Read Online Faith's Sheriff (Montgomery Family and Friends) by Iris Abbott - Free Book Online

they are needed.”
    Faith let out a little wisp of a sigh.  “I’m just relieved to know that Jasmine and her baby cousin are in such capable and loving hands.”  The smile on her face slowly slipped, “any word on Richard Tome?”
    “Nothing yet,” Cole replied.  “At this point he’s been moved to the top of the suspect list.  If you catch a glimpse of him anywhere Faith, don’t try to approach him.  Call the sheriff’s department immediately.”
    “Absolutely,” she agreed.  “I’m not one to go chasing after a suspected murderer especially on my own.”  She gave Cole’s arm an awkward squeeze.  “Thank you once again for all your help last night.  I’m going to go ahead and pack a few more things while I’m here and then drive over to Caroline’s house.  I locked up at your house before leaving, so I’ll just pick up my things later on if that’s okay.”
    Cole gave her an absentminded nod.  Someone from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement had come over to ask him a question and he had immediately switched his concentration from Faith to the job.  The quicker the person responsible for this was apprehended the safer Faith would be.
    Faith didn’t want to interfere with the investigation and she didn’t want a long and drawn out awkward goodbye.  Things were subtly shifting between them, and she needed to put some distance between herself and Cole.  She went to her bedroom and filled one of her larger suitcases with enough clothes and toiletries to last at least a week.  Hopefully by the end of that time the window would be fixed and the murder suspect would be behind bars. 
    Faith slipped out of the house while Cole was deep in conversation with one of his deputies.  And if her feet moved a little slower the further she got from Cole well that was just because it had been a very trying twenty-four hours.
    ******
    Faith slowly sipped the refreshing sweet iced tea Caroline had made especially for her.   Then she continued with her story aware that her longtime friend was shocked speechless for once.  “The good news is both children are fine, probably better than fine.  They are staying with Joyce Montgomery until Robert Owens can return.” 
    Caroline just nodded in wide-eyed agreement.
    “Anyway, I want to thank you one more time for letting me stay here.  I just hope that trouble doesn’t follow me.”
    Caroline finally snapped out of her silence.  “Well of course, where else would you stay?  I am going to love having you here for an extended stay.  My stepdaughter Sarah is a senior this year and she’s never home.  She spends most of her time over at Abigail’s house hanging out with her son Jay or horseback riding.”
    Faith was glad to have something to talk about other than her recent ordeal.  She laughed out loud.  “I noticed that Sarah and Jay like to spend a lot of time together.”
    Caroline nodded her head.  “I swear those two are probably going to end up getting married one day.  Every time I say something like that Kyle growls at me.  He knows Sarah is growing up, but he does not like having other people point it out to him.   He’s a typical male.  He doesn’t like hearing about things he can’t control.  I imagine Cole is much the same way.”  She arched a brow to give Faith a questioning look.
    “Cole did take charge last night when everything started to deteriorate.” And Faith was thankful for all he’d done.  She would never have been able to sleep in her little rental house after the rock came crashing through the window shattering her illusions of comfort and safety.  “I imagine you’re right about things he can’t control.”  It had taken an act of vandalism, but he’d gotten his way.  She’d ended up spending the night in his house instead of her own.
    Faith should have known that it wouldn’t take Caroline long to start asking about Cole.  She’d gotten the idea early on that her friends would love to