It hurt.

So it wasn't a dream.

She ran to the balcony.

Austyn was just getting into the car.

Kira's mouth was open, but her voice was drowned out by the sound of the engine.

The Hummer roared off.

The Orte Love is You!

I love you, too.

She said.

The spacious living room was a mess.

The coffee table was upended and lying on its side.

Everything it once held was smashed to bits on the floor.

There was a spot of blood on one arm of the sofa

Half of a bloody thumbprint was found on the windowsill.

The curtains were torn.

The deadbolt lock had been forced open.

Luca stood in the open doorway and watched his men go to work.

A team of crime scene investigators processed the living room, took photos and dusted for prints.

The captain scanned the room, taking in every sign of the ferocious struggle. Austyn was standing next to him. 'The camera's disabled." Enjoy Ad-Free Reading>>

Για

Stop Phyong!

Stop Playing Dumb

The camera Austyn installed in the living room caught a man wearing a baseball cap.

His face was hidden from view.

When Austyn checked the surveillance feeds, he saw just the first few seconds of the intrusion.

A man of medium build came into view.

He seemed to know exactly where the camera was located and raised a bat.

Then the screen went black.

The footage was what prompted Austyn to come to Sunglade.

"Who do you think did this?' he asked Luca.

'Santoro?' The captain ventured a guess.

'It can't be him. Deborah's working with him. Why would he take her? Besides, didn't your men say he'd probably fled overseas?'

Luca nodded. 'Right. We got a couple of prints. I'll run them through the database later. Maybe we'll get a hit. For now, your guess is as good as mine." Austyn checked his phone.

The listening device he'd planted in the bedroom caught nothing.

He put on shoe covers and entered the bedroom.

"What are you looking for?' Luca followed him inside.

'I don't think the intruders came in here."

The bedroom looked undisturbed.

'I sent two of my men to talk to the security guards,' Luca said. 'The guards on duty last night have gone home. It'll take some time to get in touch with them.

'I doubt whoever came here registered at the guard shack."

'I know, but we have to cover all the angles."

'What about CCTV cameras in the building?"

'On it. The management office is sending the footage over."

'Good.'

Luca rubbed his face with both hands. "This just has to happen on my day off. I had plans today."

Austyn didn't answers

He took in the neat bedroom and wondered where Deborah was right now.

Though the man caught on camera didn't show his face, Austyn couldn't shake the feeling that he'd seen the man somewhere before.

The August sun beat down mercilessly on the pavement.

It was 9 o'clock.

Two cars zoomed down Walton Boulevard.

Twenty minutes later, both cars pulled up outside the Cedarwood Mansion.

Armed guards rushed out of the guard shack, looking alert.

The driver's side window of the lead car rolled down.

'It's me,' Austyn said.

Sebastian opened the door, looking surprised. 'Young Master! What are you doing here?"

Austyn pushed past him. 'Where's the old man?"

'Master McCarthy's not home. He has to go out of town for a meeting.

Austyn signalled with his hand.

Luca and his team of officers rushed into the entrance hall..

"Wait! Stop! Sebastian put up both arms, blocking the way. 'What are you doing?"

Luca said, 'Sebastian, we're here for a case."

'What case?' The majordomo looked indignant. Luca, you can't just barge in here like that!'

Luca was unfazed. 'I'm not barging in. Here's the search warrant.'

He waved the document in front of Sebastian's face. 'Look, it's signed by the chief."

'I don't care if it's signed by the mayor!' Sebastian was red in the face. 'Leave, or I'm going to call your father!

'You can call whoever you like. Luca shrugged. 'But me and my men are coming in here today.'

Sebastian turned to look at Austyn, who stood to one side and watched the exchange silently." Young Master, what's the meaning of this?"

'Like Luca said, he's here on official business. I suggest you step aside, Sebastian. If you insist

Stop Playnu Dumb

on getting in the way, Luca could charge you with obstruction of justice.

Sebastian scowled. 'Master McCarthy is not going to be pleased about this!"

Austyn sneered. 'Like I care."

He pushed Sebastian aside.

Luca and his team filed in.

Sebastian spun on his heel, making for the stairs

'Stop him," Austyn said.

He wasn't about to let Sebastian call his father.

Luca signalled to two of his men.

Both well-built officers stepped into Sebastian's path.

Before retiring to work for Henry McCarthy, Sebastian served in the army.

He still retained most of his military training and put up one hell of a fight.

It took both officers to subdue him, but not until they'd sustained mild injuries on their faces

and arms.

Luca slapped a pair of cuffs on Sebastian's wrists. 'I warned you.'

Austyn headed for the stairs. "Come on."

Sebastian was hauled into the living room on the second floor.

His hands were cuffed behind his back.

The team of six officers fanned out and searched every room of the stately mansion.

Sebastian was furious. 'I demand an explanation! Master McCarthy's going to hear about this!'

Austyn stood facing him. 'Sebastian, you must be getting on in years. I'm also a McCarthy, remember? This is my house as well. I don't need to give you an explanation for bringing people here.'

