CHAPTER 110: TAKEN

We all headed to the police station and Nicole was immediately taken to the airtight interrogation room where she would be further cross-examined by the island’s police to get her detailed statement regarding the death of my father. Although my presence wasn’t required, I stayed in a sealed designated room for officers with a one-way mirror to listen and witness the interrogation process.

I listened to Nicole's statement while being asked a series of questions by the interrogator, but just the first part of it. My heart couldn’t bear the detailed and actual steps she took that led to dad’s death, so I decided to leave the room in haste. 

“Hey! Are you alright? Where are you going?” 

I didn’t notice that Lewis followed me behind. I don’t know what’s happening to me right now. I should be extremely rejoicing right now, because finally the long wait is over and the case of my father’s murder has been solved, but I can’t figure out why I still felt odd, like I was suddenly troubled by something unknown. There was this certain kind of feeling inside of me, in which I couldn’t exactly determine why I was feeling it. It was a mixture of disturbance and restlessness. My heart was anxious about something I couldn’t name, which I am totally clueless about what causes them. 

“It’s suffocating inside, I just need a little bit of air before I go see Mr. Frazer,” I uttered truthfully as I started to breathe a series of air heavily, hoping it would somehow ease the indescribable tension I was feeling in myself. 

“I know, Baby, but are you alright? You want me to come with you as you handed Dylan Frazer his money?” 

“No, I can manage it on my own.”

“Are you sure, Penelope? You look somewhat unsettled. Is something the matter?” He asked worriedly as he rubbed both my arms in a gentle caress. 

“Maybe I am just physically tired and in an emotional loop. I’ll go see Dylan Frazer and hand him his reward, then we can head to the hotel afterward to rest.”

“Alright! I’ll head back inside. Are you sure you’re fine?”

An exhausted smile appeared on my face as I nodded at him. After giving me a heartfelt and warm hug, we parted ways and I walked to where Dylan Frazer was, who was at the chief’s office with the ransom money and the ones I was with from New York. The minute I walked in, almost all eyes were on me, but mine was fixed on the man of the hour, who was the only one whose eyes were shut closed as his head was leaning back on a cushion. He was seated still with hands both clamped in his front and looked like he was controlling his breath at some point.  

“Miss Hunt, please come in,” The chief of police said, who immediately snapped Dylan Frazer from his seat and directly gazed at me. The minute our eyes met, I knew something was bothering him, which brought me back to the time I saw him earlier inside the car when we were outside the villa Nicole was in. I was about to utter a word to him when the chief continued. “I guess this is the moment where you will be handing the reward to our hero. You are one lucky man, Mr. Frazer. Please feel free to do so, Miss Hunt.”

“Uhm, can you give me a minute to talk to Mr. Frazer alone please?”

“Sure, Miss Hunt. Take all the time you need”, he approvingly said, and swiftly left the office, followed by the others. 

Once alone with Dylan Frazer, I slowly walked towards the cushion he was on and sat across him silently. In between us were the bags that carried the ransom money. 

“Thank you once again for helping us find Nicole, Mr. Frazer. I can’t thank you enough and no words can ever describe how grateful I really was. We couldn’t have done anything without you.”

“I did what I guess every man would be doing, Miss Hunt,” Dylan spoke instantly after releasing a deep sigh. 

“Still, thank you so much.” My hands promptly opened the bags to show him his money. “And as promised, here is the ransom money I swore to give. One million dollars. Tax free. It’s all yours, Mr. Frazer,” His eyes darted at the bags and slowly leaned forward to have a feel of the prize he gained. 

I was watching his reaction carefully. I would be extremely overjoyed if I was in his shoes right now, but he wasn’t, which totally puzzled me. After a while, he stared straight right at me. His eyes were filled with tears, but not with joy and delight. He swiftly slumped back before shaking his head vigorously. It was as if he was in deep turmoil and, by the looks of it, he was somewhat regretful of something. I was about to ask him why, but he spoke afterward. 

