Chapter 118
RAVEL
PRESENT TIME
With each pa**ing day, the situation grew increasingly intricate, as if conspiring to compound the challenges we faced. New issues emerged with disconcerting regularity, leaving us on a constant quest for solutions. The latest twist came in the form. of the detective’s parting revelation: David was slated for questioning. It was an announcement that resonated deeply with me, as I had harbored a distinct aversion to David since the beginning. His presence had always managed to rub me the wrong way, though I’d refrained from voicing my concerns too loudly, for fear of being labeled as jealous by Hazel.
The day following the detective’s disclosure was marked by a lengthy and earnest discussion with Hazel. I made it explicitly clear that I not only wanted to be informed about concerning David but that I intended to actively participate in the unfolding investigation. Whatever insights Rigger, our point person, was tasked with delivering to Hazel regarding David, I was determined to be there to bear witness to every detail.
She initially attempted to argue with me regarding my insistence on being involved in the investigation, but it soon became evident that my resolve was unyielding. Reluctantly, she acquiesced to my request, recognizing that I was not to be dissuaded.
Leaving the living room, I made my way into the bedroom and stood there for a moment, watching her as she slept. The familiarity of the scene struck me–Hazel had taken the sleeping pills herself this time, a testament to the insomnia that had plagued her. It was a concern that lingered at the back of my mind; I hoped that her reliance on the medication wouldn’t evolve into an addiction.
As I settled down next to her, I reached out to gently remove the stray hairs from her face. Her peaceful slumber, marked by even breathing and a serene expression, stirred a wish deep within me. I hoped that she would wake up to a world just as tranquil as the one she inhabited in her dreams. Leaning in, I pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, a silent gesture of love and hope for her well–being.
Just as I kissed her, my phone, tucked away in my pocket, vibrated with an incoming call. I quickly retrieved it, my brows lifting with excitement when I saw that it was Sebastian’s number. After one more affectionate peck on Hazel’s forehead, I rolled out of bed to take the call, eager to hear what developments Sebastian had to share.
Stepping out onto the balcony, I closed the door behind me and swiftly answered the call, a mix of anticipation and apprehension coursing through me. “Sabestine? I’ve been waiting for your call, especially now that my daughter’s kidnapping is connected to that relentless blackmailer.”
Sabestine’s voice came through, carrying the weight of thorough investigation. “I apologize for keeping you waiting, sir, but I wanted to be absolutely certain of my findings before reaching out to you.” His tone held a rasp of determination. “According to the last message you received from the blackmailer, I managed to track down the CCTV recording from the gaming center on that particular date. I then painstakingly scrutinized every individual who entered and exited the establishment on that day, even going so far as to question each of them.”
I couldn’t help but wonder whether he had questioned students, and if such an approach was even legal. But the urgency the situation overshadowed my concerns. “And?” I pressed, my voice tense with the need for answers. “Were you able to glean any tangible information from your inquiries?” The safety of my daughter depended on the information he had uncovered.
of
A wave of relief washed over me as Sabestine delivered the news I’d been hoping for. “Yes,” he affirmed, offering me the best news I’d heard in months. “One of the students confessed to regularly sending a text to a specific number every month.”
My brows shot up in surprise. “How can we be certain he’s telling the truth? Kids can be quite mischievous, especially when they feel provoked.”
Sabestine explained his approach, causing me to understand the gravity of the situation. “Similar to the tactic I used with every individual I questioned, I falsely claimed that I already had substantial evidence implicating them in the crime and threatened to send them to jail. The innocent ones vehemently denied any wrongdoing, but the moment I mentioned involving his parents and escalating the case to court, the young lad broke and confessed.”
I took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling the weight of the situation. “How old is this kid?” I inquired, my thoughts racing.
Sabestine’s response carried the gravity of the revelation. “He’s seventeen, which means he was just fifteen when he began sending those texts.” The implications of this confession were both unsettling and infuriating.
Running my fingers through my hair, I hissed under my breath. “Why the fuck are we even doing this with a kid? Why does a kid have to be involved?!” I can’t even vent out my anger properly because we are dealing with a kid. “Who did he say instructed him to send those texts?”
“He has no idea,” Sabestine answered. “According to him, he received a text from someone who told him to check the mailbox and when he did, he saw an envelope. Inside the envelope was a phone and some cash. The instruction was for him to take the phone to a gaming center, send the text that is saved in the draft, turn off the phone, and return it to the mailbox. He claimed he never knows when the person comes to pick up the phone, all he knows is that the next morning, he finds an envelope filled with cash in the mailbox.”
“So he never spoke with him or anything?” I asked, hoping for a more positive response.
“No, he didn’t,” he replied.
Holding onto the rail, I bent and growled painfully as the stabbing pain in my chest intensified. “So what? I am supposed to wait another month for you to figure that out too?” I can’t wait for another month before my daughter is rescued. “I am going to send that kid to a fucking detention center if he doesn’t start talking dammit! My daughter’s life fucking depends on this.”
“He is not up to eighteen sir, and I don’t believe he is lying about not seeing the blackmailer or meeting with him or her, whatever identity it holds.”
“So what? I am supposed to just fold my fucking arms and wait?!” he can’t be fucking serious.
“You don’t have to fold your hands and wait for him to come to you sir,” Sabestine suggested, “you are the main variable in this
game, and I believe you are the only one who can lure this blackmailer out.”
My brows furrowed. “How am I supposed to do that?” if I could lure him out, I would have done that years ago.
“I am going to place cameras around this kid’s house, and all you have to do is prompt him to want to send another message to you. The cameras should capture him when he wants to drop off the phone.”
That’s a good plan. “But how do I get him to want to send me messages? It is almost as if he does that at his convenience.”
“I don’t think so sir,” Sebastian countered. “I have read the messages he sent to you, and with the content of the text, he is watching you.” I already have that figured out. “and this person is opposed to your relationship with Ms. Hazel.”
I frowned. “What?”
“The messages are centered around Ms. Hazel. The sender simply does not want you with her and tends to get upset that happens.”
“What if I am the subject of obsession?” it is possible that this person is so obsessed with me that he does not want me around any other woman.”
when
“If you were the object of obsession, the sender wouldn’t have instructed you to have sex with the new lady in your life. To me, that seems like a technique to push you and Hazel further apart.”
Anne doesn’t like June either, so there is no way she would have encouraged me to carry on with my relationship with her. The more I think about it, the more I can think of just one person who will be more than delighted to see me and Hazel apart, but then, when I divorced Hazel, she hadn’t met David yet.
“So what’s the plan?”
“Make the person more jealous, give him or her a reason to send another text, and when that happens, we will have our culprit.”
2/3
Instigating jealousy through public display of affection shouldn’t be difficult at all. “That is fine. Be expecting to hear from
me soonest.”
“Okay, sir.”
“And Sabestine, thank you. You are the first person to give me tangible results in this case.”
“It is a pleasure working with you sir.”
With that, I disconnected the call and returned to Hazel’s side on the bed.