Chapter 341 The Kidnapper's Conditions
Suddenly, Alaric slammed his hand on the table and shouted, "Got it! We've got a signal! Diana, come check this out! This blinking red dot on the screen is Lila's location! She's near an abandoned factory in the next city over."
I was so excited I almost tripped rushing back to the office. Seeing that red dot on the screen lit a fire of hope in me. I exclaimed, "That's awesome, Alaric! You're incredible! Let's go get her right now."
I quickly sent an urgent email to our partners in the neighboring city, describing Lila's appearance, the circumstances of her disappearance, and the location. I begged them to check it out ASAP.
The waiting was torture. I sat at my desk, my mind racing with rescue plans, when there was a soft knock on the office door.
"Come in," I said automatically.
The door creaked open, and Lila's parents, Lachlan and Jessa Green, walked in, leaning on each other and following Amy. The elderly couple looked worn out, their eyes filled with worry and helplessness.
Seeing Lachlan and Jessa threw me off. I hadn't expected them to show up right now.
"Please sit down," I said, my voice catching a bit as I hurried to greet them.
Lachlan and Jessa had Lila later in life and adored her. Lila was in danger because of a company project, and as her friend and boss, I felt responsible for not keeping her safe.
At that time, Jessa grabbed my hand tightly, her voice shaking, "Diana, our Lila has always been such a good, honest girl. How could she be kidnapped?"
"Kidnapped?" I was taken aback and realized they must know something. I quickly sat beside Jessa and asked gently, "Mrs. Green, did you get a call from the kidnappers? Did they make any demands?"
Jessa's eyes filled with tears, her voice breaking. "The kidnappers said if we want Lila safe, you have to give up those goods. Diana, we are old and don't understand business stuff. Lila's a lawyer; how did she get mixed up with goods?"
Seeing their worried faces made me feel even guiltier. I didn't want them to know Lila was in danger because she was helping me with a lawsuit. I said, "I'll take care of the goods issue. The priority is Lila's safety. We've tracked Lila's phone to the neighboring city, but we can't be sure it's her exact location. We're also worried the kidnappers might be setting a trap. Did they tell you anything else?"
Hearing this, Lachlan suddenly remembered something. He said, "The kidnappers warned us not to call the police but didn't say where Lila is being held."
I asked urgently, "Mr. Green, have you been able to contact Lila directly?"Lachlan shook his head and replied, "We asked to speak with Lila, but the kidnappers refused. We've spent our lives teaching at the university, always honest and upright. We never imagined Lila would face such a crisis. Diana, you have to save her!"
The usually composed and strong elderly man couldn't hold back his tears. Alaric stepped forward to comfort them, "Please don't worry. Diana has already contacted our partners in the neighboring city to search for the location. Do you remember the kidnappers' contact information? If we have it, we might find more clues and identify the kidnappers to rescue Lila quickly."
"Yes, we have it," Lachlan said, his voice trembling as he pulled out his phone and showed Alaric the number.
Alaric tried calling the number, but the message indicated it had been disconnected. Frustrated, he returned the phone to Lachlan and said, "It seems the kidnappers were prepared. The number is no longer in service."
Hearing this, Jessa let out a heart-wrenching cry and collapsed backward. Lachlan's face turned pale as he struggled to support her. Jessa leaned against the couch, sobbing, "My daughter, my poor Lila."
I turned to Alaric and said, "Looks like we'll need to coordinate with multiple parties."
Then I addressed Lachlan and Jessa, "We have some leads and are doing everything we can. The most important thing for you now is to take care of yourselves. When Lila returns safely, you'll need to be strong to care for her. I promise we'll do everything possible to bring Lila back safely." With that, I bowed deeply to them.
Then I said, "Amy, please take Mr. and Mrs. Green to rest and make sure they're comfortable."
Hearing this, Amy stepped forward to help Lachlan and Jessa out of the office. As they left, Jessa continued to sob, "Diana, if you contact the kidnappers, tell them we have money. We're willing to give all our savings to get Lila back."
I quickly responded, "Mrs. Green, don't worry. If we need money to ransom Lila, I'll cover the cost."
I suddenly thought of something and asked, "Does Lucas know about this?"
Lila had been missing for hours, yet there was no sign of Lucas. Given his feelings for Lila, he should have been frantic.
Lachlan and Jessa looked surprised by my question. Lachlan replied, "He might be busy with his own affairs. We haven't called him."
I was taken aback, "Why didn't you look for Lucas together?"
Lachlan sighed, "We didn't initially approve of Lila marrying Lucas. Lucas is fine, but his family, especially his father, always seems unreliable and dangerous. But Lila loves Lucas and was determined to marry him. We're just an ordinary family, not looking to climb the social ladder or invite trouble. So, we don't interact much with the Jackson family."
After hearing Lachlan's explanation, I understood.
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