Page 30 of Kidnapping of a Myth

Michael stared at her for so long that she assumed he wouldn’t answer, but then he stood up. Bel took his hand, and Wendy gripped his other, and together they walked out to the truck. Eamon leaned against the car, Cerberus’ leash clutched in his fist, and her pitbull hovered beside his shoulder as he surveyed the swarm of people from his high perch.

“Michael, that’s Cerberus.” Bel pointed to her dog. “I got him when something scary happened to me. I used to have nightmares, but he kept me safe. Plus, he’s a lot of fun. He loves hiking and snacks and playing fetch, and I feel bad for him when I have to work. He has to stay home by himself, and he gets so bored, so I was thinking maybe you could watch him for me. Would that be okay with you?”

Michael nodded and raced for the car without warning as Eamon scooped Cerberus off the truck bench and placed him before the child. Everyone gathered held their breath as the dog approached the boy, but then Michael threw his arms aroundCerberus’ thick neck. The pitbull squirmed, trying to lick his face, and when they finally separated, Michael’s cheeks were sticky with slobber.

“Does he have a ball?” he asked, and Wendy seized Bel’s hand with an iron grip at the sound of her brother’s voice.

“Of course he does.” Eamon fished a tennis ball out of the grocery bag and handed it to Michael. “He’s a big dog, so remember to treat him with the same respect you want to be treated with. He loves to play, though, so you’ll have a blast.”

“Okay, thanks. Come on, Cerberus” Michael stole the leash from Eamon and pulled the all-too-willing dog along with him. They found a patch of grass, the deputies automatically surrounding the duo, and within seconds, the boy had Cerberus running laps around the yard.

“Part of me wants to freak out that he’s a pitbull, but Michael talked,” Wendy said. “He hasn’t spoken a word since he came back.”

“Pitbulls are special,” Bel said. “Especially that one. Sometimes he’s the only reason I’m okay.”

Wendy’s eyes slid to Bel’s scars before returning to her brother. “Thank you.”

“Of course. Cerberus will have a blast,” Bel said. “He’s a good boy, so he won’t cause you any trouble, but if he gets too much for Michael, just call Eamon, and he’ll take him off your hands.”

“At this rate, good luck ever getting your dog back,” Wendy laughed.

“That animal is attached to Isobel at the hip,” Eamon said, and Bel hadn’t realized how much she missed her full name on his lips. “He’ll never leave her.”

Wendy glanced at him with an odd expression, as if she wasn’t sure if he was referring to himself or the pitbull. “Maybe when this is over, we’ll get a dog,” she said

“I always recommend it,” Bel said. “But for now, you can borrow my boy.”

“Thank you,” Wendy said, and then she hesitantly added, “Bring John home.”

“I’ll do whatever I can to make that happen.” Bel started toward Griffin and Gold, but Eamon caught her wrist and pulled her around to face him.

“You’ll be out there without me, so please be careful,” he said. “I need you to come back to me.”

“I will, I promise.”

“One call, and I’ll come for you, okay?” He brushed her cheek reverently, clearly not caring that they had an audience.

“I know.” She pressed a palm to his chest, feeling his thundering heart beat a rhythm just for her.

Eamon nodded with an expression plagued by turmoil. It was plain to everyone watching that he was terrified to let her out of his sight, and if Bel hadn’t been so nervous to travel out into the sadistic games without Eamon, she would’ve noticed Griffin’s shock as he finally witnessed how much the millionaire cared about his detective.

Griffin pulledhis truck off into the grass, and the detectives jumped out as he parked. A squad car and deputy stood guard over Peter Pann’s black luxury vehicle, which had been stashed off of one of the many dirt paths along the estate. They were far from the main entrance, but its location wasn’t a surprise. Bel already suspected The Tinker’s games were confined to the property.

“There’s a gas mask in the front seat,” the deputy said as they approached, and he stepped out of the way to allow them access.With gloved hands, Bel opened the door while Gold snapped multiple photos. The techs were maxed out with this case’s workload, so the detectives had grabbed forensic kits to work this scene themselves.

“This confirms Michael’s story,” Bel said as she slowly circled the car. “He said they were driving, and then he woke up in chains. Pann must have donned it before flooding the cabin with a sedative.”

The vehicle was pristine. Not so much as a footprint stained the floor, and while she expected the car tasked with transporting wealthy children to be kept immaculate, this cleanliness was excessive. It seemed Pann didn’t want them to find anything besides the breadcrumbs he left them.

“This will have Pann’s DNA, but we already know the who,” Gold said as she carefully bagged and tagged the mask. “I’m not sure how much help it’ll be.”

“There might be trace evidence on it as well,” Bel said. “I doubt Peter Pann is a real person, but maybe if we can track this drug, it’ll narrow down who he is.”

“It’s a long shot,” Griffin said. “I just wish this car held clues to John’s whereabouts, but I don’t even see fingerprints on the handles. It’s too clean. Pann undoubtedly wiped it down, and my guess is he chose this location for a reason.”

“We’re far from anything of significance,” Bel added. “By the looks of it, this dirt road isn’t used often either.” She ran a hand through her hair and cursed under her breath. When Griffin called that morning, she’d prayed that this was the break they needed, but it was another dead end… again.

“I’m going to walk around,” Bel said, but when the sheriff opened his mouth to protest, she held up a hand. “I’ll be careful and watch the ground. It’s just this is a game to The Tinker, so perhaps he left something we need to look for.”

---