Page 5 of Kidnapping of a Myth

“Thank you.”

“So, no one was aware of your elopement?” Bel asked. “What about your staff?”

“We requested a staff-free trip. The only people who know we’re married are my brothers, the officiant, and you. A chef prepared the week’s meals ahead of time, and the cleaning team will come once we leave. The only other person here was the boys’ driver, but he disappeared with them.”

“Wait…” Bel leaned forward, a clue finally snagging her attention. “The driver’s missing?

“Yes. His car too. No one has heard from him.”

“Was he a new employee?” Bel asked as a theory took root in her mind. Had the kidnapper gotten a job with the Darlings for this purpose?

“No, he’s been with us for a while,” Wendy said, dashing Bel’s hopes. “He was thoroughly vetted by my head of security and has been incredibly reliable. I can’t imagine he would take them… oh my god, do you think he’s alive? Did that lunatic kill him?”

“I don’t know,” Bel answered truthfully. “Has anyone tried to contact him?”

“Yes,” Henry said. “His phone goes straight to voicemail.”

“And he picked up the boys from this house, correct?”

Henry nodded. “We waved them off from the front door.”

“So, your brothers and their driver are missing.” Bel glanced at Eamon, his expression conveying his thoughts mimicked hers. She’d already scared this family enough. She didn’t want to add to their trauma, but The Tinker’s email only mentioned John and Michael. It didn’t reference the driver, and while she hoped she was wrong, Bel feared the man was dead. “I’ll need to speak to your head of security. Is he still in the city?”

Wendy nodded. “I’ll get you his number.”

“Thank you. Does this property have a surveillance system?”

Wendy nodded again.

“Do you have access to the footage, or do we need to contact the company?” Bel asked.

“There’s a security room at the rear of the house.” Wendy gestured behind her. “I can give you access.”

“Thank you.” Bel stood, and Eamon followed her lead. “Before I watch the footage, would you mind if I see your brothers’ rooms?”

“No, of course not,” Wendy said despite her new husband’s disapproving expression. “If you’ll follow me.” She turned and led them through the maze of ornate corridors and elaborate staircases until they came to a well-lit hallway on the third floor. “That’s Michael’s room.” She pointed to the door on the left. “And that’s John’s.” She gestured to the right. “What are you looking for?”

“I’m not sure,” Bel said as she stepped into Michael’s room. The chances of finding evidence were slim, but on the off chance that a clue hid in these immaculate vacation bedrooms, she took her time examining the spaces.

“Do you smell anything?” She settled beside Eamon, twisting until her nose almost touched his shoulder as she whispered.

“No.” He unconsciously shifted closer to her. “There’s nothing of use in here.”

“It was a long shot, anyway.” Bel leaned her forehead against his arm for a fraction of a second before she exited into the hallway. Wendy studied her with hope, but Bel shook her head.

“I’ll show you the security room.” The blonde’s expression fell, and she twisted on her designer heels to hide her tears. Bel and Eamon slowed their pace, allowing the woman a moment of privacy, and when their host disappeared down the staircase, they followed. It took a few minutes for them to reach their destination, but they eventually found themselves in an office teeming with monitors.

“I’ll show you how to work it,” Wendy said, moving to the controls. “It’s easy, and we don’t have any interior cameras. Just the building’s exterior and the property’s entrances. The footage is all stored on the company’s cloud, but I have access to it.” She gave them a crash course on how to view the recordings, and then Bel rewound the days until she found Friday night’s logs.

“I doubt you’ll find anything,” Wendy said. “We didn’t do much.”

“You never know.” Bel smiled gently. “Sometimes the smallest things break a case wide open.”

“Well, I hope you discover something, then.” Wendy turned toward the door. “If it’s okay, I don’t want to watch. I can’t bear the anxiety.”

“It’s why I’m here,” Bel said. “I’ll notify you if I find anything.”

“Thanks.” Wendy left, and Bel glanced at Eamon.

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