Page 16 of Under The Christmas Lights 6

“Oh, Frank, that must have been awful,” Frieda breathed, her heart going out to him. She knew from personal experience just how badly catching someone cheating could hurt, and it was a pain not easily forgotten.

“It was,” Frank agreed, “but,” he shook his head, as if trying to make sense of it now, “for some reason when she started explaining things to me, I accepted it. She said Jimmy was a useful key and nothing more and that the two of them had a plan to help us both get out of financial trouble. Somewhere in my head, I knew they were wrong and that what I had walked into was way more than just a meeting of ends, but I think I so desperately wanted things to get better that I accepted what she was saying.”

“So, Anita and Jimmy’s plan was to harass us until we sold and then buy us out,” Frieda said aloud, “and then use our profits to dig her way out of debt? That doesn’t make sense. Our hotel, even when in perfect condition, only makes a third of what just one of your hotels does.”

“It’s not the hotel she wants, it’s the land,” Frank explained. “Jimmy said that there’s something special about the land, and that selling the rights would bring in huge cash.”

“So that’s why Jimmy suddenly fought so hard forThe Mystic Refugein the divorce,” Frieda murmured. “What’s so special about it?”

Before Frank could answer, two officers appeared and told Frank it was time to come with them. As he stood up, Frieda noticed for the first time that his hunched over posture had been hiding the handcuffs that were keeping his hands in front of him. She gave him a compassionate look as she stood up as well, and let the officers take him.

“Take care of yourselves, Frieda,” Frank urged as he was walked away. “You girls did good.”

Though he still looked completely destroyed, Frank turned to give her a small smile. Though she didn’t quite feel like smiling, Frieda must one up to give to him, and then turned to find the rest of her group. They had all been taken aside at one point or another to be interviewed, and Frieda had been the first one done. After walking around the venue a little bit, she found Birgit and the others waiting for her outside.

“There you are,” Birgit gasped, rushing to hug Frieda. “Where have you been?”

“Talking with Frank,” Frieda replied, hugging her sister back tightly. Quickly the two of them were joined by Heidi, and then the others until they were in one big hug.

“How is he?” Heidi asked afterward.

Frieda shrugged. “He’s going to be in misery for a while, with or without jail time. He feels really guilty for not reporting Jimmy and Anita sooner. I told him we didn’t blame him, but I don’t think he heard me.”

“A man’s guilt can often be worse than any physical prison,” Davis stated. Then around him Pierce, Tucker, Chris, and Erik nodded.

“Where’s Regan?” Frieda asked, realizing he wasn’t with them.

“He was taken to the police station with Anita, Jimmy, and Jansen,” Erik replied calmly. “He’s going to be fine, and we have plenty of evidence to prove that he was never really on their side. He’ll probably be released within the next twenty-four hours or so.”

Erik then clapped Frieda on the back and gave her a look of gratitude. “You know, that was a nice little last-minute plan you had there,” he praised.

“No kidding,” Birgit agreed, “I really didn’t want to find out what it was they planned on doing to me to ruin my speech.”

Frieda felt a swell of pride rising within her as her sisters and friends congratulated her on her quick thinking. She was thankful she had gone with her gut on the last-minute plan and that all of the harassment was finally drawing to an end.

“Speaking of,” Frieda replied, “I’m really sorry you didn’t get to give your speech. You worked so hard on it!”

Birgit shrugged, and the entire group slowly made their way to the vehicles. “I think the ceremony got cancelled for a pretty valid reason, though,” she quipped, throwing an arm around Frieda’s shoulders. Frieda rolled her eyes at her sister, smiling.

“You know what I was thinking about?” Birgit asked as they continued to walk.

“What’s that?” Frieda asked, wrapping an arm around Birgit’s waist.

“That we should have listened to you about participating in these contests,” Birgit replied matter-of-factly.

“Oh!” Frieda laughed. “Nowyou want to listen to me, huh?”

“Yes, I do,” Birgit replied, giving Frieda a squeeze. “In fact, I think we’ll take this next year off from town contests and just focus on repairing our hotel.”

“I think that’s a fantastic idea,” Heidi perked up, joining them by butting into the middle. “Besides, we may have very different things to focus on for this next year.”

Frieda followed her youngest sister’s gaze toward Davis and Chris, who were chatting with one another by Regan’s truck. Seeing the Jeep Gladiator made a strange feeling rise from Frieda’s stomach, and she suddenly wanted to drive to the station to check on Regan, even though she knew he was going to be fine. She also knew that Erik had his keys, and that they all had rides home.

“Maybe Heidi’s right,” Frieda mused, thinking about her future as she looked at the truck. “Maybe we will have different things to focus on.”

At her side, Frieda heard Wendy whisper, “She means differentpeopleto focus on,” which was followed quickly by soft laughter from her sisters, Cynthia, and Lorrie. She gave them an amused look, and then as one, as if all thinking the same thing, converged into a group hug.

“We hate to break up the love fest,” Pierce called, smiling from ear to ear, “but it’s freezing outside and we want to get someplace warm.”

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