Chapter 344As James disappeared down the hallway, Gregor leaned back in his chair, his mind still running in circles around their situation. They needed a solid plan if they had any hope of rescuing the boy and keeping their own intentions hidden.For nearly an hour, he turned ideas over in his mind, but none seemed quite right. The weight of the unknown was pressing on him, making his thoughts feel clouded and heavy. With a sigh, he stood, rubbing his temples, and decided a walk might help clear his head.Gregor stepped out into the open air, taking a long breath as the familiar, gritty scent of Montgomery Street filled his nose.This street held so many memories, though not all of them were good. It was here that he’d grown up, in a rundown apartment building, part of the roughest side of Emerald Falls.His mother had raised him and his younger sister alone in that very apartment, doing her best to scrape by in a place where poverty clung to the streets as thickly as the dust on th
Chapter 345Gregor hurried back into his apartment, taking in the space with a critical eye. He knew Nathaniel Grey would scrutinize every detail, so he straightened up a few things, carefully arranging them to look natural while hiding anything that might reveal Ben’s presence. The faint scent of the soup from the apartment they kept Ben still lingered, so he opened a window to air the place out, hoping it wouldn’t seem suspicious. Just as he finished tidying, his phone rang.He picked it up, and Kai’s voice was cool on the other end of the line. “I’m at the entrance of your street.”Gregor swallowed, forcing calm into his tone. “Alright. I’ll be there to get you in a minute.” He ended the call, took a final glance around the room, and headed out.Stepping outside, he quickly spotted Nathaniel Grey approaching.Kai cut a sharp, commanding figure as always. He was dressed in a tailored black coat, unbuttoned over a crisp white dress shirt. A dark gray scarf was wrapped loosely around
Chapter 346After visiting Gregor, Kai drove back to Carter Comb, mulling over the meeting. He hadn’t seen Gregor in several days, which had prompted his visit to see what might be going on.Though he’d hired Gregor as a private investigator, Kai wasn’t particularly confident in Gregor’s abilities to solve the case. In truth, he was using him primarily as a front to keep the authorities at bay. By having a registered investigator on the case, he could prevent the police from getting too involved, which was in his best interest.In Kai’s mind, the list of potential suspects was already narrowed down—he was nearly certain that either Mr. Sterling and Williams or Eric Wood were behind the attacks on Liam Carter. Though he had no hard evidence, his gut told him that one of these players was involved, and he believed it was only a matter of time before he figured out who was responsible.Yet, something about his visit to Gregor didn’t sit right. Gregor had claimed to be unwell, but Kai did
Chapter 347The doors slid open to reveal the top floor, where soft lighting cast a warm glow on polished wood and glass surfaces.Liam’s office was located at the far end of the hall. As Kai entered, he saw Liam standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, his back turned, a glass of what looked like rare Bordeaux in his hand. The view overlooked the city’s twinkling lights, casting a reflective glow on the glass walls.Without turning around, Liam spoke, his tone edged with impatience. “Where have you been?” He took a leisurely sip of his wine, eyes fixed on the darkening skyline.Kai straightened his posture before answering. “I went to check on the private investigator. He hasn’t been in touch lately, so I decided to see what was going on.”Liam let out a short, dismissive laugh, finally setting his glass down on the table beside him. He turned, fixing Kai with a sharp gaze. “Why waste your time with some low-life investigator when we already know who’s responsible for the assassinati
Chapter 348“Hmm. I still think you should not let your emotions cloud your judgment,” Kai replied.“You still don’t get where I’m coming from,” Liam said. “The police came to my office today to ask me a few questions concerning the second assasination attempt.”Kai stayed silent, absorbing the weight of Liam’s words. The police were here! Which annoyed him. He leaned forward, looking at Liam with curiosity. “The police were here?” he asked, his voice low and cautious.Liam cleared his throat, his gaze intense. “Yes. While you were out dealing with that so-called investigator, Detective Andrew came to my office,” he began, his voice laced with irritation. “He had a few questions for me.”Kai’s patience wore thin, and he cut in sharply. “Questions about what?”Liam took a measured breath before continuing. “He wanted to know if I had any connections to gang organizations outside of Emerald Falls—specifically, in Red Waters. The detective mentioned they’ve identified the assassin who at
Chapter 349As the evening descended over Diamond Ville, casting long shadows across the manicured lawns and luxurious homes, Eric and James pulled up to Eric’s sprawling mansion.The place was a fortress of glass and stone, its modern design softened by the carefully trimmed hedges and garden lights that illuminated the pathway. Stepping out of the car, James stretched his legs and took a moment to appreciate the calm of the neighborhood. But his mind was far from at ease; he was thinking about the missing boy, Charles, and the tense, deadlocked situation they faced.Eric, closing the car door behind him, turned to James with a furrowed brow. “Do you think we should let Gwen know about the current situation?” he asked, his voice carrying a hint of worry. “I mean, it's her son. She deserves to know.”James shook his head as they walked toward the house. “I don’t think that’d be a good idea,” he replied, voice low but firm. “If she knew the details—the ransom, the kidnappers—it’d only
Chapter 350The night was heavy with a suffocating silence as Ken, Jack, and the other kidnapper settled into the dingy hideout.They had chosen an abandoned bunker on the outskirts of Emerald falls, deep in the forest, a decaying place that had long been forgotten by the city and overlooked by the police.The cracked windows and flickering overhead lights added a menacing shadow to the already grim scene. In one corner, young Charles sat, his small frame shivering in the cold as he huddled against the wall, his hands bound and his tear-streaked face pressed into his knees.For the past few days, they had been on the run, moving from one location to another to stay ahead of anyone who might be looking for them.Still, they hadn’t heard from Ben, and each time Jack’s call went unanswered, their suspicions grew. By now, Jack was convinced that Mr. Sterling had found Ben
Chapter 351Just then, Jack’s phone buzzed in his hand, vibrating insistently as a new message popped up on the screen.He glanced at it, eyebrows knitting together in confusion. The name on the screen read “Ben.” Jack’s heart skipped a beat. After days of radio silence, here was the man they thought was in Mr. Sterling’s clutches. Without a moment’s hesitation, Jack opened the message and read it aloud to the others.“I’m backing out. This is getting too hot. I’m not taking any more chances.”Jack’s jaw clenched as he processed the words, his mind racing. "What in the world is happening?" he muttered, glancing between Ken and the third man, Denver. He showed them the screen, watching as they leaned in to read the message, their expressions equally perplexed.Denver scratched his head, frowning. “I’m confused,” he said, glancing back at Jack. “I thought Mr. Sterling had him. That’s what he said just now.”“That’s what I don’t understand either,” Jack replied, his voice laced with frus