Page 42 of Rescuing Rebel

“Collins lost in the end. After graduation, Dubois proposed and married her within the month. I’ll give you one guess who wasn’t on the guest list.”

“Collins.” Not hard to figure that one out. I lean forward, elbows finding support on the hard tabletop. “We’re dealing with a very twisted love triangle.”

“One that Collins won in the end.” Mitzy flashes images on a screen. The last one freezes the room—a funeral. Collins is a mournful statue next to a tearful eight-year-old girl. “Dubois tried to pay his respects, but Collins had him removed from the funeral.”

“Heartless.” Blake echoes my thoughts. He leans back; the casual nonchalance belies the thoughtfulness in his gaze.

DuBois lost everything to Collins. His livelihood. His wife. The love of his life.

A betrayal served not once but twice.

And Ally is the innocent collateral used in this vicious game. She’s the flesh-and-blood symbol of DuBois’s most profound loss.

An eye for an eye?

Walt’s fingers drum on the table, and his steely gaze hardens. “Dubois retaliates by taking Collins’s kid? Damn, that’s dark.”

Gabe’s chair creaks as he shifts uncomfortably, his knuckles bone white against the table. “The guy’s deranged. He’s willing to destroy a young girl’s life over a feud?”

“Not that it needs to be said, but it’s even more vile.” Mitzy rocks back in her chair. “He enlisted the services of an organization known as Haven.”

“What’s that?”

“A boutique operation involved in selective kidnappings.” She glances around the room. “I wish I could say the next bit is a shock, but this is right up our alley. Haven promises to find the perfect slave for a price. DuBois hired them to groom Ally as his slave. Literally sticking it to Collins by taking his daughter and forcing her to…” Mitzy shrugs and leaves her words hanging in the air.

“That’s some cold shit.” I take in a breath and blow it out real slow. The depths of depravity in this world never cease to amaze me.

“How did you figure this out?” CJ, who’s been quiet so far, swivels back and forth in his seat.

Mitzy doesn’t blink, pushing forward with her revelation. “Our guest, one of Ally’s security detail, is a DuBois employee. DuBois hired him to snatch Ally and deliver her to Haven. Griff got—creative—and the man sang like the proverbial canary. Once we involved witness protection, he opened up even more.”

Blake’s fist hits the table with a thud. “A scorned man playing monster, using his employee to snatch Ally. This isn’t just some power play, it’s...” He shakes his head, unable to find the words.

Every syllable is a punch to the gut. The ugly picture is complete—Collins’s ruthless climb to the top, the stolen wife, a love child, and the kidnapping of a daughter to settle the score.

Definitely an eye for an eye.

“Mitzy,” Sam clears his throat, gathering our attention as the heinous nature of DuBois’s crime sinks in, “keep digging. We need everything, every scrap of detail.”

“Already on it, boss.” She winks and flashes a smile.

This revelation hangs heavy in the room, a monstrous tapestry of greed and revenge. It explains much, but some things still don’t add up.

This mission is turning into something far more than what it initially appeared. It’s a personal war, a dangerous game of chess with Ally as the innocent pawn. The implications for her are horrendous.

But we stopped Dubois. Unfortunately, she won’t be safe until this issue of an auction is addressed. I run a hand through my hair, my mind reeling from Mitzy’s revelations.

“Why would DuBois involve Haven? Why haul Ally to Florida when he lives in upstate New York? He could’ve just taken her. The Haven angle doesn’t make sense.”

Mitzy’s expression shifts to one of strained concentration. “That’s a good question, and it’s been bugging me. I’m working on it, using information from the phone of the kidnapper we interrogated. I tracked his activity to Haven. Of course, it’s not mentioned in any of their conversations, but enough threads point to a single entity. I found Haven and have a preliminary answer to your question.”

“Please share.”

“Haven’s boutique services include training the girls before delivering them to their buyers.”

“Haven?” Gabe murmurs, his brows knitting together. “It’s not a haven. It’s hell.”

“Agree.” Mitzy nods. “They’re deeply rooted in the dark web and specialize in kidnappings-for-hire. The level of detail in their plans and the resources they provide their operatives is chilling. They turned abduction into an art form and are very good at it. Thetrainingcomes at an extra charge. No need to guess, but Dubois paid for the supplemental fee.”

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