Bonaparte's Belle: A SEALs of Honor World Novel (Heroes for Hire Book 24), Dale Mayer [read an ebook week .TXT] 📗

Angela looked over at Isabel and said, “Looks like the news has already traveled. You may have failed to mention that your sister was in the middle of all this too?”

And, at that, Lana hopped into the station, looked at her sister, and asked, “What happened?”

“What do you mean, what happened?” Isabel said drily. “Have Henry and Johnny or other guys been bothering you?” As the color washed out of her sister’s face, Isabel said, “They have, haven’t they?”

She nodded. “Ever since the nursing home, getting Granddad’s signature,” she said, sagging onto a nearby chair but looking sideways at Isabel.

“Oh, my God,” Isabel said, “me and Mom didn’t even really think about it. We were just so panicked, trying to get the sale done, before Granddad got even worse.”

“And that’s what you need to tell a judge,” Angela said.

Lana stared at her, looked at her sister, and said, “Judge?” Her word came out with a squeak.

Isabel looked sad and nodded. “Yeah, you know what we did was wrong.”

“Maybe, but it wasn’t criminal,” Lana said. The two women looked at her, and Lana slowly sagged in place. “Oh, my God,” she said, “that’s what you think? It is, isn’t it?”

“You forged a signature on a legal document,” Angela said, “when you could have just gotten a lawyer to deal with it.”

“We couldn’t have done anything,” Lana said. “Granddad was right there—well, as much as he ever was. It’s not like we forged it.”

“It’s exactly like you forged it. The bottom line is, it’s still something that has to be discussed,” Angela said. “And that puts you and your sister in the position you find yourself in right now. And then we have the actions of these men. Did those two brothers or others ever approach you afterward?”

Lana tried to look surprised and failed miserably, then sagged even further in her chair. She looked over at her sister. “Did they approach you?”

Isabel said, “Of course they did. Constantly.”

“What were you supposed to do for them?” Lana asked Isabel.

“Get close to Angela and find out what was going on.” Isabel looked over at Angela and said, “But I didn’t do that, I swear.”

Angela shrugged. “I wouldn’t have let you,” she said quietly.

“I told them that too,” Isabel said.

Angela looked straight at Isabel. “Too bad you didn’t mention your sister’s involvement. That changes things considerably.” She looked at Lana. “So what about you? What did they want you to do?”

She flushed and remained silent.

“Ah,” Angela said. “Weren’t you dating Deputy Johnson at one time?”

At that, Lana’s face turned bright red. “Yes,” she said.

“But she broke up with him ages ago,” Isabel said.

Lana was silent, looking at the floor.

“So did you suddenly become inspired to reconcile?” Angela asked her.

Lana looked like she wanted to disappear.

“Does he know that you took the key from his pocket? The key he was supposed to return and didn’t?”

At that, Lana’s face went from red to pure white.

“Oh, my God,” Angela said. “So it was you who walked into the jail and let two prisoners go free.”

Isabel looked at her in confusion and back at Lana. “What are you talking about?”

“Henry and Johnny are both missing from the jail downstairs,” Angela said, “and your sister’s the one who let them out.”

Isabel looked at her sister in horror. “Do you know they were in my house and kept me kidnapped inside? And that is where I would likely still be if Angela hadn’t come to rescue me?”

Lana stared at her in shock. “No, I didn’t know anything about that,” she cried out. She stared at Angela. “What have I done?”

“Well, on top of the forgery, you’ve now aided and abetted two criminals in a successful escape from custody,” Angela said, shaking her head at the stupidity of these women. “I can’t get you two out of this mess that you’ve created all by yourselves.” She turned to her best friend. “Good God, Isabel. If you’d told me that Lana was involved, I might have headed some of this off.”

“But, but …” Lana sputtered, “that’s not what I meant to do.”

“Where did they go?” Angela asked, stepping forward and glaring at Lana.

Lana shrank back. “I don’t know,” she said. “I didn’t have a choice.”

“And does Deputy Johnson know about this?”

Lana glanced at her and then away, without speaking.

“Damn it, Lana,” Angela said, “silence only digs you deeper into this hole. Start talking and don’t you dare lie to me.”

Shamefaced, Lana slowly nodded. “He knew he was supposed to return the keys, but the brothers found out and told him not to, in case they might come in handy some time.”

“Or did he get a copy made?” Angela asked in a hard voice.

“He tried,” she rushed to say, “but nobody here would do it, and, when he tried to take them into town, they wouldn’t do it there either.”

“That’s because they’re not allowed to,” she said, “because they are supposed to be secure. Something Deputy Frank Johnson knows very well. But I’m sure, with enough poking and prodding, with enough money and threats, somebody would have eventually,” she said bitterly.

She pulled out her phone and phoned Bonaparte. “Watch out for those two,” she said. “Isabel failed to mention that her sister, Lana, was in the middle of the forgery mess as well. It would have been nice to know because her lack of judgment and questionable morals made her an obviously easy target to do just about anything. Apparently the brothers blackmailed Lana, who is currently sitting in front of me now, into reconciling with her boyfriend, the soon-to-be ex-Deputy Johnson. He was supposed to return his keys, of course, but chose not to after willingly attempting to get them copied. Anyway, Lana used them to walk into the jail and to let go the very same prisoners who were terrorizing her sister earlier today, so the brothers could spread more havoc on our community.”

There was silence on the other end.

Angela reached up, rubbed her temple, and said, “Yes, I