Drake Sisters 03 - Oceans of Fire

the truth again, not for law enforcement, but she couldn’t let them think Sylvia was in some way trying to deceive them. Sylvia’s fear and her concern for her ex-husband were very genuine.
    Aleksandr reached out to her and laced his fingers through hers, knowing how difficult it was for her to give them that small piece of information. “So Sylvia did get away. Then it couldn’t have been Prakenskii.
    He never misses and no woman, especially an untrained one, could have fought him off.”
    “Could he have let her go on purpose?” Abigail asked.
    They all fell silent. Jonas drummed his fingers on the small end table until Hannah leaned over and put her hand over his to stop the irritating noise. When he glanced at her, she snatched her hand away.
    “That’s‘s-s-so annoying.”
    “How nice that Barbie doll is speaking to me today,” Jonas said.
    Hannah made a face at him.
    “ Don’t start!” Abigail commanded. “I don’t like any of this and I want clear heads while we all figure it out. If it was Prakenskii and Aleksandr’s right about him, then he deliberately allowed Sylvia to escape.
    He wanted her to find Aleksandr.”
    “I’d have to agree with that,” Jonas said as his fingers began to drum on the end table again. “A setup, Aleksandr? Are they deliberately drawing you into a trap?”
    Aleksandr shrugged. “It isn’t Prakenskii‘s style. If he was going to kill me, he’d sit outside of Abbey’s house and nail me through a window or as I was coming out. I’m not ruling it out, but it seems rather elaborate. He isn’t a man who would leave things to chance. What if Sylvia went home and hid under her covers? What if she went to the police? There are too many variables for a man like Prakenskii to use her to set me up for a kill.”
    Carol sank into a chair. “Nail you through a window? You mean shoot you?”
    “I’m sorry,” Aleksandr said, observing that she was pale. “I didn’t mean to upset you. Would you like me to get you a glass of water?”
    Carol waved her hand toward the kitchen at the same time Hannah did. She flashed Aleksandr a faint smile. “You’re a good man. I hope my niece decides to forgive you and give you another chance.”
    “We shouldn’t have been discussing something like this in front of you, Aunt Carol,” Jonas said.
    “I’m not upset talking about murder and murderers. I just realized that someone was looking through our window through something that reflected light. Binoculars maybe, or a scope. Jefferson was a hunter before we married and he kept rifles. That first day, when Abbey had the run-in with killers, I was taking snapshots of the girls, mostly to make them laugh. It was at night and I was facing the large picture Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    window and there was a glare on the camera. I snapped the shot and have the photograph in the other room.” She shuddered. “Just the idea that someone could have been looking through our window, holding a gun on one of us, is terrifying.”
    Abigail tightened her fingers around Aleksandr’s. “That was the evening you came to my room. I remember Aunt Carol taking pictures. We were sort of joshing Jonas about being spies and she got out the camera. She told us there was some kind of light in the window. It made all of us nervous and we closed the drapes and added to the protection binding the house. You told me you ran into Prakenskii that night. Could he have been here the entire time waiting to get a clear shot at you?”
    “I like the spying part of the job,” Carol admitted, “but not the danger. I think my blood pressure is climbing.”
    Joley sat on the arm of her aunt’s chair. “Shall I get Libby?”
    “No, of course not.” Carol fanned herself. “Jonas, do you really think Frank is involved in something illegal? Maybe he doesn’t know about the stolen paintings in his back room. Couldn’t Chad have hidden them?”
    Aleksandr touched her shoulder gently. “I’m sorry, Carol, if he is your friend. We’ve been tracing his shipments for some time.”
    “But Chad’s the one who crates everything and sends the artwork all over the country,” Carol protested. “Couldn’t he be doing it without Frank’s knowledge?”
    “Are you interested in Frank?” Joley asked. “As more than a friend?”
    “Not me,” Carol said. “But Inez has been for some time. I personally think Reginald is the hottest ticket in town. Frank has