Chapter Two

If Kendall were hoping Zach was about to be summarily read his rights, clapped in handcuffs, and transported to the Pine Valley Jail—which Zach knew she desperately was—she was to be disappointed. Not only was there zero evidence tying him to the missing flight, the Pine Valley Police Benevolent Association, the Pine Valley Police Department Boys and Girls Clubs, and the Pine Valley Police Department Retired Officers Association had each been a recipient of a very generous check from the Seasons Casino Group, a check signed by Zachery Slater, President. Police Chief Derek Frye of the Pine Valley Police Department, when Zach courteously invited him in, had clearly not arrived to arrest Zach on suspicion of murder. Under the circumstances, however, Zach couldn't take any pleasure in Kendall's visible disappointment at Derek's deferential manner to them both—a manner considerably more deferential to himself than to Kendall.

After exchanging the minimum of greetings, Derek began by loudly clearing his throat and stating awkwardly, "Er, I'm sorry to intrude, but I've just received some very troubling news."

Kendall spoke up first. "Derek, that's why I'm here, too. And you've come to arrest Zach, so go ahead and do it. I'll follow you down to the station and give you my statement."

"Excuse me, Kendall?" Derek didn't conceal his surprise. "Arrest Mr. Slater? What are you talking about?"

"That's why you're here, isn't it?" she asked impatiently. "You don't need to beat around the bush for my sake. You know what Zach's done to Bianca, and Ethan, and my mother, and Jack, and you're not letting him get away with it. You're charging him with multiple murders."

Derek's gaze went from Zach, whose impassive mask was back in place, to Kendall, who seethed with anxiety. Then he slowly removed a large white handkerchief from his trouser pocket and nervously wiped his forehead with it.

"Well, Derek?" Kendall prodded. "You are, aren't you?"

"Er, no, Kendall. I understand you're upset, but you're jumping to some unjustifiable conclusions. I am not here to arrest anybody for anything." The police chief looked ruefully at Zach. "I apologize for this misunderstanding, Mr. Slater. I assume you've also heard the news reports abut the missing jet?"

Zach nodded.

"Unfortunately, the Montrose sheriff's office released information to the media before they even communicated with me," Derek continued. "I've just spoken with them, and I wanted to personally follow up on it with both you and Ms. Hart."

"I appreciate that, Chief," Zach replied quietly. "Would you care to sit down? I suppose you can't accept a single-malt Scotch or a snifter of cognac while you're on the job, but I can offer a club soda on the rocks. And you, Kendall?" he added blandly.

"Wait a minute, you're letting Zach get away with this?" Kendall, who was still standing, gasped.

Derek sank down into the deep black leather sofa. "Thanks. Club soda would be great. And Kendall, there could be any one of a number of reasons why the Cambias jet is missing, so let's not cast aspersions on Mr. Slater, and let's not assume the worst."

"But Derek, if you don't, he'll get away with it, don't you see that?" she persisted.

"Kendall, as I just said, I realize you're upset, but you're jumping the gun. I'd hate to see Mr. Slater sue you for slander."

Just then Zach returned from the kitchen area with a club soda for Derek and for himself, and joined Derek on the sofa, while Kendall remained standing defiantly, with her arms refolded across her chest. Sipping his drink in an effort to soothe his dry mouth and gain some time to tame the chaotic thoughts wreaking havoc behind his expertly controlled surface, Zach envied the matter-of-fact but tactful way Derek Frye handled Kendall. Of course, Kendall wasn't accusing Frye of murder and calling for his head on a platter.

Finally Zach broke the tense silence. "For the moment I'll overlook it. Now, a plane carrying some of our loved ones has gone astray and no one is yet able to explain why. I just have two questions. The first one is for you, Chief Frye. Say the plane remains unaccounted for. What happens next?"

Derek shifted uncomfortably. "An investigation will be mounted under the supervision of the National Air Traffic Safety Board. If anything is found, the FBI will join the investigation."

Zach took another sip of his drink. "I see."

"He sees, all right. He sees that he's clearing out of town tomorrow if you don't throw him in jail tonight, Derek!" Kendall burst out.

"Please, Kendall, I've cautioned you—," Derek began.

"It's all right, Chief. It's been a trying evening for both of us, and Kendall's understandably not quite rational any longer. I can't fault her for that," Zach interjected so smoothly that if he were capable of impressing himself, he would have been impressed. "Which brings me to my second question, which I'll throw open to the floor. Where is my niece, Miranda? I understand she wasn't on the flight."

Kendall gasped once more, but in Derek's presence seemed to think better of verbally or physically assaulting Zach again, confining herself to a stiff, "That's one of his business. Miranda is fine and that's all he needs to know," addressed to Derek.

"Why don't you tell the man, Kendall," Derek sighed. "His son was on the flight, so it seems to me that whether you like it or not, you're in this together until it's resolved."

"Two against one, huh? Derek, don't you get it? Zach doesn't care about Miranda any more than he cares about Ethan. He just wants to use her to get to me. Well, it won't work."

Zach's reply was also to Derek. "Then, since there's no point in pressing that issue further tonight, I'll table it—for the moment."

Derek placed his half-finished drink carefully on the glass cocktail table and rose to his feet. "Sounds like a plan," he muttered. "Look, I wish I had more to tell you folks, but that's all I have. I'm afraid I have a few other calls to make, so I'll be on my way. As soon as we get any new reports, and I'll pray they're good ones, I'll be in touch. Kendall, can I walk you over to your door on my way to my car?"

She sniffed, "I can see my own self home, thank you very much, Derek. Although you might keep an eye on my back. I don't think even Zach would stick a knife in it if you're watching."

"I'm sure he wouldn't, " Derek agreed affably, treating her with a forbearance very much admired by Zach. "After you, then, Ms. Hart."

With a final lingering, hostile glare at Zach, Kendall turned on her heel with great dignity and wordlessly preceded Derek out the door he'd just opened for her. Derek stayed behind for a moment to shake hands with Zach and reassure him that everything that could be done, was being done.

Zach thanked him wearily, but sincerely. He was discerning that in Derek Frye he had, if not a personal advocate, at least not another adversary like Kendall. Probably Zach's generous contributions to Pine Valley's finest had helped smoothed the path between police chief and casino magnate, but Kendall's antipathy towards him, her wild accusations, had not seemed to influence Derek against him whatsoever if only from their constant repetition, as Zach might have expected. It was the one good thing that had emerged from this nightmare.

"Y'know, Slater," Derek said in an almost conspiratorial tone as they both watched Kendall walk quickly across the courtyard to her own condo, "when Kendall refuses to see reason, a team of wild horses can't make her. She's just like her mother that way. I've dealt with them both so many times I'm immune, but I've got the scars." He chuckled, then sobered. "But at times like these, families need to put their differences aside and pull together. So if I happen to find out where Miranda is, and it's very likely I will, I'll let you in on the secret."

For the first time that night, a genuine smile flitted across Zach's face. "That would put me immeasurably in your debt, Chief Frye."