Page 63 of Lost Cause
“I can’t believe it. I can’t believe she would do such a thing to me.” He twisted his hands together, rubbing them over and over as if trying to wash away the pain of betrayal.
“In one of the last journal entries in the year she disappeared, she mentioned being unhappy here and wanting to move back to France, but she was afraid to approach you about it.”
“No! I refuse to believe such a thing.” He gave a weary shake of his head, eyes clouded with emotion. “She never said anything to me. Not a word. How was I supposed to know? I love this place, but if I’d known she was so unhappy I would’ve gone to France with her. Anything, not to lose her.”
A silent ache grew in her chest as she watched him. “I wish she would’ve told you.”
“If she had, maybe she’d still be with me.” He hung his head and began sobbing.
She couldn’t ignore his pain anymore. She knelt on the floor and took his hand. “Let’s pray.”
She didn’t give him the option this time, but offered a sincere prayer on his behalf.
He lifted his eyes to her. “I want to believe in prayer. Want to believe it will make things easier, but I just can’t. Not after all of this.”
She squeezed his hand and leaned back. “I understand. I’ll continue to pray for you to find the faith to believe.”
Burke stepped into the room, the bag of journals tucked under his arm. “We good to go on the cameras and safe house?”
“Cameras? Safe house?” Victor blinked at Abby. “What’s he talking about?”
She didn’t want to add to his worries, but she had no choice and explained the situation to him. “We can’t let you stay here and risk your life.”
“But I…” He clapped a hand over his mouth, then dropped it to his knee and shook his head. “Today’s trip to the bank was brutal. I can’t leave again so soon.”
“We’ll be with you and will take precautions on the transport.” Abby tried to sound confident, something she didn’t feel quite yet, but would once they’d made a game plan.
“I don’t know.” Victor scratched the back of his neck, eyes darting away.
“I need you to trust me. Trust us.” She put force behind her words to get his attention. “We have your best interest at heart.”
His stern expression wavered.
“Think of it as an adventure,” she said, trying to make it sound exciting. “You’ll be staying in a top-of-the-line law enforcement training facility. A tour of the place alone is worth going, and you’ll be protected by tight security.”
“Such a tour might appeal to you,” he said. “It’s not my cup of tea.”
“Then think about being safe.” She plunged ahead. “You won’t have to worry about anyone breaking in here while you’re here alone.”
“I guess I have no option, and I’ll have to try.” He sighed. “I have sleeping pills I can take with me to knock me out overnight. But youwillbring me back tomorrow, correct?”
“I would like to say we will, but it’ll depend on what happens tonight,” she said. “We’d like your permission to install video cameras in the house and on the property to record any events that might occur tonight.”
“Cameras.” He narrowed his eyes. “What difference does it make if I’m not here? So go ahead. Let’s catch this thief. Do we need to leave right away?”
Abby shook her head. “Gabe is headed to the mainland to get the cameras. After he returns, we’ll need time to install them. While he’s gone, we’ll arrange secured transport for you.”
“If only you had a helicopter.” He let out a long breath through his nose. “It would make me feel a lot better than crossing the bay in your boat again.”
Burke stared at Victor, his lips parted in stunned silence. “You’re good with riding in a helicopter?”
Victor bobbed his head, firm and assured for once. “I like how it’s enclosed, cocooning. And it’s above all the danger we faced this morning.”
Abby liked the idea too. It was not only safer, but faster. “Is there a helipad on the island?”
“There is. One of the remaining families here maintains it for their comfort, but any homeowner on the island can use it.”
Finally, something positive in Abby’s day. “Then let me look into securing a helicopter.”
