2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #2 discussion

Raised by a family of survivalists, FBI agent Mercy Kilpatrick can take on any challenge—even the hostile reception to her homecoming. But she’s not the only one causing chaos in the rural community of Eagle’s Nest, Oregon. At first believed to be teenage pranks, a series of fires takes a deadly turn with the murder of two sheriff’s deputies. Now, along with Police Chief Truman Daly, Mercy is on the hunt for an arsonist turned killer.

Still shunned by her family and members of the community, Mercy must keep her ear close to the ground to pick up any leads. And it’s not long before she hears rumors of the area’s growing antigovernment militia movement. If the arsonist is among their ranks, Mercy is determined to smoke the culprit out. But when her investigation uncovers a shocking secret, will this hunt for a madman turn into her own trial by fire?

Settings
Eagle’s Nest, Oregon
Bend, Oregon
Portland, Oregon

32 Chapters

TEOTWAWKI - The end of the world as we know it

Character List
(view spoiler)[
Mercy Kilpatrick: FBI special agent. She’s from Eagle’s Nest but left fifteen years ago. She’s now working from the Bend office and is in a relationship with Truman. She has black hair and green eyes.
Truman Daly: Eagle’s Nest police chief. He’s in a relationship with Mercy. He has dark brown hair and brown eyes.
Eddie Peterson: FBI special agent. He’s temporarily assigned with Mercy.
Jeff Garrison: FBI supervisory senior resident agent, Bend office.
Darby Cowan: FBI intelligence analyst, Bend office.
Ava McLane: FBI special agent, Portland office.
Ben Cooley: Eagle’s Nest police detective.
Lucas Ingram: Eagle’s Nest police station manager, chief’s office.
Ina Smythe: Retired former Eagle’s Nest police station manager. Lucas is her grandson.
Royce Gibson: Eagle’s Nest police officer.
Ralph Long: Deputy sheriff who was murdered.
Damon Sanderson: Deputy sheriff who was murdered.
Natasha Lockhart: Deschutes County medical examiner.
Bill Trek: Fire marshal.
Nathan Landau: Office of the State Police (OSP) Arsons and Explosives agent.
Chad Wheeler: Bonner County, Idaho deputy sheriff.
Levi Kilpatrick: Mercy’s brother and Kaylie’s father. He was the owner of The Coffee Cafe and was recently killed by Rose’s attacker, Craig Rafferty.
Kaylie Kilpatrick: Levi’s 17-year old daughter. She’s now living with Mercy.
Owen Kilpatrick: Mercy’s oldest brother. He’s married to Sheila.
Sheila Kilpatrick: Owen’s wife.
Rose Kilpatrick: Mercy’s sister who is blind. She’s two months pregnant as a result of her abduction and sexual assault by Craig Rafferty.
Pearl Kilpatrick Turner: Mercy’s older sister. She’s married to Rick and is now running the coffee shop.
Rick Turner: Pearl’s husband. He’s a farmer.
Charity Turner: Pearl and Rick’s daughter.
Samuel Turner: Pearl and Rick’s son.
Karl Kilpatrick: Patriarch of the family, married to Deborah. They run a ranch just outside of town.
Deborah Kilpatrick: Matriarch of the family, married to Karl.
Cade Pruitt: Kaylie’s boyfriend, a construction worker at McDonald’s ranch. He’s 20-years old.
Barbara Johnson: Mercy’s former high school English teacher.
Tilda Brass: Owner of the property where the barn was set on fire and the deputies shot.
Tom McDonald: Ranch owner.
Clyde Jenkins: Witness to one of the fires. Old-timer who lives alone.
Julia Parker: Married to Steve and mother of their daughter, Winslet. She’s pregnant with their second child. Their property was one of those where a fire had been set.
Steve Parker: Married to Julia and father of their daughter, Winslet. He’s a journeyman plumber. Their property was one of those where a fire had been set. They are preppers and lost a lot of supplies.
Landon Hecht: One of Cade’s friends. He flunked out of high school.
Jason Eckham: One of Cade’s friends.
Finn Gaylin: One of Cade’s friends.
Sandy: Owner of Sandy’s Bed & Breakfast.
Wayne Davidson: Visitor from Coer d’Alene staying at the B&B. Married to Kimberly.
Kimberly Davidson. Wayne’s wife.
Joshua Pence: Man whose body was found by Ben in the Jackson Hill fire.
Debby Pence: Joshua’s daughter.
Jack Howell: Real estate agent.
Chip: Cade’s co-worker.
Mitch: Cade’s co-worker.
Deke: One of McDonald’s men who ran Mercy off the road.
Al: One of McDonald’s men who ran Mercy off the road.
Silas Campbell: Notorious Idaho militiaman.
Simon: Truman’s cat.
(hide spoiler)]

Spoiler Info
(view spoiler)[
Tom McDonald was really Aaron Belmont, Mercy’s uncle and her mother’s youngest brother. He was believed to have died in the 1980 Mt. St. Helen’s eruption. He stole the identity of McDonald.

Tom was responsible for killing Jack Howell. He ordered the murder of Joshua Pence who had killed the deputies. Tom didn’t like that he’d taken the initiative on his own. He ordered Cade’s murder, thinking he’d leaked info to the state police about the dynamite, which Owen had done. Two of his minions had also run Mercy off the road and assaulted Rose with mud and rocks.

He wanted to buy Tilda Brass’ property because it offered the only other access to his property and he wanted to close it off as he made plans to build his own fiefdom.

It is believed that Silas had a hand in the disappearance of the real Tom McDonald and helped Aaron assume his identity. (hide spoiler)]

This is for April, right?

Yes.

I'm in

I'm in, too

Sounds interesting! I'm going to try to read b1 and b2 so I'm caught up.

Wonderful!