Each room was the same as I’d left it, void of a human, a critter, or anything else that might make noise. Worried over the possibility that somebody was in the servants’ quarters, I set off to search them as well. A shadow flickered as I topped the stairs, I caught my breath and fell sideways when pushed aside by the stranger. My fingers gripped the handrail when I headed into freefall. Panic rose in my throat, choked me, and I held fast while I slid down a few steps on my knees, leaving them bruised and scraped.
Alarmed, I gave a yell for the intruder to stop. He fled. Footfalls thumped down the second floor stairs, the front door banged against the wall and he was gone in an instant. It had taken me but a second to regain my balance and I ran after him. When I reached the first floor, the front door swung in the wind, spattered by rain that now came down at an angle and blew in through the opening.
With a swift motion, I slammed the door, rubbed my sore shins and using a tissue from my pocket, I dabbed blood that dribbled down my knees. The rear door struck the kitchen counter, and I turned as Cullen stormed inside. His clothing wet, his hair dripping, he held a towel in one hand. With a look at me, he tossed the towel over.
“Here, take this. What happened?”
“There was a noise upstairs. I checked it out and found somebody had gotten in and had hidden in the servants’ quarters.” I related the rest of the events and inspected my bruises. The scrapes had stopped bleeding.
“Are you all right?” Cullen asked as he walked toward the dragons nestled behind glass doors.
“Fine, I’m fine,” I groused. “What were you looking for out there?”
“I thought I saw someone lurking beyond the trees. When I got close, I found they’d gone. On my way back, I heard you yell just before the skies opened and I got soaked. Did you see who’d gained access to the house?”
“Not really. I thought I’d left the front door locked, but maybe not. I tend to lock it when I’m here alone, but sometimes I travel in and out that way. Life is getting crazier by the moment, Cullen, and I’m worried.”
He stared into the case, leaned close to the glass panes and then opened the door. “One of your dragons has gone missing,” he said flatly.
Hurriedly, I crossed to stand beside him and asked, “Which one?”
“The one with gold trim on the edges of his scales. Was it the one Charles was after?”
“No,” I said and pointed to the dragon Charles had wanted. “He was interested in that one.” I glanced over my shoulder at Drake. His tail twitched and a tendril of smoke rose from his nostrils. “Well?” I asked impatiently.
“He was taken by the one who ran from you.”
Cullen and I looked at one another. I stamped a foot in anger. “Damn it, we need to get him back.”
His phone in hand, Cullen dialed a number and said, “I’ll put feelers out for who took it.”
I stepped aside and whispered to Drake, “What is the dragon’s importance, and why would he be specifically selected?”
Eyes the color of warm embers glowed softly. “He’s a powerful dragon from the dark side of the moon. Unleashed from his encasement, he will become a deadly force on behalf of his master. You must find him, Linty. Find him before anyone knows you have the book.”
I leaned in close and whispered, “Surely, the thief will need the book?”
His eyes glowed fiercely. “All that is needed is the key from the book.”
Cullen turned to stare at the two of us. Drake became as immobile and as silent as ever. Cullen had also heard his warning, I could tell by his angry expression.
“Of course, it makes sense that a dragon of his power and force would be taken. It’s pretty clear, now that I think about it,” Cullen mused thoughtfully. “I have to leave, bolt the doors, and windows, let no one in, not even your father, understand?”
With a nod, I did as he asked and watched Cullen tear down the drive like a madman. My senses bombarded with fear, doubt, and more fear, I returned to Drake and stroked his scales. “You’ll help me find the missing dragon, won’t you?”
“You must do this without me,” his soft whisper echoed in my mind. “Read the book, find the key needed to free us so we can return to our habitat. This must be your focus from here on in, or you will lose all of us, one-by-one. While you have the book, we are mere statues and can’t be set free unless the key is used.”
