Dragon Hunts by Lizzie Lynn Lee Read Free Book Online Page A

restaurant to have breakfast. Always business-like, Declan had the whole day planned. He took me shopping in the capital, which was a couple of hours’ ride away, for casual dresses and shoes. I had only packed my business clothes, with the company meeting in mind. Then we went window-shopping from one art gallery to another. Declan bought a few Balinese paintings and sculptures. We had a nice lunch at a restaurant in Sanur beach, and spent the whole afternoon lounging on the sand. We went back to our hotel after sunset. I was too tired even for dinner. Declan hustled me off to bed when he noticed I could barely open my eyes.

    * * * *

    My cell phone rang at about four in the morning, jolting me awake. I trudged across the room, looking for my purse. I found it on the table. I rummaged through it impatiently and fished out my phone. I didn’t recognise the phone number on the screen.
    “Hello?”
    “Mommy?”
    “Bobby? What’s wrong?” My motherly instincts flared up. I had just spoken to him a few hours earlier before I went to bed and he’d been fine. Last night Curran had introduced him to a popular multi-player online game and they had been on a quest for dwarf gold. I checked the time. Bobby was supposed to be at school at this hour.
    “I’m fine, Mom. I don’t want you to worry. I can take care of myself.” My son was mature for a boy his age.
    “I know, sweetie. Did something happen? Aren’t you supposed to be in class?”
    “I’m playing hooky. I borrowed a cell phone from my friend to call you. I told Marcus my mom would pay the bill.”
    “Why did you do that?” My son was quiet, not the type who liked to stir up trouble.
    “Well…” he paused. “When I went to get a hall pass from the principal, I saw Scary Joe in her office.”
    “You what?” My voice raised an octave. “You saw him?”
    Scary Joe was Lorenzo’s wingman. He was big, ugly and as scary as his nickname. He handled most of Lorenzo’s dealings and had a rap sheet as long as ten rolls of toilet paper.
    “I ran back to class before Scary Joe could see me. Then I borrowed the phone and played hooky in the girls’ bathroom. Scary Joe won’t find me. If my voice sounds kinda funny, I have to talk like a girl so nobody will suspect.”
    I gripped the edge of the table. My heart filled with numbness. My son had always found humour even in difficult situations. He’d got used to cheering me up—he was the adult instead of me.
    “But you’re okay, right, sweetie?”
    “I’m fine, Mom. What should I do?” Behind me, I heard Declan stir from the bed and get up.
    “Call Curran to pick you up from school.”
    “But Curran is at work. I don’t want to bug him.”
    “I’m sure Curran wouldn’t mind.”
    Declan sneaked up behind me and snatched the phone from my hand. “Bobby? Hi, this is Declan. Where you at, Bobby?”
    I tried to grab my phone back, but Declan was too tall. “Declan!”
    He motioned me to be calm. “What you did is very clever, Bobby. Super. I’m so proud of you. Now, listen carefully. I want you to sit still in the stall, and I want you to put your feet on the toilet so no one will know you’re not a girl. I’m sending Braden to pick you up. You just stay there quietly. Don’t say anything until you hear Braden talking. Okay? Think you can do that, Bobby?”
    Declan nodded at me. His expression was grim. “Yes, just like in the spy movie. I know you can do that, easy peasy. Super. I’ll talk to you again when you’re with Braden. You’re a brave boy, Bobby.” He disconnected.
    “I still want to talk to my son!” I was furious and worried sick.
    “You’ll endanger him by talking too long. He’s a smart boy. You need to calm down a bit.”
    “But—”
    “Jessica. Let me handle it.” Declan herded me back to bed. “I’m going to make a few phone calls and take care of this, okay?”
    I swallowed a lungful of air and nodded. I didn’t want to cry in front of him.
    “I’ll be a