He dropped the rag into an evidence bag while Becca took pictures of the scene. “Oh, look here, he spilled and dropped his bottle, probably in the struggle with the victim.”
The sheriff added the empty bottle to another evidence bag.
Every beat of Brian’s heart threatened to burst from his chest. Cait was in real danger. Who would have kidnapped her, and what were they doing up here?
“Anything else missing or out of place?” Todd asked.
“Wait,” Brian said. “The photo album box is open. Someone was looking through the pictures.”
He flipped through the albums. “Her baby picture is missing, the one with the senator.”
“With the senator?” Todd scratched his head. “You mean Thornton?”
“Yes, obviously he wasn’t the senator back then,” Brian said. “But it’s gone. I was going to use it in my negotiations with Thornton, but now, it looks like someone else has taken it. I doubt it was Cait. She was sick looking at it.”
“This is a shocker.” Todd and his sister exchanged worried glances. “I’d think the senator wouldn’t want this to get out.”
“So, he sends someone up here to steal a picture and Cait surprises him?” Brian scratched his head. He moved the box into its place and noticed the lid to the ornament box was partially open.
He pulled it back and gasped. “Look in here. There’s a GPS watch that doesn’t belong to me.”
“Wait, don’t touch it,” Todd said. “Let me get an evidence bag out of my pocket.”
“It must be Glen’s. He must have left it as a clue for us.”
“Right. He could have placed it in the box while the other guy was looking through the photos.”
Horror gripped Brian’s chest. “This means Glen was here, I mean, if the watch belongs to him.”
“Do you think he could have chloroformed Cait and dragged her off? I didn’t think he was old enough to drive.”
“He wouldn’t have left Sierra down there.” Brian clenched his fists, ready to pummel the creep who had hurt the dog. “Someone hit the dog and took off with Cait and Glen. The strips of cloth and chloroform prove it. I say the senator’s behind it.”
“That’s a big leap,” Todd said. “Thornton has an alibi. He’s at his Beverly Hills home.”
“He could have one of his minions doing the dirty work,” Brian argued. “Maybe he tracked Glen to our cabin, and kidnapped Cait.”
“Why would he do that?” Becca asked. “He’d take his son back, but he’d have no reason to hurt Cait.”
“You don’t get it.” Brian punched his thighs. “Cait is the reward for the minion he hired. She’s a beautiful woman. She’s smart and fun to be with. She’s kind and caring. And she’s the senator’s daughter. He’s giving his daughter to the guy who finds his son, just like a king would give a princess to a knight.”
“Let’s get back to town,” Todd said, averting his gaze from Brian the way people often did when they thought he’d said something crazy. “I say we pay Thornton’s vacation home a visit. If you’re right, his minion would take them back there to await further orders.”
“If he hurts her, I’m going to hurt him worse.” Brian shook all over, his pulse exploding inside of him. “Cait’s my wife, and Glen’s my son. I want my family back.”
“You’ve got to keep calm,” Todd said. “I’m going to call in the hostage negotiators. If Thornton’s involved, this could get pretty complicated.”
“We can’t just sit around and do nothing.” Brian clambered down the ladder. “We have to get Sierra to the vet before she dies and rescue Cait.”
He grabbed his down jacket and ran out the kitchen, smashing into Connor and an entire horde of Harts.
“What’s going on here?” Connor asked. “Why’s there a police cruiser out front?”
“Where’s Cait?” Kimberly, Cait’s mother, screeched.
“What’s happened to Cait? Why’s there a dead dog? What did you do to Cait?” Jenna flapped her hands and threw herself at Brian.
Her fiancé, Larry, peeled her from attacking Brian and held her tightly. “Let’s go outside and form a search party.”
