The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Yorick was so incensed he felt like giving another kick, but age had taken its toll. Even slapping had drained him of his strength, so he slumped back onto the couch, panting.

“Don’t play dumb with me, boy. It was one thing when you were just making a quick buck here and there, nothing serious. But now you’ve gone and meddled with Vanguard Agency’s affairs! You’ve got some nerve! Do you have any idea why I introduced Gillian to Lark and Vivienne?”

Dracon stood up silently, his head bowed, avoiding Yorick’s piercing gaze.

Yorick took a breath to calm himself. “I wanted Lark and Vivienne to keep tabs on her! A criminal, sneaking her way into Vanguard Agency, knowing all my likes and dislikes without ever having met me. Dracon, you think I’m senile, don’t you?

You think you can just waltz Gillian into Vanguard Agency? I orchestrated that! I wanted her under Vanguard’s control! But I underestimated you. You interfered with my liaison with Vanguard Agency and, using my name, sent Gillian back after her blunder. If Percival hadn’t come to warn me, I’d still be in the dark! Do you have any idea the gravity of Gillian’s crimes?”

Dracon furrowed his brow, still playing the tough guy. “Dad, since when do you take Percival’s word as gospel?”

“If I didn’t have proof, would I be confronting you now?” Yorick flung the dossier from the table at Dracon’s face.

After Percival left the other day, Yorick silently began an investigation. When he found out it was indeed Dracon who had saved Gillian, it nearly triggered his heart condition.

He had thought his son merely dull, but this was pure folly!

Foolish to the bone!

“I’m telling you, Dracon, if you use my name again, you can pack your bags and leave! I can’t believe the Linklater family could produce such a failure!”

Yorick, unable to hold back his words in his fury, spun around and stormed back to his room.

Dracon stood there, the scattered papers on the floor mirroring the throbbing pain on his face, a constant reminder of his humiliation.

Fine, he was the failure of the Linklater family. But let’s see what this ‘failure’ could do.

…

The Nine Mystics Society.

arrived at headquarters, where all the leaders, including Aaron,

place, eyes on the target, ready to strike on

on the tablet, each representing the Nine Mystics Society’s

Once we’ve located Larry and Carl, we’ll take them down in one fell

Everyone echoed, “Understood!”

Vivienne’s cell phone

been taken by

knitted. “What

was the health supplement Percival delivered that caused the episode.

fury coalesced into an icy

“Got it.”

turned to her team with a dark expression. “Get ready. We’re

…

the hospital, Dracon was a sobbing mess

please save my father. Nothing can happen to

assured, Mr. Linklater, we’re doing everything

rushed

away tears. “Ask Percival why he poisoned my dad. Didn’t

let him off,” Micah said, concerned. “But it seems unlikely he could smuggle such an obvious drug past the Linklater family’s famously tight

Yorick. Percival respected Yorick more than anyone in

out in embarrassment. “What are you suggesting? That I poisoned my father to frame Percival? I know you Vanguard folks are tight with

Linklater, those are serious accusations. Percival is in custody, and we’re investigating. No conclusions yet. If he’s guilty, he won’t escape justice. But if he’s innocent,

wanting to escalate further, left it at

to