Page 71 of Fire on the Moon

Chapter Twenty

Francesca felt an electric sizzle go through her.

Beside her, Zane spoke calmly. “That will be clear when I explain what happened after thugs burned down Angelo Lucci’s house. Francesca can tell you what happened before that—before I found her running for her life down the beach.”

He turned to Francesca. “Why don’t you start?”

She told the story of contacting her uncle, coming to Florida, and thinking he had been murdered. She also related what she’d heard when she was hiding in the closet and how she’d escaped from the burning house.

Then Zane took up the narrative, methodically, going through the events of the previous two days, noting where he had documentary evidence to back up his story—including pictures of the men who followed them from his rental. He also produced the pendant which had hidden the tracking device and finished with, “Frank Decorah assures me that the Lady Slipper has been returned to the Cypress Creek marina.”

The lieutenant said, “That sounded pretty glib. But I’ve been in touch with the authorities in Naples. What do you have to say about Decorah Security men impersonating police officers?”

Francesca winced and Zane answered the question.

“The only way we could prove our innocence was to stay out of custody so we could get the full story from Francesca’s father.”

“A lawyer could have done that,” Henderson said.

Francesca interjected, “He would have been reluctant to speak to a lawyer. He was in the Federal Witness Protection Program and very wary of revealing anything about himself.”

“You have proof that his brother came to kill him?” Henderson pressed.

“Yes. Zane recorded him in the hospital room threatening her and her father.”

“It was pretty convenient that he was killed before he could shoot anybody,” the lieutenant said.

Francesca answered. “He tried. There are bullet holes in the walls of the room. I assume the bullets will match the gun he was carrying.”

“What stopped him?” Henderson asked.

“The dogs burst in.”

“And where did they come from?”

Francesca shook her head. “I don’t know anything about them. I certainly didn’t bring them with me.”

Henderson scowled. “Another interesting convenience,” he muttered.

He kept questioning them, but he couldn’t shake the story that they had been defending themselves during the whole Florida episode.

Finally, he said, “You will have to remain in the area until this is cleared up.”

“Of course,” Zane agreed before fixing his gaze on the lieutenant. “But there’s one more consideration.”

Henderson waited for him to elaborate.

“We know Mr. Turner’s brother, Angelo Lucci, came up here to kill him. We know he was running a con on Francesca in Florida. He’s dead, but there were several men who pursued us after she escaped from his house. If they were working for Lucci, then I hope we’re out of danger because their boss is dead. If they’re holding a grudge, then they may come here looking for us. Or they might come after Mr. Turner in the nursing home.”

Francesca’s head swung toward him. “I didn’t think of any of that,” she whispered.

“Those are fair points,” Henderson agreed. If everything you’ve told me is true,” he added.

“Do you have any suggestions for insuring our safety while we hang around town?” Zane asked.

The lieutenant thought it over. “I suggest that Ms. Turner not go back to her apartment. We can put you in a hotel we use for witnesses.”

“And since I know it would be a strain on your department to guard Mr. Turner twenty-four seven, I think Decorah Security can keep watch over him,” Zane added.

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