He looked at Luca. 'Uncuff him."

Luca unlocked the handcuffs.

Sebastian stood up, rubbing his wrists.

'Young Master, what on earth do you want?"

Come on, Sebastian. My father's not the type to tolerate stupidity. You've been working for

him for a long time now. There's no point playing dumb.

Stop Playing Dumb

1

'I don't know what you're talking about."

Austyn tilted his chin at Luca, who took out his mobile phone. 'Here. Just hit play."

Sebastian's shoulders tensed.

He threw a wary look at the captain before picking up the phone.

It was video footage from inside the Sunglade Condo.

'You were careful,' Luca said, 'but not careful enough. You and your men scaled the fence and got in without the guards noticing. You dodged most of the cameras, including the one in the lobby.' The video's last frame was a group of four men walking down a garden path.

They all wore caps.

One of them was looking up as if to check for directions.

Sebastian's face showed onscreen.

'But I bet you didn't know they had a camera next to the bird feeder. Luca snickered. 'Condo management installed it after residents complained about stray cats stealing food from the feeder.'

'I don't know who that is.' Sebastian looked away.

A Bun In The Oven

'Really?' Luca clicked his tongue. 'You're just going to keep denying it? You're still wearing the same shirt seen in the video. Granted, the image is grainy, but I can get a guy from Tech to clear it up. It'll take just a couple of hours.' Sebastian said nothing.

"You know why we are here.'

'I don't.'

Luca pulled on his hair, frustrated. 'We just need to see Deborah.'

'Miss Connelly passed away seven years ago, Sebastian said calmly. 'Captain O'Neill, you are not making any sense."Exclusive content from .

Luca swore under his breath.

He would have not been this nice if it were anybody else, but Sebastian had worked for Henry McCarthy for decades.

The majordomo was Henry's right-hand man.

Arresting him would be more trouble than it was worth.

Helpless, Luca turned to look at Austyn.

Before Austyn could speak, quick footsteps were heard outside the door.

Luca's men came back. 'Captain, we've done a sweep of the entire place, all three levels, including the basement and the garage. No sign of Miss Connelly."

Luca just nodded.

They'd burned rubber coming here, hoping Sebastian had not had the time to move Deborah.

But it had been more than twelve hours since she was taken, and Sebastian moved fast.

The officer added, "There's one room we can't get in, though.'

Austyn listened to the description of the room and realised it was the study.

He looked at Sebastian, who shrugged. 'You know only Master has the key to the study.'

'We can always break the door down,' Austyn threatened.

'We didn't bring a battering ram,' Luca whispered in his ear.

Austyn thought for a moment. 'There's a big French window in the study. Get your men to rappel down from the roof and take a look."

A Bush The Oven

718

"That we can do." Luca gave the order to two of his officers.

Ten minutes later, they returned. "The study's empty. No one inside.'

"Told you,

Sebastian said.

Austyn walked past the majordomo onto the balcony.

Luca followed him.

Austyn dialled a number.

The call was picked up after three rings.

'I'm surprised to hear from you so soon.'

'I've got a lead on Deborah. Austyn skipped the pleasantries and went straight to the point. Sebastian's behind this.'

Luca was just as surprised as Liam.

The captain was well aware of the McCarthy family drama and of how much Austyn loathed his half-brother.

Why would he call Liam?

The silence on the other end of the line lasted for a full minute.

Liam chuckled. 'Congratulations, you've got your woman back. Why are you calling me then?"

"I'm at Cedarwood now. Sebastian's not talking."

"So?"

'I'm just keeping you in the loop. Up to you if you want to come."

Austyn hung up.

'Why did you call him?' Luca couldn't contain his curiosity.

'Sebastian only takes his orders from my father. None of our interrogation techniques will work on him. You can't arrest him because the evidence is weak. I can't touch him for old times

sake.'

Austyn narrowed his eyes. 'But Liam's different. He hates everyone in the family with a passion. He cares nothing about old times and won't treat Sebastian with kid gloves.

Luca gave him a thumbs-up. 'You're more ruthless than me. I take my hat off."

After a pause, he asked, 'But are you sure Liam will come?'

'He will."

A Burn The Oven

3/

'Why?'

If Liam didn't care about Deborah, he wouldn't have forced his way into Austyn's house this

morning.

After Santoro absconded, Liam had to focus most of his energy on running Revency.

He had neither the manpower nor the connections to conduct a citywide search and rescue.

Now that Austyn had tossed him a credible lead, he would come running.

'He'll be here,' Austyn said simply. 'Give it twenty minutes, twenty-five, tops.'

'Okay, if you say so.' Luca stretched and yawned. 'I was going to sleep in today. You dragged me out of bed at nine o'clock."

He removed a pack of Camel Turkish Royal. 'Want one?"

Austyn shook his head. 'I've quit.'

It was too early in the process for him to experience withdrawal symptoms, but he looked

away anyway.

"What?" The cigarette fell out of Luca's mouth.