Chapter 261

Audrey

“Does this man look familiar to you?”

Edwin slowly pushed the drawing across the cold metal interrogation table. Sophia sat on the other side of that table, her hair hanging in her face, her eyes ringed with dark circles, and her orange jumpsuit wrinkled.

She’d been in solitary confinement for days, and yet somehow, she still hadn’t cracked.

But she would today. Because the drawing that Joseph gave us… It had to mean something. And Sophia knew what it meant. We were sure of it.

Her expression was unreadable as ever as she slowly leaned forward and inspected the drawing. There was a brief silence before she shrugged and leaned back in her chair.

“I’m afraid I don’t recognize that man,” she replied casually.

I leaned forward, pressing my fingers into the cool metal. “Really? Because that little human boy with soot in his lungs, Joseph, seemed pretty adamant that this man–‘Mr. B‘–had something to do with his torment.”

Sophia’s lips curled into a small smile, cold and humorless. “Children say and do the darndest things, don’t they?”

My blood began to boil at the corrupt orphanage director’s cool attitude. I wanted to throttle her until she finally spilled whatever secrets she was hiding. And I almost did. I could feel my muscles tingling to leap across the table and show her what happened to people who didn’t cooperate.

But then Edwin’s hand brushed against my arm, pulling me out of my temporary stupor. “Tread lightly,” his voice echoed through our Mindlink. “She’s cracking. I can feel it.”

He was right; I could see the flicker of something in her eyes, the tiniest crack in her calm facade.

So I took a breath to steady myself and stepped back, letting my mate take over.

“Let me tell you what I see,” Edwin said, his voice deceptively soft. “I see the face of a man. A man who is apparently connected to you. A man who is involved in the illegal buying and selling of human children from your orphanage.”

Sophia remained silent.

“At least, that’s how it seems,” Edwin said, folding his arms across his chest. “Perhaps I’m wrong. And perhaps, if I sentence you to death, I’ll never get the opportunity to find out if I am wrong.”

Her smile faltered. Just for a second, but it was enough. “You’re bluffing,” she said with a huff.

“Crescent hasn’t sentenced anyone to death in a very long time. But when it comes

I

silent for several long moments before she said a little too quickly, “I

the mask she

her mind. The barest fracture in that

my chance. Before she could steel herself again, I pushed

dissolving around me, and I was suddenly plunged

crying, men in uniforms, unmarked vans.

handed her an envelope fat with cash. “He wanted me to instruct you to put this money toward your infirmary. We need the kids healthy before they come to

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9:24 AM

Chapter 261

her hand. “I hope he left extra for me. I won’t sink all

plenty left over for

phantom wind, I was thrust out of Sophia’s mind. Those mental walls of hers slammed back up, thicker than before,

so Edwin could see for himself. “She

said slowly. “I can think of one man with

my

face Sophia again. “This ‘anonymous benefactor‘ of yours… Was his name Atticus

slumped as she realized that she’d been

choked out. “I–I just took the money. He… he

twist. “Joseph,” I breathed. “He was sent back because he was sick, wasn’t he? Atticus didn’t want him because he wasn’t healthy enough to

tears pooling

done. She could have refused the

Edwin and I nodded to each other and left the interrogation

his hand tightening around the glass of whiskey he was holding. “But we can’t just storm one of

candles casting flickering light on the walls. Peter ran his hands through his

to discuss what we had learned. We needed as many minds working on this

behind the sofa, mused. “See where they’re headed, then storm the so–called ‘factory‘ that Sophia

my head. “I don’t want any more kids getting loaded up on one of

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