Frank hardly slept the rest of the night. When he finally decided to stop trying, it was seven thirty. He made the decision to go down to the jail himself; there was no need for Eva to worry about anything else after the past few weeks of stress.
He drove downtown and tried to think about what he would say to Sarah. Maybe he would say nothing. Perhaps he would just bail her out, give her a day or so to pay him back, and leave it at that. No, this was much too good an opportunity to pass up.
After arriving at the police station, Frank asked to see Sarah – in her cell. His request was granted and an officer took him to her.
"Frank?" Sarah asked through bloodshot eyes. "Why are you here?"
"I received a call at four o'clock this morning informing me of what you had been up to last night. Since your mother is out of town, Eva and I were the only ones who could be 'responsible' for you."
"Wh-where's Eva?" Sarah asked in a very small voice.
"Still asleep. I told you I don't want you anywhere near her, and that still stands. What the bloody hell were you doing last night?"
"I can't remember."
Frank rolled his eyes. "Can't remember? I come down here only to be lied to? Well, I suppose I'll leave then…"
"No, please, Frank. I honestly don't remember." She looked at the ground, tears forming in her eyes. "Please, just get me out and I'll tell you what I can."
"Tell me from where you are, or you stay here."
Sarah took a deep breath. "I did some stuff that – well, ever since John tried to – there are these people at work and they sort of got me into some things that…"
"Will you just tell me what happened? I really don't have time for this melodrama."
"Let me put it this way: I wasn't drunk last night, O.K.?"
"What do you mean you weren't…" Frank stopped. He now understood exactly why she was having such a hard time confessing. He cleared his throat. "You were high?" he asked, plainly.
Sarah couldn't look at him. "Ya."
"And you expect me to willingly get you out of here?"
"Frank, please, I promise that it will never happen again. Please." She was pleading like a child, and Frank was torn. On one hand, he hardly wanted to come to Sarah's rescue; on the other, he couldn't let Audrey have to do the same.
"Fine," Frank said with much reluctance. "I will get you out here, but what I said before still stands. Do not come anywhere near my family. And if you ever wind up in here again, there won't be anyone to get you out."
"Thank you, Frank," she replied crying. "Thank you."
Frank signed a check and started out the door. Sarah followed closely behind him. He turned to her and said, "Yes? What is it now?"
"You're taking me home, aren't you?"
"I said I'd bail you out. I expect a check in my mailbox by the end of the week." He continued on his way as Sarah stood dumbfounded on the sidewalk. He got into his car and drove off. Sarah was again in tears.
When Frank got home, he found Eva and Faye in the kitchen. "Frank, where were you?" Eva asked in a concerned tone.
"I took care of this morning's inconvenience. I didn't see any reason to wake you and Faye."
Eva walked over to Frank and gave him a rather lengthy kiss. "Thank you. She didn't, um, try anything, did she?"
Frank laughed. "No, and I don't think that's anything with which you will ever have to concern yourself."
"I'm guessing that she had a bit too much to drink last night?"
"Something like that." Frank saw no reason to tell Eva what had really happened; she hardly needed anything else to worry about.