Page 17 of Beautiful Scars: Unshakeable

I shift my focus back to the feeds. We've narrowed it down to three possible houses, twelve cameras, endless hours of footage showing nothing but regular guard rotations and supply deliveries. No sign of Sunny and no signs of anything we can use to verify her location.

The floor creaks behind me. Rex, arm still in a cast, sets down another stack of files. "More background checks."

I grind my teeth. Every lead we've followed has led nowhere. The hospital connection seemed promising until we realized how deep the corruption runs. Too many people involved, too much money changing hands... it's all too much to pull a single string out of until we get more information.

Colt's phone buzzes. Again. He's been on and off with Wolf all morning. This time he steps outside, voice low but urgent. Through the window, I watch him pace the driveway, running his hand through his hair—a tell that something's different, he's stressed.

"Z." Levi's voice pulls my attention back. "What if we're wrong about the rotation pattern?"

Before I can answer, Colt bursts back in. The energy in the room shifts instantly.

"We might have something." He looks between us, tension radiating off him. "Wolf's been working an angle with one of the nurses. She came forward, says she's treated someone matching Sunny's description."

Levi's on his feet so fast his chair crashes backward. "Why the fuck are we just hearing about this now?"

"Because I needed to make sure she was legit." Colt holds his ground. "Wolf's been vetting her for a few days now. She's solid. Has two kids, and she wants out. Says she can't keep doing what they're making her do."

My fingers curl into fists. I ignore the thought of what those things could be. "What's she asking for?"

"Money. Enough to disappear with." Colt meets my eyes. "She's scared, Z. Really scared. But she's willing to talk."

The room goes quiet except for the hum of computers. A month of dead ends, and now this. If she's telling the truth, if she's really seen Sunny...

"When?" I keep my voice steady despite the adrenaline surging through my veins.

"Wolf can bring her here tonight. Nine o'clock." Colt glances at Levi. "But we need to be cautious. Kid gloves. She spooks? We lose her."

Levi's entire body trembles with barely contained rage. "If she's lying—"

"Then she won't leave this house." The words come out darker than I intended, but we're all thinking it. "But if she's telling the truth..."

"She's our best shot at finding Sunny." Colt finishes.

I turn back to the surveillance feeds, studying the familiar patterns with renewed focus. One shot. That's all we'll get. If we move on the wrong location, give too much of a warning, Garrett will know.

"Tell Wolf we'll be ready." I grab my cold coffee, dump it in the sink. "And make sure she understands—if this is a setup, if she's playing us..."

"She knows." Colt's already dialing. "Trust me, she knows exactly what she's risking."

The hours until nine stretch endlessly. We review everything again—maps, guard rotations, delivery schedules. Looking for patterns we might have missed, connections we didn't see before. But my mind keeps circling back to two truths…

Sunny's been in Garrett's hands for a month. And she's needed medical care.

The nurse better be telling the truth. For her sake, and for Sunny's.

Because after thirty days of helplessness, of watching Levi spiral and knowing Sunny's suffering, my patience for games is nonexistent. Tonight, we either get answers, or someone pays the price for wasting our time.

I check my watch. Seven hours until we find out which it'll be.

ThenurseWolfbringsin looks like she hasn't slept in weeks. Her hands shake as she sits at our kitchen table—eyes darting between Levi, Colt, and me. She flinches when Rex sets a glass of water in front of her.

I lean against the wall, keeping my distance, letting her get comfortable before we start pressing.

Colt slides a photo across the table. "Is this her?"

The nurse's breath catches. She nods, pushing the photo back like it burns. "Yes. That's her."

"We need more." I keep my voice level. "Proof you've actually seen her."

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