As Cassidy drove through the twisting streets back to her apartment, her mind raced. There were bits of information, murmurs of conspiracy, and the creepy feeling that she was already too deep to turn back in her head. But even though everything was up in the air and dangerous, one thing was clear: she couldn't stop now. She was getting closer than ever to finding out the truth about Alexander Cross, and there was no way she would let herself get diverted by anything, especially the way she felt drawn to him every time she thought about him. Her phone buzzed again, waking her from her daydream. It was a message from her friend at Cross Industries: "Cassidy, I have something you need to see." In an hour, meet me at the usual spot. Don't tell anyone. You should hear this. The regular spot. Cassidy's heart rate sped up. She didn't appreciate how unclear the message was. But her instinct told her that this may be the big break she needed. She called her editor as she made a fast turn to go to the quiet coffee shop near her apartment. "I'm going to meet someone." She said, "I need more time on the next piece," then she hung up without waiting for an answer. She didn't want to have to explain herself again. She was about to do something big, and this was too crucial. When she got there, the coffee shop was virtually empty. There was only one other customer at the far end, and he was busy with his laptop. Cassidy looked around the room to make sure no one was watching before sliding into the booth where she had planned to meet her source. Cassidy's fingers drummed on the table furiously for a few minutes. She looked at her watch. Five minutes after they had said they would. She was just about to send him a text when the door opened and someone walked in. Cassidy's heart skipped a beat when she looked up. He was Evan, her source inside Cross Industries. He swiftly looked around the room and found her, then walked over. Cassidy's eyes widened as she saw how scared he seemed. "What's going on?" she questioned in a quiet voice. Evan sat down in the chair across from her, his hands shaking as he took out a file. He looked around the room uncomfortably before he spoke. "You were right. Alexander Cross is more than just a businessman. He's doing something much worse than I expected. Cassidy's stomach turned. "What are you talking about?" He looked around again before moving the file across the table. "The corruption goes beyond just stealing money. Cassidy, it's human trafficking. Cross Industries is in the middle of it. They've been leveraging their global network to transport people, especially women, from other countries for who knows what. But I've seen the proof. They're involved. And Alexander Cross is the most important part of it all. The words hit her like a smack in the face. Cassidy had thought the billionaire could have filthy hands, but this? Trafficking people? She had to calm down and breathe. "How do you know this?" And what does it have to do with Alexander? Evan looked down at the table, his hands in fists. "Because Cross is the one who is in charge. He may not be actively participating, but he is in charge. His business has been lying to governments, creating false NGOs, and even paying off officials to keep it quiet. Cassidy's heart raced in her chest. "This is crazy. Why are you telling me this now? "I've been trying to get more information, but they already know what I'm up to," Evan stated in a hushed voice. "I don't feel safe anymore. I had to leave before they come for me. You are my only hope of getting this information out, so I'm telling you. Cassidy's thoughts was racing. She had no idea this would be so large. She had started her research with the intention of exposing financial fraud, but now she was looking at a criminal enterprise that was much bigger than she had planned for. "Is this the whole file?" she questioned, looking at the big pile of papers. Evan shook his head. "I have a more complete set of papers, but they're locked up for now." Cross's security is quite strong. But I have some stuff that can show he was involved. Cassidy, just be careful. These people don't follow the rules. And if they think you've figured it out, they'll be quick to shut you up. Cassidy's fingers clasped around the file, and her mind was immediately racing over her choices. She couldn't afford to freak out, but the stakes had just gone up to a level she wasn't ready for. "Evan, you need to leave right now. Now. "I'll take care of the rest," she responded, her voice keen with eagerness. He nodded and looked back over his shoulder. "I'm putting my faith in you with this. Cassidy, don't let them get away with it. Then he got up and walked quickly to the door without saying anything further, leaving Cassidy alone with the paperwork. Cassidy sat there for some time, staring at the paperwork. The weight of the situation was heavy on her. She shook her hands as she opened the first page. There were all the names, dates, and relationships. Cross Industries, the firm owned by Alexander Cross, was very crooked. And he was at the heart of it all. While reading the papers, she hardly noticed the time passing. Every page felt like a punch in the gut, and every new piece of information confirmed what she had thought: Alexander Cross was not a hero. In this story, he was the bad guy. But there was one thing she couldn't get rid of. Cassidy couldn't help but remember the gleam in Alexander's eyes when they talked earlier, even though the evidence was against him. The CEO was present, but there was something else just below the surface. A need? A little bit of guilt? She couldn't make up her mind. But the more she thought about it, the less it mattered. It was her mission to find out the truth. Not to think about it again. Cassidy put the papers back in the file and exited the coffee shop, already thinking about what she would do next. She had to meet with her editor, get additional people to help her, and figure out how to bring this empire down for good. The file Evan had given her was only the beginning. Now, Cassidy Lane was in the fight of her life. But there was one thing that kept her up at night and bothered her: Why did Alexander Cross seem like he was hiding something?
