“Z?” I look up. “What if she isn’t there anymore?”
My eye twitches from the mere thought. The possibility is high, but at least I’ll have the people in my hands that can lead me straight to her.
I meet his stare, and for just a moment, I unleash the darkness.
“Then a lot of people are going to die.”
“I have news,” Jay says through the car speaker. It’s six o’clock in the morning and still pitch-black, the sun not even broaching the horizon yet. Dense fog is shrouding the roads, making it hard to see.
I’m five minutes away from Francesca and Rocco Belluccis’ house, Daya in the passenger seat next to me, while Michael and Ruby are driving behind me. It’s only about ten minutes from the Rogue River, so acres and acres of National Forest surround the property.
Last night, I managed to hack into a few of the satellites. The government likes to tell people that satellites aren’t interested in your house, but that doesn’t mean they don’t intermittently take images.
Jay’s flipping through them now, but he hasn’t seen any sightings of Addie.
“What?”
“I sent a drone over the house,” he starts. “And the entire property is in an absolute upheaval. There are about thirty men currently searching around the property. Half are in the woods behind the house, and the other half are walking the road.”
Right when he finishes, two black SUVs fly past me, and I spot several men on foot up ahead.
“Shit,” I mutter, slowing down until I come to a stop right beside a man. “Jay, let Michael know what’s going on and keep a drone on us.”
I roll down my passenger window, and the guy bends at the waist, eyeing Daya and me with impatience.
“Everything okay, sir?” I ask.
“Everything’s fine, nothing you need to worry about.”
“Looks like you’re having a search party. Do you need help?” I push.
“Nah, just looking for my dog.”
I arch a brow, and Daya gives him a look. “You must really care about this dog,” she remarks.
“Yeah, the bitch is priceless,” he retorts. “Now keep it movin’， you got cars behind you, dickhead.”
But I’m already rolling my window up and pressing hard on the gas.
“Hear that, Jay?” I ask, my chest tightening.
“Yep. Do you think it’s Addie?”
I shake my head, my thoughts racing faster than my car.
“Jillian mentioned other girls in the house, so it could be any one of them, but there’s a really good fucking chance. I don’t think they’d have a massive search party like this for a regular girl.”
“It sounds like Addie. She’s brave.”
I bite my lip, a plethora of emotions rising in my chest—excitement, fear, and pride.
I make a quick decision to head towards the train. I have no idea what direction she’s gone in, but I know she’s too smart to take the road. Too many possibilities to get caught and brought right back to the house. But there’s a chance she found that train, and is using it as a guide out of the woods. Or seeking refuge in it.
Daya’s phone buzzes for the millionth time, and she sighs as she taps on it.
“Her mother again?”
“Yeah,” she says softly. “She’s been a wreck since Addie went missing, and I think she’s told every police officer in the state about themselves and their momma because they haven’t found her yet.”
“She knows we might get her today?”
She nods, “Yeah, I probably should’ve waited, but I’ve just never seen Serena like this before, and I guess I just wanted to give her a little bit of hope, ya know? It’s been over two months, and I think she was all but convinced Addie’s dead.”
I flick my gaze to Daya. “She’s going to get her daughter back today. Call me psycho, but my girl is close. I can feel it.”
Before Daya can respond, Jay’s voice cuts in. “Oh, shit.”
“What?” I snap.
“About two months ago, there are a couple satellite images of a massive gathering at the house. I looked to see if there was an influx of flights and hotel bookings, and sure as shit, there was. I mean, dozens and dozens of high-profile men from all around the world flew in and stayed in surrounding hotels. One of them was Xavier Delano; he has booked into a hotel forty-five minutes away every week for the past month.”
Just like Jillian had said—he’s been visiting her often.