Page 74 of Until The Stars Don't Shine

They scanned through that footage too.

Among the household staff that had been captured, he caught a glimpse of a man who seemed to be very aware where the cameras were. To the point that his face and not much of his body were ever recorded.

“You see him?” Kane asked, those hairs on the back of his neck sending a prickling sensation that went all the way down to the base of his spine.

“Yeah,” Stan replied, just as grimly. “It’s like he knows where the cameras are.”

“He must’ve been gotten inside before, scouted their locations.”

“How did he do that without tripping the alarms? Without any of us noticing?” Stan was a picture of confusion.

Kane had his suspicions. While he trusted Stan, he’d rather keep what would be an unpopular opinion to himself for now. He needed more proof before he’d openly reveal his thoughts. He started for the door.

“What are you going to do?”

“What I didn’t want to. I’m going to break the news to her parents.”

Stan nodded. “I’ll call LAPD, let them know what’s happened.”

The Rockerfellers took it about as well as could be expected.

Mandy went as white as a sheet and would have fainted if her husband hadn’t caught her. He lowered her onto a couch then went through a whole gamut of emotions striding back and forth across the room; first shock, then horror, then rage against the man and his team who were paid to keep her safe but had failed so spectacularly. After he had let them know exactly what he thought of that, there was only a terrified father left.

Kane could have dealt with all but that last.

“Is there a ransom demand?” Stonewall croaked out the question without any of his usual commanding presence.

“Not yet.”

“Isn’t that unusual?” The fact that he seemed to have some understanding about these matters didn’t surprise Kane in the least. To be the head of a successful movie studio, he would have had been briefed about such matters, not least in case any staff were taken while a production was in progress. He probably never imaged this happening to one of his loved ones, however.

“It depends on the type of kidnapping and where it has taken place. In high-risk areas of the world, kidnappings are almost conducted as a business with the ransom taken care of by K&R insurance. In our case, I would expect a demand to come through within a few hours.”

“Why?” Mandy asked. Her voice had none of her usual animation and verve. Her skin was pasty beneath the glamorous makeup.

“Firstly, to confirm that she has indeed been kidnapped, that she hasn’t just gone off on her own accord. Second, to induce fear and impress the need for the ransom to be paid — and quickly. Third, the longer the kidnapper has to hold onto the victim, the likelier they are to be discovered.”

He answered automatically, an info-dump that he tried to distance himself from. He certainly couldn’t keep picturing Lexi as the terrified victim he spoke of — not if he wanted to be of any use to her.

“Whatever they want, we’ll pay it.” Mandy said, looking to her husband for confirmation.

He nodded.

“Have the police been informed?”

“My man is on it now.”

“Good. We need all the help we can get.” This wasn’t directed at him, though Kane still flinched. There was no one who could blame him as much as he already blamed himself.

“I need to stop the party, question the guests.” He needed the place on lockdown while both they and the LAPD investigated the property.

Stonewall joined his wife on the sofa, wrapping her in his bear-like arms. She sank into him, fragile as a leaf, shoulders shaking with grief.

There was nothing more he could say to them. Nothing his presence would do other than to cause further misery.

“Come, Bud.”

They left the Rockefellers to their despair as his own threatened to overwhelm him.

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