Burn Me Once, Burn With Me novel Chapter 663

"I know. Fanny and I will analyze the video to figure out what happened. Get here as soon as you can."

Stripped of her usual laid-back attitude, Hayley's face was ice-cold, all strictly business.

She promptly ended the call on Townsend's phone, crossed her arms, and arched an eyebrow at him. "Are you just going to stand there? Are we waiting until the kidnapper leaves Quinborough to do something about this?"

Townsend's face flushed with shame. He bit his lip and straightened up. "The footage is over here. Follow me."

Normally, he and Hayley were constantly at each other's throats. Whenever they crossed paths, an argument was guaranteed. But tonight, faced with Hayley's hostile tone, Townsend remained completely silent, accepting the blame.

He led Hayley and Fanny straight to the study, where the monitor already displayed the paused security feed.

"I was gone for maybe two or three hours. The guy dressed as a delivery driver showed up just minutes after I left. He interacted with Domingo and somehow tricked them into leaving with him."

He clenched his jaw. With every word he spoke, his guilt multiplied.

He balled his hands into tight fists, practically drowning in an ocean of regret.

Fanny and Hayley had already pulled up chairs, their eyes glued to the security feed.

"Pause."

Hayley narrowed her eyes, spotting something amiss. She barked the command.

Fanny clicked the mouse, freezing the video.

The frame showed Domingo and Rosalie climbing into the back of a vehicle, while the 'delivery driver' turned the car around to leave.

"Right there."

Hayley's gaze sharpened. She tapped a long finger against a shadowy corner of the screen, then shot a glance at Townsend. "Can you enhance the brightness on this section?"

"On it."

Shaken by the intense, commanding aura radiating from the two women, Townsend hurried forward to adjust the display settings.

As the shadows cleared, Hayley grabbed Townsend's arm, signaling him to stop. A glint of satisfaction flashed in her eyes. "The license plate."

She tapped the monitor.

Fanny and Townsend, who had been struggling to see the clue, followed her gaze. Sure enough, the previously blurry pixels had cleared up just enough to reveal a readable sequence of numbers and letters.

Fanny immediately snapped a picture of it with her phone. "I'll run this plate by..."

Her first instinct was to contact the police, but she quickly stopped herself.

Everything involving Domingo had been kept strictly off the books. Bringing the cops into this would completely compromise their operation.

Fanny pressed her lips into a thin line. After a moment of hesitation, she turned to Hayley. "Keep analyzing the video with Townsend to see if there are any other clues. I need to consult with Ruby."

Fanny's call had come in right as they were leaving, and Ruby had answered it on the spot. Her face had darkened with every word.

Garrison's jaw tightened. "I'll go back with you."

The matriarch, standing nearby, overheard most of the conversation.

"Ruby, I'm not sure what kind of trouble you're dealing with, but it's late. If it's an emergency, I'll have the driver take you."

The older woman rubbed her temples, fighting off a headache but also feeling a sliver of relief.

Given the disgraceful scandal that had just unfolded under her roof, she could barely look Ruby in the eye without feeling deeply ashamed.

Putting the mess with Cassian and Monica on hold, the matriarch immediately ordered a servant to wake the chauffeur.

"Have Jade guide you down to the garage."

The matriarch assigned a young maid to lead the way.

Ruby nodded and turned to leave, but before she could take a step, a hand shot out and clamped around her wrist.

Cassian stared at her with desperate intensity, looking terrified that if she walked out that door, she would never come back.