The Meridian Files 1 - Hold the Line

Some children disappear. Others are erased. When billionaire philanthropist Kensington Taite discovers impossible patterns hidden within the child relocation network he helped create, he hires investigative consultant Nicolas Gunthar to uncover the truth. Every audit is flawless. Every safeguard appears intact. Every record insists the system is working exactly as designed. But children are still vanishing. At the same time, child advocate Ira Rowan refuses to accept the unexplained disappearance of a young girl from the foster system. As her investigation collides with Nic's, they uncover evidence of a hidden operation concealed beneath layers of bureaucracy, sealed records, and institutional trust. What begins as the search for one missing child quickly becomes a race against an organization powerful enough to rewrite history, silence witnesses, and eliminate anyone who gets too close. Every discovery reveals another layer of a conspiracy designed to operate in plain sight, protected by wealth, influence, and the assumption that no one will ever question a system that appears flawless. As the body count rises and time runs out for children trapped inside a network no one knows exists, Nic and Ira must decide how far they're willing to go to expose the truth. Because once they cross the line, there is no turning back. Hold the Line: Chain of Custody is the gripping first novel in The Meridian Files, a suspense-filled conspiracy thriller where every clue matters, every choice carries a cost, and the greatest threat is hidden in plain sight.