Found Obsession

Chapter 27: The Children's Case III

As soon as the realization hit, Rose saw Will cracking the door open, catching the attention of one of the SWAT officers.

"Sir," the SWAT woman acknowledged.

Will stepped into the room, his expression serious. "Riley is heading to the wrong place. By the time he reaches Sasha, another child will be taken."

The SWAT officer’s gaze hardened. "Show me," she requested. Will wasted no time, stepping forward and pointing to the map, explaining the new evidence and location Raven had just uncovered.

She nodded in agreement, then turned to Will. "Give us the orders, Captain."

Rose’s eyes widened, taken aback. "Captain?"

Paula leaned against the wall with a smug grin. "You've been in recovery. Riley made Will captain. So yeah, we follow his orders now."

Rose clenched her fists, frustration bubbling up as the weight of Paula’s words sank in.

As Will took over, explaining the details with confidence, it was clear that he was relishing the spotlight. He pointed out the patterns on the map, giving orders as if the case had been his breakthrough all along. The SWAT officer listened intently, her respect for him evident in her posture.

Rose stood back, feeling a knot tighten in her stomach. All her work, Raven's deductions, and the team’s effort—now being overshadowed by Will’s showmanship.

Paula’s grin grew wider as she leaned in. "See? It’s all about knowing when to take control, Rose," she said in a mocking tone.

Rose felt a rush of anger but held back. This wasn’t the time for pride or arguments—lives were at stake, the child's. But the sting of Will taking credit gnawed at her. She exchanged a brief glance with Raven, who remained silent, his eyes narrowing at Will’s performance.

"Riley isn't picking up," the SWAT officer stated, her voice tense.

"I don’t think we should push it. The killer thinks we’re on a false lead—he won’t see it coming. We can call Riley once we’ve got the child. Maybe then, he’ll even apologize to all of us," Will added confidently.

I watched as my colleagues, one by one, seemed to fall under Will's influence, like they were being led into a trap and didn’t even realize it.

"You were the one who agreed with Riley in the first place!" I shot back, my frustration spilling over.

"But Will’s the captain," the SWAT officer responded firmly. "He’s convincing me now, and at least he’s taking action."

Silence followed, thick and uncomfortable. I felt my anger knotting in my stomach, boiling over.

Everyone was silent after that, the tension in the room almost palpable. It felt like an ambush, the same way it had been before. Riley had done this before—used his authority to control the team, leaving Rose feeling powerless, ignored. She’d always had her instincts, but she was always told she was wrong, that her emotions clouded her judgment.

Rose kept quiet thinking about the child.

Riley had pushed her aside time and time again, and now Will was taking the spotlight. It wasn’t just about solving the case—it was about who had the loudest voice.

Rose could feel her stomach churning with anger and frustration, the injustice of the situation gnawing at her. She glanced at Raven, who remained a steady presence by her side, and then back at the others, her heart racing. She knew they were making a mistake, but how could she stop them from going down the wrong path?

“Come on, guys, this is about a child’s life. We’re losing time,” Paula interjected, her voice sharp.

Rose was caught completely off guard when Will suddenly cuffed her wrist to the table.