The Nerd Who Stole The Quarterback (Astra and Zayne) novel Chapter 161

Chapter 161

Chapter 161

ZANE

The convoy reached Blackwood Road fifteen minutes later.

Police cruisers lined both sides of the road, blue lights flashing silently against the wall of pines.

Yellow tape stretched between the trees.

93

55 vouchers

Officers moved through the scene with purpose-some crouched over tyre tracks pressed deep into the soft earth, others disappearing into the undergrowth with search dogs pulling hard against their leads. Farther back, a forensic van sat with its rear doors open while technicians carried equipment toward the search area.

The entire forest seemed to be holding its breath.

I was out of the car before Hayes had even closed his door.

“Mr. Ashton…” one of the uniformed officers called.

I kept walking.

The delivery driver stood beside another detective, his face pale beneath the flashing lights.

I stopped in front of him.

He looked up and instinctively took a step back.

“What happened?”

The detective shifted beside him.

“Mr. Ashton, he’s already given his statement.”

“I wasn’t talking to you.”

My eyes never left the driver.

“You saw them.”

He swallowed.

“Yes.”

“How long?”

“I… maybe three or four seconds.”

“They were still in the SUV?”

1/6

9:52 Thu, Jul 30

Chapter 161

“Yes.”

“Did the vehicle leave?”

“I think so.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I didn’t stay. I just… kept driving.”

My jaw clenched.

“Did you see anyone else?”

“No.”

“Another car?”

He shook his head.

Silence settled between us.

Then, almost under his breath…

“I’m sorry.”

His voice cracked at the last word.

2)

93

55 vouchers

“I thought it was just kids messing around after a Halloween party.” His eyes dropped to the ground. “If I’d known…”

The words died there.

Blaming him wouldn’t bring Astra back.

“Detective!”

The shout echoed through the trees.

Every head turned.

An officer emerged from deeper in the forest, weaving between the pines with something carefully cradled in gloved hands. He ducked beneath the police tape and stopped in front of Hayes.

“We found this. It was wedged inside the hollow of a tree just off the roadside.”

He held up a clear evidence bag.

Inside was a plain white envelope and, across the front in thick black marker, a single word.

ASHTON.

Something cold settled in my chest.

Hayes accepted the bag without a word. After pulling on a fresh pair of latex gloves, he carefully opened the

2/6

9:52 Thu, Jul 30

Chapter 161

envelope.

A photograph slipped into his hand.

It was Astra.

93

55 vouchers

She lay on a narrow bed, still wearing the midnight-blue gown from the party. Her eyes were closed, but there wasn’t a visible mark on her.

She could have been sleeping.

My heart started pounding so hard it drowned out everything else.

I reached for the photograph.

Hayes caught my wrist before my fingers touched it.

“Don’t. It’s evidence.”

I couldn’t tear my eyes away.

Hayes turned the photograph over.

The back was blank.

No message.

No demand.

Nothing.

He studied it for several seconds before lifting his head.

“This wasn’t left here by accident.” His gaze swept across the forest. “It was placed where we were meant to find it.”

Dad finally spoke.

“What does that mean?”

Hayes looked down at the photograph again.

“It means our offender wanted us to find it.” He slid it back into the evidence bag. “And that’s exactly why I’m concerned.”

I turned to him.

“Why?”

His eyes met mine.

3/6

9:52 Thu, Jul 30

Chapter 161

“Kidnappers looking for money don’t play games.” He paused. “They make demands.”

He glanced at the photograph one last time.

“This man hasn’t asked for anything.”

A cold wind stirred the pines.

93

93

55 vouchers

For the first time since Astra disappeared, I realised something far worse than a ransom was unfolding.

Hayes sealed the evidence bag with care and handed it to the forensic technician.

“Get this to the lab. Priority one.”

The technician nodded once.

“Fingerprints, DNA, fibres, handwriting, paper, ink-everything.”

“Whatever you can pull,” Hayes said.

The man turned and disappeared toward the forensic van.

I watched him go, every muscle in my body locked.

My hands flexed at my sides.The photograph was the only proof she’d survived the abduction, and watching it disappear felt like losing her all over again. I wanted to rip the bag from his hands, keep the image, burn every detail of her face into my memory until I could see nothing else.

Hayes turned back to us.

“We’ll keep searching the area,

but I don’t believe she’s nearby.”

Dad’s face stayed carefully blank.

“You think this was staged.”

“I think the offender wanted our attention here.” He looked toward the tree line. “Whether to waste time or send a message… I don’t know yet.”

Then his gaze found mine.

“Go home, Zane.”

A short, hollow sound left my throat.

“Home?”

He didn’t answer.

4/6

9:52 Thu, Jul 30

Chapter 161

93

55 vouchers

There was no home until she was inside it again.

The drive to the house passed in silence.