Chapter 7

Bel reached into her pocket and withdrew her phone, clicking the camera app with trembling fingers. The moment it loaded, she started recording, and within two minutes, a vehicle drove into view. Eamon gripped her hips, readying to drag her away at a moment's notice, but she barely felt his hands as the driver exited the jeep.

"I don't recognize him," she whispered.

"Neither do I," Eamon said.

"Oh my god." Bel's stomach dropped when the driver opened the back door for his passenger. The windows were tinted, so she hadn't seen who'd sat inside, but as the suited man stepped into the sunlight, fear turned her sweating body icy. "But him… I recognize him."

"Who is he?" Eamon asked.

"Alex Kinley." Bel leaned closer to her phone so the microphone would record her whisper. "He was a district attorney until a missing girl showed up at a police station miles from where she was abducted and claimed she'd escaped his basement. The police raided his home and found proof that he'd kept multiple girls there throughout the years, but before the case went to trial, someone mislabeled a key piece of evidence. Some believe the mistake was purposeful since everything became useless after the chain of custody was broken. The case was dismissed, and he walked free. It's been years now, but new evidence was recently discovered, and they reopened the investigation."

Eamon swore softly before inching closer to her. "Let me guess. This discovery will destroy him, and his only escape is to change his face."

"Kinley was all over the news when the story broke. It would be impossible for him to disappear unrecognized unless he became someone else. If this island facilitated Gianni's transformation, I think you're right. Alex Kinley is about to erase his recognizable features." She looked at Eamon. "We have to get inside that building."

"Slow down, Detective." He tugged her backward until she collapsed against his chest. "If that's Kinley, you're not going in there."

"You'll be with me," she argued.

"That's not the point. Your video is evidence enough for a warrant. Call Barry. It's a few hours' plane trip, and if Kinley is here for an operation, he'll be incapacitated for the rest of the day. If you charge in there without jurisdiction, you'll ruin the case against him."

"Right." Bel pulled up Jameson Barry's contact info, but it was of little use. She had no service.

"Get on my back." Eamon tugged her behind him.

"But what if he leaves?" she protested as he lifted her into position. "One of us needs to stay here to watch."

"You aren't capable of running down the mountain fast enough, and there's no way in hell I'm leaving you here." Eamon launched into a run. "Even if this building has nothing to do with plastic surgery, Alex Kinley is a man who locked girls in his basement. I have no intention of letting you confront him without a bulletproof vest and an army of FBI agents helping me shield you."

Agent Jameson Barry cursed, paused for a long moment, and then cursed again. "Alex Kinley was being watched. How on earth did he slip his detail?"

"He got away with murder because he threatened cops into evidence tampering. I suspect he still knows people willing to look the other way," Bel said as she paced their bungalow living room. Being unable to monitor the hidden jungle compound had her anxiety through the roof, but Eamon was determined to keep her far from harm. She secretly loved that he was taking her safety so seriously, but Alex Kinley had destroyed dozens of girls' lives. She couldn't let him escape to ruin more.

Barry cursed again. "Emerson, I have to go. You did well getting us this video. Sit tight, and whatever you do, don't go back to that building. I'll see you soon."

He hung up without a goodbye, and Bel tossed her phone onto the mattress.

"You should eat something," Eamon said from where he watched her at the food-laden kitchen table. They'd agreed to act normal upon their return to L'Oasis, and ordering lunch at lunchtime seemed like the smartest move.

"I'm too anxious."

"Isobel, please eat." He shifted a plate closer to where she paced. "I can't have you passing out on me. The FBI won't arrive for hours, so all we can do is wait. Kinley got off because protocols weren't followed. Let's not repeat that mistake."

"Is this how every day is for you?" she asked as she snatched a turkey slice off a bulging sandwich. "Knowing you have the power to do whatever you want, yet having to hold back because you won't be able to explain the fallout?"

"Yes."

"And it doesn't make you insane?"

"I'm used to it."

"Well, I'm not." She shoved the cold cut into her mouth and chewed aggressively.

"Isobel, what do you need from me?" Eamon asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You're panicking, and I can't help but wonder if it's because this man killed girls in his basement."

"And you think I'm freaking out because Abel locked me in his?"

"I just want to make sure you're okay."

"I'm fine. I just don't want him getting away with his crimes again." Bel spoke too quickly, and with a phantom ache in her ankle, she begrudgingly realized Eamon was right. Of course, she wanted to arrest Kinley because her job was to serve and protect, but the desire went deeper. All but one of Kinley's victims never escaped his basement. Dozens had died down there alone in the dark. Bel had been one of the lucky ones. She'd escaped her captor, and she couldn't let this monster go free to torture more women.

