40. Forty
40
FORTY
ARCHER
I needed to get things sorted with Alexander and his lowlife Collector scum. I couldn’t ignore the fact that he slipped past my guards and infiltrated my home during the party. He walked around unrestricted, killed Lacey, and could have gotten to Mila. Not to mention, Maddie had vanished into thin air, and we were no closer to finding her. His organization's crimes would not go unpunished, but I needed to be smart about it. The Collectors were astute but lacked patience—something I didn’t struggle with.
It had been two weeks since Alexander came into my home and murdered my girl’s best friend, and there was still no sign of him or any leads on Maddie’s whereabouts. I couldn’t help but feel like a failure. Mila was slowly coming back, but the trauma from that night still lingered in her eyes. I had been working around the clock to gather intel on Alexander and his merry band of lowlifes. I needed to know their every move, every weakness, and every connection in the city.
No, I would wait as long as I needed to find him, and when he least expected it, I would destroy him and burn his disgusting little organization to the ground. My plans were already in motion. Damion had managed to keep a close eye on Mila without her noticing, ensuring her safety while I focused on the bigger picture. I knew time was of the essence and that I needed to act fast before they had a chance to strike again. My fingers tapped on the cold surface of my desk, the tempo matching the beating of my heart as I worked the phones, connecting with my most trusted contacts and setting up meetings with informants. The longer I spoke, the more I could feel the heat of my anger rising, fueled by the memory of Lacey’s death.
Kai sat in a leather chair, flipping through the file on his lap. Next to him, Theo stood with arms crossed, looking serious and focused as always. Both wore business attire, starkly contrasting the messy files and papers scattered across the desk.
“Our informant said that The Collectors have a big auction event next month, and the rumor is that some high-rollers will be attending,” Kai stated.
I leaned forward in my chair, my fingers tapping on the desk. “Does she have a location?”
“Not yet,” Kai replied, “but I can press her to find one.”
“Good,” I nodded, already forming a plan. “Let’s also shake the branches and put some pressure on local law enforcement. See what comes out,” I instructed.
“I’m on it.”
Turning to Theo, I asked, “What about you, Theo? Hear anything?”
He shook his head, his expression grim. “Nothing. I am still exploring a couple of leads.”
“Well, keep at it,” I said, my jaw clenched tight. “Let’s keep moving forward. That piece of shit can’t hide forever.” My eyes flicked to the file lying open in front of me, the image of Alexander, staring back at me with cold, dead eyes. “I won’t stop until I make him pay for what he’s done. We have to find Maddie and bring her home safely.”
My hand balled into a fist as anger burned through me. “And we’ll wipe those scum off the face of the earth for good.”