The Search The Secrets of Crittenden Cou - By Shelley Shepard Gray Page 0,54

There was a good chance that Beth’s curiosity had made him feel uncomfortable. Remembering how upset Luke had been when she’d been too interested in his comings and goings, she frowned.

Full of indignation, Beth said, “It wasn’t like that, Frannie. I had started to talk a little with Chris. We had a connection, of sorts.”

“What was it like, then?”

“Chris is different. I think he was keeping secrets from me.”

“Just because he was staying here didn’t mean he had to become your friend, Beth.”

“Stop. You’re not listening to me.” Looking very agitated now, she glared at Frannie. “I am not as silly or naïve as you think I am. I may only watch children for a living, but I know when someone is evading the truth, and that’s what Chris was doing.”

Now she felt horrible. “I am sorry, Beth. I didn’t mean to make you upset. Please go on, and I’ll be quiet.”

After taking a fortifying deep breath, Beth continued. “When I asked him things, like where was he working or what was he doing here, he never gave me a straight answer.”

“That does sound strange.”

“And these men who came to see him, they didn’t look like they were friends of his, either.” Her voice rose. “And now he’s gone and I don’t know what to do.”

Stunned, Frannie stared hard at Beth. “I don’t know what to do either . . .”

“But wait, it gets worse.”

“What else happened?”

“I . . . I got your master keys and went into his room.”

Frannie closed her eyes. Oh, but this was not good. “Beth—”

“I only went inside to try to figure out who he was, what he was.” She rushed forward. “I found a gun, Frannie.”

“A gun?”

“He had a gun and it’s sitting upstairs, and he might have needed it to fight those men who took him away.” She breathed in and out deeply. “Oh, Frannie. I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared in my life.”

“Nee,” she said weakly. “I don’t imagine so.”

A chill passed through Frannie. She’d thought coming home would be wonderful. She’d thought all of her worries that she’d harbored in the hospital would disappear and she’d feel the sense of peace that always infused her when she stepped through the front door of her little inn.

But now, instead of feeling better, she felt only more confused and stressed.

Suddenly she longed for her hospital roommate and her chatty laughter and playful comments.

But all she had now was a missing guest and a distraught best friend. And no earthly idea of how to make any of it better.

Chapter 18

“Perry had the kind of smile that could light up the world. He had the same type of temper, I’m afraid.”

FRANNIE EICHER

Luke pulled into an empty space at the end of small parking lot. As the car idled, he kept his foot on the brake and seriously contemplated putting the car back into gear and driving away.

It had been just hours since he’d last seen Frannie. He didn’t want to question her now, but he didn’t have a choice. The latest update from Mose had made avoidance impossible.

Besides, he’d come to Crittenden County to solve a crime, not to make friends. Certainly not to begin a romantic relationship!

He grimaced as every word from his conversation with Mose echoed in his head.

“I got some news for ya, Luke,” he’d said. “I’m afraid it concerns Frannie.”

“What happened? Did she get an infection at the hospital?”

“No . . . it ain’t nothing like that. I heard from the ballistics lab. They identified two sets of fingerprints on those sunglasses you found, Luke.”

Finally the lead he’d been waiting for! “And?”

“Perry’s are on them . . . but Frannie’s are, too.”

“Frannie?” He ached to ask if Mose was sure, but he didn’t dare question his friend’s information. Mose wouldn’t have told him about the fingerprints if he wasn’t sure.

“You’ll have to get her side of the story, Luke, but if I had to take a stab at it, I’d say Perry probably tried to give them to Frannie, she held them, then for some reason gave them back.” Continuing slowly, he said, “Who knows? Maybe she even tossed them on the ground.”

They’d talked for a few more minutes, Luke feeling more angry and betrayed with every second. He’d been a fool to not question Frannie more attentively . He’d been questioning Mose’s abilities, when all the time he’d been slowly letting himself be so charmed by Frannie that he’d accepted her story far too easily. Just like some