Frank had called Marcus immediately after speaking with Agent Ramirez. He’d told him everything about Dave’s return to Sapphire Bay, his approach to Tommy, and the envelope of surveillance photos that had appeared on his doorstep. At this stage, Marcus was as trustworthy as anyone could be.
Frank watched Tommy launch his boat again, laughing as it zigzagged across the small pond at the edge of their property.
“The trial isn’t far away,” Marcus reminded Frank. “If Sterling is getting desperate enough to target Tommy, things could escalate quickly.”
Frank sighed, feeling the weight of decisions yet to be made. “Let’s see what the special agent says when he gets here. He’ll have a clearer perspective on the security situation.”
“And Isabel?” Marcus asked, his tone gentler. “You’ve been spending a lot of time with her.”
“She’s been amazing,” he said. “Yesterday, when Tommy was missing, she dropped everything to help.”
“You care about her,” Marcus said.
“I do,” Frank admitted. “It complicates everything, especially if Tommy and I have to leave Sapphire Bay.”
“You could ask her to come with you,” Marcus said slowly.
Frank almost laughed at his friend’s crazy idea. “She just bought a bookstore, Marcus. She’s building a life here. I can’t ask her to abandon that for me.”
“Just talk to her and explain what’s happening,” Marcus told him. “She can decide what’s right for her.”
Frank watched as Pastor John helped Tommy refloat his boat. “When did you become so wise about relationships?”
“Since I started dating an old friend,” Marcus replied. “It’s taken a long time to learn how to let someone else make decisions, especially when I think they’re wrong.” Marcus cleared his throat. “That’s enough about me. I’ll call Ramirez this afternoon and show him what I’ve found.”
Frank nodded. “And watch your back. If I’m right about Sterling using Meridian, they play by different rules than corporate lawyers.”
“I understand,” Marcus said soberly. “You do the same.”
After he ended the call, Frank remained at the window, watching Tommy play with his boat. The information about Meridian had shaken Frank more than he wanted to admit. If they were involved—if they’d been responsible for Sarah’s accident—the danger was far more deadly than he’d realized.
His phone buzzed with a text from Agent Ramirez confirming that Special Agent William Parker would arrive in Sapphire Bay by noon tomorrow. Frank texted back, thanking him for acting so quickly. Having FBI protection would make Tommy safer, but it would also make their situation more real, more visible to the community they’d become part of.
And to Isabel.
Frank thought about what she’d be doing in the bookstore. She was probably creating new displays or helping customers find the perfect novel. Just thinking about pulling away from her and ending their friendship felt like another kind of loss. But he couldn’t ignore what Marcus had found. No one near him would be safe if Sterling had employed a company like Meridian.
A knock at the front door pulled Frank from his thoughts. He moved quickly to answer it, checking through the side window first.
Isabel stood on the veranda holding bags from Kathleen’s café in her hands and a worried expression on her face. Frank opened the door immediately.
“I thought you’d be at the bookstore all day. Is everything okay?”
“Lynda’s looking after everything,” Isabel told him as she stepped inside. “I wanted to check on you and Tommy. And I brought lunch.” She held up three bags. “Kathleen’s smoked chicken club sandwiches are amazing.”
Something tight in Frank’s chest began to unravel. “You’ve got perfect timing. Tommy and Pastor John have been playing outside for hours—they’re probably starving.”
Isabel followed Frank into the kitchen, setting the bags on the counter. “There’s more than enough food for Pastor John, too. Is there any news from the FBI?”
“Agent Parker will be here tomorrow,” Frank told her as he took plates from a cupboard. “And I just spoke with Marcus. He’s found something that might explain why Sterling is getting more aggressive.”
He summarized Marcus’s discoveries about Halo Technologies, Meridian Global, and the suspicious payment to the auto shop before Sarah’s accident. Isabel listened intently, her expression growing more concerned with each detail.
“If they were behind Sarah’s accident, Frank?—”
“Then they’re capable of far worse than corporate intimidation,” he finished for her. “I know.”
Isabel leaned against the counter, processing what he’d told her. “What are you going to do, Frank? If Agent Parker recommends leaving Sapphire Bay, will you go?”
