The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

On the other side of town.

Leopold, with Adam in tow, strolled through the labyrinthine streets of Rivenwood's largest urban village.

Twisting alleys had Leopold nursing a headache. Without his trusty GPS, he half-expected Adam to lead him into an unfamiliar alleyway for a swift, unseen dispatch.

"When are we getting there?" Thomas surveyed the surrounding high-rises, nearly indistinguishable from one another.

Above, a tangle of clotheslines and electric wires-a fire trap if there ever was one.

And to think, someone working for the Abernathy family lived in such a place? Quite the understatement.

Adam led the way, occasionally glancing back to ensure Leopold and Thomas's group kept pace. "Just up ahead. This place, it's a maze. Looks like there are many ways through, but most are dead ends. Without a local guide, it's easy to get lost."

Leopold noted, "I heard you guys have dorms. Why does Keith choose to live here?"

A hint of frustration crossed Adam's face. "Who knows what goes through his mind? An orphan, yet he insists on living amidst this chaos. I've offered him a dorm room multiple times, but he always refuses, claiming he needs his freedom."

"Talking about the intern salary not even hitting eight grand, in a place as pricey as Rivenwood, even these rundown flats cost a couple grand a month. Half his salary gone just on rent, not to mention commuting and living expenses. Barely saves anything by month's end."

Adam had more to say about Keith. "And that kid keeps dreaming about getting married. With his spending habits, which girl would even consider?"

Leopold and Thomas listened in silence.

Glancing back at their team, Leopold had his suspicions. Claiming to dislike restrictions was probably just an excuse for avoiding too close a contact with Abernathy family members in the dorms. Their conversation meandered, extracting even Keith's police academy entry date.

As they neared the end of their chat, they finally arrived at the base of Keith's building.

Rivenwood, well past midnight.

a few scattered lights were on; the rest of the building was shrouded in darkness, impossible to tell

had only recently been fitted with a new

elevator, they barely fit; had they not left two men at the entrance to keep watch, they'd have

Keith's floor, they faced a metal door covered in flyers, looking as if

hand to knock but was stopped by Leopold. "Let's

universal key, stepped forward. "I owe you one, huh? Dragged out in the middle of the night for Percival's

complaint was lighthearted,

The door creaked open.

shine. Just stay behind me; wouldn't want Keith catching you off guard again." "In this darkness, who knows where

Zzzap...

of an electric current cut through, the room suddenly flooded with

fight, then heard a click. The room lit up, revealing

deadpan, turned to Adam. "Why didn't you just turn on the

Silence fell.

Leopold's embarrassed glance. For

blame to Thomas's hasty actions. "I

"Does it look like anyone's

there be no one... Keith

as he took in the room. No sign of Keith or

the hell

small apartment, barely a studio, left nowhere to hide. From the neatly made bed to the half-eaten snacks on the table, everything was in plain view. Thomas clapped a rigid Leopold on the shoulder. "Let's

protested. "Isn't this

for an intern could