Page 38 of Serving my Dragon
Kayleigh leaned forward. “I still can’t believe somebody wanted to kill me for knowing about Polly.”
“Not just wanted,” Matias corrected. “They were the ones who caused your accident, only you survived.”
“You said one of them mentioned Sally dating some guy called Blake.” Kayleigh frowned. “I remember that name. She met him at the job she started mid-summer and started hooking up with him not long after.”
“A job doing what?” Juan questioned.
“Receptionist for some lab that handles animal studies. But no way would I believe she’d be involved in trapping Polly.”
“She was there,” I stated. “And so were you. You stood between me and my enemies. The only one to come to my defense.” I craned to look Kayleigh in the eye. “You saved me that day. Or at least tried to, until they pushed you off the cliff.”
Kayleigh blinked.
“Wait, you saw it happen? Why did you not say something before?” Matias accused.
“Because her head was covered in a mesh veil and her hair by a hat. But now hearing what my enemy said, it begins to make sense.”
“Not really,” Kayleigh muttered. “Wish I remembered. You said Sally was present as well. Did they push her too?”
“If they did, it happened after I plunged into the river.”
“I can’t believe she’d let anyone hurt me.” My servant sounded genuinely hurt.
“I don’t think she was on board with what happened to you,” Matias gently said. “The hotel clerk did say she appeared to have been crying.”
“Tears mean nothing. Could be she felt guilty about what happened,” Juan interjected.
“Sally wouldn’t hurt a fly,” Kayleigh exclaimed.
“But would she stop others from trying?”
A question that left Kayleigh silent, probably because it was a known fact humans would put aside their morals out of fear, for greed—and love.
“How could she? One tiny woman against a handful of guys?” Kayleigh shook her head. “Seems more likely they threatened Sally to keep it a secret.”
“Or she abetted to stay out of trouble.” The old man snorted. “Didn’t you say something about this Sally posting pics of you as if all is good?”
“We can’t assume she’s the one doing it.”
“Are you always this stubborn?” Juan retorted. “But enough of this Sally person. There is some good news that came out of tonight. Those gringos don’t know the dragon survived and is with us, so let’s aim to keep it that way.”
“That won’t be easy once Polly gets bigger,” Matias noted.
“In the city, maybe. The location I’m taking you has no neighbors or casual visitors. The dragon will be able to grow there without discovery. ‘Course, the place you’ll be inhabiting is a little rough at the moment, but a few supply runs should help to make it comfortable.”
“Exactly how long do you expect us to stay there?” Matias queried.
“You can most likely return home once the situation with those gringos is handled,” Juan replied. “Once we get them to spill everything they know, we’ll put them on a plane back to ‘Merica and I’ll talk to my friend over at customs to make sure they can’t return.”
“Who’s to say they won’t send a new crew?” Matias argued.
“The easiest solution to that is to send me away. Once I’m gone, they won’t have a reason to bother Matias or anyone else and Polly will be safe,” Kayleigh suggested.
I protested the bad idea. “I do not give you permission to abandon me.”
“I don’t want to leave, Polly, but so long as they’re seeking me, you risk discovery.” Kayleigh stroked the spot between my ears that she knew I liked.
“Which is why you should have eliminated my enemies,” I huffed. “Imprisoning them doesn’t send the right kind of message.”
