There is no local police station or sheriff department in 150 miles. I can’t send an officer in time to tell her in person, as customary in cases like this, as it will be picked up by the media pretty soon.

I dial the 208 number she gave me.

A man answers. “Who gave you this number?”

I’d have preferred hello. The man’s voice is gruff and dismissive. I’m thinking that Ruth might have the same issue with her hand-picked husband as Ida. I decide not to tell him that Ruth had come out to Port Townsend to see me. Maybe he didn’t know.

Like the way she hid wearing mascara.

“Mr. Turner, I’m Detective Megan Carpenter from Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office in Washington. I have some news I need to tell Mrs. Ruth Turner. There’s some urgency here.”

“Tell me,” he says.

“She reported her sister missing, so it’s my duty to speak with her.”

“You can tell me. I’ll tell her.”

“It’s the law, sir.”

It wasn’t but Mr. Turner was acting like the biggest ass in the Gem State. Maybe the whole Pacific Northwest.

“It’s not the way we do things in Idaho, miss.”

“Detective, please.”

There’s a slight pause. He says something under his breath, but the refrigerator hum cancels his epithet.

“Ruth, get over here. Some detective in Washington is on my phone. Be quick about it. Someone might be calling for me.”

“Hello?”

“Mrs. Turner,” I say, “there is no easy way to give news like this to anyone.”

“Yes.”

“Is there someone there to be with you?” I purposely act like Mr. Turner isn’t even an option, because honestly, in my heart I doubt that he is.

“My husband and my oldest daughter are here.”

Her voice is cracking. She knows part of what’s coming. The other part, I doubt she could even conceive of it.

“Ruth…” I say.

She starts crying before I can say any more, and I hear a young woman hurrying to her, asking what’s wrong. I also hear Mr. Turner telling her to lower her volume. It’s interfering with whatever he’s watching on TV.

Her questions come in bursts between guttural sobs.

“What happened? Is Merritt in the hospital?”

I wish with all my heart that I was there with her.

“I’m sorry, Ruth. The evidence is that she was murdered. Merritt is still missing.”

Silence.

“Are you still there?”

“Yes,” she says, trying to pull herself together. “I am. I am. This is such a shock.”

The phone drops to the floor.

“I’m here, Mother.”

It’s the girl’s voice.

“Oh Eve,” Ruth answers as she gets back on the phone.

“Do you think Merritt has something to do with her… her… death?”

“We’re searching for him now. Yes, we do.”