“Dammit! I'm trying to help you two. Tell me why you're tailing Thatcher Longman and I'll try to get the heat off you.”
“No one has anything on us, George, because we haven't done anything. This whole thing is ridiculous and a waste of our time.” Johanna squared her shoulders. A thought suddenly occurred to her as she studied the sheriff. “Have you told Thatcher Longman that you believe we're tailing him?”
He shook his head. “I never met the man. I told you the mayor is a personal friend of his.”
“Would the mayor mention details of the case to him?” she persisted.
“I wouldn't know.”
“Well, I think he would since Thatcher Longman most likely has the mayor in his pocket,” Frankie stated.
“You have no grounds to make such an accusation, Frankie,” George said stiffly.
“Maybe not, but it wouldn't surprise me. Maybe he owes Thatcher Longman a favor and Longman is calling it in.” Her lips drew taut. “If he did, then the mayor may have just put our lives, and an innocent woman's life, in danger.”
“What are you talking about?” George demanded.
“Johanna and I need to go, George,” Frankie stated.
“We're not finished here.”
Frankie stood, then leaned on his desk with her hands palms down and stared into his eyes. “This is a matter of life and death, George. Innocent lives are at risk.”
“You need my help,” he insisted. “Tell me what the hell is going on.”
“You want to help? Then get everybody off our backs.” Her cell phone vibrated and she glanced at the text message and then looked at Johanna.
Johanna's phone had buzzed, too. “Frankie, we need to go now.” She knew Frankie had received the same text from Alec Oakman. He'd been called to court and was sending Kendall to the office for protection. He'd be in touch.
“I expect a full report from the both of you tonight,” George said looking curiously at them. “I'll stall for as long as I can.”
“Thanks, George,” Johanna called over her shoulder, since Frankie was already through the door.
“Slow down” Johanna said catching up to her. “What do you think is going on? We just talked to Alec and Kendall this morning.”
“I don't know, but I don't like it.”
“Maybe Alec's meeting with a judge and wants us to keep Kendall safe until he's finished.”
“All I know, is we better get to the office before Kendall does.”
Chapter 17
“I've locked the office and pulled the blinds,” Frankie said turning to Kendall who was attired in her disguise. “What's going on?”
Kendall sat trembling. “I don't know. Alec told me to sit tight and thought I'd be safer with you two.”
“Did something happen after we left his office this morning?” Johanna asked pulling a chair close to Kendall. She placed a fresh cup of coffee into Kendall's shaking hands.
“We discussed our next move, he made a few calls, said things were looking up and he was drawing up the papers.” She bit her bottom lip. “He got a phone call and said he needed to get to the courthouse. That's when he had his wife come in and help me get ready to come over here.”
“Did you take a cab?” Frankie asked.
She nodded. “It doesn't make sense. I told Alec I'd go home and call him later to finish the paperwork, but he didn't want me to go home. He said I'd be safer with you two.” She drew a shaky breath. “I don't suppose either of you know what's going on?” she asked hopefully.
“We're as much in the dark as you are,” Johanna replied. “We'll just hang tight until we hear from Alec.”
“Did anything happen at the house between you and Thatcher last night or this morning?” Frankie asked.
“No. In fact, he was holed up in his study most of the night. I don't think he went out. But then again, I don't keep tabs on him.”
“Do you know if anyone came to see him?”
“Just Becca Manning.”
Frankie's eyebrows shot up. “Does she normally show up at the house?”
“No.”
“Do you know what she wanted?”
“No. I wouldn't have even noticed she was there if one of my staff hadn't told me. I'd come down to the kitchen to inform the cook that I only wanted a light dinner in my room.”
“Do you normally take meals in your room?” Johanna asked.
“Sometimes.” She glanced toward the window.
Frankie watched her carefully. She was terrified, as she had a right to be. Whatever had happened couldn't be good. She wondered how long they'd be holed up in the office. “If we don't hear from Alec soon, I'm going to give him a call,” Frankie stated.
“I think you should call him now,” Johanna said. “This waiting around is making me stir crazy. Especially since we don't know what's going on.”
“Okay.” Frankie punched in Alec's number. She impatiently tapped her foot as she waited for him to pick up. When he finally did, she was relieved.
“Frankie, is Kendall okay?” he whispered before she had a chance to greet him.
“She's fine.” She looked at Kendall. “What's going on? Are you at the courthouse?”
“No, I'm at the police station. Don't mention where I am. I don't want Kendall to know.”
Frankie frowned as she walked toward the window. “Why?” she whispered. “What's going on?”
“You've heard about the arson fires plaguing the city?”
“Of course,” she replied knowing that she and Johanna seemed to be the prime suspects.
“They know who it is.”
“Yeah, I can explain—”
“No. It's not you and Johanna. It's Kristin Robbins.”
“What?” Frankie began to laugh causing Johanna and Kendall to look curiously at her.
“I'll explain it to you later, but for now you need to keep Kendall with you.”
“What's going on?”
“I don't have time to explain it right now. I'm waiting for the sheriff.”
“George Ryker?”
Johanna was immediately by her side. “What's going on, Frankie?”
“Alec, I can't keep Johanna or Kendall in the dark. Kendall's a big girl. She can handle the truth.”
“Frankie, put me on speaker, but first give me your word that you and Johanna will
