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Jolie laughed. “Well, I guess I didn’t need to worry about Cyril poisoning the pond, after all.”

Chapter20

Battle Cry

Fatigue dragged at Jolie, but she tried to keep it from showing. Everyone else had to be just as tired as she was, but they needed to finish giving their statements.

A whole caravan of vehicles had driven from the apple farm into Phail.

They’d found the car McConnell and his friends had hidden. Strangely, in the same spot where the man who’d tried to kidnap Thea had parked his car.

There were now plans to put up a fence to block off that section from the road.

Not that it was likely anyone else would try to use it for nefarious purposes again. Twice was enough for one farm.

The Phail Jail—man, she loved this town and its sense of humor—only had two cells, so Marcus had called in some help from the FBI. Not just the former FBI agents who worked at Midnight Lake.

Her mind spun with the competence and experience of the people around her.

A woman named Shanice Williams had arrived with a few agents and secure transport to take the four prisoners back to New Hampshire before they were transferred again. The FBI was involved because McConnell had robbed a jewelry warehouse back in New York. He’d crossed state lines by bringing the diamonds to Vermont.

Diamonds in her pond.

She and Ford sat with Thea and Knox in the squad room of the Phail Jail and talked to whoever needed their input. They’d given their statements separately and the law enforcement officials were figuring out the next steps.

The entire story was unbelievable. McConnell’s grandfather had once owned the farm that Jolie’s family had inherited. The man had lost it to bankruptcy a few decades before. McConnell had spent a few childhood summers there.

The man had a list of arrests and prison stints for small-time thefts. This had been his biggest score, and he’d shot a security guard during his escape.

When McConnell had been looking for a safe place to stash the diamonds for a while, he’d thought of the farm and the pond at the back.

His initial plan had been to hide the gems for a few months while he organized an auction. He’d had at least a dozen people interested in buying the stolen diamonds.

Before the auction date, the police had identified him as the prime suspect. His name and face had been splashed all over the media, and most of the people dropped out of the auction.

McConnell had left the diamonds where they were until the heat died down again, and he’d gone into hiding.

But his team wasn’t as loyal as he’d thought. McConnell had been caught and had spent the last decade in prison.

While he’d been in prison, McConnell had hired someone to set up the cameras and monitor the pond without ever telling him the reason.

When the man had reported activity at the pond, McConnell had told them to monitor and wait for him, unless the people appeared interested in diving or digging up what was in the bottom of the pond.

McConnell hadn’t arrived in the area until that morning, and hadn’t had a chance to retrieve the container himself. He’d had diving gear in his vehicle, ready to go. Twenty-four hours too late.

Jolie leaned into Ford’s side. “If he’d been released even a week or two earlier, he could have taken back the diamonds and we’d have never known.”

He traced patterns over her shoulder with his fingers. “The timing is bizarre. That pond’s been left alone for decades. You started investigating right before his release. But now, he’s back behind bars where he belongs, and the diamonds will go back to their owner.”

She nodded. “It all worked out, but I wish he’d used another pond.”

Ford kissed her head. “Me too.”

Thea yawned and leaned into Knox. “This has been the longest day.”

And it was only early evening.

Jolie’s stomach growled, and she laughed. “Anyone else hungry?”