William’s expression didn’t change. “It won’t cost you anything. The FBI will pay the invoice.”
Isabel frowned. “Are you sure? With all the cost-cutting that’s happening, I would have thought the FBI wouldn’t want to spend money on this type of thing.”
William shrugged. “Frank’s case is important. If he’s worried about you, it could affect his testimony.”
Isabel turned to Frank. “I can’t tell if William’s telling the truth. You’re not paying for the security system, are you?”
Frank breathed a sigh of relief when Tommy’s voice called from upstairs. “Grandpa! Have you seen Rex? I can’t find him anywhere!”
“Last time I saw him, he was in your backpack,” Frank called back.
“I checked. He’s not there!” Tommy’s footsteps thundered down the stairs.
Frank rose from the table before Isabel could ask him about the security system again. “Excuse me. Dinosaur emergency.”
He found Tommy in the living room, frantically searching between the couch cushions. The plastic dinosaur—a bright green Tyrannosaurus Rex with movable arms—had been Tommy’s prized purchase from the farmers’ market last weekend.
“He has to be somewhere,” Frank reassured him, getting down on his knees to look under the coffee table. “Where did you have him last?”
Tommy’s forehead wrinkled in concentration. “I was showing him to Mr. Peterson when we were fishing yesterday. But I put him in my jacket pocket before we came home.”
“Your fishing jacket?” Frank asked, heading toward the coat rack by the front door. “The blue one?”
Tommy nodded eagerly, following close behind.
Frank reached into the pocket of Tommy’s small fishing jacket, feeling around until his fingers closed on the plastic dinosaur. “Found him,” he announced, producing the toy with a flourish.
“Rex!” Tommy exclaimed, reaching for the dinosaur.
As Frank handed it to him, he noticed a folded sheet of paper sitting on the floor. A chill ran down his spine as he picked it up and read it:
We know where the files are. Tomorrow. Noon. Boat Launch.
He quickly refolded the paper and slipped it into his pocket before Tommy could see what it said.
“What was that?” Tommy asked, clutching Rex to his chest.
“Just a flyer about the next farmers’ market,” Frank lied, forcing his voice to remain casual. “Why don’t you take Rex upstairs and make sure he’s safe in his special place? I need to finish helping Isabel with her security system.”
Tommy seemed satisfied with this explanation and bounded back upstairs with his dinosaur.
Frank stayed by the front door for a little longer, his heart hammering in his chest. This was the second time someone had left a message for him. It could only have come from Dave or someone working with him. But how had they gotten it inside? The surveillance camera and other security systems should have warned them someone had approached the front door.
But that wasn’t what worried him the most.We know where the files are.It had to be a bluff. The evidence against Sterling Industries was well hidden. But the fact that they’d managed to slip a note under the door sent a clear message: we can get close to you anytime we want.
Frank took a deep breath, composing himself before returning to the kitchen. When he opened the door, Isabel andWilliam were discussing monthly monitoring fees. He couldn’t let them see how upset he was.
“Dinosaur successfully retrieved,” he announced, keeping his voice light as he rejoined them. “Tommy’s happy.”
Isabel gave him a warm smile. “He takes good care of his things. It’s sweet.”
“He’s had to learn the hard way that some things can’t be replaced,” Frank said, the words coming out more heavily than he’d intended.
William gathered his brochures. “Well, I think we’ve covered everything, Isabel. We can schedule the installation whenever you’re ready.”
As Isabel left the table to make a cup of coffee, Frank watched her. In another life, without any threats to his life, he might have asked her to dinner to see where this undeniable connection between them might lead.
But the note changed everything. If Sterling Industries was willing to use Tommy to get to him, they wouldn’t hesitate to use Isabel too. She was buying property in Sapphire Bay, putting down roots—the last thing she needed was to be caught in the crossfire of his past mistakes.
