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“Apparently the FBI got wind of the affair and got in touch with Alec, and together they managed to convince the families that something very bad was going on. They finally managed to track down all five women. They’re safe now.”

“But… Clint?”

“Clint’s got nothing to do with it. But someone on the team does. And he’s going to try and figure out who it is.”

Odelia glanced down at her cats, who both shrugged.“Okay,” she finally said, and joined Kimmy and the other three women in pursuit of Clint, whom they could hear screaming all the way to the jacuzzi as he made his way back to the main house.

“What’s all this about kidnapped women?” asked Joanna.

“I’ll explain later,” said Odelia.

“You’re a cop?” asked Jackie, sounding distinctly unhappy.

“No, I’m a reporter.”

“I asked Odelia to come and look into a possible kidnapping ring centered around Passion Island,” Kimmy explained, drawing gasps of shock from the other three women.

But by then they’d arrived at the villa, where Clint was pacing in front of his collected staff, all gathered in front of the main house.

“Someone here has been working against me!” he announced. “One of you has decided to use my show—MY SHOW—for nefarious purposes! And I want you to step forward right now and reveal yourself!”

Odelia had crossed her arms in front of her and stood watching the scene with some trepidation. She didn’t know what to think. She’d figured Clint was the man behind the kidnapping ring, but apparently her uncle didn’t think he was, and Uncle Alec was a smart cookie, so he probably had his reasons.

“No one?” asked Clint. “All right. So be it.” He picked his phone from his pocket and quickly dialed a number.

“What’s happening?” asked Tina, as bewildered as the rest of the small crowd that had gathered in the rising sun.

“No idea,” said Odelia truthfully.

“Alec? Yeah, nobody’s talking. So you do as we arranged. Yeah, you place that call now.” He disconnected, then let his gaze rake across the faces of his people, none too friendly. If looks could kill, they’d all have fallen to the ground, dead.

Suddenly, a ringtone pierced the silence—it was the sound of birdsong.

“You’re busted!” Clint bellowed. “Busted!”

Everyone looked around with consternation written all over their features, as Clint dove into the crowd, which parted like the Red Sea before Moses. And there, on the ground, was a phone, buzzing away, still blasting out a steady whoop-whoop-whoop.

Clint picked it up.“Who does this phone belong to! Who, dammit!”

Eyes swiveled, and heads turned left and right, but whoever the phone belonged to didn’t make themselves known, causing Clint to stomp the ground like a petulant child. “Reveal yourself!” he demanded heatedly.

“It belongs to Rick,” said Max. “I’d recognize that ringtone anywhere.”

“It belongs to Rick,” Odelia echoed.

“Oh, crap,” the pale techie muttered, and suddenly broke into an awkward run!

“Stop!” Clint screamed. “Stop that man!”

But since everyone was gathered around him, there was no one left to stop Rick, as the skinny techie disappeared around the bend.

“After him!” Clint ordered. “Whoever catches that bastard gets a fat bonus!”

As one man, all of those gathered now moved off in a minor stampede, all in pursuit of the man named Rick, whom Odelia had recognized as the guy who’d installed a camera right above her bed.

She joined the runners, as did everyone else. No one wanted to miss the grand finale to this very strange and unexpected drama. Even the cameramen, who’d dutifully filmed the entire scene, broke into a jog, and kept right on filming.

They finally arrived at a small dock, where a boat was moored. Rick, who had secured himself a nice head start, was already climbing aboard, and throwing off the moorings.

“He’s getting away!” Clint cried. “Stop him!”

But it was obvious they’d never get there in time. As they neared, Rick was pushing the boat away from the dock, and had started up the engine. He was going to make a clean getaway while they all watched.

And he was waving at them, looking pretty triumphant, when suddenly a second boat appeared out of nowhere. And as Rick was looking in their direction he never noticed the other boat sailing alongside and a tall, lanky figure leaping from boat to boat, like a regular Jack Sparrow, though minus the funky eyeliner.

“It’s Chase!” Odelia cried happily, and she now saw two more familiar figures on this second boat: Gran and Scarlett!

“Gotcha!” Clint yelled, shaking his fist. “Well done, son! Well done!”

Chase had managed to capture the errant technician, and was now steering the boat back to the dock, leaving the other boat drifting aimlessly, and Gran and Scarlett looking a little ill at ease at the prospect of soon becoming prey to the Gulf of Thailand’s relentless currents and ending up in the Philippines.