Sanctuary Buried WITSEC Town Series Book 2

by Lisa Phillips

  “If you’re trying to sell me on the deputy position, you’re not doing a great job.”

  John laughed. “Would that I was. I could use another pair of hands just to cover the emergency line so I’m not answering calls twenty-four/seven while working days on Frannie’s case.”

  “You think it was Diego who stole the drugs from the medical center?”

  “He’s on my short list of suspects, but I need conclusive evidence. Without it my hands are tied, and I can’t get an arrest warrant.” John sighed. “It’s still unrelated to Frannie’s case.”

  “I really don’t want your job.” Matthias shook the sheriff’s hand. “I’m going back to the ranch. Bolton is on shift at the medical center. Did he talk to you about who might have been able to manufacture or obtain Einetine?”

  “He did.” John nodded. “Two people. An off-the-charts genius, but she’s unlikely to be the suspect. She’s working on a contract for the Pentagon right now, something about breaking an unbreakable code.”

  “Remy.”

  “That’s the one.”

  “She wouldn’t have done it. Remy is way too oblivious of anyone or anything when she’s working to get involved in individual’s lives this way.” The one time Matthias had met her, he’d barely understood what she was even talking about.

  “She hasn’t been here long enough to account for every murder we think the killer committed.”

  Matthias said, “What about the other?”

  “An older man, former bio-chemist. I’m interviewing him tomorrow.”

  “And Nigel?”

  John nodded. “I spoke with Nigel. The newspaper article on the angel of death wasn’t based on an interview. It was only what was told to him by someone who claims they were there and read Frannie’s letter.”

  “Only one?”

  “Someone sold her story for cash, but Nigel won’t tell me who.”

  **

  Frannie stared at the man sitting beside her bed, overwhelmed by the loss of Susan. She’d been a wonderful woman, and now she was gone? Frannie couldn’t even imagine how Beth was feeling. Meanwhile, Dan waited for her to respond to what he’d told her about God. “He really did all that?”

  The farmer smiled, like the news was exciting to him. “The Bible even says He didn’t do it because we’re worthy, or because one day we might be. It says He just loved us, even when we were sinners.”

  Frannie’s head swam. She’d heard the story before, and she’d seen Jesus hanging on the cross all her life. He’d come down from that cross, been buried and risen to life because He loved her?

  A tear slipped down her cheek, and she wiped it away.

  “When we believe in Him as Savior, we share in His death. We die to sin, so we can share in His eternal life. That’s the great hope we have. All we have to do is believe He’s the Savior and hold that faith in the truth as part of who we are. Then He makes us righteous.”

  Frannie gripped the blanket. “Tell me how to do that.”

  Chapter 16

  Bolton sat in the waiting area at the medical center early Sunday morning. Legs outstretched and ankles crossed, he had his arms folded and his eyes closed. A strip of morning light cut across the tile floor and half of Bolton’s dark features.

  Matthias approached. Was his boss asleep? What kind of a guard—

  “Don’t even think about it.” Bolton opened his eyes.

  “You realize anyone could walk in the back door while you’re sitting there, right?”

  “And anyone could walk in the front while I’m checking the back.” Bolton uncrossed his legs and stood. “That’s why Xavier is at the other entrance, and you’re going to quit questioning me.”

  Matthias took a breath, ready to fire back about sleeping on the job.

  “Used to be no one questioned my methods and lived.” Bolton sighed. “Now I have to deal with people who don’t even know how good I am.”

  “Sorry you’re stuck with us.” Matthias held back his reaction. This was about the most personal thing Bolton had ever said about his past. “John seems to think when you’re here no one is going to dare try and get by you.”

  Bolton said, “Any time you want the killer to show, I’ll be happy to take the night off.”

  “No, thanks.”

  “I get you’re just worried about your girl. She’s fine. There was some laughing and singing around eleven, but after that all quiet.” Bolton motioned to the right with his chin. “How’s the ranch?”

  “House, check. Cows, check. Barn, check.”

