Chapter 1298
Jerome seemed to read Audrey's mind. "Don't even think about running, Audrey. The consequences wouldn't be… pleasant. This place is crawling with men who haven't seen a woman in weeks. If they catch you, it won't just be… unpleasant. It'll be… brutal. I have some business to attend to outside. Remember, you're safe as long as you stay in this room." And with that, he left.
Audrey sat on the bed, exhausted and overwhelmed. Since Quentin had bundled her into his car, this was the first moment she'd felt even remotely safe. But even this fragile sanctuary felt precarious, every second a ticking clock. The fear that Jerome might change his mind, that Quentin might burst in, kept her on edge. She didn't dare leave the room, clinging to the hope that Jerome would keep his word and let her go.
Meanwhile, at Vanessa's house, Detective Captain Mark was questioning her husband, Andrew, who had returned from a trip to the countryside the previous day.
"Did your wife exhibit any unusual behavior prior to her disappearance?" Mark asked, his eyes fixed on Andrew. In missing person cases, the spouse was always the prime suspect. He'd seen Vanessa's picture; she was a beautiful woman, and Andrew had been away on business.
In his experience, women like Vanessa attracted attention, and that attention often led to trouble, usually with a jealous husband snapping.
"No, nothing out of the ordinary," Andrew replied, his brow furrowed with worry. "Captain, do you think something really happened to her? She's a schoolteacher. She doesn't have any enemies. Why would anyone want to… take her?"
"It's too early to say," Mark said casually, though he'd already mentally discounted Andrew as a suspect. His reactions seemed genuine, no forced grief, no tell-tale signs of deception. And he'd been out of town, which provided a solid alibi. Still, it was early in the investigation.
His phone rang, interrupting the interview. Mark answered, his expression hardening as he listened. A fight had broken out at a market in South Harmony, one fatality, one critically injured. This was the third violent incident this month, and the pressure from the Chief to find answers was immense.
Mark turned back to Andrew. "Mr. Davis, we'll continue to investigate your wife's disappearance. If you hear anything, anything at all, please call me immediately." He hurried downstairs, jumped in his cruiser, and sped off towards the market, lights flashing, siren wailing.
Mark was frustrated. This was the worst period of his career. Harmony County was experiencing a surge in violent crime, and the County Executive was breathing down the police department's neck. The entire force was stretched thin, his detective team especially. Officers were collapsing from exhaustion at crime scenes. Mark himself had been practically living at the precinct, buried in case files.
He had a hunch, though. He suspected this recent wave of violence was connected to Jasper and a man named Jerome. He'd spoken to a retired detective, learned about a decades-old feud between the northern and southern gangs. Was the southern gang trying to resurge, reclaim their territory? Mark had always wanted to bring Jasper down, but now, with Jasper gone, Harmony County was falling apart. He almost missed the days when Jasper was around. At least then, when someone got killed, he knew where to start looking. Now… it was chaos.
Arriving at the market, Mark found several patrol cars already on the scene, forensics processing the area around the body. The victim had been stabbed in the abdomen, bled out where he lay. The attacker had fled, leaving behind another man, critically injured and already transported to the hospital.
After the scene was cleared, Mark stepped away from the activity, lit a cigarette, and inhaled deeply. Another life lost. The weight on his shoulders grew heavier. He knew he'd be heading back to the precinct soon, facing another barrage of criticism from the Chief, but the constant reprimands had begun to lose their sting.
He'd recently received commendation for apprehending a fugitive, held hopes for a promotion, but now… it felt like a distant dream. If things continued like this, he might lose his position as Captain.
"Mark." A voice called out. Mark looked up to see a woman approaching. It was Daisy. He quickly extinguished his cigarette and walked over. "Daisy, what brings you here?"
"Just picking up some spices. We ran out." Daisy smiled, her eyes glancing towards the police tape. "What happened here? Another… incident?"
"Yeah, a fight. One dead, one injured." Mark didn't bother trying to downplay it with Daisy. She was more connected than he was, often more privy to the inner workings of the county.
"Good heavens." Daisy's beautiful, mature face registered surprise. Then her brow furrowed with concern. "Mark, you must be under a lot of pressure. You look exhausted. Are you getting any sleep?"
"Not much," Mark admitted with a rueful chuckle. Sleep had become a rare commodity. He glanced at Daisy's elegant figure, her knit cardigan and wide-legged pants accentuating her poise and maturity. Her full breasts, noticeable beneath the soft fabric, exuded a sophisticated sensuality, drawing the eye, radiating the confident allure of a mature woman. Even in the dim light, her complexion glowed.
"Daisy," he said quietly, "be careful. Don't go out alone at night. It's not safe. There have been five missing persons recently, all women."
"That's awful." Daisy frowned, wanting to ask more, but holding back. "You take care too, Mark."
Daisy didn't linger. After a brief farewell, she got back in her car and drove towards Dawnridge. As she approached her neighborhood, she saw a figure standing motionless under a streetlight. Remembering Mark's warning, she looked closer, surprised to see it was Kevin. She pulled over, got out of her car, and approached him cautiously. "Kevin? What are you doing here so late?"
Kevin seemed lost in thought. Daisy's voice startled him. He turned, his expression bewildered. "Daisy? What are you doing here?"
"I was at the market," Daisy said, smiling gently. "What about you? You seem troubled. Did Audrey give you a hard time again?"
"Daisy, something's happened to Audrey," Kevin mumbled, holding up his phone. "I've been calling her. Her phone's dead."
"What?" Daisy's smile vanished. She gripped Kevin's arm. "What happened? Tell me!"
Kevin explained the events of the evening, omitting his rendezvous with Alissa. "Daisy, I've looked everywhere, even at the school. I can't find her. Do you think… do you think something's happened to her?"
"Kevin, try not to panic. Let me make a call." Daisy tried to sound calm, but her heart was pounding. Had she not just spoken to Mark, she might have dismissed Kevin's fears. But now… she suspected Audrey's disappearance might be connected to the other missing women.
Stepping away, she called Mark and quickly explained the situation. Mark arrived shortly after and questioned Kevin thoroughly. After a few more phone calls, he addressed them both. "The department is taking these disappearances very seriously. We've formed a task force and are coordinating with the local military base. We'll find these people, and we'll shut them down. Go home, both of you, and wait for news."
Kevin, though frantic, could only rely on Mark. In a city the size of Harmony County, he had no resources, no leads. He felt helpless, regretting not following Audrey when she'd stormed off.
After Mark left, Daisy saw Kevin still standing there, dazed and lost. She walked over and gently patted his head. "Come on, Kevin. I know you're worried, but standing here won't bring her back. We have to wait. Let's go home. It's cold, and you'll catch a chill."
"Daisy, just… leave me alone. I'll wait here. Maybe she's just… trying to scare me. I don't believe she'd just… disappear." Kevin couldn't accept the possibility of Audrey being abducted, clinging to the hope that she was simply angry, trying to make him worry.
"Kevin, you'll freeze standing here all night. Come with me." Daisy took his hand and led him towards her car.
Kevin, numb with worry, feeling like a hollow shell, got in the car. Images of Audrey being assaulted by unseen assailants flooded his mind. His heart ached. He clenched his fists. If anything happened to her, he'd never forgive himself.
The car stopped. Kevin looked up, realizing they were in an upscale residential area. He looked at Daisy, puzzled. "Daisy, why are we here?"
"I don't feel right leaving you alone tonight." Daisy unbuckled her seatbelt, engaged the parking brake, and pulled out her keys. She looked at him kindly. "Stay at my place tonight."
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