TANGLED IN DECEIT

Chapter 5: The investigation unfolds

The day had barely begun when Jaxson’s phone rang, cutting through the quiet hum of his office. He glanced at the caller ID and saw Lucas's name flashing on the screen.

It had been days since he’d ordered the investigation into the incident at the docks, and he’d been growing impatient with the silence. Lucas wasn’t one to waste time, so the delay could only mean one thing: there was something worth looking into.

Jaxson answered without hesitation, his voice low, controlled. “Lucas.”

“Boss,” came the gravelly response from the other end. “I’ve got news.”

Jaxson sat up straighter, his fingers tapping idly on the surface of his desk as he waited. “Go on.”

“We’ve been digging into everything—backgrounds, associates, surveillance footage,” Lucas began, his tone as serious as ever. “And it looks like someone’s been getting too comfortable. The docks weren’t just an accident, Jaxson. It was deliberate. Someone’s trying to send a message.”

Jaxson’s jaw clenched. He had suspected as much, but hearing it confirmed still hit like a punch to the gut. “Who?”

“I’ve got a few names,” Lucas replied, his voice colder now. “But there’s one that stands out. It’s a name you might recognize: *Victor Callahan.*”

Jaxson’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of Victor's name. That was a name he hadn’t heard in years—someone from his past, someone who was supposed to be out of the picture. The kind of person you did not want to see coming back into your life. “Victor…” he muttered under his breath.

“Yeah, I know,” Lucas continued. “We’ve got him tied to the operation. It’s looking like he’s got a hand in this mess. But he’s not acting alone. There’s someone else in play, someone higher up.”

Jaxson leaned back in his chair, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. He wasn’t easily rattled, but the reappearance of old enemies was something he couldn’t afford to ignore. Not now. Not when everything was on the line.

“Where’s Victor now?” Jaxson asked, his voice laced with quiet fury.

Lucas paused, clearly hesitant. “He’s in the city. We’ve got eyes on him, but we’re not sure who else he’s working with. It’s messy, Jaxson.”

“I want him found. I want him in front of me. Now.”

There was a pause on the other end. Lucas knew better than to argue with Jaxson’s orders, but even he had to acknowledge the danger of what they were dealing with. “Understood. I’ll get it handled. But we might need backup. This goes deeper than we thought.”

“Get it done,” Jaxson said curtly, his patience thinning.

He ended the call, leaning back in his chair, the gravity of the situation sinking in. The threat was closer than he’d realized, and the last thing he needed right now was an old enemy resurfacing at the wrong time.

As Jaxson pondered his next move, a knock echoed at the door, cutting through his thoughts.

“Enter,” he commanded without hesitation, straightening his posture.

Coraline stepped into the office, holding a folder in her hand, her expression unreadable. She glanced at Jaxson, her eyes flicking to the phone still resting on the desk. "Everything okay?" she asked, her voice steady.

Jaxson’s eyes narrowed slightly. There was something about the way she asked that made him pause. But he quickly masked his thoughts, his usual arrogance creeping back into his tone.

“I’m fine,” he replied shortly, gesturing to the seat across from him. “I assume you’re here to discuss the new report?”

Coraline walked over and placed the folder on the desk. “Yes, but we need to discuss more than just the report, don’t we?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “I’m not blind, Jaxson. I can see something’s off.”

Jaxson gave her a sharp look, his gaze hardening. “And what exactly do you think is ‘off’?”

She took a seat, looking at him with calm intensity. “I can tell when something’s wrong. Your focus has shifted. You’re distracted. You’re trying to solve something... or someone.”

Jaxson said nothing at first, but Coraline was right—he was distracted. Everything had been leading up to this, and it was clear that the threat against his empire was real. And while he could try to keep his focus on the business at hand, there was no ignoring the feeling that something darker was looming just around the corner.

“I have my… personal matters to deal with,” he said curtly, his voice losing some of its edge. “But I don’t need to explain myself to you, Ms. Hayes.”

Coraline, undeterred, stood up and grabbed her folder. “I didn’t ask for an explanation, Mr. Hartwell. But if you think I’m not paying attention, you’re wrong.”

Without another word, she turned and walked out of his office, leaving him to his thoughts.

The rest of the day passed in a blur for Jaxson. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to happen. Whether it was the resurfacing of Victor Callahan or something worse, the storm was coming. And as much as Jaxson hated it, Coraline’s presence in the office wasn’t something he could ignore anymore. She’d seen too much. She was getting closer to the truth.

And whether he liked it or not, he was going to need her.