“And find whoever it is threatening her, thus leading you to Albennie,” Royal supplied.
Simmons flicked a glance at him. “More or less.”
“You’re asking Franny to be your bait?” Beckett demanded. “Not gonna happen.”
“Maybe that should be up to Ms. Perkins to decide,” Simmons replied with a shrug.
Royal hated that he agreed with Simmons, but it wasn’t his place to throw his weight behind anybody. He was essentially just the grunt worker in this situation.
“Simmons is right,” the sheriff said. “I know you’ve got a personal connection, Beckett, but this is the best chance to find that missing woman. And we’re not putting Ms. Perkins into any more danger than she stumbled into on her own. What do you think, Campbell?”
All eyes turned to him. Royal wasn’t quite sure how he’d jumped into the deep end here, being the rookie and all, but he gave his honest opinion anyway. “I agree with Simmons and Sheriff. Her leaving doesn’t do anything but move the target, and not necessarily to a safer place. If Ms. Perkins will agree to it, I think her staying put with new security measures in place is the best option for all of us.”
Beckett swore. “Well, someone else is telling her cousins.”
Chapter Eleven
Franny was sitting with Audra in the detectives’ office when Rosalie stormed in. Duncan wasn’t far behind her.
“You shouldn’t have called her,” Franny muttered. She wasn’t sure how she felt about any of this, but Audra and Rosalie feeling the need to mother her grated. It was very near infantilizing.
She could handle this. She could handle being the target of a kidnapper and his creepy threats. Hadn’t Audra and Rosalie handled their own dangerous escapades over the past year? Neither one of them was too keen on leaning on help. Why should she be?
“She would have found out in the morning and been furious at both of us for waiting,” Audra said, giving Franny’s hand a squeeze while Rosalie approached.
“All right. Let’s go. I’m taking you back to our place. We’ve got state-of-the-art security and—”
“No extra beds?” Franny supplied. Because Duncan and Rosalie lived in a cute little cabin on the Kirk Ranch, but it wasn’t complete withguest room.
“We’ll buy one. Rush order. Come on, Franny.”
But before she could respond to that in any way, Copeland came in. Followed by the sheriff and Royal.
Everyone, even Audra and Rosalie, looked at the sheriff, waiting for him to explain.
“Ms. Perkins, we’ve got a request for you. And I know you’re surrounded by people who care about you and have concern for your safety, but ultimately the decision is up to you.”
“Decision?”
“Mr. Simmons has requested you continue to stay in Hope Town until we have a better lead on the case.”
Audra whirled on Copeland. “What is this?” she demanded. And the same time Rosalie said, “Have you taken a blow to the head?” to thesheriff.
But it was Royal who answered. “We’ll be adding a lot of security options to keep her safe, but we think this is our best chance of stopping this.”
“By using her asbait?” Audra demanded, still glaring at her fiancé.
Before Copeland could say anything, Rosalie interjected, “I’ll stay with her. Personal security. Twenty-four-seven. That’s the only way she stays put.”
“Sweetheart,” Duncan said quietly. “We couldn’t even make the drive here without having to pull over so you could throw up.”
“Oh, no, Rosalie. Are you sick?” Audra’s ire turning to concern as she looked over at her sister. “You shouldn’t have come.”
Rosalie glared at her husband. “No, I’m not sick.”
“Then why would you be… Oh. Oh.Oh my God!”
“Oh myGod,” Franny echoed as it dawned on her too.
