Chapter 528
Half an hour flew by.
The crowd at the airport exit swelled as the police took their positions, their eyes locked intently on the VIP corridor.
Before long, figures emerged from the end of the walkway.
Declan Ward led the way, pushing the luggage cart with a respectful posture.
Following closely behind was Jarred Sterling, dressed in a sharp, tailored black suit.
Tall and commanding, he radiated an icy, unapproachable aura.
His strikingly handsome face was cast in a cold shadow, and his chilling gaze swept over the surroundings with an overwhelming sense of dominance.
Everyone else in the terminal faded into the background.
Helena Sterling followed right behind him, her expression tight with anxiety.
The three of them walked out of the corridor steadily, exuding a calm composure without a single trace of panic.
But… Celeste Carlyle was nowhere to be seen.
The pupils of the three women waiting at the exit shrank in disbelief.
Luna was stunned. “Where is she? Where did Celeste go? She was on the plane the whole time, she couldn’t have just vanished p>
Thea’s expression instantly turned grave, her brows knitting together as a bad premonition flashed through her eyes.
Sienna’s gaze turned sharp as she rapidly scanned the entire exit, the blind spots of the corridor, and the surrounding security p>
With predatory precision, she quickly arrived at a conclusion.
Celeste had never landed with them at all.
On a sealed private flight with no layovers, no landings, and no transfer records, a person had simply disappeared into thin air.
There was only one possibility.
Jarred had planned this all along, secretly transferring and hiding Celeste in a blind spot no one knew about.
It was a flawless, seamless deception.
While they were still reeling in shock, Captain Rhodes had already stepped forward.
“Captain Sterling, we received a formal notice and need to summon Ms. Cora Vaughan for an investigation.
We understand she was on your private jet. May I ask where she is now p>
“Captain Rhodes, thank you for your hard work p>
Jarred looked up, a faint smile playing on his lips, his tone perfectly polite yet dripping with calculated evasion.
“I understand the police suspect Celeste faked her death, but there seem to be some discrepancies in the evidence submitted p>
His tone remained courteous. “There’s quite a distance between opening a case and securing a conviction, isn’t there? I heard there was an issue with the DNA report from the ashes p>
Captain Rhodes’s jaw tightened.
Jarred turned his head and glanced at Declan.
Declan immediately pulled a document from his briefcase and handed it over.
Jarred took it but didn’t open it, merely tapping it lightly against his palm.
“I wasn’t aware of this earlier, and only received this report right before getting off the plane.
I suggest you resolve this discrepancy first before discussing her cooperation with the investigation p>
Standing tall and perfectly at ease, he was clearly well-versed in handling law enforcement.
“Cora is an independent adult whose personal freedom cannot be restricted.
I can pass on a message, but I have no right to forcibly summon her or compel her to cooperate.
Until there is sufficient evidence for a conviction and an official summons is issued, she has every right to refuse questioning p>
The police were momentarily left speechless and had no choice but to take a half-step back. “In that case, the most critical piece of evidence right now is the ash sample from the cemetery
We have already notified the forensic examiner and relevant specialists to be at the cemetery at exactly eight o’clock.
We will open the grave and take samples publicly. We request that Mr. Sterling and the family be present to cooperate p>
Jarred gave a slight nod, his smile remaining perfectly gentlemanly. “It is our duty to cooperate. We are at your disposal p>
Captain Rhodes nodded and signaled his team to get into their vehicles.
Jarred also walked toward his car parked by the curb, his posture so casuarit seemed as this fatal if crisis was nothing more than a trivial inconvenience to him.
Sienna stood frozen in place, her brows furrowing involuntarily as she watched his calm, almost indifferent demeanor.