Page 16 of Kidnapping of a Myth

“What was that explosion?” Henry asked. “We heard it, but we thought it best to remain at the house. Then we got the email.”

“The second star on the right comment,” Bel said. “It wasn’t a threat. It was a location on your property that sits along the main lane. The Tinker planted an IED there. He must have assumed you would recognize the place and was baiting you.”

“IED?” Wendy asked

“Improvised Explosive Device,” Eamon answered.

“Oh my god.” Wendy jerked away from him, her eyes finding the blood on Bel’s hands again. “How are you...? Oh my god.”

“I noticed the disturbed ground,” Eamon lied. “I detonated it so no one would get killed, but I didn’t clear the blast completely. Some debris struck me. I’m fine, though, and Bel wasn’t harmed. Her hands are from helping clean me up.”

Both Wendy and Henry stared at Bel’s stained skin, clearly not believing his explanation, but before they could question his lies, Eamon grabbed the women and dragged them toward the house. “We need to talk.”

He didn’t stop moving until he deposited Wendy on a stool at the kitchen island, and then he told the newlyweds an abridgedversion of what had transpired as he scrubbed Bel’s bloody skin and hair in the sink. He ended his recount with their request to call the Bajka Police Department, but Wendy grabbed her laptop and shoved it in their faces, clearly more concerned with the message than with the fact that his explanation didn’t entirely add up.

“You can’t call the police,” she insisted. “Someone called 911 on the outside and look what happened. Look at the email he sent because of one easily dissuaded cop. What will The Tinker do if the entire force shows up?”

“The instructions said no cops and that you would find your brothers at the second star on the right,” Bel said as she settled before the laptop, thankful her skin no longer wore proof of Eamon’s pain. “He didn’t want you to get help because he wanted you to search for them yourself, and he was banking on the fact that you would understand his reference. He’s toying with you, but thankfully you didn’t figure out the riddle’s meaning because The Tinker was trying to kill you.”

Wendy seized her husband’s hand in a death grip, shaking her head as if she refused to believe Bel’s words.

“We aren’t dealing with a normal kidnapping,” Bel continued. “This is a game to him, one he doesn’t want us to win, and he’s using fear to stop you calling for help. He needs you alone and desperate so you follow his clues. I’m almost positive that IED was meant for you, and I want to help you. I truly do, but we’re unprepared. This isn’t someone demanding money that Eamon or you could handle with the promise of a ransom. I believe he wants your family dead, and that’s a whole new breed of danger. By now, he knows you didn’t die in the blast, and if he’s the man I trust he is, he’ll try again. You need protection. We need a forensics team, a perimeter, the bomb squad.”

“But the email...” Wendy said, her words losing their conviction, and Bel glanced at the screen before her to read the message.

Wendy Darling,

I told you no police. I warned you what would happen if you disobeyed. You’ve been naughty, but all grownups are. Now your lost brothers will pay.

Tick Tock, Wendy.

Tick Tock.

“What’s that?” Bel pointed to where a small clock icon hovered in the bottom corner of the email.

“I don’t know.” Wendy shrugged.

“Looks like you can click on it,” Eamon said.

“So, click on it,” Henry said, but Eamon shot him a scathing glare.

“We shouldn’t click anything without thinking it through,” Eamon said. “If Bel’s right and The Tinker was baiting you, this might be another attempt on your life.”

“This is why we need the police,” Bel said. “And Eamon has a point. That clock could set off a chain reaction we can’t stop. The Tinker certainly has a flair for the theatrical. His first video was a performance. His clue led to an IED, but this email? It’s… boring. Bland. I believe it’s because this isn’t the entire message, but without a computer forensics team to investigate this, I don’t feel comfortable clicking it.”

“So we do nothing?” Henry asked.

“What would you have me do? I… Eamon,” Bel corrected, “hurt himself setting off that IED, and we got lucky. Too lucky. Idoubt the Tinker will allow such mercy a second time. I can’t be the one who clicks that icon and harms those children.”

“But if we just sit here, won’t he try something else?” Wendy asked.

“Most likely,” Bel said. “I don’t want our actions to harm your brothers, but I fear doing nothing will have the same outcome, so I propose a different approach to calling for help. Eamon knows the Bajka Sheriff.” She glanced up at him, silently requesting he play along. “He’ll call his personal number. We won’t dial 911. It would simply be a conversation between acquaintances.”

“He’s a reasonable man,” Eamon said, seamlessly slipping into the small lie. “If I explain your situation, I have faith he’ll find a way to bring the entire force to your aid without alerting The Tinker.”

“That might work.” Wendy looked hopefully up at her husband, who seemed decidedly less enthusiastic about the proposal. “What do you think?”

“We’re obviously being closely watched,” Henry said. “I doubt this would trick him.”

---