Chapter 180 Where's Claire

The day stretched on in a monotonous blur. Olivia remained glued to her phone, her conversations hushed and hurried. John tried to engage her in conversation, anything to glean some information, but she remained guarded. Frustration gnawed at John. He felt like a pawn on a giant chessboard, his every move anticipated by an unseen opponent. As the desert sun began its descent, painting the sky in hues of orange and red, his phone buzzed. His breath caught in his throat. It was a message from Sarah, using a pre-determined alias. "Shadow. Incoming call at 10 pm. Burner phone under the sink in your bathroom. Be discreet." Hope surged through John. He had a lifeline, a chance to connect with Sarah and formulate a plan. The next few hours were agonizingly slow. He forced himself to endure Olivia's company, the weight of her suspicious gaze heavy on him. Finally, 10 pm arrived. John excused himself to the bathroom, his heart pounding like a drum solo. He located the burner phone nestled u