His panther knew that every last moment of his life from now on would be an exercise of loving and supporting Dana. She could reject him, break his heart a million times, and he would still appear at her door, ready to help her if she ever needed him.
I’ve overreacted here. I just need to talk to her, and we can sort this out.
He was moving swiftly along some small dunes, circling the house so he could enter through a side door. He didn’t want to get stopped by someone wanting to cozy up to his money. He caught the faintest hint of her scent, and with his nose in the air, he followed it.
He heard the gruff voices of the security guards long before he came upon them. He paid them little mind at first, planning to give them a wide berth so he could continue looking for Dana in peace.
Something about their voices snagged his attention, and he couldn’t help but listen.
“How’s our guest doing? Not making any noise over the party, is he?”
“No,” the other guard laughed. “We’ve got him right where we want him. He won’t dare make a peep. Griffin has too much leverage for him to try anything.”
Rux stood in the shadows, his eyes tracking the two tough guys. This conversation could be completely innocent. They could easily be talking about a business transaction. Rux’s instincts were beginning to scream at him, though.
I have to check this out.
The two men wandered across the sand, talking about their job and how they didn’t get paid enough to babysit. Rux’s suspicion deepened as he jogged after them. He stayed well behind them, so he wouldn’t be noticed, but the guards did not seem overly concerned about being followed.
A small shed came into view on a nearby dune. It was rundown and obviously not well maintained like the house and grounds. It could have easily been a simple tool shed, but it had heavy bars across the windows and a strong beam across the door.
Rux frowned as he slowed to melt into the shadows away from the eyes of the guards.
It’s true that I’m not very good at yard work, but the last time I checked, you didn’t need those kinds of locks to keep in shovels and picks.
The guards paused at the door, meeting up with a few others. The guys laughed with each other as they changed places, all of them very relaxed and cheerful. Rux narrowed his eyes as he slid closer to the shed for a better look.
He was glad the guys were so involved in shooting the breeze with each other. It gave him the perfect opportunity to look in through the barred windows in the back.
A man sat at a big wooden table in the poor light, typing furiously. His eyes were red-rimmed as if he hadn’t slept in days. Every now and then, he ran a hand through his hair and shook his head, looking pensively at the screen.
Dennis!
There could be no doubt about the captive man’s identity. Rux double-checked that the guards were still engaged in conversation.
There was a small window that had no bars on it near the peak of the shed’s roof. Rux broke the lock and squeezed through, struggling to get his big shoulders into the gap.
Silently, he dropped to the floor and hurried through the racks of tools. As he approached the desk, he made a few small noises, so he didn’t sneak up on and startle the poor man. As Dennis looked up with wide, frightened eyes, Rux quickly put a finger to his lips.
“It’s okay,” he whispered. “Jennifer sent me.”
Dennis relaxed immediately, his eyes wide. Rux knew that mentioning his daughter would be the quickest way to reassure him, but even so, Dennis was still suspicious.
As he should be. I wouldn’t trust anyone on this damn island if I were him.
Rux examined his own statement and realized he didn’t have to be a prisoner here to have no faith in his hosts. His own trust had been completely shattered.
“She’s okay?” Dennis asked, looking hopeful. Rux nodded.
“She’s fine but very worried about you. I’m glad to find you alive. My name is Rux. Are you okay, Dennis?”
Dennis nodded, looking at the computer screen.
“They told me they’d let me go once I finished the report, but I know it’s a lie. They can’t possibly let me live after this. I know too much.”
“What report?” Rux snapped. Dennis gestured at the computer.
“I wrote a report about Griffin’s activities directly affecting the marine ecosystem here on the island. He’s destroying it, basically. Now he wants me to write a new report that will allow him to continue his operations. He’s threatened Jennifer and me.”