  “Which means you spent an hour before breakfast mucking out all the horses, or you wouldn’t have an attitude.”

  Matthias smiled. “At least the cows just stand there, making steak.”

  “And sometimes baby cows.”

  He shuddered. “Don’t remind me.”

  Bolton laughed. “For a rancher, you’re pretty squeamish.”

  Matthias waved him off. “Looks like my near future involves being more of a baker than a cowman.”

  “Happy for you.” Bolton nodded. “She’s a good kid.”

  Matthias supposed, compared to Bolton who had to be forty or thereabouts, Frannie being mid-twenties did mean she was a “kid”. He knew his boss didn’t think of him that way so much.

  “Unlike Diego, who is not so good.” Matthias filled his boss in on his brother’s latest activities and what Izzy had said.

  Bolton tipped his head to the side. “Frannie may not be like them, but still. You’re sure you want to get involved with that family?”

  “I’m sure.”

  “I’ll talk to Diego.” He shook Matthias’s hand and then gathered up four empty paper cups, tossing them in the nearest trash can.

  “Thanks.”

  “Later.”

  Frannie was sitting up in bed fully dressed, on top of the covers, with a tray in front of her. The plate was empty and she was spooning tiny chunks of fruit into her mouth. She tossed the plastic cup and spoon on her tray and waved him over.

  “How are you?”

  One finger pressed to her mouth, she shushed him and motioned to a still sleeping Stella. Matthias nodded as he made his way to her bedside, where he whispered, “How are you?”

  “You heard about Susan and the president?”

  Matthias nodded. Tears sparked in her eyes, and he gathered her in his arms and held her for a minute.

  Frannie shoved her hands between them and pushed him back, wiping her eyes. “You’re never going to guess what happened last night.” Her whisper was laced with a joy that didn’t have anything to do with Beth’s family. “Dan came by. You know that.” Her eyes were sparkling for a different reason now. She looked…at peace.

  “What did he say?” Dan had told her about Beth, but what else could he have said that made Frannie almost joyful even in her grief?

  “He told me all about what Jesus did, and I couldn’t really believe it. But it made so much sense. It was like, all of a sudden, it just…clicked.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him down to sit on the edge of the bed. “I prayed with Dan, and I became a Christian.”

  Despite his worry, Matthias couldn’t help smiling. “That’s awesome.”

  “Now I need to go to church for a whole different reason. But I want to check on Beth, too.” She sobered. “I can’t believe Susan is gone.”

  Matthias tried to keep things light. “I knew you had an ulterior motive than just realizing life was too short to keep putting it off.”

  “I can’t wait to tell Nadia Marie. And Andra.” Frannie took a sip of orange juice. “I just feel so…like I belong now, you know? I’m going to pray for Beth.”

  Matthias nodded, but he wasn’t sure what she meant. He’d been a Christian so long he could barely remember praying that first prayer as a kid. His first communion had been lost in the confusion of his father’s antics and WITSEC.

  Since then church had become something he just did because that’s what their family believed. Lately he’d b
een feeling the nudge to seek. It was entirely possible God would use Frannie’s new relationship with Him to spur Matthias to find out if his own faith could be more than it was.

  Their relationship had to be based on more than just attraction—which was there in spades. It had to have a solid foundation of shared interests. Not just favorite music, or movies, but shared beliefs, too.

  Matthias leaned forward and kissed her softly on the lips. “Congratulations.” He smiled, though his heart was still heavy with the news about Susan and the president. “Maybe that’s not what you’re supposed to say for something like this.”

  She shushed him again. “It works. Thank you.”

  “So you’re ready for church, then?”

  He’d never considered she might be opposed to coming with him to church. It was a gift, not only the fact she was willing to consider it, but she’d made the decision independently of his wanting her to share his faith.

  “I guess.” Frannie looked around, her gaze roaming all around the room. “The guys aren’t coming?”

  Matthias shook his head. “I gave them the morning off if that’s okay with you.”

