With more hope than he’d felt all night, Frank changed and walked into the kitchen with Tommy.
Twenty minutes later, after a breakfast of toast and scrambled eggs, Frank was sitting on the back veranda with William.
“We have a team examining the bullet fragments recovered from the dock,” William said, speaking quietly despite their relative privacy. “Preliminary ballistics suggest a high-powered rifle, professional grade.”
That didn’t surprise Frank. “Sterling Industries doesn’t mess around. If they hired someone with a military background, they could be from the Meridian Group. Check with Marcus. He’s found a way of identifying payments from Sterling Industries to Meridian’s offshore bank account.”
William nodded. “We’ve already talked to Marcus. Alongside the Meridian connection, we’re running surveillance on Dave Winters.” William’s expression was grim. “We believe he’s still in the area.”
“He won’t leave until he’s accomplished what he came for,” Frank said. “Either retrieving the files or eliminating the problem.”
William studied him. “The files are secure now. You did the right thing, turning them over.”
“I know.” Frank looked out across the unfamiliar backyard. It was a small, fenced rectangle, nothing like the sweeping lakefront view he’d grown used to. “What about Isabel? Have you assigned anyone to keep an eye on her?”
“We have someone watching the bookstore and Kathleen’s cottage,” William told him. “But honestly, Frank, I don’t think Sterling Industries will target her. Not directly. You’re their primary concern.”
Frank wasn’t so sure. He’d seen the ruthlessness of Sterling’s legal team firsthand and witnessed how far they’d go to protect their military contracts. “Dave knows she matters to me. That makes her vulnerable.”
“We’ll protect her,” William promised. “But the best thing you can do for her safety is stay away until this ends.”
The truth of it stung, but Frank nodded. “I told Tommy we could call her this morning. Is that okay?”
“We encrypted the phone we gave you and routed it through multiple servers. It should be safe if you keep your conversation brief and avoid specifics about your location.”
Frank stood, relief washing through him. “Thank you.” He went back inside to find Tommy. His grandson was in the living room, already engrossed in a book one of the agents had given him.
“Are you ready to call Isabel?” Frank asked.
Tommy’s face lit up. “Can I talk to her first?”
Frank smiled and dialed Isabel’s number. He put the call on speakerphone and listened to it ring.
What if Isabel had changed her mind about wanting to be part of their lives? What if the danger he’d brought to her doorstep was too much?
When the phone kept ringing, Tommy looked up at him. “Where’s Isabel, Grandpa?”
A knot twisted in Frank’s stomach. He didn’t know, but he hoped she was all right.
CHAPTER 35
Isabel had just opened a box of books when her phone rang. She checked the number and frowned. She didn’t recognize it, and William had told her to treat anything unexpected as a potential threat.
“Go ahead and answer it,” Lynda said from where she was organizing the children’s section. “I’ll be right here.”
Isabel took a deep breath and answered the call. “Hello?”
“Isabel,” Frank said, and her knees wobbled with relief. “It’s us. We’re safe.”
“Hi Isabel,” Tommy said in a loud voice. “We had scrambled eggs for breakfast.”
She sighed. “That sounds yummy. Are you doing okay?”
“I guess.” Tommy’s voice wasn’t quite as enthusiastic as it had been. “I miss my books, though. And Fido misses you.”
“I miss Fido, too,” she said softly. “And you and your grandpa.”
“Are you taking care of the bookstore?” Tommy asked. “We need it to be there when we come back.”
