The hair stood up on the back of my neck, and my heart lurched. Theo Weld, the pastor, had followed me, and I’d been stupid enough not to keep watch.

“I was hoping you were sheltering Emerald Ferring and August Veriden. I’d like to know they’re safe.”

“They’re not hiding inside Emerson Prence’s Communion chalice,” he said dryly. “You can leave now.”

He stood with his hand on the doorknob, but I stopped when I passed him. “Ms. Ferring and Mr. Veriden might have seen something or someone out on Doris McKinnon’s land that puts their lives at risk. I hope they’re still alive. If you know where they are, please send a message to them. Please get them to tell you what they saw. If I can find that out, then maybe I can clear things up so that they can come out of hiding.”

Weld wasn’t any taller than me. Standing next to him, I could see he had the pale blue eyes of a Scandinavian sailor. They stared at me with all the coldness of the North Atlantic.

“I don’t know where they are, Ms. Warshawski. I’m not sure I’d tell you if I did, but I don’t know.”

40
Polar Bear

I left the church, rather embarrassed, and was in a nearby field with Peppy and Bernie when my phone buzzed against my hip. I glanced at the screen and froze: the ICU nurses’ station.

A woman was on the other end, rattled and not completely coherent. “Can you come? I didn’t know who to call, but Sandy, Sandy Heinz, she said you were reliable and to call—”

“Can you start with who you are and what’s happening?” My voice was sharp, a slap to settle her nerves.

“Tricia. Tricia Polanco, I’m the ward head at the ICU today. Sandy said to call you if something went wrong with Sonia Kiel, and it has. Her brother . . . I don’t know which one—”

“Call Sergeant Everard at the police department. I’ll be with you in five.”

I grabbed Peppy’s leash and told Bernie we had to leave. As we ran to the parking lot, I explained that I had to go to the hospital as fast as possible; she’d have to stay in the car with the dog or walk Peppy around the hospital perimeter.

Cady and Gertrude were leaving as we reached our car. They heard Bernie’s piercing questions, including a demand as to why we had to go so instantly to the hospital.

“Sonia?” Cady asked.

I nodded. “I’m not sure what, but it sounds frightening.”

Cady offered to take Bernie home to lunch, which made Gertrude’s face tighten with annoyance. “Not the dog,” she said.

“Right,” I agreed. “Dog stays with me. Bernie, I’ll call you as soon as I know when and where I’ll be.”