Page 120 of Can You Take It?

Noah pulls up more information. “He’s got a clean record, at least on the surface. No criminal activity, but that doesn’t mean shit with someone who knows how to cover their tracks.”

Of course, he does. This guy’s a professional—he didn’t give me jack shit about the SteelSinner when I pressed him last time.

I glance back at Izel’s phone. “If Martin’s involved, he’s smart enough to stay hidden. But Izel’s involvement complicates things. She’s been in the thick of this from the start.”

“Think she’s in on it willingly?” Noah asks with skepticism.

“Hard to say,” I admit. “There’s a lot of history there.”

“People do crazy things for family,” Noah points out. “Especially if they’re desperate.”

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. “Yeah, and she’s definitely desperate. She’s been on the run, trying to stay one step ahead of us.”

Noah nods, already typing away. “I’ll dig deeper, see what else I can find. But if he’s been off the grid, it’s going to be tough.”

“I don’t care how tough it is,” I say. “We need to find him.”

My phone buzzes. It’s Colton.

“Yeah?” I answer.

“Luna’s awake,” he says. “She’s asking to see you.”

Relief floods through me. “How is she?”

“She’s okay, a little freaked out, but she’s going to be fine.”

“I’ll be there soon,” I say, ending the call.

I grab my keys and head out, leaving Noah to keep digging. The drive to the hospital is a blur. I make my way throughthe hallways, the smell of antiseptic stinging my nostrils. Colton meets me outside Luna’s room.

“She’s in there,” he says, nodding toward the door.

“Thanks,” I mutter, pushing the door open.

Luna looks small in the hospital bed. She tries to smile when she sees me. I walk over and sit down in the chair Colton vacated.

“Hey,” I say softly.

“Hey.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Like I’ve been hit by a truck,” she jokes weakly. “But I’m okay. Thanks to you.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” I say. “We’ve still got a lot to figure out. Including getting Izel and Martin into custody.”

Luna’s eyes widen, her frail body tensing up in the hospital bed. “What? No, Richard, you’ve got it all wrong. Izel didn’t do this to me. She wouldn’t.”

The fuck? The conviction in her voice stabs at me harder than the confusion churning in my gut. Why the hell would Luna defend Izel after everything?

“She didn’t have a part in hurting me,” Luna insists. “It’s all been a setup. The Ghostface Striker attacked me in the warehouse where Martin and Izel had... well kidnapped me. But they meant no harm.”

I clear my throat, keeping my frustration in check. “Luna, Izel is the Ghostface Striker.”

Her eyes widen even more. “Says who?”

I pull out my phone, my patience wearing thin. “You, in the video.”

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