?Chapter 2841:


    “Now, try to sleep,” Eric murmured as he eased her onto the bed and tucked the nket snugly around her. He watched her eyes drift closed, making sure she wasfortable.


    He stayed at her side, checking his phone from time to time, afraid of missing any urgent update.


    When morning broke, Ernest and Ellis finally returned together.


    “Ernest,” Eric called as he stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind him with deliberate care.


    “Chief Gomez—did you uncover anything?”


    “We did.” Ellis gave a solemn nod.


    “Andrea isn’t acting alone. The one pulling the strings is her older sister, Letty Benson.”


    Letty hadn’t been seen in Stone Pond Town for a while now.


    Even so, she wasn’t the true mastermind.


    And if not her, then—


    Eric’s eyes hardened as suspicion surfaced.


    “Could it be Gifford?”


    “Only by tracking down Letty will we know for sure,” Ellis replied, his tone guarded.


    “Still, every clue—the targeting of wealthy families’ children, the trafficking routes, the offshore ounts—all of it points back to Gifford. For now, our priority is rescuing the children.”


    A low, coldugh slipped from Ernest, sharp and fleeting like the edge of a de.


    Ernest rarely spoke much, but the moment Gifford’s name was mentioned, something dangerous cut through his usual calm.


    “You’re right about this,” he said, his voice low, almost detached, as if it came from somewhere far away.


    “There’s no need to strike at him just yet…”


    He shifted his gaze to Ellis.


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    “Have you found any leads on where to start looking?”


    “Yes. We have something,” Ellis said, brow furrowed.


    “Letty holds the key to where the children were taken. Until we track her down, we can’t afford to wait passively.”


    From Andrea’s testimony, she didn’t know the buyers’ full identities, but she described their appearance and ents clearly enough to narrow down their likely origins.


    “Based on what Andrea remembers, the children were probably moved toward the Rappen Mountain region,” Ellis said, piecing it together.


    He paused, running the timeline through his head.


    “They likely left Stone Pond Town not long ago.”


    As he spoke, Ellis exchanged a troubled nce with Ernest and Eric—both fathers desperate for answers.


    “ording to Andrea, the children weren’t harmed when they were taken,” Ellis added.


    “Much appreciated,” Eric said, genuine warmth breaking through his strain.


    “There’s no need for thanks,” Ellis replied.


    “Time is running short. We n to head straight for the Rappen Mountain region, and we wanted your input before we move out.”


    Vast and unforgiving, the western stretches of Rappen Mountain posed a serious challenge, and the officers Ellis had on hand might not be enough.


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