“Her nephew.”
“Name?”
“Frank Holloway.”
Luke looked at Margaret.
“Do you know Frank?”
Margaret stared at the man.
“I...”
Frank became impatient.
“Aunt Margaret, let's go.”
He grabbed her arm.
Margaret flinched.
Luke immediately caught Frank's wrist.
“Don't.”
Frank turned toward him.
“You want to remove your hand?”
“You want to remove yours?”
For several seconds they stared at each other.
Then Frank released Margaret.
“There. Happy?”
“Not especially.”
Frank looked around.
“She's confused. She wandered off. Her family sent me.”
Luke thought of Rebecca.
“She didn't mention you.”
“Who?”
“Rebecca.”
Frank's expression changed.
Only slightly.
But Luke noticed.
“You spoke to Rebecca?”
“Yes.”
Frank recovered.
“Then you know Margaret needs to get home.”
“Rebecca is coming.”
“I can take her.”
“No.”
Frank laughed.
“You're a mechanic. You're not family.”
“Correct.”
“So mind your business.”
Luke looked at Margaret.
She had stepped backward.
Her face was frightened again.
Luke made his decision.
“She stays until Rebecca gets here.”
Frank moved closer.
“You don't get to decide that.”
“Neither do you.”
The Iron Wolves began walking toward them.
Frank noticed.
Bear stopped beside Luke.
“Everything okay?”
Frank looked at the motorcycles.
Then at Bear.
“This doesn't concern you.”
Bear smiled.
“I'm beginning to think that's everyone's favorite sentence.”
Frank looked back at Luke.
“My aunt has dementia. You're keeping a vulnerable adult against her will.”
Luke said, “She's free to go with Rebecca.”
“I'm family.”
“Then Rebecca can confirm that.”
Luke pulled out his phone.
Frank grabbed it.
The movement was fast.
But Bear was faster.
His massive hand closed around Frank's forearm.
“That's enough.”
Frank stared at him.
“Let go.”
Bear leaned closer.
“You came onto private property, grabbed an old woman, and then grabbed his phone.”
His voice was remarkably calm.
“I'm suggesting you reconsider your afternoon.”
Frank pulled free.
“I'll call the police.”
Luke nodded.
“Please do.”
That response clearly wasn't what Frank expected.
He returned to his truck.
But he didn't leave.
He stood beside it and made a call.
Luke immediately called Rebecca.
“Do you have an uncle named Frank?”
Rebecca's reaction was immediate.
“What?”
“Frank Holloway.”
“No.”
Luke looked toward the man.
“He says he's your mother's nephew.”
“My mother doesn't have any living nephews.”
Luke's stomach tightened.
“Do you know anyone named Frank?”
Rebecca was silent.
Then she whispered:
“Frank Dillard.”
“Who is that?”
“He worked for my mother.”
“Doing what?”
“Property maintenance.”
Luke watched Frank.
“Why would he be looking for her?”
“I don't know.”
Then Rebecca gasped.
“Wait.”
“What?”
“My mother's house.”
“What about it?”
“We've been trying to sell it.”
“And?”
“Frank had access.”
Luke's eyes remained on the man.
Rebecca continued.
“We fired him two months ago. Money went missing.”
“How much?”
“Almost twelve thousand dollars.”
Luke lowered his voice.
“Did you report it?”
“We couldn't prove anything.”
Frank was now watching Luke.
Rebecca asked, “Why is he there?”
“I don't know.”
Margaret suddenly spoke behind him.
“Frank.”
Luke turned.
She was staring at the man.
Recognition had returned.
“You remember him?”
Margaret nodded.
“He wanted my papers.”
“What papers?”
She touched her handbag.
“My house.”
Frank saw the movement.
His face changed.
Luke understood.
“Rebecca, does your mother carry property documents?”
“No.”
“Anything valuable?”
“Not normally.”
Luke looked toward Margaret's handbag.
“Margaret, what's in there?”
She opened it.
Inside were ordinary items.
A wallet.
Tissues.
Medication.
A photograph.
And a large white envelope.
Luke pulled it out.
Rebecca's voice remained on the phone.
“What is it?”
Luke read the label.
FAIRVIEW PROPERTY — ORIGINAL DEED / TRUST DOCUMENTS
Rebecca went silent.
Luke looked toward Frank.
He finally understood why the man had arrived so quickly.
Frank wasn't there to rescue Margaret.
He had been looking for something.
And somehow he knew she had it.
Luke put the envelope behind him.
Frank started walking toward them.
“Give me that.”
“No.”
“It belongs to her.”
“Then she can give it to Rebecca.”
Frank stopped.
His expression hardened.
“You really want to make this difficult?”
Luke heard motorcycle boots crunching across the gravel behind him.
Bear stood on one side.
The other Iron Wolves spread out nearby.
Luke almost smiled.
“I don't think I'm the one making it difficult.”
Frank reached beneath his shirt.
Bear immediately moved.
“Hands where I can see them.”
Frank froze.
Nobody knew whether he had a weapon.
For several long seconds, no one moved.
Then sirens sounded in the distance.
Frank looked toward the highway.
Luke hadn't called them.
Bear had.
Frank backed toward his truck.
“You don't understand what's happening.”
Luke answered:
“Then stick around and explain it.”
Frank climbed into the truck.
The engine roared.
“Stop!” Luke shouted.
Frank accelerated.
Gravel exploded beneath the tires.
He shot toward the road just as a sheriff's cruiser appeared around the corner.
Frank turned in the opposite direction.
The cruiser followed.
Within seconds, both vehicles disappeared.
Margaret stared after them.
Then she looked at Luke.
“Did I do something wrong?”
Luke's anger vanished instantly.
“No.”
“Why was Frank angry?”
“You didn't do anything wrong.”
Margaret looked at the envelope.
“I was supposed to protect that.”
Luke handed it to her.
“From who?”
She stared at it.
Then she whispered:
“I can't remember.”