Page 91 of Stolen Omega

“Who sings this song?”

“Oh.” She deflates. “Um, that new chick. Selena. No, Zelena. Yeah.”

“Thanks,” I murmur as I walk away, picking up my pace.

Zoey’s alive. I have to find her.

Chapter Thirty-One

Zane

It took six whole years to get to this point. Six years of trial and error. A year of research to figure out how Zoey became Zelena. A year of coming dangerously close to being tossed in a prison cell for stalking. Two years of attempts at more sophisticated plots to find a way to get close to her.

The breakthrough didn’t come until I took a step back and studied everything I’d already tried.

I knew I needed to do something radically different, and after reading a few articles about the crazy mobs of crowds that were swamping Zelena after her shows, I found the right thing.

The storage solutions company I’d bought as an investment gave me the perfect excuse to cold call her management company. I gave them the name of one of my salesmen while I told them I had the perfect solution to their problem. A tailor-made transportation box.

I designed it myself, and I waited. It only took them two weeks to call me back.

Apparently, their star came to them with a similar idea, and the woman who took my call remembered my custom solution. It couldn’t have worked out better.

Everything after that took longer, but I was willing to be patient. I knew I was getting closer.

I had to learn her security team’s routines. I had to befriend several of the guards in hotel bars before one of them loosened his lips enough to give me the information I needed. Then, I found out about Harry Castle, and the plan solidified after I visited him.

He remembered me. He remembered all three of us.

He believed me when I told him about Zoey, and he didn’t ask why I wasn’t thinking about going to the police. He only asked if I’d made anything of myself.

I told him I had, and if he could help us get Zelena away from one of her tour dates, I could pay him a half million dollars for his help.

He said yes without a second of hesitation.

Then, he told me about his health problems. He admitted he’d wanted to get away to a beach somewhere for a while, but his savings didn’t amount to enough for a vacation. With that kind of money, he’d have more than enough to live on the beach for the rest of his days. I sent him the money then and there, and he teared up a little when he hugged me as I left.

Three days later, I’d talked Dale into being the replacement driver.

I’d slowly built up contact with him over those six years, trying to let him live his life while making sure he knew I was still there any time he needed someone. I watched over him more than he’ll ever know, and I know he found some happiness, even if it didn’t seem to last.

We weren’t the strangers it felt like we’d become on prom night.

I knew this plan had to include him.

I told him about Zelena years ago, and when he listened to her, he felt what I did.

She was Zoey. Her voice wasn’t just similar. It was the same.

The warmth in her tone is unmistakable. That’s what made her a star.

I can understand why Dale would change his mind about that, given how intense my focus has been on getting Zoey back, but he’ll find out I was right soon enough.

Zoey already remembered something. She knows she was kidnapped before.

The rest will start coming back when we get to the island.

I’ve done everything I can think of to help bring her memories back.

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