Page 60 of The Summer Inn on Plum Island
“That we have to find Carl,” Liam said. “Scott, do you have a location where he is?”
“Yes,” Scott said. “I’ve just managed to find some plans for your hotel. He’s beneath some old shed at the back of the kitchen. Do you know what was put into your room, Dawn?” His voice was filled with urgency.
“The journal and jewelry,” Dawn’s eyes widened in realization. “You don’t think…”
“It wouldn’t be on something. It has to be ingested or injected,” Scott told them. “I’ve found the toxin. It’s from a rare plant, the Luminara, found in the Amazon rainforest. It’s a bioluminescentplant. Its sap was used on arrows and spears to kill predators of some indigenous people. It was used in some military experiments as well in the nineteen hundreds.”
“Great!” Dawn drawled. “This gets better and better.” She blew out a breath. “We’d better go find Carl.”
“No.” Liam and Scott said in unison.
“I’ll get someone to help me, and I’ll find Carl,” Liam told her. “You need to figure out what extra was left for you from whoever took Carl.”
“No,” Dawn said stubbornly. “Hicks will be with me, and he’ll look after me.” She patted the big dog’s head. “Won’t you?”
He looked up at her and whined.
“I agree that Hicks should go with Liam,” Scott said. “He’ll be able to sniff Carl out. I’ll get some of the crew members that are with Wade to go with you, Liam.”
“I’ll call the Plum Island Clinic and warn them,” Dawn said, looking at Liam. “And I’ll check my room.”
“Why are you giving up so easily?” Liam asked her.
“I’m not,” Dawn told him. “We can cover more ground this way, and I’d like to … uh… check on Wade.” She swallowed. “I also owe him an apology.”
“We can go over this later,” Scott said. “I’ll call you back, Liam. Dawn, be careful and, for goodness sake, listen to the security detail.”
“Sure,” Dawn said.
When they hung up. Dawn and Liam left his office, locking up behind them. They’d just stepped into the foyer when three men met them in the foyer. Liam noted they each had a big band.
“Is Wade not with you?” Dawn asked them.
“We can’t get hold of him,” the one man told her as he introduced himself and his team. “We’re here to assist you to look for Carl, Mr. Gains.”
“Thanks,” Liam nodded.
“I’m going to find Wade,” Dawn told him. “Here, take Hicks.”
“Be careful,” Liam said. Their eyes met and locked.
He didn’t know what came over him, but he stepped forward and kissed her.
“I… uh…” Dawn looked dazed as Liam pulled away. “I’ll call you as soon as we have Carl.”
Dawn nodded and he pulled her back into his arms before leading the men toward the kitchen.
“This way.” He started to lead the men through to the kitchen.
Hicks whined and pulled against Liam’s hand in his collar as he turned toward where Dawn was now walking toward the elevator.
“It’s okay, boy,” Liam told him. “We need your help to find someone.”
Liam managed to pull Hicks with them as they walked through the kitchen and out to the shed, which he once again found unlocked. Hicks pulled away from Liam, a low growl rumbling from his throat. Liam let Hicks go, and he shot into the shed.
“I’m guessing it’s this way?” the one man said, following Hicks.
They walked into the shed and saw Hicks scratching and whining at a panel on the far side of the wall.