The book, the last thing on my mind, was supposed to take precedence? Apparently everyone thought it held the key to the dragons. What would I know about freeing dragons and what that freedom would mean to humanity? With a snort, I set the book on the desk, opened it to the page I’d marked with a sliver of paper, and browsed through words that appeared disjointed. My mind slowed, I relaxed, and trance-like, I stared at the pages before me. Page after page, words flowed into my head until heavy pounding, followed by the phone ringing, snapped me back to reality. I placed the sliver of paper onto the page and tucked the book away.
Worried and trembling, I peered through the front door glass panes and stepped back. Daniel Cairn waited on the doorstep. Disregarding Cullen’s warning, I opened the door.
* * *
His smile dashing, I greeted him like a long lost friend. He was hardly that, though somehow, it felt right to behave that way.
“I’ve been out there a while, Linty. Is everything all right?” Daniel asked as I served hot coffee.
“Yes, yes, I was busy, is all, sorry,” I answered with a grin.
“My father thought you might be nervous here on your own in this storm. The highlands can be pretty frightening when bad weather strikes.”
“Evan sent you?” I smiled.
“No, he mentioned it. I took the chance that you’d like company. It must get lonely surrounded by dragons and have no one to talk to,” Daniel said.
“Not at all, as you know, there hasn’t been a dull moment since I arrived, so loneliness hasn’t been a problem. The dragons are a heavy responsibility and one that I gladly accept.”
“They are incredible creatures, for sure. The position you hold surely binds you to this place?” Daniel asked as he stared at Drake.
“I suppose it could, if I allowed it to.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to lend the lot of them to a museum? I know the curator in Edinburgh who would be happy to have them, I’m certain of it.” Daniel grinned and then said, “I’d be happy to call him for you, Linty.”
“That’s a nice offer, Daniel, I’ll give it some thought,” I said without meaning a word of it. Why were so many people insistent on my giving up the dragons, and their care?
“How do you know the curator of the museum?” I asked.
“We met when I was at university. I spent many an hour at the museum, mainly trying to pick up girls, but I also learned a lot about art.” He laughed and then said, “Let me know when you’ve made a decision, and I’ll set up an appointment for the two of you to meet. A lass like you should live a life of freedom, have a family, and not be tied up with such a burden.”
“So I keep hearing,” I muttered as I went to the kitchen to refill the coffee cups. Upon my return, I found Daniel standing in front of the fireplace, staring into the flames, a distant expression on his face.
“This is the last of the coffee,” I said and smiled to lighten the fact that I’d subtly let him know it was time for him to end his impromptu visit.
He guzzled the brew, handed the cup to me, and smiled. His handsome features grew more so when he offered that gorgeous grin. I caught myself wondering what it would be like to kiss him and stopped short at the answer. Hell, not so long ago I’d thought the same about Cullen, and couldn’t fathom what brought these thoughts to light. There was a dragon to find, others to protect at all costs, and a book to read. I banished any romantic wanderings that might wiggle into my consciousness and walked Daniel to the door. He turned and brushed my cheek with his knuckles, wished me a good night, and walked down the driveway in the pouring rain, whistling softly as he w
ent. Bad weather didn’t seem to bother him whatsoever.
Alone again, I reached for my iPad and perused the Internet in search of Cullen Vaughn and his background. I hit a brick wall so many times I’d begun to think the man didn’t exist. As far as I could tell, the man wasn’t listed anywhere on the planet. If I couldn’t find him through Google, chances were, he didn’t exist, though I knew he did. I blew a hefty sigh and sat back, thinking hard.
He’d given me a business card when I’d first arrived. I dug through my handbag in search of it and found the crumpled card at the bottom of my bag. I straightened its edges, studied the print, and then entered the name of his business into the search engine. Pay dirt.
His company, partners, and their names, scrolled up the screen as I dragged my finger upward, reading fast as I went. Though he didn’t go by the name Cullen Vaughn, but as O’Cuilinn and pronounced Cullen, it seemed Cullen was a finder of things, the same as my father. The funny thing was, being not so funny at all, his main interest lay in dragon statues, their whereabouts, who collected them, and those clients he and his team worked with.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” I said aloud. “So much for being an ally.” I flung the iPad aside and swore as I walked the floor.
