Question B

[Jonetta]

Mercy returns home to Eagle’s Nest after a fifteen-year absence. Do you think she should have at least forewarned her partner that this was her hometown?

[Robin]

I would have. Maybe she thought they could slip into town anonymously, do there work at the police station, figure out who did it and leave. Since she was from such a small town, she should have known that would never happen. She should have warned her partner before getting to town.

[Anita]

She fully expected to be shunned if she was recognized. She just wanted to do her job and leave without her family finding out. She should have warned her partner that their reception probably wasn't going to be very warn and welcoming.

[Charlene]

I think she did want to slip in and slip out without recognition. Her partner in FBI seemed almost to disappear once they got to town.

[Jonetta]

I come from a small town that is larger than Eagle’s Nest. There’s no way I could slip back home and not have anyone recognize me. She should have given her partner a heads up, at least that it was her hometown.

[Charlene]

Did anyone else get the sense that her partner kind of slipped off the cliff somewhere in this story? I seem to recall vague allusions to what he did in the other town, but there wasn't much interaction between the FBI partners who came to town. Maybe I missed some things.

[Jonetta]

Well, her partner went to Bend for part of the investigation and Mercy teamed up with Truman. Their interactions were a lot by phone as they compared notes. He was definitely off the pages more than he was on. Also, he was her temporary partner.

[Sharon]

I think most people would give a head's up, but Mercy is still hurting that her family let her go so easily. It is like she had her head in the sand, and didn't think logically about going home. After Levi ignored her, she must feel like no one would acknowledge her.

I had the feeling that she was going to let her family, and the town set the pace for how much she would reveal. Once people started talking to her, she was a little more forthcoming.

[Robin]

Good point, Sharon. She may have felt nobody in her family would talk to her after the way Levi reacted (or didn't react).

[Christina T]

I think she should have given her partner a heads up out of respect. The town was small. Everyone seemed to know everyone else so it seemed odd if she thought to slip in and out without confrontation or reconnecting.

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl)]

After what happened 15 years before and the family fallout, it was probably just too personal for Mercy to open up to Eddie. This wasn't strictly professional.. actually probably with her personal baggage she wouldn't have been sent their IRL.

[Sharon]

Lisa - (Aussie Girl) wrote: "After what happened 15 years before and the family fallout, it was probably just too personal for Mercy to open up to Eddie. This wasn't strictly professional.. actually probably with her personal ..."

I'm not sure I agree Lisa. Mercy kept her personal life totally private. No one suspected a personal connection so they didn't think twice about sending her on the mission. They thought her knowledge of the area is a help to the mission.

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl)]

Sharon wrote: "Lisa - (Aussie Girl) wrote: "After what happened 15 years before and the family fallout, it was probably just too personal for Mercy to open up to Eddie. This wasn't strictly professional.. actuall..."

Interesting point, Sharon. Wouldn't the FBI have made it there business to know people's backgrounds when they are recruited? Although even if they knew she came from there they wouldn't have known what actually happened. Would they have thought her local knowledge an asset or a conflict of interest if she had relationships with people who could have been implicated?

[Sandra]

While I understand all the reasons she didn't inform her partner, I think it was a bad judgment call on her part. I get she wanted to keep her personal life separate & under wraps, but her partner should have been given a heads up. Having lived & still living in or outside of a small town, it's actually ludicrous to think you could slip in and out unnoticed. Especially while investigating a murder/s case.

[Ellen]

Maybe not all the details, but definitely that it was her hometown.