Chapter 67 The Cunning Man
"Hey, Mr. Smith, John didn't mean anything by it. Don't sweat it," Rachel said, glancing at her watch. "It's getting late, we should head out. Take your time finding Miss Brown. Hope you find her soon. Bye!"
She flashed a smile at Michael, grabbed John's arm, and they left.
As Michael watched them walk away, laughing and chatting, his mood darkened. For six years, she'd been so cold to him. After the divorce, she quickly surrounded herself with other men and could smile so brightly at them. How could someone like her compare to Mandy?
Thinking about Catherine's past complaints about Mandy and her warning not to regret the divorce, he felt only irony. Regret? No way!
Shaking off thoughts of Rachel, Michael dialed his phone with a stern expression. "Still no sign of her?"
"No, I've searched the area around the restaurant with my team, but no luck. Should we call the cops?" David suggested from the restaurant entrance.
Michael gripped the phone tightly, his voice low and tense, "It's pointless. We can't be sure if Mandy's disappearance is an accident. The police won't get involved."
"So, what now?" David asked, looking around and shivering from the cold.
Michael paused before replying, "Keep asking around the area. See if anyone's seen Mandy."
David nodded. "Got it, Mr. Smith!"
Michael put away his phone, left the restaurant, and drove to the Brown family home. He arrived quickly.
Michael walked in with Matthew just as Ethan and Charlotte were coming down the stairs. Seeing him alone, they asked, "Michael, where's Mandy?"
Charlotte looked back, worried. "Hasn't she come in yet?"
Michael looked at her and said seriously, "Mrs. Brown, Mandy is missing!"
Charlotte was stunned. "What did you say? Mandy is missing?"
Michael nodded.
Ethan's face darkened. "Michael, wasn't Mandy with you? How did she go missing?"
"She went to the restroom during dinner and never came back. I sent people to look for her, but we haven't found her yet. I'm worried something might have happened to her," Michael replied, guilt in his eyes.
Charlotte's eyes rolled back, and she fainted. "Charlotte!" Ethan shouted, catching her.
Michael stepped forward to help. They got Charlotte to the sofa, and Ethan performed emergency measures.
Finally, Charlotte coughed and woke up, pounding her chest and crying, "Ethan, Mandy is missing."
"I know." Ethan held her, patting her back. "Don't worry, we'll find Mandy!"
Just then, Michael's phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and answered, "Hello."
"Mr. Smith, we've got a lead on Miss Brown," David's excited voice came through. "A passerby saw a masked man take her into a van."
Michael's eyes narrowed. "Check the surrounding surveillance and find out where that van went."
"On it," David replied.
After the call, Ethan stared at Michael. "Any news about Mandy?"
"Mandy's been kidnapped," Michael said, putting down his phone, his voice dripping with anger.
Charlotte's sobs grew louder, and she nearly fainted again.
Ethan's face turned dark, his teeth clenched. "Who dares to touch my daughter!"
"We don't know yet, but once we catch them..." Michael started.
Ethan cut him off, his expression fierce. "Once we catch them, leave them to me. I'll make them wish they were dead!" He wanted to make it clear that no one could mess with his daughter without facing the consequences.
Michael nodded. "Mr. Brown, let's call the police. Now that we know Mandy's been kidnapped, they can get involved right away. With their help, we should find her faster."
Ethan was about to agree when Charlotte stopped him, her voice sharp, "No, we can't call the police. Absolutely not. I can't lose Mandy too, no!"
She seemed to be in shock, her body trembling, her face full of fear, completely losing her usual composure.
Michael was taken aback. "Mr. Brown, what's wrong with Mrs. Brown?"
Ethan held Charlotte tightly, comforting her like a child. "Okay, we won't call the police, we won't."
Hearing this, Charlotte's trembling eased, but the fear in her eyes remained.
Ethan stroked her hair and sighed. "Charlotte's having an episode."
Michael frowned. "An episode?"
Ethan nodded. "Yes. Mandy might have mentioned she had a sister?"
Michael nodded.
Ethan's eyes filled with intense hatred, his face almost twisted. "Her sister's name was Grace; she was our first child. She was kidnapped when she was young. Calling the police angered the kidnappers, and Grace was brutally drowned. Since then, Charlotte's mental state has been unstable until..."
Ethan's eyes flickered. "Until Mandy was born. She gave Charlotte comfort, and her condition gradually improved. But now, Mandy's disappearance has caused Charlotte's long-dormant illness to relapse!"
Michael nodded, understanding. Charlotte was terrified that calling the police would anger the kidnappers and put Mandy's life in danger.
"In that case, I'll contact a security company to rescue Mandy," Michael said. He was about to make a call when his phone rang. The call was for Ethan.
Ethan released Charlotte, took out his phone, and saw an unknown number. He hesitated, then answered, "Hello. This is Ethan."
"You're looking for me?" The man's voice on the other end was casual but chilling.
Ethan frowned. "Who are you?"
"Forgot me so soon? I told you I had another gift for you." The man laughed, a dry, grating sound that made Ethan's skin crawl.
Ethan's face changed drastically, and he shouted, "It's you!" Ethan suddenly realized that he was the cunning man who had left a deep impression on him last time!
Michael looked at Ethan, confused. "Mr. Brown, what's going on?"
Ethan's hand trembled slightly, not responding.
On the phone, the man laughed triumphantly. "It's me. I heard you were looking for me, so I showed up. Touched?"
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