Frank had barely slept in the two weeks since the shooting. Now, with Isabel potentially in danger, he wouldn’t be sleeping until he was back in Sapphire Bay.
Moving back to the window, Frank stared into the darkness. Sapphire Bay was over a hundred miles away. Isabel was going about her life there, unaware of the threat moving toward her.
Frank took a deep breath. If Dave were targeting Isabel, he’d leave the safe house. William and his team wouldn’t like it, but he wouldn’t hide while someone he cared about was in danger.
He’d lost Sarah and Tony because of what he’d discovered. He’d nearly lost Tommy at the dock because of his own stubbornness about facing Sterling Industries alone.
He wouldn’t lose Isabel, too. Not when he could imagine a future with her.
Frank remained at the window as the first hints of dawn lightened the sky. He was waiting for the morning when he could call Isabel with some semblance of normalcy. For now, all he could do was trust William’s team and hope that Dave Winters was far away from Sapphire Bay.
And the woman who’d become one of the most important people in the world to him.
CHAPTER 39
Isabel woke to the soft ping of her phone on the nightstand. The guest bedroom in Kathleen’s house was still dark. She fumbled for her phone, blinking sleep from her eyes as she checked the time: 5:47 AM.
A text message from Denise Wilson glowed on the screen:Great news! Sellers accepted your offer! Can you come by the office today to sign the paperwork?
Isabel sat up, suddenly wide awake. The house on Maple Street was going to be hers. She felt a profound sense of rightness—as if another piece of her new life had clicked into place.
She quickly texted back:Wonderful! I can come at noon during my lunch break.
Unable to fall back asleep, Isabel slipped out of bed and pulled on her robe. The house was quiet as she padded down the hallway to the kitchen. Kathleen and Lynda wouldn’t be up for at least another hour, giving Isabel some time to herself.
As she waited for the coffee to brew, she gazed through the kitchen window at the trees surrounding the lake. Mist swirled between the pine branches, snaking across the landscape like a mysterious blanket.
Somewhere out there, Frank and Tommy were beginning their day too—in a safe house, surrounded by FBI agents, waiting for a trial that would determine when they could come home.
The coffee machine beeped. Isabel poured herself a cup and carried it to the small table by the window. Her phone lay beside her, and she wished she could call Frank and tell him the good news.
Before she took a sip of coffee, her phone rang. The unlisted number made her heart quicken. Hopefully, it was Frank and not a random stranger. “Hello?”
“Isabel.” Frank’s voice sounded tense. “Sorry, I’m calling so early.”
“It’s fine. I was already up,” she assured him. “Is everything all right?”
There was a brief pause. “William called late last night. Dave Winters—the man from Sterling Industries—has disappeared. They lost track of him.”
Isabel’s fingers tightened around her coffee mug. “And they think he’s coming back to Sapphire Bay?”
“It’s a possibility,” Frank said carefully. “William has agents watching you, the bookstore, and Kathleen’s house. They’ll keep you safe, but I wanted you to know.”
“I appreciate it,” Isabel said as she tried to keep her voice steady. She glanced through the window, wondering if there was an FBI agent watching the house right now, invisible among the trees. “Should I be worried?”
“Just cautious,” Frank replied, though something in his tone suggested he was downplaying his own concern. “Don’t go anywhere alone. Be aware of your surroundings. If anyone you don’t recognize is watching you, or if any vehicles follow you, call 911 or the number William gave you.”
Isabel took a breath. “I’ll be careful,” she promised. “I’ve got some good news. The sellers accepted my offer on the house on Maple Street.”
“I know,” Frank said, his voice softening slightly. “William told me last night. Congratulations, Isabel. It’s a beautiful home.”
“You’ve seen it?” she asked, surprised.
“I’ve driven past it. Is it the Craftsman with the deep veranda and gardens sloping down toward the lake?”
“That’s the one,” Isabel confirmed, oddly touched that he remembered it. “I’m signing the paperwork today.”
“I wish I could be there,” Frank said so quietly she almost didn’t catch it.
