Chapter 411
He gestures toward the board. “We’ve mapped out everything from the hospital to the transfer point we got from the men Reaper brought in. That part lines up.” He traces the route with his finger. “From there, it goes cold p>
“No sightings,” another adds. “No confirmed movement after that. We’ve checked surrounding areas and potential routes… Brook disappeared after that so we are assuming she’s laying low p>
Sierra’s gaze shifts slightly at that, but she doesn’t comment.
“She withdrew the money before everything happened,” the first man goes on. “We’re assuming that’s what she used to pay for the job p>
“We’ve been tracking possible contacts,” another says, “but there’s nothing we can tie directly back to her yet p>
Sierra moves closer to the board. Her eyes move across the map slowly, taking in everything.
“We’re still working angles,” someone says. “But at this point p>
He hesitates and I narrow my eyes at him.
“What?” I ask.
“It’s been months, and the chances of your daughter being alive are very slim.” He shifts slightly.
The room quiets as the words settle like lead. My anger rises because how fucking dare he say that while Sierra is here?
“Do you have a fucking death wish?” I growl, anger pouring off me in waves.
He doesn’t get a chance to answer because Sierra’s voice cuts through the silence, certainty coating it.
“She is… My Val is alive p>
The man looks at her, frowning slightly. “We can’t be sure of that p>
Sierra doesn’t look at him. Instead, she steps closer to the map, lifting her hand slightly as she gestures toward it.
“If this was just Brook, my baby would probably be dead,” she says. “But you said it yourself, someone else is involved p>
She just continues.
“Meaning, Brook wasn’t the mastermind; she was just a tool. The scapegoat. The one used to make you steer in a different direction. ” Her fingers hover over the board. “If it was just Brook, things would have been messy, but there is no mistake and everything is controlled, you know what that means p>
Everything inside me stops “This had been planned probably weeks or even months prior p>
“Exactly,” she says quietly. “And maybe Brook veered off the plan by pushing me down the stairs, but the goal was always to take my baby, so they moved their plans forward when she messed up p>
Her gaze moves across the markings again, and no one interrupts even as what she’s saying starts to make sense.
“No matter how much money you have, no one can plan things that fast and execute everything just as quickly,” she adds. “This was always in the works, and that’s why we never saw it coming p>
“Fuck p>
My fist slams against the table. Why the hell didn’t I see this before? Why didn’t I keep a closer eye on Brook?
“So if your daughter is still alive, why are they keeping her p>
Sierra doesn’t answer immediately. She studies the map for another second, like she’s confirming something to herself, and then she finally speaks.
“Leverage p>
And that one-word shifts everything in the room
I straighten slightly. “Leverage for what… For who? Brook p>
“For whoever is actually behind this,” she says.
One of the men frowns. “Why would they keep the baby alive just for that p>
Sierra’s eyes don’t leave the board. “Because she’s more valuable alive than dead p>
“That doesn’t make sense,” I say. “What leverage? You don’t have any p>
I stop myself because even as I say it, it doesn’t sound right.
She turns her head slightly, looking at me. “Have you ever thought that maybe this isn’t just about me p>
I don’t answer immediately, because it’s hard to breathe all of a sudden. A weight feels like it’s pressing on my chest.
She holds my gaze for a second, then continues. “You have enemies Noah, have you stopped and wondered what if this is about you p>
I push off the table slightly, his expression tightening. “You think Brook teamed up with one of my rivals p>
“Brook has money, but let’s be honest, it can’t be enough to pull this through on her own,” she says. “To kidnap a baby from the hospital and erase every piece of evidence, hiding both my baby and herself for months, needs serious backing… And the only one who can pull that off is someone powerful, wealthy or both… someone like you, Noah p>
There is silence before she adds, “So you need to ask yourself, who among your rivals is bold enough to kidnap our daughter and use her as leverage p>