Even in Darkness She Chose to Rise (Tatiana and Jasper) novel Chapter 553

Chapter 553 The Puppet Master

Hubert caught on fast. “Mommy, they’re just trying to scare us so we run away and sell the mine for cheap, right?”

“Exactly. You’re a smart kid.”

“Daddy said that’s dirty play. They’re being jerks!”

Xavier balled his fists. “Who the hell is sick enough to actually try and kill us?”

Tatiana narrowed her eyes. “They’re getting desperate. They’ll screw up soon. Have everyone pull shifts for patrol and rest tonight. Stay sharp.”

The miners were on edge, but Tatiana’s presence kept them in line. They did what they were told and settled down.

Tammy was the only one who couldn’t focus.

She sat by herself, watching the security footage of the wolves on loop. Once the pack realized the camp was empty, they scattered, leaving the place trashed.

They didn’t head back yet, just in case the wolves doubled back.

Tammy’s face was twisted in a frown.

“Tammy? You okay?”

“Huh?”

“You’re acting weird.”

She shook her head. “I’m fine. Just thinking about how to control those wolves. If I could do that, we wouldn’t have to hide.”

Tatiana gave her a small smile. “Don’t beat yourself up. You aren’t a god. Stop being so hard on yourself.”

Tammy was still miserable.

She didn’t say it out loud, but she felt like she should know how to do it, like she’d seen someone do it before. But the memory was a blur. Every time she tried to focus on it, her head pounded.

She eventually gave up.

“Go get some sleep. It’s late and everyone is wiped.”

“Fine.”

They were sleeping in tents with zero luxuries. Tatiana and Jasper shared a tent with the kids for safety.

Ann and Hubert were already out cold, curled up together.

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asper was on his laptop, wearing gold–rimmed glasses that made him look like a cold, high–level

xecutive.

What are you looking at?”

Fatiana sat down and leaned against his shoulder to see the screen.

asper wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her flush against him, enjoying the rare moment of loseness. He pointed at a list on the screen.

I looked into how this mine was found. Something’s off.”

Yeah?”

Guess who found it first?”

Tatiana didn’t hesitate. “The Animal Protection Association?”

asper actually looked surprised.

She raised an eyebrow. “What? You think I’m blind? Their fingerprints are all over this. Even a dog could ee they’re in on it.”

asper loved her attitude. He leaned in and kissed her. Just a quick, firm press of his lips.

You’re right. The association found it, the government took it over and called it Mine No. 9. The local government couldn’t afford to run it, so they auctioned it off. You’re the third owner. The first two are lead.”

‘Dead?”

That actually shocked her.

‘Yeah. Dead. Accidents. Or at least that’s the official story.”

Jasper clicked a few links, pulling up two news stories.

One owner had been mauled by a lion while he was alone. The other had been stung to death by bees inside his own car.

Because they were big names, the news covered it. But out here, that kind of thing happened all the time. The police called them accidents and closed the cases immediately.

Looking at the wolf attack, it was obvious those two had been murdered.

Whoever was behind this was a snake. They used animals to kill so they wouldn’t leave a paper trail. If Tammy hadn’t had that gut feeling, they would have been the third accident.

Tatiana rubbed her face. “I didn’t buy a mine. I bought a target on my

back.”

“Scared?”

“Scared my as…”

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“Watch it.”

“Jasper! The kids are right there!”

Tatiana ended up out of breath after he kissed her again, eventually promising to stop swearing.

Jasper finally let her up.

She leaned against him, still looking at the laptop. “The association must have someone who knows how to make animals do what they want.”

A series of perfect crimes like that meant they were dealing with someone dangerous.

But Tatiana wasn’t backing down. She’d spent too much of her life giving in. Not anymore.

Jasper kept his hand on her waist and kissed the top of her head. His voice was low. “I’ve got people looking for an animal behaviorist who can handle this. But we can’t go back to the base yet.”

“Being stuck like this is annoying.”

“I have an idea.”

Tatiana sat up, her eyes lighting up.

Jasper didn’t say anything. He just pointed to his cheek.

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