  Frannie swallowed. She looked around the room again.

  “You don’t have to be nervous. God doesn’t throw you in the fire on the first day.”

  “I’m good.” She pushed the tray aside, moving the rolling table out of the way, and then shifted to get off the bed.

  Matthias found her shoes under a chair and brought them to her. He wrapped her arm in his and walked her to the ranch truck. The inside was free of food wrappers and the sweaters and jackets he discarded when it got too hot. But it was dusty. Not just dust, but the dust of walking around on dry dirt all day and then kicking it off his boots when he climbed in the truck. Why hadn’t he cleaned the truck out?

  “This is weird.”

  He glanced at her, sitting beside him on the bench seat. “It is?”

  “Aside from the ride in the sheriff’s Jeep the other day, I haven’t been in a vehicle in nearly eight years.”

  “You should have asked. I would have taken you for a drive before now.”

  Frannie said, “There are probably a lot of people in town who miss it. Maybe you should start charging for rides. You’d probably make a decent chunk of change.”

  “With a side business as a taxi?”

  “Or a scenic tour guide.”

  Matthias morphed his voice to sound like an announcer. “On your left, you’ll notice the Laundromat. Louis isn’t usually there, but if you’re lucky his wife will scold you for whatever you’ve been up to that got your clothes those stains. And beware bringing in anything that has blood on it. She’ll look appropriately disapproving, but she won’t ask where you hid the body.”

  Frannie groaned. “Maybe not.”

  “There you go, being the entrepreneur again.” He grinned at her. “I would never have thought of that.”

  “It’s not like I sit around thinking up new ways to make money.”

  “I know.” He glanced at her.

  “But you aren’t interested?” Frannie frowned at him like she wasn’t sure if what she’d said was okay. “It’s not like I’m only concerned with making money.”

  “I just don’t really think about it. I get paid, and there’s stuff I need. Mostly I break even after I stash part of it in two funds. One’s for retirement and one is for someday. They aren’t all that small since I don’t have much to spend. I order supplies for the ranch, but that comes out of a separate account of both mine and Bolton’s money which we cycle back into the ranch. When we sell beef to the diner or the grocery store, that’s when we get paid. Trickles in, trickles out. That’s about all there is to it other than the fact I sunk some money into the nursery so Sofia and Antonia could be comfortable.” He grinned at her. “There you go. My financial status in two minutes.”

  She smiled back, but it was subdued. “So how does the cow get from your field to a steak on a plate at Sam’s diner?”

  “Your buddy Michael, actually.”

  Frannie gaped. “Seriously?”

  He nodded. “The man might only have one arm, but he’s the best butcher I’ve ever seen. It takes someone to help him, but it’s worth it.”

  “Is it awful, watching them die?”

  Matthias much preferred the end to the birthing process, though it was equally as messy. “It’s never pleasant, but we make it as quick and painless for the cow as possible. That’s all we can do.”

  Matthias pulled up outside the Meeting House. Frannie put one hand on the door handle and turned to him. “At least I don’t have to murder anything to make a cupcake.” She grinned, swung the door open and crumpled onto the ground.

  Matthias jumped out and rounded the door to find her sitting on the pavement. “Need some help?”

  “I can’t believe I just collapsed.” Frannie curled her lip, looking miffed. “If you carry me in there I’m going to be mad at you for eternity. I have one of those now.”

  “Eternity?” He reached down and hauled her to her feet. She nodded, so Matthias said, “All the more time for you to be ticked off with me.”

  “I figured it was going to happen every now and then, so I might as well get used to the feeling.”

  Still, he tucked her arm in his elbow, and they walked slowly. “Occasionally mad at me is okay.” Just so long as those occasions spanned the next seventy years of their lives, Matthias was more than fine with it.

  **

  The minute they stepped inside, Andy and Shelby rushed over. Frannie had her arm wrapped in Matthias’s so it didn’t look too much like he was holding her up.

