Free Resorting to Murder (A Darcy Sweet Mystery Book 11) by K.J. Emrick Page A

because of how public a killing like that would be.  There will be questions, an investigation, media attention.  Some tourist passing through is one thing.  A public official is something else entirely.  He's probably worried that doing it himself will get him caught.  So he's going to use you, as a professional, to keep his distance from it all."
    Keep his distance from it, Darcy thought to herself.  She frowned.  It made sense that Carson had been forced to kill Audie Berkstone.  One more missing person among several wouldn't be noticed.  Jon was right, though, that killing the mayor of even a small town would draw too much attention.  So he was forcing JoEllen to do it for him.  That part, she understood.  But how had Carson known JoEllen was going to be here in the first place?  How did he find out about her being a professional killer?  That wasn't exactly something a person advertised in the help wanted section.
    "Fine," JoEllen suddenly said, breaking Darcy's train of thoughts.  "So now that we know where to look I'm going to get my son back."
    She stood up, not waiting for them to argue with her, and headed straight for the door.  It was Jon who stopped her with a simple question.  "How?"
    When JoEllen spun back on them Darcy could see the anger in her eyes.  A lion couldn't have growled as menacingly as the petite blonde killer did.  "I'm going over to his place, and get my son back," she repeated.
    Jon stood up to face her.  Darcy was sur prised at how calm he was.  Her nerves were on edge and her stomach felt like it was tied in knots.  If JoEllen really wanted to get at Carson, could either of them stop her?  Maybe it was Jon's police training, or maybe just his own compassion, but he didn't back down from JoEllen.  "What are you going to do?  Are you going to kill Carson?"
    She shrugged, not budging from where she stood.  "It's what I do."
    "But not who you are," he said.  "You were trying to give that life up, remember?  You were giving it up for Connor."
    "I'd do anything for my son.  Anything."
    "Then think.  Do that much for him.  Darcy and I have had experience with kidnappings.  Her brother-in-law was taken not all that long ago, and we very nearly didn't get him back.  What happens if you go over there, shoot Carson in the chest, and leave him bleeding on the floor?"
    "Then," JoEllen said with a smile that Darcy definitely did not like, "I get Connor back."
    Jon simply shook his head and took another step toward her.  "And if Connor isn't there?  Have you thought about the possibility that Carson is keeping your son somewhere besides his home?  Or his shop?  You can kill Carson, fine, and I'm sure that will feel good considering what he did to Audie, but how does that help you get your son back?"
    The intensity of JoEllen's anger faded.  "Then I'll torture the information out of him.  I'm not just a killer, you know.  I have other skills."
    Darcy didn't doubt it.
    "Skills or not," Jon said, with another step that nearly closed the gap between him and JoEllen, "how long would it take to torture the information out of Carson?  Hours?  Days?  Do you think Connor has that long?  What if you slip up and kill him before he tells you where your son is?  We might never find Connor if we do it your way."
    "What are you going to do, cop?  Arrest me?"
    "No," Jon said, without returning any of her hostility.  "I'm not going to arrest you.  I'm going to help you."
    JoEllen squeezed her eyes shut.  A single tear leaked out and ran down her cheek.  "All right," she relented.  "All right, all right, all right!  I just want my son back.  I want my son!"
    As her words rang in the small cabin, Jon closed the rest of the distance between them.  Darcy had been surprised at the compassion he had shown JoEllen.  She was even more surprised now when he reached out and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.  "We'll get him back.  You just have to trust me and Darcy."
    When