Page 17 of Landon

Her eyes widened, and she shook her head. “Surely, you can’t think I had anything to do with this!”

Landon stared hard at her, and she could not hold his gaze. Her hands were in front of her, her fingers tightly clamped together. Her hair was pulled back in what had probably been a severe bun, but tendrils had fallen out and were sticking up, indicating that she had indeed run from the beach. Not wanting to have his witness lose her focus and fall into histrionics, hecalmly said, “I don’t have any idea what happened right now. I just need you to give me the exact facts.”

She jerked her head up and down, then said, “I had set up a beach chair to sit in. I had only been seated next to Penny for a few minutes, and Tad was coming out of the water toward us. I looked at the time and knew we should go back to the house soon. I told Penny to put on her shoes. Tad dried his feet and did the same thing. He had just gotten his shoes on when movement to my right caught my eye. I watched as three men, all dressed in black, walked toward us. There were no houses that way, so I didn’t know where they’d come from. I thought it was strange that they were in long pants and long-sleeved shirts, but as they got closer, they pulled a scarf up over their lower faces.”

Her voice shook, and her hands clasped tighter together. “I saw one pull out a gun. I screamed, but they raced forward. One grabbed me and told me to be quiet. Another one grabbed Penny, and when Tad rushed forward to help, the other one caught him, too.”

“Where was Roger?” Pamela interrupted, her eyes wide.

“He was on the deck. He didn’t come down to the beach with us. But he heard us screaming and was coming down the steps as I came running up. He ran after them.”

“Where is he now?” Pamela screeched.

Landon twisted his head around and saw Jonathan standing at the doorway with their bags, his eyes wide. “Call the police?—”

Pamela cried, “No police. They’ll make it worse. If the kids have been kidnapped, I need to know what they want!”

Jonathan's face contorted. “I can call, sir, but with the storm coming, the police forces will be working to make sure people are safe. Resources are stretched thin.”

Landon shook his head. “Call them anyway just to report it. I want this on the record.”

Jonathan nodded and immediately dropped their bags to pull out his phone.

Looking up, Landon spied Noel as she walked over to a bank of windows, staring off to the east. She turned around, her eyes wide. “There’s nothing but jungle out there. It’s like this house is at the end of civilization, and there’s nothing but jungle!”

Speaking into his phone, Landon barked, “What have you got?”

“Working on pulling up satellite now to get the overall image,” Todd replied.

“I’ve gotten into the resort security, and I’m looking at the ones aimed down on the beach. It seems the one on the house they’re staying in was turned off.”

Whirling around, Landon glared at Pamela. “Why the fuck would you turn the security cameras off at the back of this house?”

Her eyes widened as she shook her head. “I didn’t! I didn’t!”

Mike wrapped his fingers around Pamela’s neck. “I should snap you right now, bitch.”

Landon whirled around and brought his arm down on Mike’s, forcing his grip away from Pamela. “I told you not to make this worse. We have a better chance of getting the kids back if we know who took them, why, and where they might be located.”

“Someone’s coming!” Noel cried out, racing toward the sliding glass door that led downward toward the beach.

Landon hustled to her side. Staggering up onto the back porch was a young man with blood running down his face.

“Is that Roger?” Noel threw open the door and started to step out.

Landon gently pulled her back and moved through the door. He recognized Roger from the photographs—tall, blond surfer looks. In his photograph, he had gleaming white teeth that oneof his wealthy female companions had paid for. He now had a cut on his forehead and was staggering from the blow.

Roger weaved on his feet, and Landon wrapped his arm around the other man’s waist, taking his weight as they staggered inside the house.

“Roger! Oh my God, Roger!” Pamela cried as she rushed forward and helped him to a kitchen chair. Horticia was right behind with a wet cloth that she pressed to his forehead, her own forehead now with a bandage.

Looking between them, Landon noted their injuries were mirror opposites of each other. “I need you to talk to me. Tell me what happened.”

“I was outside… heard Horticia cry out. I ran to the beach and saw the kids being dragged into the jungle. Horticia was bleeding, but I told her to get into the house and let them know. I tried to run after the kids. I got hit and went down.”

“See to him,” Landon barked to Horticia, then stalked over to the door leading to the patio and stepped outside. Speaking to the Keepers, he said, “This was planned, but I don’t know who inside assisted.”

“Right,” Logan agreed. “They knew the kids would be on the beach right before you all showed up.”

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