Eamon said nothing, but he picked up the sandwich and held it out to her. The fight fled her muscles, and she accepted it as she collapsed into the chair opposite him.

"You speak to your therapist about it, but you can talk to me if you want," he said.

"Alex Kinley's case was a few years ago," she said. "I wasn't involved, but every law enforcement officer sat glued to the news for updates, so when we learned he got off because of sloppy police work, we were devastated. I was livid that cops let him walk, and I felt sympathy for the victims, but in an abstract way. This was before Alcina cursed you to attack me. It was before Abel kidnapped me. I didn't truly understand evil then, but now I know what it's like to be a prisoner. My kidnapping was only a fraction as traumatic as what Kinley's victims endured, but I understand them. I'm not just sorry for them and their families. I'm back in that basement yanking on that chain to escape. I know waiting for the FBI is the right thing to do. You're powerful enough to invade that building alone, but it won't hold up in court, and we need that unless you plan to hunt down and kill everyone associated with whatever is happening on this island, which I would prefer you didn't. I don't want you to change your name and disappear because you can't explain what happened, but my brain still wants you to charge after him so I can take Kinley down myself."

"How do you want me to react?" Eamon asked, his face so emotionless he looked carved of stone.

"What do you mean?"

"I want to know what you need from me," he said carefully. "Because my first reaction is to climb that mountain and rip Kinley's limbs from his body for you, then return home to do the same to Abel, but it's more important I give you what you need, not what I want."

"You would pull his arms off for me?" Bel smiled at him.

"In a second."

She laughed softly as she stood from her chair and slid onto his lap, and her conversation with her father came flooding back as she ran her fingers through his hair. Eamon Stone was the last man she'd date because no one would ever love her like he did.

"I don't know what I need from you," she said honestly. "Just keep me grounded, I guess. What I want is Kinley not to escape justice again."

"Barry won't let that happen," Eamon said. "He can't be bought. This time, Kinley doesn't walk."

Five hours later, the FBI landed on the island without warning or ceremony. Their tactical helicopters descended on the jungle like locusts, a single chopper lowering her flight to gather Bel and Eamon where they hid among the trees before the swarm aimed for the mountains. Agent Barry had alerted Bel to their arrival, and Eamon delivered her unseen to the rendezvous point before he guided the raid to the hidden building's location.

"Stay here." Barry shoved two FBI jackets at the couple as the helicopter landed. "You aren't officially part of this investigation," he said when Bel opened her mouth to protest. "The last thing we need is Alex Kinley—or anyone else we find inside—to know you uncovered this operation. You shouldn't even be here except I believe you deserve to see this through, so stay put until I clear you to exit."

"We will," Eamon promised for her, earning him a glare. Unfazed by Bel's annoyance, he met her stare with a glare of his own, and after seconds of unspoken conversation, she practically growled.

"We'll wait for your signal," she said, and seeing the towering millionaire had no intentions of letting the detective out of his sight, Agent Jameson Barry jumped out of the helicopter and raced for his team.

"He'll get Kinley." Eamon grabbed her hands and pulled them into his lap. "The island only has one runway. There's nowhere for him to run."

"This man escaped the impossible before," she said.

"And your presence won't stop him from doing it again," he said. "It'll only show him your face. A villain with his tastes set his sights on you once before. I'm not letting that happen again."

"It's annoying when you're right," she mumbled.

"I don't mind being annoying as long as you're safe." He trailed his knuckles over her cheek before pressing a quick kiss to her tanned skin, and as irritated as she was at being left out, she wouldn't trade his love for the world.

Chaos destroyed the jungle's peace as Barry led the charge, the beautiful tropical island forever stained ugly by this sin, and Bel leaned against Eamon's shoulder to wait. They sat hand in hand as the violence raged. The sun fell through the sky, and, too nervous to speak for fear she'd miss something of importance, Bel lost track of time.

"Isobel?" Eamon's voice broke through her daze.

"What happened?" She flinched at his sudden nearness. How long had he been calling her name?

"It's over." He nodded at the FBI agents jogging for them.

"Detective," Agent Barry said as the couple jumped down from the helicopter, a bewildered expression plastered on his features. "You have no idea what you uncovered here. There's some bad news, but it's nothing compared to this success. It's incredible."

"Bad news?" Bel fixated on those two small words, and Eamon's hand slipped under the FBI jacket to press supportively against her spine. "What happened?"

"We didn't find Alex Kinley," he said.

"No." She stepped forward, her movements jerky and sudden. "No, that's not possible. He's here. He has to be here. I saw him with my own eyes."

