#Chapter 252: Connecting Pieces

Agnes The tracking device sitting on the table seemed to stare up at me, mocking me. Every drop of blood in my body ran cold at the sight of it—a far cry from the usual heat that overtook me during moments of distress. It was inside the small dinosaur keychain that Elijah had brought home for Thea after that conference all those weeks ago. The gift that someone had intentionally given Elijah for her. Had someone been tracking our daughter on purpose? If so, why? No. I knew why. I knew it in my bones, as sure as I knew up from down and right from left. This whole thing reeked of my stepmother. “We would never do such a thing,” Elijah said quickly. “Richard, I swear to you, we had no idea. The dinosaur—I got it during the conference in your territory a couple of months ago. I didn’t even buy it.” Richard’s eyes narrowed. “Explain.” Elijah glanced at me, but I was too stunned to speak. He went on, “I was at the hotel bar one evening after the meet