Cassidy’s house for recording devices. A waste of time. Draco was a dragon. Powerful and invincible. No mere mortal could foil his plans. But, let the little man try. It provided entertainment.
Draco returned to his Mercedes and headed to his luxury apartment in a nearby town. It wouldn’t do to live too close to his darling. After his disfigurement so many years ago, he’d worked hard to amass a fortune in computer software. Now, while he sought his revenge against those who looked down on the less attractive, he had no worries about money. He had all the time in the world.
He laughed and cranked up his radio. Beethoven’s Fifth shot from the disc player. Draco drummed his fingers along with the beat and sped home. Things were about to get exciting!
Pressing a button on his steering wheel, he sent a text to his followers.
Delete after reading. Consequences are tough. Meeting in usual place at nine a.m.
Things were gonna get shaken up for sure! He turned the volume on his radio higher and increased his speed. It was a good day to be a dragon.
7
C assidy stared at the spot on the case board where her mother’s picture had been. Scrawled in red sharpie was the word Dragon. Stories said dragons could be killed. She wanted to be the dragon slayer. She would bring this beast down. “I’m checking the rest of the house.”
“There’s no answer at the security agenty.” Colin slipped his phone in his pocket. “I’m coming with you, then we’re paying a visit to my friend.”
She nodded and headed upstairs, weapon in hand. Not that she expected to find anyone. This particular dragon came and went like a whisper.
Her bedroom closet was closed, same as her drawers. She opened them anyway and went through the items one-by-one. “I’m missing a pair of underwear.”
“Laundry?” Colin peered into the drawer.
She slammed it shut. “I just did the laundry.” She definitely didn’t want him ogling her panties. “I don’t know when they went missing, only that they are. Sick pervert.” Some criminals took souvenirs, she just hadn’t expected something of hers to be valuable enough to anyone. Why was this unsub fixated on her?
If she were to suffer the same fate as her mother, why hadn’t he come forward and made a move? Why flit in and out of her house or spy on her at crime scenes? What had the man had against Cassidy’s mother?
She moved into the bathroom. Everything looked to be in place.
“I’m taking the room right next to yours,” Colin said. “Anyone after you, has to pass my room first.”
“Fine.” She still didn’t like it, but saw the need for protection with every passing minute. “Let’s go see why your friend’s security measures didn’t work.” Although locking the door seemed a waste of time, she did it on their way out anyway. The Dragon had proven he would go where he wanted. “The next stop is the pound. I’m adopting the biggest, meanest dog they have. That’s the best security.”
Colin shrugged. “I’m the best security, but I like dogs. Instead of the pound, I know a guy who sells German Shepherds. They’re well trained to listen to commands and not to take food from anyone other than their owner. That way, they can’t be poisoned.”
“How far?”
“About an hour.”
They made the drive to Colin’s security acquaintance in silence and pulled up in front of a modest bungalow. Cassidy cut the engine. “He works out of his home?”
“Yep. Wait until you see what’s in his garage.” Colin bounded from the jeep and hurried to the front door. He knocked, then peered through the front window before trying the doorknob. The door swung open. He exchanged a grim look with Cassidy, then pulled his gun.
“Stay behind me,” he said.
Cassidy pulled her own weapon and walked so close to him she could smell his aftershave. Tension radiated off Colin’s back, rippling his muscles.
They made their way through the three bedroom house, eventually ending up in
Draco returned to his Mercedes and headed to his luxury apartment in a nearby town. It wouldn’t do to live too close to his darling. After his disfigurement so many years ago, he’d worked hard to amass a fortune in computer software. Now, while he sought his revenge against those who looked down on the less attractive, he had no worries about money. He had all the time in the world.
He laughed and cranked up his radio. Beethoven’s Fifth shot from the disc player. Draco drummed his fingers along with the beat and sped home. Things were about to get exciting!
Pressing a button on his steering wheel, he sent a text to his followers.
Delete after reading. Consequences are tough. Meeting in usual place at nine a.m.
Things were gonna get shaken up for sure! He turned the volume on his radio higher and increased his speed. It was a good day to be a dragon.
7
C assidy stared at the spot on the case board where her mother’s picture had been. Scrawled in red sharpie was the word Dragon. Stories said dragons could be killed. She wanted to be the dragon slayer. She would bring this beast down. “I’m checking the rest of the house.”
“There’s no answer at the security agenty.” Colin slipped his phone in his pocket. “I’m coming with you, then we’re paying a visit to my friend.”
She nodded and headed upstairs, weapon in hand. Not that she expected to find anyone. This particular dragon came and went like a whisper.
Her bedroom closet was closed, same as her drawers. She opened them anyway and went through the items one-by-one. “I’m missing a pair of underwear.”
“Laundry?” Colin peered into the drawer.
She slammed it shut. “I just did the laundry.” She definitely didn’t want him ogling her panties. “I don’t know when they went missing, only that they are. Sick pervert.” Some criminals took souvenirs, she just hadn’t expected something of hers to be valuable enough to anyone. Why was this unsub fixated on her?
If she were to suffer the same fate as her mother, why hadn’t he come forward and made a move? Why flit in and out of her house or spy on her at crime scenes? What had the man had against Cassidy’s mother?
She moved into the bathroom. Everything looked to be in place.
“I’m taking the room right next to yours,” Colin said. “Anyone after you, has to pass my room first.”
“Fine.” She still didn’t like it, but saw the need for protection with every passing minute. “Let’s go see why your friend’s security measures didn’t work.” Although locking the door seemed a waste of time, she did it on their way out anyway. The Dragon had proven he would go where he wanted. “The next stop is the pound. I’m adopting the biggest, meanest dog they have. That’s the best security.”
Colin shrugged. “I’m the best security, but I like dogs. Instead of the pound, I know a guy who sells German Shepherds. They’re well trained to listen to commands and not to take food from anyone other than their owner. That way, they can’t be poisoned.”
“How far?”
“About an hour.”
They made the drive to Colin’s security acquaintance in silence and pulled up in front of a modest bungalow. Cassidy cut the engine. “He works out of his home?”
“Yep. Wait until you see what’s in his garage.” Colin bounded from the jeep and hurried to the front door. He knocked, then peered through the front window before trying the doorknob. The door swung open. He exchanged a grim look with Cassidy, then pulled his gun.
“Stay behind me,” he said.
Cassidy pulled her own weapon and walked so close to him she could smell his aftershave. Tension radiated off Colin’s back, rippling his muscles.
They made their way through the three bedroom house, eventually ending up in
Similar Books
