Chapter 228 The Search Begins

Chapter 228: Chapter 228 The Search Begins

The moment the SUV pulled away from the Omega House, Eira opened her tablet and pulled up the plan she had prepared earlier.

"It’s four forty," she said. "We’ll reach the county line around five thirty. We’ll grab dinner first, then check the neighborhood where Sam’s uncle used to live. Between seven and eight, people should be home and willing to talk."

Alpha Killian kept one hand on the wheel. His other rested near the gearshift, relaxed but ready. He glanced at her tablet, then at the focused crease between her brows.

"After that, we can check the three high schools in the county. They all sit along the same main road, so we can cover them quickly. If we don’t find anything tonight, we start again in the morning. Then we get a hotel."

Eira finally looked up. "Does that work for you?"

"You’re in charge."

"That sounds suspiciously like you’re trying to avoid responsibility."

"I’m the hired help." His mouth twitched. "Eight hundred dollars a day. I follow orders."

The number reminded her of Lila’s ridiculous comments about Alpha Killian’s private appearance fee.

"Killian."

"Yes?"

"Eight hundred is not enough."

His silver-gray eyes slid toward her. "Then name your price."

Eira hesitated. "A thousand?"

"Fine."

He said it so easily that she narrowed her eyes. "You didn’t even negotiate."

"You were worried about underpaying me."

"I was being fair."

"I know."

The warmth in his voice made her look back at the tablet.

They reached the diner five minutes ahead of schedule. The small roadside place was bright and crowded, its windows fogged from the cold. The smell of coffee, fried onions, and warm pie filled the air.

When Alpha Killian walked in wearing a tailored coat, several heads turned. A woman at the counter whispered something to her friend, who glanced over and nearly spilled her coffee.

Eira led him to a corner booth before anyone could come over.

They ordered grilled chicken, soup, fries, and coffee. Eira chose the cheapest items on the menu, but Alpha Killian noticed.

"Don’t worry about the bill," he said quietly.

"I’m not."

"You are."

She looked up from her menu.

"We’re here to find Sam," Alpha Killian continued. "Eat something warm. Get a decent room. Stop apologizing for taking care of yourself."

The words settled somewhere deep in her chest.

She closed the menu. "Fine. But I’m still paying your fee."

"I’ll send an invoice."

"You’d better."

After dinner, they drove to the neighborhood where Sam’s uncle had lived.

The street sat beyond the county’s better-maintained roads. Puddles filled the cracked pavement, old trash cans leaned beside narrow porches, and damp smoke drifted from backyard fire pits.

A few children in puffy winter coats raced between the buildings while their parents called after them.

They had barely reached the first row of apartments when people began watching them.

A man sitting on a porch glanced at the photo on Eira’s phone and muttered, "Wonder if they’re here about Nate."

Eira caught the name and approached a group of older women gathered beneath an awning.

"Evening. Sorry to bother you. Did a man named Jordan come around here recently?"

She showed them the photo.

One woman nodded. "I’ve seen him. He came looking for Nate. After that, Nate told everyone the family was getting a fresh start somewhere up north."

"Did he say where?"

"No," another woman said. "He kept that part to himself."

"Are you family?" someone asked.

"I’m Sam’s sister."

The women’s expressions softened.

"You’re the girl from the Omega House," one of them said. "Sam’s sister. Sweet boy."

"Nate called him the family’s good-luck charm," another added. "Said Sam would bring them better luck wherever they went."

"Good-luck charm, my ass." A third woman snorted. "That boy hauled trash, watched the little kids, and got slapped whenever they cried. Nate treated him like free labor."

Eira’s jaw tightened.

Then one woman lowered her voice. "Nate used to brag about getting SSI for Sam. Said the boy brought in a few hundred dollars a month."

"SSI for what?" someone asked.

"Autism, I think. And Nate claimed Sam was missing a thumb too."

Eira went still.

"What?"

Sam had left the Omega House with both hands intact. Eira had helped him dress. She knew exactly what she had seen.

Eira drew in a slow breath, then looked back at the women.

"Did Nate mention where they were taking Sam?"

The women exchanged glances.

"Some kind of school," one said. "A place for kids who need extra help."

"A special school?" another asked. "There isn’t one in this county."

"That’s still helpful," Eira said.

She pulled a business card from her wallet and handed it to the oldest woman.

"If you remember anything else, please call me. Any time."

The woman studied the card. "You really looking for that boy?"

"He’s my brother."

The woman’s expression softened. "Then I hope you find him."

Eira thanked them and led Alpha Killian back toward the SUV.

Alpha Killian glanced at her. "What do we know?"

He couldn’t make out every word through the women’s overlapping voices and rapid-fire local expressions. But he saw Eira’s face change, and that told him enough.

"Beta Jordan came looking for Nate. Nate moved the family north, claimed Sam was receiving SSI, and told people the boy was missing a thumb."

Alpha Killian’s jaw tightened.

"Which isn’t true," Eira said. "Sam left the Omega House with both hands intact."

She searched the nearby school districts on her phone.

"The woman may have meant a special education program, not a separate school. There’s a nonpublic school in the next county, but we need to verify it."

"Can we go tonight?"

"The schools are closed. And they can’t release Sam’s records without legal authorization."

"Then I’ll make the calls."

While Eira checked district websites, Alpha Killian contacted his attorney. A few minutes later, Miles sent an update.

Miles: The county registrar can meet with you at eight tomorrow morning. They’ll verify whether Sam’s name appears in recent transfers, but they can’t release protected records without authorization.

Eira glanced at Alpha Killian. "That was fast."

"Money buys speed. Not access."

She almost smiled. "You sound responsible."

"I have my moments."

Eira opened the website for the specialized school. Its polished pages were full of bright photos and vague testimonials. There were no parent complaints, angry reviews, or local discussions.

That did not prove anything. Small private schools often had little online presence.

Still, the site looked too clean.

"It’s our best lead," she said.

"We’ll check it in the morning."

They returned to the SUV. Eira climbed into the passenger seat and kept scrolling through the school’s website.

"Give me a minute," Alpha Killian said.

Before she could ask where he was going, he crossed the road to a taco truck closing beneath a string of yellow lights.

He returned with two paper bags and two cups of hot chocolate.

"Chicken tacos," he said, handing her one bag. "And churros."

Eira wrapped her hands around the warm cup. "You got both?"

"Something spicy and something sweet."

The smell of grilled meat, lime, and cinnamon drifted through the cold air.

"You went through all that trouble for tacos?"

"You were hungry."

"I never said I was."

"You didn’t have to."

Their fingers brushed as she took the bags.

"Thank you."

After the tacos, they found a decent hotel near the highway.

The place was small but clean, with warm lighting, dark wood floors, and a front desk decorated with winter wreaths. Alpha Killian handed over his ID. Eira placed hers beside it.

"The reservation is under my name," she told the clerk.

The clerk checked the screen. "Two deluxe king rooms. Next door to each other?"

"That works."

A few minutes later, they reached the second floor.

Alpha Killian stopped outside his door. "Get some sleep. Tomorrow is the important day."

"I will."

She entered her room and closed the door.

A few seconds later, his door clicked shut next to hers.