Chapter 34 A Masquerade of Secrets

The drive back to the station was a blur. Friesland's mind raced with Mrs. Cavendish's revelations, each piece of information a jagged shard that cut through the veil of ignorance. A secret society, dark rituals – the picture Elizabeth had inadvertently painted was far more grotesque than he could have imagined. He slammed his fist on the steering wheel in a burst of frustration, the raw emotion mixing with a fierce determination to protect her. At the station, the atmosphere was thick with tension. The missing person report for Emily Harris dominated the room, a grim reminder of the urgency of the situation. Friesland gathered his team, his voice steeled with resolve as he addressed them. "We're changing gears," he announced, his words slicing through the hushed tension. "This is no longer just a missing person case. There's a bigger picture here, and the Blackwoods are at the center of it." He briefed them on Mrs. Cavendish's information, the whispers of a secret society, and his