"He's not the only person missing," Barry said, and Bel's stomach clenched. "I sent a team to the resort, but they couldn't locate Dr. Jake L. Hyde. It seems he and Kinley fled when they got wind of our arrival."

"How could they have escaped? No planes have left the island," she said, glancing back at Eamon. His hearing would've detected a takeoff, and he nodded his confirmation. No aircraft had departed from the runway.

"They might still be in the jungle. There are acres of undeveloped land, so who's to say there isn't a safe house somewhere," Barry said. "Hyde probably has radar protecting his property. When our helicopters entered his airspace, it must have triggered an alarm. This is a private island. There's no way this clinic was erected without his knowledge. Hyde knew what this jungle was hiding, and he fled when he realized we'd uncovered his sins."

"We should've stayed and watched the building until you got here," Bel said.

"And done what? You were unarmed and alone," Barry said. "You were smart not to confront Kinley by yourself. I understand your disappointment, and we won't rest until we find him. No planes have departed, so he's either hiding on this island with Hyde, or they escaped by boat. They can't have gone far, but don't concentrate on his escape. This building is the single greatest law enforcement discovery of the decade, and it's all because of you. Come on, let me show you what you found." He paused and glanced between the couple before his gaze settled on Eamon. "Keep that FBI jacket on, and if anyone asks, you're a consultant. I shouldn't allow a civilian near this case, but I'm smart enough not to stand in your way."

Eamon nodded his agreement, and Barry led them into a small lobby with an elevator that descended deep into the mountainside. The trio remained silent as they fell through the earth, and even though Bel expected the sight waiting for them on the opposite side of its door, it still stole her breath.

"When you suspected that Alessandro Gianni had undergone plastic surgery to escape FBI custody, you had no idea the magnitude of your prediction," Barry said with a flourish of his arm, and Bel stepped out into the underground clinic with embarrassingly wide eyes. The facility was enormous, boasting some of the most expensive and high-tech medical equipment available, but the narrow hallways, cramped rooms, and dark walls made her feel claustrophobic. She wasn't sure what she'd been expecting, but this dim, subterranean maze fit every nightmare the title Black Market invoked.

"This is an international surgical operation," Barry said, as if he didn't believe his own words. "It'll take time to uncover the scope of what happened here, but it seems this clinic specializes in restructuring criminal's faces." He glanced at Bel, but she wasn't glad she'd been right, not when the magnitude of this operation meant hundreds of heinous individuals had escaped the consequences of their sins.

"It's brilliant," Barry continued as agents swarmed around them. "Dr. Hyde is a plastic surgeon who owns a private island where he invites other surgeons to vacation. They then support his charity, which provides plastic surgery to orphans and accident victims. His resort offers its guests procedures, ensuring no one ever questions the flood of medical equipment to this location. He hides everything in plain sight, and from the records we've found, he's been running this operation for years. Criminals fly here on private jets without the risk of customs or law enforcement or protected airspace, travel into the jungle to have their faces changed enough to fool facial recognition, and then escape to re-enter the world as new people."

"Were any resort guests working here?" Bel asked. "Is that why Hyde invites surgeons to the island?"

"We're cross-referencing the doctors, but so far, the surgeons we arrested are completely separate from the vacationers."

"Makes sense," Eamon said. "Invite wealthy and respectable doctors to L'Oaisis to keep your appearances legal."

"Precisely," Barry agreed. "The individuals arrested in this facility either failed their boards, aren't licensed to operate in the U.S., or had their licenses revoked. It's a smart setup. A doctor without a license won't betray an illegal surgical operation."

"I can't believe this was happening right under our noses," Eamon said as they moved through the narrow hall lined with small medical suites. "To think this would've continued unnoticed if you hadn't realized a man with two faces walked among us." He captured Bel's hand as Barry guided them into an office.

"I thought I was seeing things." She laughed humorlessly as she scanned the dingy filing cabinets. "What's all this?"

"The golden prize." Barry grinned at her. "You're seeing things led to the greatest FBI discovery in years. The records room." He gestured to the agents combing through the endless drawers. "Or at least this island's version of a records room. There are no names. No medical documents. No contracts or payment details. They're just photos… before and after photos."

He handed Bel a folder, and she opened it to find two different men staring up at her from the single sheet of paper. There was no name on the document. No outline of the procedures performed. Only two faces printed in glossy definition—the faces of one of the most dangerous men to ever disappear.

"Cory Fiddleberg," she whispered as her fingers traced the before photo.

"Who's that?" Eamon asked.

"Cleaner for the Chicago mob," she answered. "If they wanted someone gone, he took care of them."

"We estimate he's responsible for over seventy-five deaths," Barry added. "A harmless fender bender turned us on to him, but he disappeared before we had enough evidence for an arrest. We believed he was dead since he's been missing for a few years."

