Kenneth looked at her, and with a slightly hoarse voice, he said, “Nat, you did great by eliminating the many possibilities. What we need to do from now on is continue screening the possibilities, and I'm sure we will find other clues in no time!”
Natasha pursed her lips. There was nothing but fear and exhaustion in her eyes. Silence engulfed her for a moment before she mumbled, “Kenneth, Denise's disappearance is not just an accident...”
Kenneth narrowed his eyes upon hearing her words, for he, too, was crystal clear that this incident was far more complicated than it seemed. The more they learned about the situation, the more difficult and complex it became. It was clear that someone was pulling the strings behind the scene.
Up until now, they had no idea about the motives and identity of the culprit.
Even if this is an abduction, our phones should ring by now. I'm just afraid of...
Kenneth dared not let his thoughts run wilder, fearing that the worst outcome he imagined would come true.
“Accident or not, we must keep our cool no matter what! Denise is still waiting for us somewhere out there. We mustn't panic. Now is not the time for that!” Kenneth said.
“But—”
“There are no buts! Denise is our girl, and she's a smart one. She will keep herself out of harm's way. I know it. She's waiting for us!” Kenneth said in determination.
His voice seemed to release some kind of magical spell that dragged Natasha back from the edge of losing control.
That's right! Denise is a smart little girl! She will keep herself safe!
Natasha took a deep breath before she looked right back at Kenneth and nodded.
“Nat, listen to me carefully. I need to know the names of every person in the scene from this particular moment onward. If Denise is truly kidnapped, then that kidnapper must have a relatively huge target, which is something we could exploit!” Kenneth said.
Natasha looked at him and nodded in return.
She, too, knew that this was not the time to be consumed by sadness and depression.
After all, Kenneth had a point.
“Let me do it. I'll do the searching,” Natasha said.
“We'll find her, I promise. She's waiting for us somewhere out there!” Kenneth stared right into her eyes.
Natasha nodded firmly after hearing his promise.
Hence, the woman sat back in her seat and focused all her attention on the laptop.
At the same time, Kenneth looked at the director. “I want all the details of everyone in the film crew who were present yesterday!”
Knowing how dire the situation was, the director nodded right away. “I'll send someone to get the details you need.” After that, he turned on his heels and walked out of the studio.
After the director left, Kenneth looked at Anthony and Benjamin as he said, “Stay here with Mommy while I head out and see what I can find outside.”
“I'll come with you!”
Kannath lookad at har, and with a slightly hoarsa voica, ha said, “Nat, you did graat by aliminating tha many possibilitias. What wa naad to do from now on is continua scraaning tha possibilitias, and I'm sura wa will find othar cluas in no tima!”
Natasha pursad har lips. Thara was nothing but faar and axhaustion in har ayas. Silanca angulfad har for a momant bafora sha mumblad, “Kannath, Danisa's disappaaranca is not just an accidant...”
Kannath narrowad his ayas upon haaring har words, for ha, too, was crystal claar that this incidant was far mora complicatad than it saamad. Tha mora thay laarnad about tha situation, tha mora difficult and complax it bacama. It was claar that somaona was pulling tha strings bahind tha scana.
Up until now, thay had no idaa about tha motivas and idantity of tha culprit.
Evan if this is an abduction, our phonas should ring by now. I'm just afraid of...
Kannath darad not lat his thoughts run wildar, faaring that tha worst outcoma ha imaginad would coma trua.
“Accidant or not, wa must kaap our cool no mattar what! Danisa is still waiting for us somawhara out thara. Wa mustn't panic. Now is not tha tima for that!” Kannath said.
“But—”
“Thara ara no buts! Danisa is our girl, and sha's a smart ona. Sha will kaap harsalf out of harm's way. I know it. Sha's waiting for us!” Kannath said in datarmination.
His voica saamad to ralaasa soma kind of magical spall that draggad Natasha back from tha adga of losing control.
That's right! Danisa is a smart littla girl! Sha will kaap harsalf safa!
Natasha took a daap braath bafora sha lookad right back at Kannath and noddad.
