Page 127 of The Dark Stranger
“There,” Jace says, pausing it.
A man—David—down on the ground. Not dead. Unconscious. Christina struggling, being pulled. Fast. Efficient. No hesitation.
“Time stamp?” I ask.
“Three days ago,” Jace replies. “Before Becca was taken.”
I study the frame—the setup, the angles, the signage in the background. I already know before he says it.
“That station’s Lionetti-controlled,” Jace confirms.
Of courseit is.
“Walk me through it.”
Jace rewinds slightly, letting it play.
“They pull in. Normal stop. No flags. Two minutes later, a vehicle pulls alongside them. Driver doesn’t even get out right away.”
Calculated.
“They hit him first. Quick. Clean. He’s down before he knows what’s happening.”
I watch it again. No wasted movement.
“They weren’t there for him,” I say.
“No,” Jace agrees. “They went straight for her.”
Christina.
“Why?” someone asks from the back.
I don’t answer right away.
“Pull the shop footage.”
Jace doesn’t hesitate. Another screen lights up—Becca’s shop earlier that same day. Christina sitting in the chair. Becca working. Focused. Calm. In her element. Alive in a way she hasn’t been since.
My jaw tightens.
“There.”
Jace slows it down. Christina laughs at something Becca says, comfortable and unaware.
“Timestamp matches?” I ask.
“Same day,” Jace confirms.
I lean back slightly, putting it together.
“They followed her from the shop.”
Jace doesn’t respond right away because he sees it too.
“They weren’t grabbing random,” I continue. “They were tracking anyone connected to Becca.”
Silence fills the room, heavy and controlled.
