“Right, that makes more sense than the honey.Who else would want your honey?Have you had any other security problems?”Scott asked.
“Yes,” Niall said, thinking they were right.The honey part didn’t fit neatly.“A break-in occurred at our development premises where we mix and blend different honey.Only my foreman and I work here.Few people are aware of the location.It isn’t even on the map.”
“Security cameras?”Liam asked.
“Someone disabled them.We caught flashes of masked men before they sprayed the cameras with black paint.Nothing else.”
“What did they take?”Liam asked.
“Some honey, but they didn’t get the right one because I always mislabel it and pack it away with pots of common clover or heather honey.We place a special code on the label that no one else would notice during a quick search.”
“What about your notes and things like that?”Scott asked.
“We assume they copied the production notes but nothing else to help them.I lock my private notes away or hide them.Sometimes, I’ll take them home to work in my office there.”
“Who would benefit from stealing your formula or stopping you from selling your honey?”Liam asked.“That is where we should look.”
“I can compile a list of competitors,” Niall said.
“You should do that,” Scott said.“Give it to the cops but mention your brothers and their debts.If the cops can catch your brothers, they might deport them.”
Niall grinned, and it wasn’t a nice, friendly one.He liked the idea of getting his brothers tossed from his adopted country perhaps a little too much.His bear chuffed in agreement.
“There is another possibility,” Scott said, his forehead scrunched in concentration.“What if your brothers were working for one of your competitors?You refused to hand over money, and this might be retaliation.They get their money, plus they get the satisfaction of taking your woman.”
The phone rang.
“Yes,” Niall spoke tersely.
“We’ve located your brothers again,” the private investigator said.“They haven’t moved locations.”
“Thank you,” Niall said.“Can you hold for a couple of secs?”He glanced at Liam and Scott.“Want to join me in searching for Suzie?”
“Hell, yeah,” Scott said.
Niall nodded and returned to his call.“Where are they?I’ll be there in around ten to fifteen minutes.”
The investigator gave Niall directions.
“Right,” Niall said.“Let’s see if Suzie is with them.If she isn’t, I’ll contact the cops.”
Scott checked his watch.“If it isn’t your brothers, we’ll still have time to meet with the kidnappers.”
The two men hopped into a vehicle with Niall and set off to meet the investigator.Judging by the PI’s directions, his brothers were staying on the village outskirts, but he didn’t recognize the street.
He pulled up behind a black SUV and cut the engine.“The investigator suggested we meet here and go on foot,” Niall said.
“Does he know we’re shifters?”Scott asked.
“No.”
“How about you keep him distracted?”Liam asked.“We’ll approach in feline form because we know Suzie’s scent.”
“My brothers will smell you coming,” Niall warned.
“They haven’t noticed the humans keeping watch on them,” Scott pointed out.
Niall brightened because this was true.“They’re probably arrogant enough to think no one can touch them.”
