"Hi Mark," she said, putting the phone on speaker so that she could carry on whisking eggs for an omelet.
"Hey, Rosa. Sorry for calling so early. I was wondering if I could come over later?"
Rosa frowned, pouring the mixture into the frying pan. "You sound tense. Did something happen?"
Her mind raced ahead, wondering if this had something to do with the body found on Saturday. If so, were there more similarities? Did the similarities mean that their father's murderer had escaped? But why come back to Naco? Why kill some immigrants just passing through?
"Er..are you still there?"
Rosa scolded herself. "Sorry, Mark. You, uh, cut out. What was that?"
"You mean you spaced out," Mark said, knowing her too well. "I said I didn't want to say it over the phone, so just give me a time that works for all of you, and I will be there."
Rosa bit her lip. "Today's no good, Mark."
"How come?"
"Because we said we'd be available to the FBI agents that are in town. I don't know when they're coming."
Mark swore, something he rarely did. "Can I come over now?"
Rosa felt her frown deepen and flipped the omelet over as Camelia's footsteps announced her descent down the stairs.
"If you think it is that important," she said finally, wondering what it was that had gotten him so on edge.
"Thanks. See you in twenty."
Twenty? She shook her head. Was he going to walk here, or did he need to get something ready beforehand?
"Morning," said Camelia, stretching in a way that showed she had taken the sleeping tablet Lucia gave her.
"You look well-rested."
"Yeah. Lucia will be happy. Good sleep for a clear head and all that."
Rosa managed a small smile and dished breakfast, watching the clock on the wall move time slowly forwards.
Twenty minutes passed, then thirty, then an hour had passed, and Lucia was back, but Mark had still never turned up.
8
The FBI agents turned up at eight, and Rosa sat with Cam, as she had when the Sheriff had come, while Lucia opened the door and let them in.
"Hello again, Ms. Kay. I want to thank you for arranging this," said agent Reis after he had introduced himself to Cam.
"Maybe, for the sake of ease, you call us by our first names," Lucia interjected, sitting beside Rosa.
Reis nodded and sat in the armchair while his partner perched on the ottoman by the fireplace.
"As this is an official interview, I would like permission to record it. That way, it is easier for us to go back over our finds and make connections."
Rosa felt the fog around her break further. This time not in fear, but in curiosity. There was something big going on here, and maybe, if they were lucky, it might be the means of solving the mystery of their mother’s disappearance.
"I suppose," Lucia said after the pause had begun to grow awkward.
Agent Reis nodded, clicked the recorder on, stated his name and his partners, then asked them to state their names before he began.
"I understand that the new murder at Turquoise Valley bears many resemblances to that of your father," Reis paused, and Lucia's face became more stone-like. "I, therefore, appreciate that this difficult for you."
Again none of them said anything, and Rosa watched him exchange a swift glance with his partner.
"I would like to know if any of you have seen or heard anything that seems similar to events that preceded your father's murder, twelve years ago."
Lucia tilted her head to the side. "No, we haven't."
Reis took her in, then shifted his eyes to Rosa, then Cam. "Camelia? From what I have gathered, you seem to be in town more than your sisters. Perhaps you noticed something?"
Cam shot him a wide-eyed look, then shook her head and murmured. "No."
Rose met his gaze as it returned to her and spoke before he could reiterate his question. "As my sisters have said, there has been nothing to forewarn of another murder. Perhaps that question will be better put to the coroner."
She immediately regretted her sharp words as something very much like triumph flashed in the burnt sugar gaze watching her.
"You mean Dr. Mark Fell? He's an old friend of yours, isn't he?"
"He was in my year," Lucia interjected, trying to draw the questioning back to herself. "He grew up with all of us, like every other person of a similar age in this town."
Agent Reis watched her a moment, then nodded. "I see. I will be sure to ask Dr. Fell when I check in with him again later."
Rosa's jade eyes tightened at the corners. The way he had said those words made her suddenly suspicious that he had something to do with Mark's absence and silence.
There was a rustle of paper as he rearranged his notes, and agent Boone scribbled a short note on her pad.
"Other than your mother, did your father ever get tangled with anything else to do with illegal immigrants?"
All three of them tensed and Rosa felt her eyes harden. "There was never any proof that my father knew my mother was illegal until just before they were married."
Lucia discreetly poked her in the ribs as Reis sat back a little, a small smile on his lips.
Rosa looked back at the floor while Lucia took over.
"No. Our father was a good, law-abiding man."
"Indeed.
