"It ain't like it's the first time."

"I'll get you out as soon as I can. Cynthia and I will call a lawyer when I get back to Bird Song."

"Don't be too hasty-till you know the charges. I get to cool my heels at least until tomorrow. They got twenty-four hours to do something." Then Fred added, "Keep your fingers crossed. They fingerprinted me."

Dean let out his breath. Back to the past again. "Do you want to talk about it now? I can't help if I don't know what I'm helping."

Fred thought a moment. "Nope. Let's see what happens when they run my prints. Like I said, keep your fingers crossed-both hands."

"Anything else?"

"That Fitzgerald is getting awfully familiar with the tall redhead. Seems like she wants to kick him in his whatsis but for some reason she lets him get away with it."

"So I understand," Dean answered. "Is there anything you need?"

"Maybe that Ridley Pearson mystery I'm working on and a tooth brush."

Dean left the cell confident that the old man was coping, but he was beginning to mirror Fred's concern with his past. Dean had run Fred's prints, but as Fred pointed out, it had been many years ago. He couldn't conceive of some jurisdiction now part of a larger database wanting Fred for past sins. He just wished his stepfather would be more forthcoming about the nature of his concern so he'd know how to help.

Lydia Larkin was seated at a desk in the drab outer room, looking as pensive as Fred O'Connor back in his cell. The clerk didn't raise her eyes from her desk. "Don't say anything," Lydia said. "This wasn't my doing. If you have a problem, see the sheriff." She glanced at the other woman and slipped Dean a piece of paper. He pocketed it, turned and left the building.

Dean read the paper as he sat in his Jeep-I'll be at Bird Song in an hour. Dean sighed. He was getting tired of all this cloak-and dagger nonsense. It strained against his direct approach, like beating the crap out of Fitzgerald and getting Fred home where he belonged. But he realized Fitzgerald held the upper hand-at least for the present.

Cynthia was waiting for Dean at Bird Song-a message left at the library had alerted her to Fred's arrest. He brought her up to date. The mixed news produced a sense of relief that Martha was, according to Fred, temporarily safe, but she seethed at what she saw as Fitzgerald's vindictiveness at attacking them through the old man. "Somehow he has to be stopped," she said.




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