  Frannie locked her knees and held onto him. “Andy. Shelby. I’m so sorry I missed practice.”

  Andy looked like he might actually be mad about that, but Shelby gushed. “Oh, dear. Don’t worry about the play. Your understudy is fully prepared to step in if it becomes necessary. All you need to worry about is getting better.”

  “My understudy?”

  Shelby smiled. “Your mother graciously offered to take your place.”

  Matthias’s body went as hard as granite against her arm. “My mother, huh.” She tamped down the rage at a woman who didn’t even come and see her in the hospital, but made sure to fill Frannie’s spot in the play.

  Frannie glanced at Matthias. “We should get a seat before they’re all taken.”

  His smile was brittle. “Good to see you, Andy. Shelby.”

  Frannie’s steps snagged against Shelby’s ankle-length floral skirt as they passed, but she managed to get untangled even though the couple just stood watching them walk to their seats.

  When they were out of earshot, Frannie said, “I really do need to sit.” He took a step, and she stumbled. Nadia Marie jumped in on her other side, whispering, “Hey, girl,” as she took Frannie’s other arm and helped her to a chair.

  Frannie slumped in the seat, drained. She blew out a breath as Nadia Marie sat by her. “I talked with Dan last night.”

  Nadia Marie grinned. “I’m glad he convinced you to come.”

  Matthias leaned forward and said to Nadia, “It was Frannie’s idea. She became a believer last night.”

  Nadia Marie screamed. Every person in the room stopped what they were doing and turned to look. Across the room, Andra laughed. She walked over while Nadia asked a million questions and Frannie mostly just smiled so much her face hurt, and said, “Yes.”

  Nadia Marie wrapped her arm around Frannie’s shoulder and squeezed, telling Andra what happened.

  The former assassin frowned. “I thought she screamed because you told her you were kicking out your mom and sister.”

  Frannie cocked her head to the side. “Really?”

  “This was better,” Andra said. “But you should still do that as well.”

  Frannie wasn’t sure. “Are Christians supposed to evict their family?”

  Andra muttered, “If they’re big leeches who deserve it.”

  Nadia shot
her a look before turning to Frannie. “You can have boundaries, and you’re allowed to be firm on them. This has been a long time coming.”

  Matthias told Nadia Marie and Andra about Mimi being Frannie’s understudy for the play. He looked a little pale—at least as pale as someone with his coloring could look.

  That was when Frannie remembered he’d have to kiss her mom in the play.

  She gasped. “Uh…”

  “Exactly.” Matthias shook his head. “I’m not doing it if you aren’t.”

  “Shelby and Aaron aren’t going to like it if we’re both out. They’ll have to get two understudies.”

  Dan stepped toward the microphone up front and began to strum his guitar. He looked around, and Frannie saw the moment he spotted her because he winked.

  Nadia Marie leaned closer. “Maybe Matthias could trade with Terrence. I’ll play your part instead and your mom can kiss him.”

  Frannie nearly agreed…but that would mean Nadia Marie would kiss Matthias. Frannie glanced at her friend. Did she want to?

  Dan started the song, an upbeat tune everyone seemed to know. Frannie looked at the words projected onto the screen at the front and decided she agreed with the sentiment. She closed her eyes and allowed the singing to resonate in her.

  Was she sure what Nadia meant? Did her friend intend to kiss Matthias, assuming it was no big deal just because it wasn’t Mimi doing it?

  Gradually the tension bled from her, and Frannie simply enjoyed what Dan had called “worship.” After he prayed, they all sat. Father Wilson came to the front. He read from the Bible, and Matthias tilted the copy in his hands so Frannie could see it. She leaned against his arm as she read, listening to the father talk about a king called Hezekiah.

  Matthias touched the page with one finger, skimming down the text faster than Frannie could read. He stilled. His attention was on one verse and the words of Hezekiah’s prayer. Matthias made a “huh” noise in his throat. Frannie straightened to see his face. His eyebrows were pinched together as his eyes scanned the passage.