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Novel Catalog
Chapter 53
Max motioned for the meeting to be adjourned, quickly taking out his phone and glancing at the message.
Confirming it was exactly what Jared needed, he wasted no time.
He left the conference room and dialed Jared’s number.
“Mr.
Johnston, it’s me.
Lucifer’s proxy account is online again.”
Jared’s grip tightened on the steering wheel as his car screeched to a halt, tires protesting against the sudden stop.
He narrowed his eyes, his voice cold.
“Where is the location?”
Max’s fingers trembled as he opened the detailed coordinates.
“How—how is that possible?” he muttered, his voice filled with disbelief.
Jared’s frown deepened.
“What’s wrong?”
Max, still shocked, stammered, “It’s in front of the Royal Creek Institute, at your café!”
Jared’s eyes widened, his mind racing.
He had been chasing Lucifer for so long, and to think that the person he’d been searching for was now right under his nose, in a place he least expected—his café.
A sly smile spread across his face, a predatory gleam flashing in his eyes.
“What?” he muttered in surprise.
Without hesitation, he executed a sharp U-turn, flooring the gas pedal as he sped toward the Royal Creek Institute.
He barked a command to Max.
“Get the staff to keep an eye on everyone and make sure no one leaves until I get there.”
Max, fully aware of how long Jared had been after this target, didn’t question him.
He immediately passed on the orders to the staff.
Jared’s mind was sharp as he pushed the car to its limit.
Soon, he pulled up in front of the Royal Creek Institute, threw the keys to the valet, and strode into his café with purposeful steps.
As soon as Jared entered, his staff greeted him quickly.
“Max instructed us.
We’re organizing a special event, and no one is leaving.”
Jared gave a brief nod, his eyes scanning the room, eventually landing on the spot where Nicole usually sat.
There was still a cup of coffee on the table.
“Did Miss Riddle come in today?” he asked, his gaze lingering on the empty chair.
A staff member followed his gaze and answered with a smile.
“Yes, but she left before Max called.
Are you looking for her?”
Jared’s eyes darkened slightly at the mention of Nicole, but the timing didn’t match, so he dismissed the thought.
He refocused his attention on the people in the café, searching for any signs of suspicious behavior.
The café was in a prime location, and with so many people online during peak hours, the atmosphere was lively.
But that also meant there were a dozen laptops connected to the café’s Wi-Fi, making it hard to pinpoint which computer was Lucifer’s.
Jared’s lips curled into a cold smile as he thought about the possibility of Lucifer being one of these people.
He was determined to find out who it was.
“Find out what’s on their computers in the next ten minutes,” he instructed.
If it was Lucifer, he would definitely have hacking software running on his device.
His staff, all IT experts masquerading as waitstaff, were well-trained in dealing with such situations.
A waiter quickly sprang into action, fingers flying over the keyboard as he began to search and filter through the devices.
After a tense moment, the waiter looked up, his expression serious.
“Mr.
Johnston, they’re just ordinary students.
I’ve checked everything, and there’s nothing suspicious on their computers.”
Jared’s brow furrowed in disbelief.
“How can that be?” Max had sent him the coordinates, and it was impossible for them to be wrong.