Page 56 of Training my Human

He hesitated before nodding.

“Don’t tell me you also think someone came in during the night and cut him.”

“He mentioned you’ve both been sleeping very deeply which led me to realize the same happens to me when I stay over. Usually, I wake once or twice, roll over and go back to sleep, but when I spend the night, I’m out hard until morning.”

“Sounds like you’re implying we’re being drugged.”

Those big shoulders lifted and dropped. “I don’t know. However, bud raised a few points that bear looking into.”

“The video footage showed nothing.”

“Last night. You’ve only recorded one night’s worth and not the one he got injured.”

“True, but I spoke to Leo. Told him I thought someone was skulking around the barn and asked if his security had caught anything. He’s got a team of four guys on at night, plus cameras, motion sensors, and he keeps track of everyone who goes in and out. Nada. The ranch is secure.”

“Assuming he’s telling the truth.”

“Why would Leo lie?”

“Can I see the videos you took?”

“Why? There’s nothing there.”

“I want to check the angles and make sure they’re properly aligned as well as figure out the gaps where we might want to add more.”

“More cameras?” I narrowed my gaze at Maddox. “You think there’s some truth to Abaddon’s accusation.”

“It doesn’t hurt to be cautious. And it will set his mind at ease.”

“I guess. Hold on, let me boot up the computer.” I sat down and logged in before dragging open the overnight videos. I ran them at their fastest rate while Maddox eyed them over my shoulder.

“Hold on. Can you rewind that slightly for me and play it slower?”

“Why?”

“Thought I saw something.”

I used the mouse to slide the play bar to the left and then let the clip run.

“There!” Maddox exclaimed.

“There what? I don’t see anything.” The screen showed the empty barn and the entrance to the loft. No movement. Nothing out of the ordinary.

“Rewind it again and watch the time stamp.”

My brow furrowed as I once more used the curser to drag the play point back. As it scrolled at only five times the normal speed, I saw it.

To be sure, I rewound and didn’t blink as it ran.

A low whistle emanated from me. “Well, shit.” The video showed a jump in the recording that went from one oh one am until one forty-three. “It’s missing a segment,” I murmured.

“Seems like the recording halted.”

“I wonder if the outdoor cameras have the same glitch.” Two of the cameras did but their time stamps were slightly different, beginning a few minutes before the interior glitch and ending three minutes after. The timing was just about right if someone had disabled it before approaching the barn and restarted it once they left.

I glanced at Maddox. “That offer to do a stake out still open?”

ChapterEighteen

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