CHAPTER 239: THE ABANDONED FARMHOUSE

Logan glanced at the screen... Priya’s name flashing and answered immediately.

"Yes?" His voice was clipped, tense. Jean set her fork down, breath caught in her chest.

On the other end, Priya’s voice carried an urgency, low but clear:

"Mr. Kingsley, I’ve tracked the car from the hospital footage. It led me to an old farmhouse property... it’s registered under a shell company, but the last utility payments and some security footage confirm Henry’s been there for at least a day."

Logan straightened, his eyes flashing with relief and fresh worry. "Are you sure it’s Henry?"

"Ninety percent, sir. The man on footage matches his build and walk. I’m still verifying the interior footage, but I thought you’d want to know immediately."

Jean drew in a sharp breath... her heart pounding so loudly she wondered if Hannah could hear it beside her.

"Send me the address," Logan said, his voice low, tight. "And stay there, Priya. Keep your eyes on everything until I get there."

"Understood."

He ended the call. For a heartbeat, none of them spoke... The hum of conversation and clink of glass in the restaurant suddenly felt far away.

Jean found her voice first, hoarse with hope. "Henry... he really has Emma?"

Logan’s eyes softened as they met hers.

"We don’t know everything yet. But we might finally have something to go on."

Jean’s knuckles were white against her glass.

"Then let’s go. Please, Logan. Let’s go find her."

Hannah nodded, standing already.

"We can’t waste another minute."

Logan pulled out his wallet, tossing a few bills on the table without even glancing at the amount.

"Stay close to me," he murmured to Jean, his voice rougher now... protective, unwavering. "No matter what happens next."

She met his gaze... vulnerable, exhausted, but fierce. "I will."

And together, the three of them rose from the table... stepping away from the quiet warmth of dinner, into the cold, anxious night outside.

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Hannah, sensing the heaviness in Jean’s eyes, touched her arm gently. "I’ll get the car. You two wait out front, okay?"

Jean only nodded, too spent to speak. Logan gave Hannah a grateful nod as she slipped away into the night... leaving him alone with Jean under the soft glow spilling from the restaurant’s glass doors.

The moment Hannah was gone, Logan stepped closer... so close Jean could feel his warmth seep through her coat. His hand found hers, cold and stiff at her side, and he tugged it gently to rest against his chest.

"Stop thinking," he murmured, his voice low, a plea more than an order. "Give your mind a moment to breathe."

But Jean’s breath hitched... her lashes trembled, and the tightness she’d buried deep cracked open. A shudder ran through her shoulders as the tears slipped free, warm against the chill of the evening air.

"Logan..." she whispered, her voice breaking. "Why is this happening to me? Why does it feel like the whole world keeps... keeps punishing me for something I didn’t even do?"

She couldn’t finish. The words dissolved into a sob that lodged deep in her chest. She tried to turn away... hide it, swallow it back like she always did but Logan caught her face in his hands, thumbs brushing the tears from her cheeks as if he could wipe away all her hurts too.

"Jean..." He pressed his forehead to hers, breath warm and grounding. "This... all of this... it’s a storm. A brutal one. But you... you are not here to be broken by it."

She tried to look away, but he held her still, forcing her to see the truth burning in his eyes.

"You won’t just survive this, Jean. You’ll come out of it stronger. You’ll win. I swear it."

A fresh sob shook her... her lashes wet against his skin but this time she didn’t turn away. She stayed, letting him hold the weight she could no longer carry alone.

Slowly, he pressed a kiss to her damp cheek... then another. Trailing down, gentle, deliberate, until his lips found hers. It wasn’t hungry, not at first... it was soft and sure, like an anchor pulling her out of the dark water.

But when she leaned in... when her hands fisted in the front of his coat as if she’d drown without him... the kiss deepened, grew fierce. He tasted the salt of her tears and gave her back warmth, steady and unyielding. A captivating kiss to make her forget her worries.

When they pulled back, breathless, Jean pressed her face to his chest... feeling the steady, solid beat of his heart. Logan curved his hand protectively around her head, a vow unspoken in his touch.

And just beyond them, Hannah’s headlights swept over the street, the car rolling to a stop at the curb. Logan held Jean close for one more heartbeat before he pulled away just enough to whisper,

"Come on. Let’s bring Emma home."

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They got into the back seat, the car door clicking shut behind them. Hannah glanced at Jean through the rearview mirror, eyes silently asking are you okay? Jean managed a small nod... still feeling Logan’s warmth lingering on her lips, his words echoing in her chest.

Logan rested his hand over hers on the seat... not tightly, just enough so she knew he was there. Outside, the city lights blurred by, neon smears against the glass, fading as Hannah took an exit that led them out of the crowded streets.

Jean finally found her voice, soft, almost brittle.

"How far is it?"

"Priya tracked the location to an old farmhouse on the outskirts," Hannah answered, eyes fixed on the road. "It’s almost an hour from here. Hardly any people around that place anymore. Looks abandoned on the map but someone’s been staying there."

Jean’s stomach twisted... partly from fear, partly from hope.

Emma... please be there. Please be safe.

Logan could see her knuckles whitening on her lap, her nails biting into her own skin. He slid closer on the seat, his palm covering hers, grounding her.

"No matter what we find, Jean," he murmured, low enough that only she could hear, "you won’t face it alone."