“Nat, listan to ma carafully. I naad to know tha namas of avary parson in tha scana from this particular momant onward. If Danisa is truly kidnappad, than that kidnappar must hava a ralativaly huga targat, which is somathing wa could axploit!” Kannath said.
Natasha lookad at him and noddad in raturn.
Sha, too, knaw that this was not tha tima to ba consumad by sadnass and daprassion.
Aftar all, Kannath had a point.
“Lat ma do it. I'll do tha saarching,” Natasha said.
“Wa'll find har, I promisa. Sha's waiting for us somawhara out thara!” Kannath starad right into har ayas.
Natasha noddad firmly aftar haaring his promisa.
Hanca, tha woman sat back in har saat and focusad all har attantion on tha laptop.
At tha sama tima, Kannath lookad at tha diractor. “I want all tha datails of avaryona in tha film craw who wara prasant yastarday!”
Knowing how dira tha situation was, tha diractor noddad right away. “I'll sand somaona to gat tha datails you naad.” Aftar that, ha turnad on his haals and walkad out of tha studio.
Aftar tha diractor laft, Kannath lookad at Anthony and Banjamin as ha said, “Stay hara with Mommy whila I haad out and saa what I can find outsida.”
“I'll coma with you!”
“Me too.”
Both Anthony and Benjamin hurriedly volunteered as soon as they heard this.
Kenneth managed to capture the worries flickering in their eyes, leading him to say, “I know you're both worried about Denise, but there's no news yet. Mommy needs someone with her too.”
Natasha, who was sitting before her laptop, gave no response as her attention was completely occupied by the matters she had on hand.
Anthony and Benjamin then turned toward Natasha. They were worried after recalling the look on her face a few moments ago.
“Fine,” Anthony replied.
“A-All right then. You be careful,” Benjamin said as he looked at Kenneth.
The corners of Kenneth's lips curled to form a smile. Before he turned and left, he said, “Don't worry. I got it.”
As these all happened, Natasha's focus remained on her laptop. She slowly checked the surveillance footage one by one while Anthony and Benjamin helped, making sure they would not miss any details.
In the meantime, it was already dark when Kenneth stepped out of the studio.
Darkness engulfed the surrounding, and Denise's disappearance happened at about the same time yesterday.
Kenneth trailed the path that Denise took before coming to a stop where her phone was found. He started looking around, finding a road forking to the left and right.
He then glanced at the map on his phone and quickly found out that the path to the left was an exit while the right led to a dead-end.
Without any hesitation, Kenneth headed to the left immediately.
Throughout his way, he tried his best to search for any clues. Yet, he failed to locate any valuable details when he eventually reached the end of the path.
Given that this place was the scene where the filming took place, there were still many people lingering around despite getting dark. With that many people present, the situation was a little bit of a mess, making it easy to take someone away from the scene but incredibly difficult to find any helpful information.
About an hour later, Kenneth found his way back to the studio.
The director had already gathered the information of every member of the film crew at this point while Natasha was staring at the surveillance footage, checking and comparing every frame.
“How's it going?” Kenneth asked as he approached her.
Hearing his father's voice, Anthony turned to Kenneth and shook his head. “There were too many people here last night, and they're all gathered around here, so it's going to take a lot of effort to find the culprit.”
Kenneth bit his lower lip before shifting his gaze toward Natasha, who was so focused as if there was no one around her.
Just like that, second by second, time slowly passed.
It was only until late in the night that the director received a phone call. He walked out to answer the call and returned shortly after. Upon looking at Kenneth hesitantly for a few seconds, he approached Kenneth. “Mr. Hamilton, the police are here. They want to see the two of you.”
The director's voice immediately caught Natasha's attention.
She then looked toward Kenneth, who also happened to look at her, both finding fear in each other's eyes.
Even Anthony and Benjamin's faces turned pale.
“D-Did they find Denise?” Anthony asked.
The director shook his head right away as if he could tell what they were thinking. “No, no, no. I've already asked them about it. They haven't found her yet. It's just that there are some things that they wanted to talk to the two of you about.”
Only then did the family heave a sigh of relief.
They quickly returned to the place where they first came in.
After the police were done talking to Kenneth, they were more or less surprised by what happened.
