“You can’t arrest him,” Ann protested, the bottom falling out of her world.
“Do you understand your rights, Mr. Ramesly?” the agent repeated the question.
Michael gave a short nod.
“Michael, we are going to figure this out,” Max said reassuringly. “We’ll take care of this, I promise.”
“No!” a panicked Ann stood, holding the table for support. “You don’t understand. He can’t go. He doesn’t speak. You can’t take him.”
“Ma’am, you should sit down,” the agent said as he eyed her swollen girth. He nodded to the other FBI agent who began to walk Michael to the door.
“There are children in the bedrooms and downstairs,” Piaget said, tightly holding a confused Amy. “Maybe they should be brought to the dining room to be here with us while you do your search.”
Ann let out a hiss and grabbed her abdomen. A desperately worried Michael tried to turn back to her, but the two agents forcibly hustled him out of the room. FedEx began to bark, and Max quickly grabbed her collar.
Kelly immediately stood, pushing past any FBI personnel in her way. “I’m a nurse. Let me through.”
The FBI agent in charge nodded his head.
“Are you okay?” Kelly rushed to Ann’s side to help her sit down.
“I think it was just a stitch from sitting for too long,” Ann said miserably as she began to cry. Kelly hugged her.
“I wish I had never said anything,” Bethany whispered, distraught as she watched strangers searching Ann and Michael’s home. They grabbed the files that were sitting on the table. “This is all my fault.”
“No. Don’t think like that,” Drew reached for Bethany’s hand but was surprised when she hugged him, crying on him. He smoothed back her hair, embracing her. “You didn’t ask for this to happen.”
“If I hadn’t been pushing to find out my memories, then my father never would have made that attempt on my life,” Bethany sobbed. “Then no one would have looked into the Sweet Bethany and they wouldn’t know.”
“Beth,” Drew rubbed her back. “The FBI was investigating long before you started to remember that day. It’s not your fault at all.”
He looked up to see Noah glaring at him.
It had been an absolute mess. Everyone had been questioned separately. The whole house had been searched through. Ann was made to open their private safe and endure the FBI packing up personal items, such as Michael’s journals. A team would look through everything for any signs of guilt.
Everyone was deeply upset at Michael’s arrest. No one believed that he had committed any crime. Drew didn’t know the man well but felt he wasn’t the type to smuggle drugs. He hoped that his own investigation into Michael’s boat hadn’t helped the FBI come to the conclusion that Michael was guilty of something. Drew didn’t want to help Lawe in any way. The man had seen Drew and taken it upon himself to question Drew personally.
Drew hadn’t been very cooperative. He didn’t need reminders from Lawe that he wasn’t supposed to be investigating David Ramesly. Truth was, Drew had gone to ensure that Bethany would be okay. Protecting her was the only reason he had been at the meeting.
Hours later, they’d finally been released. Drew had taken the exhausted Bethany home. He’d assured her again that it wasn’t her fault. It wasn’t his either, not that she questioned that. She was nearly asleep by the time he’d pulled into his parking lot space. Drew decided to just carry her up to the apartment. Bethany didn’t protest.
“I keep thinking about what Miguel said,” she leaned her head on his shoulder.
“What did Miguel say?” Drew managed to get his keys and unlock the apartment door.
“That people with money can get around things,” Bethany replied.
“It’s generally true. With enough money and connections people can manage things that the average person can’t,” Drew had to agree a little cynically. He’d seen it happen. Not often, but it had happened.
“Do you think that I’ll ever be safe from him?” Bethany asked.
Drew gently set her on her feet. He cupped her face in his hands. “Nothing is going to happen to you. I’m not going to let it. Besides, David Ramesly has the FBI to deal with. I don’t think he’s worried about you anymore.”
“Do you think I’m safe then?” Bethany asked.
He hesitated a moment. Drew wasn’t ready to have her walk out of his life yet. Then again, would he ever be ready to let her go? “Professionally, I would say you’re probably okay to leave and be on your own. Like I said, Ramesly has the FBI to worry about.”
“Is there a chance that he might still come after me?” she asked.
