The Kidnapping King

SURVEILLANCE ISSUES

DROGHEDA, IRELAND - PRESENT DAY 

 Ardal Flanagan parked his car and got out, walking to meet his son and grandson in the empty lot.

"Thanks for the ride," Bill leaned in, speaking to the young woman sitting in the driver's seat, as he and Bart exited the vehicle. Then, turning to Ninian, in the passenger's seat, "I'll be in touch about arrangements for our trip back to Stockholm in the next day or two," Ninian nodded, then looked past Bill and waved, nodding at Ardal, standing behind the man and his son.

"Sounds good. I'm ready when you are." Ninian replied.

Bill dipped his head, with a smile, then closed the car door and turned to face Ardal, who was wrapping an arm around Bart's shoulders.

"Did you just get here, Dad?" Bill asked his father as the three of them headed for the black Mercedes CLS.

"Yes, good timing," he said, pressing a button on his keyring, causing golden lights to flash, and a clicking sound signaling the vehicle doors had been unlocked.

Bill and Ardal opened front doors and got inside, while Bart opened the back door and secured a seat belt over his shoulder.

"To Mac Paidin Manor, then?" Ardal turned to Bill, who nodded agreement.

"I'm glad your dad and Ninian were able to rescue you and get you back here to us, safe and sound, Bart." Ardal glanced at the image of the boy in the rear-view mirror. "So, what's this I hear about making plans for a return trip to Stockholm?" He looked at his son sitting next to him.

"Oh, Ninian had a brilliant idea!" Bill began, "He thinks that, since there are protection spells around Inez and Clara's mansion preventing access, we might be able to position ourselves outside their grounds, and watch for Ethan to exit. With Bart's insight after escaping the place, he now knows how to get back there, and if we can capture Ethan, alone, we might be able to find out what he knows about the sister's plans for the boys," he paused, looking over his shoulder at his son, who was nodding at him, "by the way," Bill continued, "I might add that Bart says Ethan is there as a willing participant in the sisters' plans. He isn't being held captive."

Ardal pursed his lips and raised his eyebrows.

"Well, that sounds like a good plan. But it's an unnecessary one." Ardal grinned at Bill, who dipped his chin to the side at his father and squinted his eyes.

"What do you mean?" Bill twisted to look at Bart in the back seat and Bart shrugged his shoulders.

"I mean," Ardal started, "that I've convinced Clara to act as a double agent," Bill rolled his eyes and pulled his lips to the side, opening his mouth to object,

"Hold on...let me explain," Ardal continued, "Don't think for one minute that I trust that woman, "he paused, "I told her we plan to send her back to her sister using that pendant of hers, and that I expect her to tell me all about Inez's plans, otherwise, I will turn her over to the authorities," he raised his index finger in the air toward Bill to silence his near interruption, "BUT...I'm not so naïve as to believe she will cooperate. So, unbeknownst to her, before I gave her that pendant back," he looked at Bill again, "I had someone cast an audio-spell on it."

Ardal winked at Bart in the rearview mirror," Yer granddad's more clever than the average bear, he is!"

Bill scrunched his eyebrows together and pursed his lips, "So, what does that mean, actually?"

"That means we've bugged the necklace and will hear everything going on within earshot of it, conversations and otherwise."

Ardal turned off the main roadway and onto the gravel drive leading to Mac Paidin Manor, coming to a halt in front of the massive wrought iron and glass front entrance.

"So, no surveillance missions are required, for the time being."

Bill nodded, smiling, "That's amazing, Dad. Thanks, again, for all your help. Please do keep us posted on what you learn."

Bart leaned forward, wrapping an arm around his grandfather's neck, then he and Bill got out and headed for the mansion.