“Frank?” Isabel’s voice pulled him from his thoughts. William had already left the room, and she looked at him with concern. “Are you all right? You seem a million miles away.”
“Just thinking about some work things,” he said, managing a smile. “Did you get everything figured out with the security system?”
Isabel nodded. “William was very helpful. Thank you for suggesting him.”
“He knows what he’s talking about.” Frank put his hand in his pocket and touched the edge of the letter. Now that he’d calmed down, he should tell Isabel what he’d found. He didn’tlike deceiving her, and he’d promised to tell her everything. “Isabel, there’s something I should tell you.”
“Grandpa!” Tommy called from upstairs, interrupting the confession Frank was about to make. “Can you help me with my homework? I don’t understand this math problem!”
Frank closed his eyes briefly. “I’ll be right there, Tommy!” He turned back to Isabel. “I’m sorry, I should?—”
“Go,” Isabel said with understanding. “Homework waits for no man.” She gathered her notebook and purse. “We can talk another time.”
As she headed toward the door, Frank felt the weight of the note in his pocket like a stone. For Tommy’s sake—and now for Isabel’s—he needed to end this once and for all.
“Isabel,” he called after her.
She paused at the door, turning back with raised eyebrows. “Yes?”
“Be careful.”
Confusion flickered across her face. “I always am. Is everything all right?”
“Not really.” Frank pulled the sheet of paper from his pocket and handed it to her. “I found this by the front door.”
She read the message and lifted her troubled gaze to him. “You’re not thinking of meeting whoever left this, are you?”
“I don’t have a choice.”
Isabel shook her head. “You always have a choice. Have you shown William the message?”
“Not yet,” Frank admitted. “I’ve only just found it. Whatever you do, don’t go near the lake tomorrow.”
Isabel’s knuckles turned white around the strap of her bag. “I’ll only promise to stay away if you tell William. He’s here to help you, Frank.”
She held the sheet of paper toward him, and he took it. “I’ll tell him as soon as you’ve gone.”
“Thank you.” Isabel didn’t say another word for a few seconds. When she did speak, her words came straight from her heart. “I loved James, but I never knew if he’d come home alive or in a body bag. I don’t want to worry about you, Frank. It’s too much.”
He understood why Isabel felt that way, but he had to meet Dave or whoever was behind the letter at the lake. It was time to end this game of cat and mouse before someone got hurt—even if it meant sacrificing his own safety.
CHAPTER 27
Isabel stood at the front counter of the bookstore, unpacking a box of books she’d bought at an auction. The morning had been unusually quiet, giving her and Lynda a chance to reorganize the Montana section while they talked.
“I put in an order for the bookshelves you liked,” Lynda said, carefully placing a signed copy of a Glacier National Park photography book on the shelf. “They should arrive next week. It’s not too late to change your mind, though, if you prefer the oak ones.”
“No, I like the mahogany better,” Isabel replied. “They’ll match the reading table in the corner.” She ran her fingers over another book cover, admiring the embossed title. “Oh, by the way, Kathleen asked if we could come by tonight to look at kitchen options for her new home. She can’t decide between granite or quartz for the countertops.”
Lynda smiled. “She’s already called me. Susan’s joining us on Zoom, too. Even though she’s not here, she still wants to weigh in on Kathleen’s remodel.”
“That sounds like Susan,” Isabel chuckled. “Always involved, even from a distance. Did Kathleen say what time she wants to meet?”
“Around six, I think. She said she’d bring us a picnic dinner, so don’t eat too much beforehand.” Lynda picked up a crumpled sheet of brown paper off the floor. “Did you ever call Denise Wilson about the house she’s selling?”
Isabel sighed, setting down the book she was holding. “I meant to, but things got so busy that I forgot.”
“Isabel,” Lynda’s voice took on a gently scolding tone. “The photos look amazing. It’d be perfect for you. Three bedrooms, that gorgeous sunroom overlooking the lake, and it’s only a ten-minute walk from here.”
