They emerged from beneath the dock, water streaming from their clothes, to find the shoreline lit with flashlights and the red and blue lights of police vehicles. Four officers stood withweapons lowered but ready, while others moved through the trees with even more flashlights.
Frank held Tommy in his arms, desperate to get him back to the house. “I’m taking Tommy inside for a warm shower,” he told Isabel and William.
William nodded. “I’ll meet you at the house soon.”
Isabel walked beside Frank as they hurried up the slope toward his house. At that moment, he knew two things with absolute certainty. He’d do whatever it took to keep Tommy safe, and he needed to stay as far away from Isabel as possible. If Sterling was willing to shoot his family, then anyone close to him was at risk.
The realization felt like a lead weight in his chest. His conversation with Isabel in the kitchen now seemed impossibly distant, separated by the reality of what had happened tonight.
Isabel opened the front door. “I’ll turn on the shower and grab some towels.”
Tommy stirred in Frank’s arms. “Has the bad man gone home, Grandpa?”
“I think so,” he said to make Tommy feel better. “The police will keep looking for him. But in the meantime, we need to get you into the shower.”
Isabel came out of the main bathroom. When her eyes met Frank’s, the depth of concern in her expression made his heart twist. “It’s all ready. I’ll get some dry clothes for Tommy and leave them outside the door.”
“Thanks, Isabel,” Frank said as he carried Tommy toward the shower. His grandson was shaking uncontrollably when he took off his wet clothes. “Step into the shower, buddy. You’ll feel better soon.”
As he kept Tommy amused in the shower, Frank thought about what had happened. In a few seconds of madness, twoshots had shattered his dream of building a new life in Sapphire Bay.
CHAPTER 32
Isabel sat on Frank’s veranda and wrapped her arms tightly around herself. The police and the FBI agents were moving efficiently through Frank’s property. Floodlights cast harsh shadows across the lawn, transforming the peaceful lakeside home into something that resembled a television crime scene. Except this was terrifyingly real.
Tommy was sitting inside on the couch beside Frank, wrapped in a blanket with his damp hair curling against his forehead. A female officer sat with him, asking gentle questions. He looked so small and vulnerable that Isabel’s heart ached for what he’d been through.
“Ms. Stewart?”
Isabel looked over her shoulder. William was standing behind her on the deck, his wet clothes exchanged for an FBI windbreaker and track pants someone had brought him.
“Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?” William’s tone was professional but kind.
“Of course,” she replied, her voice sounding strangely distant even to her own ears.
“Did you notice anything unusual on the way to Frank’s house? Any vehicles that didn’t belong here, people watching Frank’s house, anything at all that seemed off?”
Isabel thought carefully. “No, nothing. It was such a normal evening. There was no traffic on the road, and everything was the same as usual.” She paused, remembering her conversation with Frank in the kitchen. “While you and Tommy were by the lake, we were washing the dishes and talking...” Her voice trailed off as the enormity of what had happened hit her again. “This isn’t a random event, is it? Someone was targeting Frank.”
William’s expression remained neutral, but his hesitation told Isabel everything she needed to know.
“We’re taking this very seriously, Isabel.”
She glanced through the sliding glass door at Tommy. “Will they have to leave Sapphire Bay?”
Again, that careful neutrality, though his eyes softened. “That’s a decision Frank will need to make.”
The sliding door opened, and Frank stepped out. When he looked at her, the raw emotion in his eyes caught her off guard.
“Tommy’s asking for you,” he said quietly, his voice gentle despite the tension radiating from him. Almost unconsciously, his hand reached for hers, fingers intertwining briefly. “Are you okay?”
The genuine concern in his voice warmed her despite the cool evening air.
“I’m fine,” she assured him, squeezing his hand. “Just worried about you both.”
Frank sighed. “We’re worried about you. Tommy wants to know if you were hurt.”
Tommy’s thoughtfulness brought tears to Isabel’s eyes. She quickly blinked them away. “I’ll go talk to him.”