"But he isn't dead." Bel's fingers left Fiddleberg's original face and trailed down the paper to the after-photo. "He merely looks different. New face. New name. New life. Same killer."

"He's probably back in Chicago right under our noses." Barry shook his head. "How many more people has he killed?"

"It won't bring back the dead, but at least now you know who to look for." Bel returned the folder to him. "Do all these have before and after photos?"

"Seems so," Barry answered. "There are faces we don't recognize, but there are plenty we do. Dangerous men and women we thought we lost."

"Why would they store these photos here?" Eamon asked as he plucked a random file from its drawer.

"My guess is insurance to ensure their clients never turned on them," Barry said. "Seems they kept physical records only, though."

"To prevent their clients from hacking the system and deleting their photos," Bel said.

"It's old school, but smart," Barry said. "One would have to break into this room to see these, and people don't just wander onto private islands. I'm not even sure how you two found this. We're pretty deep in this jungle. You didn't walk up here, and they would've spotted a car if you drove. If you'd been noticed, more than just Hyde and Kinley would be missing. They would've burned this entire facility to the ground."

Bel made a point not to glance back at Eamon, but that didn't stop Agent Barry from meeting the towering man's gaze.

"Regardless of how you found it, the FBI is in your debt," he said. "These folders will help us find dozens of dangerous criminals we thought we lost. It's the perfect setup with the resort acting as a front, but two weeks with Detective Emerson, and their years of success came crashing down. Which is why I want you to leave immediately." Barry rested a hand on Bel's shoulder before reaching up to grab Eamon's. "We're demanding the guests leave as soon as they're cleared of suspicion, so no one should notice your absence in the chaos. If anyone discovers you uncovered this operation, they'll place a target on your back, so an agent will escort you to the mainland. I'll also send someone to gather your things. I don't want you returning to the resort with Kinley and Gianni on the loose."

"I agree," Eamon said. "I'll get her home safely."

"Of that, I have no doubt," Barry said. "Peters." He waved a younger officer over and repeated his request to have the couple escorted home. Bel tuned out the discussion as she drifted through the chaotic office. How many folders were in here? How many Giannis, Kinleys, and Fiddlebergs had photos locked in these filing cabinets? How many monsters had this island altered only to send them back to their killing fields?

"To think we wouldn't have found this if I hadn't teased you on our run," she whispered when she felt Eamon's presence crowd her back. "We almost missed this."

"But we didn't."

"But we didn't," she agreed.

"I can't take you anywhere," he teased. "We go on vacation, and you uncover an international surgical operation that's gone undetected for years. And you weren't even trying."

"I'm going to need a vacation from our vacation." She picked up a folder from the desk, Alessandro Gianni's before and after photos staring up at her. "Good thing Thanksgiving with my family is coming up."

"I know we're cutting our trip short by a few days, but did you enjoy yourself?" Eamon settled beside her. "Our first getaway together wasn't a total disaster, was it?"

"Mr. Stone, are you nervous?" Bel bumped him with her hip, and he grunted with annoyance. "It was magical." She slid her fingers into the crook of his elbow, pulling him close as she set Gianni's folder down. "I'm pissed Kinley escaped, but this is an incredible find. It was worth cutting our trip short for. Plus, Griffin won't let me back to work until Monday, so let's get Cerberus and spend the long weekend together. I don't care if we're on a tropical beach, investigating a case, or taking Cerberus for a hike. I've concluded I enjoy your company, Mr. Stone. In fact, I prefer being with you." She glanced up at him, not missing how his black eyes lightened at her confession.

"Detective," Agent Peters interrupted before Eamon could respond. "If you'll follow me, I'll escort you home. Agent Barry has already contacted an agent at the resort. They'll pack up your luggage and meet us on the mainland."

Bel and Eamon voiced their understanding, and together, they left the office. Peters guided them through the underground maze, taking them down a different hallway to the elevator. Barry had walked them along the scenic route to showcase the true magnitude of the facility, but Peters chose a more direct path. They moved silently through the investigating agents, but as they strode down the final corridor leading to the exit, men carrying oversized boxes approached. The trio stepped aside to allow the group to pass, and in that pause, Bel saw it.

It was so small against the grey floors that it disappeared in the dimness. It was wedged in the corner, trapped in a gap in the tiles, and if she hadn't stopped walking, she would've never seen it. If she hadn't moved out of the agents' way, she would've never noticed it, but at this angle, it was plain as day.

"Eamon," she whispered as she captured his wrist and yanked him to her side, for there, on the floor of this illegal doctor's office, was a butterfly. An origami butterfly… folded from a blue gum wrapper.