Damian

The California sun mocked Damian as he stepped out of his third meeting that week with another dead-end private investigator. Five months of searching, and Elara’s trail had gone cold after LAX. The medical transport company’s records showed Rose Hart had been discharged to a private residence, but the address led to an empty vacation rental in Malibu.

He loosened his tie, feeling the familiar weight of exhaustion settling over him. The manila folder in his hand contained photos of dozen different women who matched Elara’s description, none of them her. His investigators had checked every high-end medical facility within a hundred miles of Los Angeles, every private OB-GYN practice that might cater to someone seeking discretion.

His phone buzzed – Marcus.

“Sir, we found John Hart.”

Damian’s heart rate spiked. “Where?”

“Seattle. He’s working as a software engineer for a startup. But...” Marcus hesitated. “As if he knew we were coming. By the time our team arrived at his office, he’d al