The next file in the stack belonged to Alexander Fied. The details of his case flowed from Carrisa’s memory with ease. Alex had been sent out to investigate a series of missing dragons. He’d crashed in a field and was rescued by a young woman named Terra Watson. She’d helped him regain his memory, but was captured and injected with an experimental serum that damaged her beyond repair. She’d been caught between forms and nothing she or Kyle did could stabilize her. It had taken a mate’s bond to allow her to transform fully. Oddly, Carissa couldn’t recall what happened to the newly bonded pair.
She opened the file to read the report. He mouth fell open as she pulled out a single sheet. A list of the dragons that had disappeared. It had been Alex’s assignment to investigate the disappearances and give some conclusion as to where the dragons had gone, but there was nothing here. Where was his report? The file contained nothing on any of the missing dragons, Alex’s memory loss, Terra’s transformation, or the follow-up reports. What’s going on? Shocked, Carissa slid the page back into the folder and set it with the first. The complete lack of information was unacceptable. This was part of the largest case that had ever come through Eternity.
The next file in the stack was huge. Carissa opened it to find a statement from internal affairs regarding the case against Michael Duncan. Not sure what Kyle would be doing with this file, she read through the loose pages at the top. There was a recount of the incident in the park and the arrest records for both Michael and Jareth. Michael’s release papers were signed by Kyle, but Jareth’s papers listed him as deceased. How can that be? Carissa flipped through the pages, furiously looking for an answer. She was sure that Jareth had been taken into Eternity’s custody for further questioning. What the hell happened? Unable to find the answers she needed, she slapped the file closed and piled it with the other baffling records.
Moving on to the other files on the desk, she read through each as thoroughly as she could. They were all linked to the missing dragons, and all of them were incomplete. Something’s not right.
Pulling out Kyle’s planner, she looked at the last appointment her brother had before he left. A single name was scrawled on the page: Alan Meyer. It took Carissa a minute to search the man up in Eternity’s directory. She was surprised to find that he was the aide to one of the ministers. Grabbing her phone, she sent Michael a quick text. There were a lot of questions that needed to be answered and she was going to need a voice to ask them.
2
“Thank you for coming,” Carissa said as she welcomed Alan into Kyle’s office. She refused to think of it as hers yet.
Alan took Carissa’s hand and cradled it in his. “Anything for you, Lady Markel,” Sympathy filled his eyes. “I’m sorry for your loss. Your brother was a good man and he will be missed.”
Carissa clenched her jaw against the pain and lowered her face. Something inside her told her that he was still alive, and she hung on to that hope trying to keep herself together. When the burn in her nose subsided and she was sure she wouldn’t burst into tears, she spoke. “Thank you.” She pulled free of his hold and quickly turned towards the desk to hide the quiet sob that worked its way up. Waving a hand at the empty chairs, she pointed him to a seat. “Please sit. I have some questions for you.”
“Of course,” Alan said, taking the chair offered. “What can I do for you?”
Taking a final breath to compose herself, Carissa sat on the other side of Kyle’s desk and considered the aide. She didn’t really want to talk about her brother yet, but she needed to know what the mess on his desk meant. “Did you meet with my brother before he left?”
Alan jerked up straight in his chair. Surprise covered his face. “Yes,” he said timidly.
“What was the meeting about?” Carissa asked.
“Well,” Alan said as he fidgeted in the chair. His eyes landed on Michael leaning against the wall behind Carissa. He looked back at Carissa with imploring eyes. “It’s a sensitive matter.”
“Please,” Carissa pushed. “I need to know.”
Alan’s eyes darted to Michael again, but the aide placed his hands on the desk and leaned over it.
Carissa leaned in so she could hear him.
“I think there’s a traitor in Eternity.”
Drawing in a sharp breath, Carissa sat back as if he’d slapped her. Kyle hadn’t come out and said as much, but she was sure her brother had suspected something was wrong with the organization that policed and protected dragons. He had become very secretive with his work and had spent a lot of time on wing with Daniel recently. She felt Michael’s supportive hand touch her shoulder. “Who?”
Alan’s eyes jumped up to Michael once again, but he leaned closer and spoke softly. “Daniel Callaghan.”
Carissa’s eyes widened in disbelief. That couldn’t be! She could feel Michael’s hand tighten on her shoulder. She didn’t need to look back to know that he was yelling in silent protest. Daniel was Kyle’s most trusted friend. “Impossible,” she said for them both.
“Then how do you explain this?” Alan asked as he sat up and waved to the stack of files on Kyle’s desk. “All of these reports were filed by Commander Callaghan and all of them are incomplete.” He stood up and grabbed the first file, looked at it, and dropped down in front of Carissa. “Here’s a missing person’s report, yet there is no investigating agent and no follow-up information.” He picked the next up. “Here’s one about a shipment of dragon hormones intercepted by Eternity, yet there’s no explanation on how they were taken or what happened to them after they were confiscated.” He dropped that file and grabbed Michael’s thick file. “There’s no inquiry or explanation for Jareth Rosenthorn’s death.” He went for the next thin folder. “Alexander Fied’s report is completely missing and the man hasn’t been seen since he was put on medical leave.” He looked at the next file in that stack. “I’ve yet to locate any investigation into Raven Nightingale’s murder, and Callaghan won’t give up Noah Dove’s location so I can bring him in for questioning!” He dropped the paperwork back to the desk and held his hands out towards the inconsistent documents. “These are all part of the biggest case the Ministry has ever seen. People are dying, and your top man is doing everything he can to hamper the investigation. Tell me what I’m supposed to think.”
Sliding her fingers over the top of her head, Carissa pulled at her golden curls in shock. “Can’t be,” she groaned unable to believe all of the damning evidence piled on the desk.
Alan tapped the stack of files. “This is just a sampling of the incomplete reports I’ve found. All of them filed by Commander Callaghan.”
Carissa shook her head again. Daniel was working hard to solve this case. Kyle promised they were on this.
“And don’t you think it’s rather convenient that Kyle goes missing as soon as I brought this up?” Alan suggested. There was a suspicious tone to his voice.
Carissa’s eyes snapped up to meet Alan’s. “You don’t think Daniel had something to do with the plane crash?” Daniel would never hurt Kyle.
Alan crossed his arms and shrugged. “I’m just saying it’s a convenient coincidence. The king said he was going to discuss this with Daniel before he left. Maybe the commander freaked and saw a chance to rid himself of the king before his transgressions could come to light.”