SCORNED EX WIFE Queen Of Ashes (Camille and Stefan) novel Chapter 166

Chapter 166

Alexander stared at the map spread across Victoria's dining table, his eyes burning from lack of sleep. Twenty hours since Camille's abduction. Twenty hours of dead ends and false leads. He marked another X on the map, another empty location searched and cleared.

"Nothing at the warehouse in Queens," he reported, his voice rough with exhaustion. "Just like the other three properties."

Across the table, Stefan Rodriguez nodded grimly. The two men had barely spoken directly to each other in the past hours, communicating only through updates and tactical discussions. Their shared history, Stefan as Camille's ex-husband who had chosen Rose over her hung between them like an invisible wall.

"She's playing with us," Stefan said, studying the pattern of X marks across the map. "Leading us in circles while she keeps Camille somewhere we haven't even considered."

Alexander's jaw tightened. The thought of working with Stefan still turned his stomach, but the man knew Rose better than anyone. Knew how she thought. How she planned.

"Tell me again about the properties you knew about," Alexander demanded. "Every detail."

Stefan ran a hand through his disheveled hair. "I've told you everything I know. The apartment in Manhattan. The storage unit in Queens. The house upstate. The beach property in Hampton. We've checked them all. The hunting cabin."

"And found nothing." Alexander slammed his fist on the table, frustration finally breaking through his controlled exterior. "Nothing but tiny clues leading to more empty locations."

Victoria entered the room, moving more slowly than usual but her eyes sharp as ever. "The FBI team just reported in. They found something at the storage unit."

Both men turned to her instantly.

"Receipts," Victoria continued. "For construction materials. Delivered to an address in the Catskills. They're checking it now."

Hope flickered in Alexander's chest, but he tamped it down. They'd already followed three such leads, only to find empty buildings rigged with cameras, Rose watching them chase their tails.

The door opened again, and Richard Lewis entered. Camille's father looked haggard, aged years in the hours since learning of his daughter's abduction. Margaret, too distraught to participate, remained at the lake house under heavy security.

"I've been going through our property records," Richard said, placing a folder on the table. "There might be something we've overlooked."

Alexander nodded for him to continue, eyes fixed on the folder.

"The cabin in the Adirondacks," Richard said, his voice heavy. "We sold it just after Camille's supposed death in the car accident. When we all thought she was gone."

"Rose knew about this cabin?" Alexander asked sharply.

Richard nodded. "She loved that place. Said it was where she felt most like part of the family."

Stefan leaned forward. "You sold it after you thought Camille was dead? When Rose was still living with you?"

"Yes," Richard admitted, shame evident in his face. "Rose was devastated when we decided to sell it. Said we were erasing Camille's memory by getting rid of family properties. But we... we couldn't bear to keep it. Too many memories."

Alexander and Stefan exchanged glances, the first moment of real connection between them.

"Rose only left the family five months ago," Stefan said, thinking aloud. "After Camille returned and the truth about Rose attempt on Camille's life"

"And she's had time since then to plan all this," Alexander continued the thought. "To track down properties with emotional significance to the family."

Richard's hands shook slightly as he opened the folder. "The sale records show the cabin went to a development company. They were supposed to tear it down, build vacation homes."

"But did they?" Alexander was already reaching for his phone. "Jason, I need everything on a property in the Adirondacks." He rattled off the address from Richard's papers. "Previous and current ownership. Any construction permits. Satellite imagery. Everything."

Victoria moved to Alexander's side. "The FBI is still checking the Catskills location. Should we redirect them?"

"No," Alexander decided. "We split our resources. FBI continues there, my team heads to the Adirondacks." He looked at Stefan. "Are you coming?"

It was the first direct question he'd asked Stefan since this began. A moment of truth between them.

Stefan nodded without hesitation. "Yes. I know how Rose thinks. What she might have done to the place."

Alexander turned to Richard. "Stay here with Victoria. Keep looking through those records for anything else that might help."

"Actually," Victoria interrupted, "I'll be joining you."

"Victoria..." Alexander began to protest.

"This is not up for discussion," she cut him off, her voice leaving no room for argument despite her weakened state. "Camille is my daughter. I'm coming."

The fierce determination in her eyes silenced any further objections. Alexander simply nodded, then turned to make the necessary arrangements.

Twenty minutes later, Alexander's phone chimed with an incoming message. Jason had found something.

"The cabin property was purchased by a shell company called Phoenix Rising LLC just two months ago," Alexander reported, showing them the screen. "Just weeks after Rose left the family. The development company never tore it down, they went bankrupt before starting construction."

"Phoenix," Victoria noted. "Like Camille's foundation."

"Rose would love that irony," Stefan said grimly. "Using Camille's own symbol against her."

Alexander continued reading. "Satellite imagery shows the original structure still standing, with some recent modifications. And there's a vehicle there now, a black van that matches the description of the one used in Camille's abduction."

The room seemed to hold its collective breath.

"That's it," Stefan said with certainty. "That's where she has Camille."

Alexander was already moving, issuing orders through his phone. "Full tactical team. Helicopter transport. We move in one hour."

"One hour?" Richard protested. "My daughter is in that monster's hands right now!"

"It's a three-hour drive to the location," Alexander explained, his voice tight with controlled urgency. "The helicopter gets us there in under an hour. We need time to prep the team, coordinate with local authorities, and develop an approach strategy."

Victoria placed a hand on Richard's arm. "He's right. We can't rush in without a plan. Rose will be expecting us."

As the room erupted into coordinated activity, Alexander stepped away briefly, staring out the window at the darkening sky. Thirty-five hours since Rose had taken Camille. Thirty-five hours of her in Rose's hands.