Page 76 of Alpha Queen
Silas nodded, and Apollo followed Ares and Douglas across the street to a manicured lawn and his beautiful classic colonial-style home.
Douglas opened the door and wiped his feet on the mat before removing his shoes and waving the twins inside.
The interior hallway and rooms to the left were meticulously organized, with bookshelves lining the walls and the books organized by color and size. Family photos arranged meticulously on the mantle.
"This way." Whitaker led them to a study off the main hallway.
The room was exactly what one might expect of a retired accountant; an antique wooden desk dominated the space, with neat stacks of papers arranged at precise angles. A tall filing cabinet stood against one wall, its drawers labeled with color-coded tabs.
Whitaker moved to the cabinet, pulling open the second drawer and extracting a thick leather-bound notebook.
"Here." He placed it on the desk. "I recorded everything."
Ares snatched up the ledger, flipping it open with barely controlled urgency. Inside, in precise handwriting, were pages of detailed notes. Dates, times, weather conditions, and, most importantly, license plate numbers, along with descriptions of the vehicles and their occupants.
"This is..." Ares trailed off, his fingers tracing the entries. "Amazing."
"Thank you," Douglas smiled.
Apollo scanned the pages. "Is there anything about when they left? When they cleared out?"
Whitaker nodded, reaching over to flip to the back of the notebook. "Two weeks or so ago. Around 3 AM. The exact details are in there. Four black SUVs arrived and then left within an hour. A day later, two vans pulled up with cleaning supplies. No one has been there since."
"These license plates." Apollo ran his finger down the list. "We need to locate them."
Ares turned back to Whitaker, his eyes intense. "Did you notice anything else? Anything at all about the people who came and went?"
Whitaker removed his glasses, polishing them with the hem of his cardigan. "There was one man who came more often than the others. Tall, built like a linebacker. He had this way of moving, like a predator." He shrugged apologetically. "Sorry if that sounds dramatic, but there was something... different about him."
"Titan." Ares' fists clenched.
"Was there anything more about the woman?" Apollo asked. "Did you ever see her again after that first night?"
Whitaker shook his head. "No. I'm sorry. Is she the one who is missing?"
Apollo straightened and smiled. "Mr. Whitaker, we need copies of everything you have, please."
The man nodded. "Of course. My copier is right here." He moved to a small machine in the corner, beginning to duplicate the pages with efficient movements.
While Whitaker worked, Ares pulled Apollo aside, his voice low. "She's still here. I can't believe she's still here."
"Makes sense if he wants the throne. He can't take it from halfway across the world."
"We're close. So close."
Ares placed his hand on his brother's shoulder. "We're going to find her."
Apollo's wolf howled.
He just hoped they were in time.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
TITAN
Titan paced his study. His footsteps resounded against the hardwood floor. His mind raced with conflicting thoughts, each pulling him in a different direction. Kane's possible defection had shaken him more than he cared to admit. For years, Kane had been his right hand, his brother. Now, that bond was fractured, perhaps beyond repair.
A knock at the door interrupted his brooding. "What?" he snapped.
