Page 36 of Ethan's Command

Hale paused the video, the image frozen on the SUV just before it left the frame. “There are no plates,” he said. “And with the windows tinted that dark, we couldn’t identify the driver or any passengers.”

“What about Liam’s phone?” Ethan asked. “He had it with him, right?”

Hale nodded. “He did. I informed the officer, and he said they had already contacted Liam’s provider to initiate a trace, but so far, there has been no activity. Either the phone has been turned off, or it’s been destroyed. You will have to follow up with them to get more details.”

Brooklyn’s knees felt weak, and she gripped the edge of her chair for support. “Who could… why would anyone do this?” Her voice broke, and Ethan’s hand cupped her shoulder, grounding her again.

“We’ll figure it out,” Ethan said firmly. “But we need more information. Are there any other cameras in the area? Something that might show where the SUV went?”

Hale hesitated. “There are a few traffic cameras near the main road. I’ve already requested access from the city, but it could take time to get the footage.”

“We don’t have time,” Ethan said, his tone sharp. “Get me the contact information for whoever manages those cameras. I’ll make some calls.”

Hale nodded. “I’ll email you the details.”

Brooklyn’s mind raced as she stared at the frozen image of the SUV. “What about the gate? Was it unlocked?”

“It shouldn’t have been,” Hale said, frowning. “We’re looking into whether it was tampered with. The latch is supposed to be secured during school hours.”

Brooklyn’s heart sank further. “If it wasn’t secure, that’s on the school. Liam should never have been able to get out that easily.”

Hale bowed his head. “Again, Harry always walked down to check and make sure but with him out sick and Eugene being new, there was an unfortunate security gap. That gate should have been locked. I can only profoundly apologize.”

Principal Kahana, who had followed them into the room, wrung her hands “You have my word that we’re investigating every angle. This never should have happened, and we will do everything in our power to make it right.”

Brooklyn swallowed hard, nodding. She wanted to believe the principal, but it wasn’t enough. Nothing would be enough until Liam was found.

Ethan stood, his movements sharp and deliberate. “We need to move fast. The longer we wait, the colder the trail gets. Brooklyn, are you okay?”

She nodded, though the answer was far from the truth. Her chest felt hollow, her breaths shallow and ragged. But breaking down wouldn’t help Liam. She had to stay strong for him.

“I’m fine,” she forced the words out. “What do we do next?”

Ethan’s gaze met hers, steady and determined. “We start with the traffic cameras. If we can figure out where that SUV went, we’ll have our next lead.”

Principal Kahana spoke up. “If there’s anything else we can do to help, please don’t hesitate to ask. Mr. Hale and I will continue working with the authorities and reviewing the footage.”

“Thank you,” Ethan said, his tone clipped but sincere. He turned to Brooklyn. “Let’s go.”

Brooklyn followed him out of the room on trembling legs. The bright hallways felt stifling now, the laughter of unseen children a cruel reminder that Liam had been taken. As theyreached the parking lot, Ethan’s truck came into view, a solid, reassuring presence in the chaos.

Ethan opened the passenger door for her, his expression softening for just a moment. “We’ll find him, Brooklyn. I promise.”

Tears stung her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. “We have to. It’s my fault he’s missing.”

“It is not your fault.” Ethan was trying to reassure her, but she knew the truth.

“Jackson had asked me to put a tracking software for Liam on my phone and I just…forgot to do it. We had even talked about getting an air tag for him, but well, it’s the Big Island, and there’s a lot of wide open space. Air tags only work if there are other cell phones to bounce the locations off of. The tracking software was what we agreed on and I just…forgot. It’s all my fault.”

She climbed into the truck, her mind replaying the footage over and over. Liam’s small figure walking to that SUV. The door closing behind him. The vehicle driving away. It was a loop of horror she couldn’t escape.

CHAPTER 14

Ethan leaned against his truck,his arms crossed as he watched Brooklyn sitting in the passenger seat. Her legs dangled out the open door, her hands gripping the edge of the seat as if it were the only thing keeping her upright. Her face was pale, her lips pressed into a tight seam in an apparent effort to hold herself together. His gut twisted at the sight. He hated seeing her like this—shaken, vulnerable. But he knew there was no time to focus on emotions. They needed answers.

The low growl of a car engine pulled his attention toward the entrance of the parking lot. A sleek black sedan came to a stop, and Nova stepped out. She moved with the kind of confidence that came from years of experience, her dark jeans and white blouse crisp, and her ponytail swinging as she approached.

“Ethan.” Her greeting was brisk but tinged with concern. Her sharp gaze flicked to Brooklyn before landing back on him. “What do we have so far?”

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