“I should be extremely pleased, right? I should be rejoicing right now because of this reward. Finally, I am rich and could do anything I wished to do with my life, but…” 

“But you aren’t, why?” His eyes met mine. I saw guilt in them, pure and unadulterated guilt like he just betrayed someone dear to him. 

It took a while before he voiced something that shocked me unexpectedly. “I fell in love with her. I fell for someone whom I shouldn’t, fuck this foolish heart.” He honestly confessed after cursing under his breath. I was literally out of words. I couldn’t believe what I just heard. So that's why he was acting so strangely. Now I get it. Now I understand why he was troubled and acting peculiarly. 

“I know I wasn’t supposed to say this, Dylan, since I am in no position to judge anyone, but Nicole wasn’t as good as she looks. You shouldn’t fall for someone like her, she’s a bad person.”

“I know and believe me I tried not to, but it happened. I never thought I would feel this way for her. I had everything under control until my heart fucked up. I betrayed her trust. She opened up to me wholeheartedly, not knowing that I was the one who would bring her to her downfall. I’m truly sorry for her and my conscience wouldn’t let me be at peace, because I put her in this position even after she trusted me with everything. I feel so guilty of my actions.”

“Doing what’s good isn’t always easy, Dylan, and I know this is all hard for you. I know whatever I say wouldn’t ease what you are feeling now, but I hope someday you find it in yourself to let go of the guilt, because we both know that what you’ve done was humane and noble. You gave my father’s death justice, and I am forever grateful to you. I pray that someday you find the peace you truly deserve,” I faithfully concluded before standing up and abruptly leaving him behind. 

I couldn’t force myself to be at ease even when we arrived at the hotel the NYPD booked for us. I am lying beside Lewis now and trying to be emotionally detached from Dylan Frazer’s unexpected revelation, but I couldn’t seem to pull myself off from his confession. 

“Hey, are you alright? I had been watching you the entire time at the police station. I wasn’t expecting what I am seeing in you now. What is troubling you, Baby?” 

“It’s Dylan Frazer.”

“What about him?”

“He’s in love with Nicole, and he is feeling guilty of what he did to her.” 

“Oh man! He must be heavily burdened right now.”

“He was. He looked like the world collapsed right in front of him.”

“Well, shit happens all the time, Penelope, and sometimes there’s nothing we can do about it. Don’t stress yourself. He will eventually cope with this in time. What you should be doing right now is resting. We need all the rest we can have. It’s been one hell of a day.” 

“You’re right. I shouldn’t bother myself with other people's personal affairs and…” My words were interrupted when my phone suddenly rang. I was about to move, but Lewis swiftly climbed down the bed and headed to where our phones were located. “Who’s calling? Was it from the police station?”

“No, it’s from home. Mr. Gregory is calling you.”

“That’s odd. Answer it then” He did and I just looked at him waiting. After a short while of talking to Mr. McConnery, his eyes swiftly darted at me. My heart suddenly thumps loudly as I stare at him in confusion. He was looking at me with bulging eyes. I couldn’t figure out the looks in them, but I knew something was not right. The hand that held my phone was shaking vigorously, and his face became ashen in an instant. 

“I will tell her. We will be back as soon as possible. Please keep us posted, Mr. Gregory,” He momentarily said before ending the call and slowly placing it back on the tabletop. 

“What about? Why did Mr. McConnery call?” His body was now shaking all over and panic started to crawl at me. I was waiting for him to speak, but he seemed to be in a state of shock. “Lewis! What happened back home? Why did Mr. McConnery call?”

“Something happened at home, Penelope. We must return as soon as possible.”

I could feel my body trembling uncontrollably as my mind started to think of the cause of our butler’s untimely call. My heart was racing rapidly, and I suddenly felt chills running through my entire body. 

“What? What happened back home?” He sighed heavily and burdensome before responding. His eyes were now filled with fright and anxiety. 

“Michelle’s missing. She’s been taken.”