Chapter 98 Who is the Kidnapper
Robert listened to Diana's breakdown and thought it made sense. "Alright, I'll check out what Finnian's been up to tomorrow," he said.
Diana nodded, thinking it was best to clear things up in the next couple of days to better handle the kidnappers.
Diana yawned, rubbed her tired eyes, and said, "It's getting late, let's get some sleep."
Seeing she was exhausted, Robert didn't push any further. They said their goodnights and headed to their rooms.
Early the next morning, despite her fatigue, Diana got up.
To her surprise, Robert and Isolde were already up, sitting silently on the couch in the living room, lost in thought.
When Diana walked over, Isolde turned and said in a hoarse voice, "Diana, you're up."
Diana sat next to her, took her hand, and said, "Don't worry, we've narrowed down the location. We have a plan, and Cecil will be safe."
Isolde's face was blank as she quietly said, "I had a nightmare last night. The person who kidnapped Cecil was cruel. Even after getting the money, he wasn't satisfied and..."
She couldn't finish, but the bloody scenes from her dream filled her with fear.
"They're just dreams, Isolde. You need to stay strong. Cecil is waiting for us to rescue him. If you fall apart now, what will happen to Cecil?" Diana decided to give Isolde a bit of a jolt, realizing that constant crying would undermine their confidence in rescuing Cecil.
Isolde stopped crying, her eyes red but her gaze determined. "You're right, I can't collapse! Diana, tell me, what should I do today?"
Diana approved of her change in attitude.
Just then, Evelyn brought breakfast over, and Diana led Isolde to the dining table. "Let's eat first, and we'll talk while we eat."
Evelyn, also worried about Cecil, hadn't slept well and the breakfast she prepared wasn't as lavish as usual.
But no one had the energy to focus on eating; they were all intently watching Diana, waiting for her to outline the plan.
Robert had already arranged to investigate Finnian, so there was no need to discuss that further.
The main focus was on what Isolde should do next.
Diana said, "Isolde, you don't need to do anything except follow the kidnapper's instructions to get the money. Divide it up and place it where he specified. You should look worn out and as scared as possible."
Isolde frowned slightly. "But won't that just play into the kidnapper's hands?"
Diana's eyes were sharp and determined. "We need to play along with him. We can't afford to anger him; we must ensure Cecil's safety. The five million dollars must be real. Once he gets the first installment, he'll likely ask for the rest to be transferred. Large transfers take time, even if he uses multiple accounts. That time will be our best chance to catch him."
Isolde understood but still didn't know how Diana planned to identify the kidnapper. "Then I'll go get the money after breakfast, as much as I can."
"Yes, I'll have Evelyn and the bodyguards go with you. It doesn't have to be exactly five million dollars; just make it look convincing. Since there might be a mole among the bodyguards, your activities under their watch will help put the kidnapper at ease," Diana added.
Evelyn, realizing she was part of the plan, immediately perked up. "Ms. Spencer, I will protect Ms. Porter!"
Diana smiled and nodded. "You all need to protect yourselves. Besides the bodyguards, I'll have people following you secretly."
After breakfast, everyone knew their tasks and moved quickly.
Diana didn't say what she would be doing, and no one asked.
After everyone left, Diana returned to her room to wait for a call. She needed to pinpoint a more specific location.
Isolde had taken her phone, but Diana had installed a program on it, allowing her to eavesdrop on their conversations even from home.
While waiting for the call, Diana kept busy, searching for possible hideouts for the kidnapper in the southern part of Evergreen City.
It was a pity that until the afternoon, the kidnappers didn't call again.
Diana took the opportunity to look into Finnian's background. What she found was mostly formal information. For more detailed personal history, she would have to wait for Robert's findings.
While Diana was busy, her phone rang. It was a call from Billy.
She remembered that since telling him they didn't need to borrow money yesterday, he hadn't contacted her.
On the other end, Billy sounded downcast and his voice was faint. "I'm sorry, Diana. My dad doesn't want to use military resources to help us, but I've already got people looking into it. We'll have news soon."
Diana hadn't expected him to apologize.
This was just a matter of friends helping each other out, and Billy's concern was already more than enough.
Diana knew Billy had a strained relationship with Vance, and that he had done his best.
So she spoke gently, comforting him, "It's okay, we've already come up with a plan. Take care of yourself and don't let your father get to you."
Hearing her comforting, Billy's nose tingled, and he almost cried.
The physical pain and guilt of the night faded away, leaving him feeling warm and much more stable.
Billy added, "Okay, Diana, let me come and help you. Is there anything I can do?"
Diana scratched her head, thinking there really wasn't anything he could do.
In fact, Billy's presence might make the kidnappers more cautious, possibly causing them to change their hideout, which would be disastrous.
Diana frowned, unsure how to tell Billy, and could only say tactfully, "You can join us for the celebration dinner later. For now, focus on your company's affairs."
Billy felt a bit defeated by her words, thinking he had done something wrong, and his tone became a bit resentful. "I just want to help."
Diana quickly reassured him, "I see, but we can't alert the kidnappers. Your identity is too special. If they know you're from the Richardson Family, they might be too scared to show themselves."
Billy finally understood. He had always enjoyed the privileges of his status, and being rejected because of it was unexpected.
But since Diana had explained, Billy didn't press further. He just reminded Diana to take care of herself and prioritize her safety in dangerous situations.
Diana agreed to everything.
After hanging up, she noticed a message from Nolan.
Nolan: [The kidnapper is Finnian.]
That was all Nolan said.
Diana was very curious and sent many messages to ask for more details, but Nolan's replies were cold and brief.
Nolan: [Investigated.]
Diana had suspected as much, and Nolan's confirmation saved her a lot of trouble.
'Why would Nolan help me investigate? Did Charles put him up to it? Whatever, I already agreed to one of his conditions. Maybe he's feeling guilty and wants to help more.' Diana stared at her phone's chat window, deep in thought.
Now that they had a suspect, all she needed to do was listen to a few more calls to nail down the location.
She eagerly waited for the kidnapper's call.
Finally, the call came, just as she hoped.
Diana, listening in, could only hear Isolde and the kidnapper; she couldn't speak.
The kidnapper's voice was mocking. "Not bad, did you get everything ready?"
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