His number rang several times while I waited for him to answer. Eventually, he answered the phone in a terse voice. “I’m a wee bit busy at the moment, this had better be good,” he complained.
I could hear angry voices in the background. “Where are you and what’s going on?”
“None of your concern, what do you want?” Cullen demanded shortly.
“Nothing that you need worry about. I was checking in, that’s all,” I lied.
“You are such a liar. Try again,” he said impatiently. A crash that sounded like all hell had broken loose was quickly muffled.
I wondered if he’d put his hand over the phone to soften the noise.
“We’ll talk in the morning, apparently you have your hands full,” I replied and hung up.
Back on the iPad, I searched each name in the partnership, saw every man’s photo and realized they were brutes, if nothing else. They all looked tough and terrifying. If they sought dragons, they might be more than adventurers. All of them appeared to be Highlanders.
Alignment with savage men such as these was more than I’d bargained for, and I hoped I’d never have to deal with them. Cullen was more than enough to fill my plate, and now I didn’t trust him. Hell, who could I trust?
Faces of those I’d dealt with since my arrival at Dragon Hill unfurled in my mind like a scroll of parchment. Evan and Daniel appeared trustworthy, but what did I truly know about them other than the work Evan had done for Gran? There was Samuel Smythe, my father, my uncle and aunt, and Mrs. Douglas. Worth my trust? Mrs. Douglas seemed to be the only person without an agenda. She’d been a loyal employee and a long time friend where Gran was concerned, and for that, I was grateful. Yeah, she was the best of the lot, but how could she help me, and why wouldn’t she?
The Internet held no complaints on Evan and Daniel Cairn. I found no bizarre behavior, no arrests, nothing of major importance at all. They had sound reputations as grounds men, were highly thought of, and even had a website where they could strut their stuff, except they didn’t. I smiled while staring at the father and son duo. Their smiles were uncanny, as if they’d been cut and pasted from one to the other.
I smiled, wondered why they were so tightlipped over the bones, though I suspected they knew who the dead woman was, and put it down to honor in keeping secrets. Then I moved on to Samuel Smythe, whose reputation gave me reason to wonder why Gran had retained his services. Complaints, listed by star ratings followed by mean words, showed the man in a different light altogether. His business dealings weren’t up to snuff as other law firms in the area were, so why had Gran employed his services? Wasn’t she aware of his reputation? Maybe she just didn’t care, as long as he did what she asked. Tired of thinking of things I couldn’t ask Gran, I drew a deep breath, let it out, and moved on.
If my staff wasn’t willing to warn me of this man’s reputation, then I’d find things out for myself. I opened a message board to ask about the man and his client list, but after reading the remarks left by complainants, I figured the pub in town would be the best place to start my hunt for the nitty-gritty. My aunt and uncle were next in line. I found more stuff on them than I’d thought possible. Uncle Charles was an antique collector, like others in our family had been before him, though from what I read, he didn’t seem to have much to offer in the way of antiques. On the other hand, Aunt Elizabeth was well-known in her work circles, she had an outstanding reputation for her work with The Tollard Group, an art collaborative, that spanned twenty-five years employment. Elizabeth headed the acquisitions department. Once on the official site, I selected their list of clients. I’d browsed the various groups posted and stopped cold when Cullen’s company popped up on the screen.
An abrupt knock on the door startled me. I peered out the window, saw Cullen’s car in the yard and wondered why I hadn’t heard him drive up. My earlier call must have bothered him if he was here at this late hour.
I stared through the glass panes as he stared back. “Lass, are you going to open the door, or what?”
Sliding the bolt back, I let him in. “You’re out late,” I remarked sardonically.
His expression grim, he said, “You sounded upset, so tell me what’s on your mind.”
I tipped my head to the side a bit, studied him, and asked, “What the heck was going on that you couldn’t take my call?”
