Malicious Intent (Soulscape #5)

CH 28

"Can I talk to you, Doc?" Alec rested on the windowsill in the soon-to-be office and watched as Frank finished rolling up the old carpet the four men had pulled up from the floor.

Straightening and stretching his back, Frank nodded. "Of course."

Ron and James had slipped out just moments ago to grab them all some cold drinks from the kitchen.

"You asked the sheriff to come out," Alec said. "Why?"

"I, um..." Frank cleared his throat. "I need to talk to him about something."

"What?"

Frank sighed. "I need to know what he said to Ron last night while we were gone."

"Why not ask the warden?"

"I did. He told me to ask Dennis."

Alec stared at him. "Maybe you shouldn't ask."

"Why?" Frank looked uncertain. "Do you know what he told him?"

"I have an idea."

"What?"

Alec pressed his lips tight though his expression remained neutral. "I think he told the warden what he heard the night Randall died."

A shiver rolled down Frank's spine. "What do you mean, what he heard?" He walked closer to Alec, his voice lowering. "What're you talking about?"

Alec slowly cocked his head to the side and blinked. "The sheriff heard you call me Alec."

Everything inside Frank fell like a stone to the bottom of his gut and his head went light. "What...?"

"He was in the woods when you came home."

"The woods..." Frank swallowed laboriously. "He was... spying on us?"

"No," Alec said. "He came over to check on me."

Frank pressed his palm to his brow, feeling dizzy. "Why didn't he make himself known, then? Or... or say something about it later?" Frank raised his head. "Why didn't you tell me before now?"

Alec just looked at him.

"Alec..." Frank whispered, then fell silent when he heard the other men in the kitchen. He started to turn away and froze. "Wait..." He turned back, eyes widening. "He told Ron about that? He told him I called you..." Oh God. That would explain Ron's about-face.

"Maybe."

"Shit." Frank sagged against the wall, his hand covering his mouth. He tried to compose himself. "I'll... I'll talk to Dennis first," he mumbled, more to himself than Alec. "In case that isn't what he told him."

Alec leaned against Frank. "What will you tell the warden... if he knows?"

Releasing a shaky breath, Frank shook his head. "I don't know."

"What will you tell the sheriff?"

"I don't know that, either," Frank whispered.

Ron and James returned with four bottles of chilled beer and passed them around.

"Maybe..." Frank cleared his throat. "Maybe we should call it day. It's too hot to be working indoors."

Ron smiled and wiped his brow. "Can't argue with that."

"Why don't we reconvene to the front porch?" Frank avoided direct eye contact with Ron and twisted the cap off his beer. "At least, out there, we get a bit of cool air from the lake."

"Good idea," James spoke with concern to Frank. "You look like you could use some fresh air. Are you feeling all right?"

"Yeah," Frank lied. "Like you said, I just need some fresh air."