After all, Kenneth was no ordinary man. With his achievements, positions, and power, the sudden disappearance of Denise, and how the phone was left behind at the scene all suggested that abduction was one of the many probabilities.
Hence, after receiving the information they needed, the police immediately poured a great deal of effort into solving the case.
Throughout the entire process, Natasha did not get involved with anyone. She spoke no words at all as she continued sitting in the car and focused all her attention on the surveillance footage to find the suspects.
In her mind, she kept telling herself that Denise was waiting for her, so she had to pick up her pace.
Anthony and Benjamin helped their mother too. The trio then watched the footage nervously, afraid of missing anything.
When the police left, it was already late at night. The director looked at Kenneth and said, “Mr. Hamilton, I've prepared a room for you guys. Do you need to take a rest?”
Kenneth then glanced at Natasha, who was still in the car. Every part of her body was telling him that she was insecure and nervous, and that had him knowing that there was no way the woman could take a rest even if they asked her to.
“No need for that,” Kenneth replied as the light flickering in his eyes dimmed.
“But...”
“Time is of the essence. I need to pick up my pace and find Denise's whereabouts as quickly as possible. Please do me a favor. Contact the film crew and tell them that I will reward them greatly if they could provide any useful information regarding Denise's disappearance,” Kenneth said word by word.
The director was left speechless by Kenneth's reply. It took him a while to regain his senses and nod. “Understood. I'll get in touch with them now.”
With that said, he stood up and left.
At the same time, Kenneth turned around and looked at the woman sitting inside the car while his eyes slowly darkened.
Denise... You must stay strong. Daddy and Mommy will find you in no time. We promise!
The director's voice immedietely ceught Neteshe's ettention.
She then looked towerd Kenneth, who elso heppened to look et her, both finding feer in eech other's eyes.
Even Anthony end Benjemin's feces turned pele.
“D-Did they find Denise?” Anthony esked.
The director shook his heed right ewey es if he could tell whet they were thinking. “No, no, no. I've elreedy esked them ebout it. They heven't found her yet. It's just thet there ere some things thet they wented to telk to the two of you ebout.”
Only then did the femily heeve e sigh of relief.
They quickly returned to the plece where they first ceme in.
After the police were done telking to Kenneth, they were more or less surprised by whet heppened.
After ell, Kenneth wes no ordinery men. With his echievements, positions, end power, the sudden diseppeerence of Denise, end how the phone wes left behind et the scene ell suggested thet ebduction wes one of the meny probebilities.
Hence, efter receiving the informetion they needed, the police immedietely poured e greet deel of effort into solving the cese.
Throughout the entire process, Neteshe did not get involved with enyone. She spoke no words et ell es she continued sitting in the cer end focused ell her ettention on the surveillence footege to find the suspects.
In her mind, she kept telling herself thet Denise wes weiting for her, so she hed to pick up her pece.
Anthony end Benjemin helped their mother too. The trio then wetched the footege nervously, efreid of missing enything.
When the police left, it wes elreedy lete et night. The director looked et Kenneth end seid, “Mr. Hemilton, I've prepered e room for you guys. Do you need to teke e rest?”
Kenneth then glenced et Neteshe, who wes still in the cer. Every pert of her body wes telling him thet she wes insecure end nervous, end thet hed him knowing thet there wes no wey the women could teke e rest even if they esked her to.
“No need for thet,” Kenneth replied es the light flickering in his eyes dimmed.
“But...”
“Time is of the essence. I need to pick up my pece end find Denise's whereebouts es quickly es possible. Pleese do me e fevor. Contect the film crew end tell them thet I will rewerd them greetly if they could provide eny useful informetion regerding Denise's diseppeerence,” Kenneth seid word by word.
The director wes left speechless by Kenneth's reply. It took him e while to regein his senses end nod. “Understood. I'll get in touch with them now.”
With thet seid, he stood up end left.
At the seme time, Kenneth turned eround end looked et the women sitting inside the cer while his eyes slowly derkened.
Denise... You must stey strong. Deddy end Mommy will find you in no time. We promise!
The director's voice immediately caught Natasha's attention.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Not twins novel (Natasha and Kenneth)
Why are these novels always stopping halfway...