Chapter 7 - The Mastermind
I stared at the dying police inspector, completely paralyzed by his impossible words.
"What do you mean the boss has been living in my house?" I demanded in a furious whisper.
Omar let out a weak, rattling breath.
"Your beloved husband was just a pawn," he gasped.
"The man who truly runs this syndicate is the one who funded your life in Egypt."
My mind raced back twenty years to the wealthy publisher who had given David this assignment.
Richard Sterling.
Richard had been our closest friend, our mentor, and my most trusted confidant after Tara vanished.
He had wiped my tears, paid for the search parties, and comforted me for two decades.
"Richard ordered Tara to be taken?" I asked, my voice cracking with absolute betrayal.
Before Omar could answer, a blinding spotlight snapped on, illuminating the entire cavern.
"It is incredibly rude to whisper, Sarah," a booming, familiar voice echoed through the cave.
Dozens of armed mercenaries stepped out from the shadows, aiming their rifles directly at Amina and me.
I dropped my pistol, realizing that any sudden movement would get us both killed.
The crowd of mercenaries parted, and Richard Sterling walked forward wearing a pristine white suit.
He looked exactly as he did in Ohio, polished and impeccably calm.
Walking right behind him, with his head bowed like a beaten dog, was my husband, David.
"You have been a very resilient woman, Sarah," Richard mocked, adjusting his expensive cufflinks.
"But unfortunately, your persistence has finally become a liability."
He snapped his fingers, and two guards dragged a heavy iron door open at the back of the cave.
A woman stepped out into the harsh light, her wrists bound by heavy steel chains.
May you like
She was thin, covered in dirt, and her eyes were filled with defensive fury.
But the moment those beautiful brown eyes locked onto mine, I knew exactly who she was.
