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.

time. But when it comes to children, no one would

us what you know,” I said slowly, carefully, “then maybe that

moments before she said a little too quickly, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I–I don’t know

for any crack in the mask she had so carefully constructed.

of uncertainty in her mind. The barest fracture in that adamant wall she’d somehow erected around her

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

me, and I was suddenly plunged into the

men in uniforms, unmarked vans. A pile of

as he handed her an envelope fat with cash. “He wanted me

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9:24 AM

Chapter 261

flipped through the bills in her hand. “I hope he left extra for me. I won’t sink all of my profits

worry. There’s plenty

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

so Edwin could see for himself. “She has been selling

“Atticus B.,” he said slowly. “I can think

if the floor disappeared from beneath my feet.

asked, turning to face Sophia again. “This ‘anonymous benefactor‘

she realized

she choked out. “I–I just took the money. He… he wanted the children in good condition before they

sent back because he was sick, wasn’t he? Atticus didn’t want him because he

miserably, crocodile tears pooling in her

done. She could have refused

nodded to each other and left the interrogation room. Sophia’s sobs were

he was holding. “But we can’t just storm one of

hands through his hair in one of the armchairs, Tina sat cross–legged on the floor, and Avis and Gavin stood quietly in the doorway

learned. We needed as many minds

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

head. “I don’t want any more kids getting loaded up on one of those trucks, even if it’s only temporary. It’s not fair

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