Fat. Beautiful. Tasty. Ravenous.

Chapter 21

"So you're saying the trafficking ring isn't just preying on the fashion industry, it's a part of the fashion industry?!" Lady Boa's voice is shrill when she speaks.

A blanket of distress covers everyone in the room after my explanation of what Jared told me over the phone. We all thought we would only be looking for the girls who were taken now, not that even more ringleaders were among us. It's a massive blow to everyone's morale.

I nod solemnly. "He was trying to tell me someone's name specifically before the line went dead and..." I don't finish that statement, trying not to consider the implications of him being cut off that way.

'Don't trust anyone. Especially not that fucking-'

Fucking what? Do I know someone else involved in this? Someone important?

Models, photographers, anyone, everyone...

"Any guesses? Did he get any words out at all?"

I shake my head at that. "I assume he means someone I know but I've been doing this for so many years, I know a lot of people. All of the designers I have contracts with, tons of models, photographers like Jared."

"Well, as much as it pains me to have to do this, I need you to write down everyone in the industry you know or think you know," Lady Boa instructs, "Don't leave a single person out. We'll follow up on all of these people. It's the only lead we have. In the meantime, you need to be protected. He said you're an asset. You already have a target on your back. Stay with Fat Gum. Don't go anywhere without him. I'm sure that won't be a hardship for you."

My face warms all the way down to my neck as I glance at Taishiro who looks similarly awkward. We didn't even say anything about our relationship. How would you bring that up to your investigation group and why would you need to? But it seems everyone here already knows.

I scan the room and my eyes fall on Whitney who's purposefully not looking my way. That little gossip monger...

"Have you been getting anywhere, Bombshell?" Siren asks and everyone's eyes turn to her now.

She's been working hard, I know that much. Tomoyo has been scheduling multiple shoots for her every week and she's been killing it. What I've seen of her spreads has been fantastic. How she's been doing with the whole investigation, though, I'm unsure. She hasn't told me much of anything.

"I've been gathering more information. A lot of people are very on-edge right now after Aiko was kidnapped so no one's really gone missing lately. My guess is that they're waiting for things to calm down before resuming their business. But I have been putting some things together. We already know a lot of missing girls are models or were attempting to break into the business and they've almost entirely come from Osaka." Everyone nods at that. "No one has come from any one agency, or knows any one person."

"With the information we have now about multiple perpetrators, that makes sense," Lady Boa points out.

Whitney nods. "There is one thing I'm going to look into more, though." She looks at me then, "Sakuya, the designer who requested you because Jared asked them to. I've heard she's acting pretty nervous ever since Jared was taken into custody. In the last couple days- as in the days since Jared was assisted in escaping- she's practically shut herself in her house and won't talk to anyone except her secretary. I don't know what that's about but it seems pretty suspicious to me."

A look goes around the room, sharing in agreement.

"Do you have a plan on how to talk to her?" Taishiro asks, something in his tone sounded distrustful. Why?