As he continued along the road, he glimpsed fluorescent-vested searchers with dogs in the forests and rolling woodlands of the surrounding area. Search operations were in full swing, and he prayed he was not too late.

Devlin progressed beyond Lucifer’s Notch, driving mile after mile winding through forests that now looked ominous to him. Climbing and descending the hills, he chastised himself for having done what he had done, for having succumbed to his weaknesses. Somewhere along the line, he’d become addicted to them, even though he knew it was wrong and could cost him everything.

No, not if I play this right. Not if I take precautions.

At last, Devlin slowed for the near-hidden entrance to the property and turned down the path-like road that slithered for a quarter mile into 200 acres of vast, isolated land, so heavy with forest it was unseen and forgotten by most people. At the end of the road stood a house, nearly 200 years old, constructed with hand-hewn pine. A few outbuildings stood nearby. For almost 50 years, the house had been unoccupied.

Long ago, ownership of the entire property had fallen to the estate of a Boston family that, having many more lucrative interests elsewhere in the country, was indifferent to it. Through realtor association connections, Devlin was hired by the estate to oversee the property for a monthly fee of $1,000.

It was a revenue stream that required no effort. Overseeing the property meant ensuring no one encroached on the land, which was easy because hardly anyone lived in this area of the Kingdom, and those who did kept to themselves.

But Devlin, being an opportunist, seized upon the chance to make more money.

Devlin lived a secret life.

He was a member of an online network on the dark web. It had complex and secure firewalled systems and rules for ultraprivate community forums, so that Devlin and like-minded people could share their very particular desires. He knew there were those among the network who were tied to even darker realms he didn’t dare pursue.

Accepting the risk, Devlin used his network to offer to rent the estate’s house off the books, with the key selling point being “privacy to indulge yourself completely undisturbed.” The challenge was that only tenants expert in self-reliance—who knew how to live off the grid—could apply, because they would have to develop their own utility sources. But the isolation was unsurpassed. Devlin set the rent at $2,000 a month, all of which would go directly into his pocket.

After he’d received several serious inquiries, he had second thoughts. What he was doing was risky and wrong in so many ways.

He withdrew the offer.

But one man became determined to rent the property—even if Devlin raised the rent.

Devlin was tempted, but set the monthly rent at $5,000, certain he would scare the prospective tenant off.

Devlin’s jaw dropped when the man agreed.