“Nothing you need to worry about.”
I nodded at his evasiveness, knew better than to push him for a better answer and said, “You never mentioned what business you were in, so imagine my surprise when I found you were a finder of things, like my father. You entered Gran’s life to gather information on her dragons. While you were at it, did you poison her?”
His brows rose and then drew together marking a solid line above his deep blue eyes. “What are you going on about? I would never have poisoned Essie.”
“Try again,” I said coldly.
His eyes turned an icy blue as I used his own words against him, the way he’d used them on me when dissatisfied with an answer.
“I never lied about what I do for a living. My company is above reproach, we’re not thieves or miscreants. Surely you know that by now.”
“Why should I believe you? You’ve spent enough time leaving me with doubts over who is worthy of my trust, and that includes my father. Why, I wonder?”
“Because your father works for dishonest people, which would be the government, and who can’t be trusted on any level, you should ask him to explain his job, to tell you why he’s working for them. I don’t apologize for what I am, and I intend to protect you and the dragons, at any cost.”
“Your company is involved with the one my aunt works for, The Tollard Group. How do you explain that?” I went on to say how I’d found the company listed and where.
“I wasn’t aware she worked for them. In fact, I’d never met her before Essie passed on, though I had met Charles.” He sighed and shook his head in what I took as disgust.
I wondered how their meeting had taken place and what his first impression of my greedy uncle had been. “You weren’t impressed, huh?” I snickered and asked, “When did you two meet?”
“Not by a long stretch. Charles is greedy, self-centered, and can be quite egotistical. He’s also connected to powerful people, but I’m sure you knew that.”
I stared at him and said, “No, I didn’t. We haven’t kept in touch over the years, but then, mine isn’t a warm and cuddly family. He’s been adamant over my getting rid of the dragons. It’s annoying as hell, and now I know why he’s refused to let up on the subject. I believe you’re all connected in one way or another. It’s as if my dragons and I are alone on an island, fighting off sharks like you.”
I’d clasped the iPad to my chest and
now tossed it onto the sofa. The link to the list on the Tollard Group still lay open. Slowly, I circled the room, picked up a picture here and there and considered my options. Worried over their safety, I turned to the dragons before I asked Cullen, “What would you say if I offered the dragons to a museum?”
In a flat tone, he answered calmly, “You said you wouldn’t.”
“Think again. I might just do that. The book is useless, I can’t read the damn thing, there’s no key to the dragons, and to be frank, only Drake is of concern to me.”
He started across the room, stopped suddenly, and said with a shrug, “I think you need some rest, a good night’s sleep might put you in a better frame of mind. Right now you’re all over the place with worry over the dragons. Your emotions and imagination have overtaken reason, and topped with Essie’s death, it’s a lot for you to handle.” He turned, said goodnight, and walked out the door, letting it slam behind him.
I gaped at the space where he’d stood and insisted I’d lost control of myself. I raced after him, caught his arm as he reached for his car door, and swung him about.
“What the hell are you talking about? I am not out of control, I’m confused and appalled by all the machinations going on with everyone involved in this situation. Just once, I’d like people to be honest about themselves and their wants. My staff seems to be more reliable than the rest of you.”
He barked a laugh and shook his head. “Linty girl, everyone has an agenda, make no mistake in that.”
My hands on my hips, I snapped, “Meaning?”
“Do you think I don’t know Daniel was here tonight? That he put ideas into your head? Why else would you be on such a rant?”
My gut tightened as I listened to him. He knew? How did he know? Why did he care?
As though he read my mind, he said with a soft warning in his voice, “I’m aware of everything that happens here, and to you. I refuse to allow you to end up as Essie has. We will get to the bottom of her death, make no mistake about that, lass. It is what’s driving you, more so than the safety of your dragons. I can see it in your face. Trust me, no one else, not even Drake.” He pulled me to him, bent his head, and kissed me deeply.
Dragon's Touch (Book 1 Linty Dragon Series) Page 17