Chapter 252

Chapter 252
Jasmine's POV

"What do you mean they're gone?" I stared at Daniel.

Daniel guided me to the living room couch, his face grave. "The FBI was questioning Eva when Heinrich was brought in. According to the agents, Eva became visibly distressed. Louis insisted on staying with her during the questioning, said she'd be more cooperative."

"And then what happened?"

"There was some kind of commotion. A fire alarm went off, the building had to be evacuated." Daniel ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident in his gesture. "When they did a headcount, Louis, Eva, and one of the federal agents were missing."

My mind raced through possibilities. "Did Heinrich's people find them?"

"That's what we initially thought. But the security footage tells a different story." Daniel hesitated. "Jasmine, it looks like Louis left willingly. He and Eva were escorted out a side exit by someone with an FBI badge. They got into a car and drove away."

"That's impossible," I said, shaking my head. "Louis wouldn't just leave. Not without telling me."

Daniel sat beside me, "I reviewed the footage myself. He wasn't being forced. But something was wrong - he kept looking over his shoulder, seemed extremely tense."

I tried to make sense of this nightmare. "Have you contacted Louis?"

"His phone is either turned off or destroyed. We can't track it."

"Could Eva have manipulated him somehow? Used his memory issues against him?"

Daniel's expression darkened. "It's possible. The doctors said certain triggers could cause confusion, especially under stress."

I stood up abruptly. "We need to tell Marcus. And Richard."

"Marcus already knows. He's activated all our contacts, has people searching. As for Father..." Daniel grimaced.

Richard would be devastated. After just getting his son back, to lose him again...

"There's more," Daniel added reluctantly. "The 'FBI agent' who escorted them out? Facial recognition identified him as a former associate of Heinrich's. He's not FBI."

I felt terrified. "So they were taken after all."

"Not exactly. The man approached Louis first, showed him something on his phone. That's when Louis's demeanor changed. Whatever he saw made him go with them."

I struggled to understand. What could possibly make Louis leave willingly with people connected to Heinrich? What would be powerful enough to override his desire to return home to me and Grace?

"Grace," I gasped. "Is she safe?"

"Extra security is already in place," Daniel assured me. "We've moved your father to the house as well, just as a precaution."

I nodded, trying to think clearly through the panic. "We need to trace their movements. The car they left in - where did it go?"

"We lost it after about twenty miles. They switched vehicles in a shopping mall parking garage."

This was no random kidnapping. Someone planned this carefully, knew exactly what they were doing.

"I know Louis," I said firmly. "Whatever's happening, he must have a reason. He wouldn't just abandon us."

My phone rang - Richard's name flashing on the screen. Daniel looked at me. "He must have heard something."

I took a deep breath and answered. Richard's voice came through immediately, tight with controlled fear. "Tell me it's not true. Tell me Louis isn't missing again."

"We're going to find him," I said, trying to sound confident even though I was terrified. "This isn't like last time. We have leads, we have resources."

"I want every available man on this," Richard commanded. "Every contact, every favor owed. I don't care what it costs."

"Already happening," I assured him. "Daniel's here with me now. We're coordinating everything."

After promising to keep him updated, I ended the call and turned back to Daniel. "We need to consider every possibility. What if Louis discovered something about Heinrich that put us all in danger? What if leaving was his way of protecting us?"

Daniel nodded slowly. "It's possible. Heinrich has extensive connections, even from federal custody he could be dangerous."

"Then we need to follow that angle. Check if any threats have been made against Grace or the family. See if Louis accessed any information about Heinrich before he left."

As Daniel made calls, I stood by the window, looking out at the garden where Grace would soon be playing, oblivious to the fact that her father had vanished again. It hurt so much. After everything we'd been through, after finally being reunited...

My phone buzzed with a text message from an unknown number. With shaking fingers, I opened it.

I'm safe. Trust no one. Will contact when I can. Forgive me. -L

I showed the message to Daniel, who immediately began tracing it. "Burner phone," he reported after a moment. "Activated just long enough to send this message, then discarded."

"It's him," I said, suddenly sure. "This confirms he left voluntarily."

"But why? What could be so urgent, so dangerous that he couldn't tell anyone, not even you?"

I stared at the message again, focusing on the words "Trust no one." A horrible thought hit me.

"Daniel," I said slowly, "what if the traitor wasn't just Ryan? What if there's someone else inside our organization? Someone closer to the family?"

Daniel's expression hardened. "If that's true, Louis might have discovered their identity. Might be trying to protect us by drawing them out."

"Or protect them from us," I murmured, remembering Louis's words from our last real conversation: his wish to build a future on our terms, free from the violence and retribution that had defined so much of our lives.

"What do we do now?" Daniel asked.

I straightened my shoulders, pushing aside my fear. "We do exactly what Louis expects us to do. We hunt for him, publicly and visibly. But privately, we look for whoever might have betrayed us. Whoever Louis might be protecting us from."

"And Eva's role in all this?"

"I don't know," I admitted. "But Louis's message didn't mention her. For now, we assume she's with him by choice or necessity."

As we began forming a plan, I started to feel calmer than before.

Whatever was happening, whatever danger he faced, my husband was fighting to come back to us. And I would move heaven and earth to help him.