“She's my daughter, not my granddaughter!” Becca bellowed. “I'm not old enough to be her grandmother.”
“Could have fooled me,” Kate mumbled.
Johanna fought for control with the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. If the situation hadn't been so grave, she would have laughed out loud.
“Watch your mouth,” Becca warned Kate. She turned her attention to Frankie and Johanna. “Get over there next to her.”
Frankie helped Johanna to her feet. “I don't think Kristin has a gun,” she whispered close to Johanna's ear. “If the chance comes, try to get to your desk and go for your gun. I'm working on a plan.”
“What are you two whispering about?” Becca asked with her steely eyes aimed at them.
“Nothing. I was just asking her if she was okay.”
“Get over there now!”
Frankie and Johanna stood on either side of Kate. Their eyes moved to where Kendall still stood next to the desk. She stood as though her feet were cemented to the floor. She was paralyzed with fear.
Kristin suddenly moved in Kendall's direction while Becca kept her gun pointed at the three women. She grabbed Kendall's arm, digging her fingers into her bare flesh. “Get your ass over there now,” she ordered.
Kendall's eyes filled with fear as she walked stiffly and stood next to Johanna. “Why are you doing this to me, Kristin? I tried to help you,” she said hoarsely. “I tried to help you with your acting ambitions.”
Kristin stared into her eyes. “Shut up!”
“You didn't answer my question,” Frankie said. “What's your next move?” She stared at Becca Manning.
“They don't have a plan. Isn't that obvious?” Johanna said keeping her eyes level with Kristin's. “If they did, they'd see there's nothing to gain by coming here.”
“Thatcher does,” Kristin smirked. “He'll be contacting us in about half an hour once the arrangements are made.”
Frankie laughed. “Really now.”
“What's so damned funny?” Kristin glared at her.
“You're going to have a long wait.” She stared Kirstin down. “Thatcher's been arrested.”
“Right,” Becca scoffed. “Don't listen to them, Kristin. They're trying to throw you off guard.”
For a brief second Johanna saw the look of doubt in Kristin's eyes. “We're not lying, Kristin.”
“Like you didn't lie yesterday when you told me you were film producers? You almost had me convinced. That was a cruel hoax.”
“You two are good at hoaxes. Thatcher found out what you were really up to,” Becca said. He's not too pleased that you interviewed his employees.”
Frankie grinned. “Are you upset because they don't have a high opinion of you? Or because they pity you for your sick infatuation with Thatcher?”
Becca's eyes slanted. “I was never interested in him that way,” she insisted as Kristin looked curiously at her.
“All I know is what I heard around the water cooler,” Frankie continued. “You've always been hot and heavy for him,” Frankie persisted.
“You're lying!” Becca shouted.
“Suit yourself. It must be eating you alive, though, knowing your daughter has the man you love. Not only that, but has a baby with him.”
“I'm warning you!” Becca moved closer waving the gun in front of Frankie's face.
“So, Kristin, how did you reconnect with the woman who wanted nothing to do with you and gave you up at birth?”
Kristin looked confused. “It wasn't that way. I lied about that part. She was looking for me.”
“Hmm, was it true what you said yesterday? That Thatcher helped you find your mother?”
“Yes. He thinks everybody should know who their parents are.”
“Shut up now!” Becca yelled. “Kristin, don't listen to her. She doesn't know anything.”
“What doesn't make sense is, if Thatcher helped you find your mother then why, with all the resources at his disposal, didn't your mother enlist his help in finding you? Think about it. The only possible conclusion is that she never wanted you found. But when you found her, she figured out a way to weave you into her sick little plan. Maybe Thatcher and her planned it all along. You'd better be careful. She may be plotting to get rid of you once she's finished. Why keep you around?”
Johanna watched as Kristin's eyes clouded with doubt. She knew Frankie was getting to her. Out of the corner of her eye, she also watched Becca. She didn't know if the woman would actually pull the trigger. There was no way she could risk getting to her desk for her gun. Frankie had hers, but how could she reach it without Becca noticing it? Unless she could create a distraction. Maybe that's what Frankie's plan was.
“Why didn't you ask Thatcher?” Kristin looked at Becca. “How hard did you try? I spent my whole life thinking about you and wondering what you were like.”
Becca's jaw tightened. “It doesn't matter. We'll talk about it later.”
“The answer is she never wanted you, Kristin,” Frankie persisted.
Becca's eyes slanted as she glanced at Frankie. “I said close your damned mouth or I'll close it for you!”
“You said you tried to find me, but you didn't, did you? It didn't take Thatcher long to find you. I wanted you to care about me,” Kristin cried as she turned and faced her mother. “You didn't. You never have. I did everything you and Thatcher asked me to do.” Her eyes flitted back and forth. “Are you upset because Thatcher didn't want you the way he wants me?”
“That's nonsense,” Becca said. “She's trying to get in your head. Ignore her.” Becca stared angrily at Frankie. “My patience is running thin. One more word out of your mouth and I'll shut you up for good! I'll put a bullet through your skull.”
“You said we wouldn't hurt anyone. But we have. Why? So we can live in another country on money that's not ours? I can't do this anymore. I don't want to do this.”
“Thatcher earned every dime of that money.” She glared at Kendall, and then turned her attention back to Kristin. “You'll adjust no
