconds later, Lucas and Amy get pulled up. A paramedic leads them over to the front porch. Another paramedic walks up to Damon and Melissa, who are still clinging to each other. “Let’s get you guys checked out, okay?”
“We’re fine,” says Damon, hugging Melissa even tighter.
Alex taps Damon on the shoulder. “Go with the medics, son. They’re here to help.”
Damon keeps one arm tight around Melissa’s waist as they walk off.
“Detective!” one of the cops calls from the opening of the hatch.
Bailey walks over. Alex follows her.
They both look down into the pit. Colton Brophy is on the floor at the base of the ladder, squirming and cursing, his hands tied firmly behind his back with Alex’s belt.
Bailey looks at Alex. “You want to read him his rights?”
“No, thanks,” says Alex. “Your town, your collar.”
Bailey tells the cop, “Get a couple of our biggest guys and haul him up.”
“Copy that, Detective.”
When Bailey turns around, Alex catches her eye and looks up at the Confederate flag, lit from below by a floodlight, rippling against the night sky.
Bailey turns back to the cop and points to the flag. “But first, tear that damn thing down.”
CHAPTER 108
Sampson
One week later …
I HAVEN’T WORN MY dress uniform in two years. Not since the last funeral I attended, somewhere in New Jersey. I didn’t know the officer, just knew that he’d been killed in the line of duty. So a lot of us showed up from all over, like we always do.
Today is different.
Today I’m in Arlington National Cemetery, and this place carries a lot of weight. White headstones everywhere, as far as the eye can see. I feel like I’m surrounded by duty and sacrifice. Whenever I’m here, I get a strong feeling of survivor’s guilt.
Today that feeling is stronger than ever.
Today we’re burying Anna Rizzo.
Willow is at my side, wearing a black dress that Jannie Cross found for her.
