Chapter 4 - We've found her

“Kate! Kate!” He roared as he burst Into the Ave penthouse. 

“I’m right here,” she said coming out from the kitchen “Just tryna see what to survive on.” She added.

“Your phone!…Where is it?”

“It’s right here.” She replied as she brought it out of her pocket. “What is…No!!” Kate screamed as he smashed it to the floor.

“Are you insane!”

“It's being tracked.” He said panting.

“Good gracious,” Kate heaved a sigh of relief as she picked it up. “It’s still on but the screen’s broken. You destroy this, you destroy the only edge I have against Bryan.”

“And I get linked as the kidnapper? I won’t hesitate to make your life a living hell.” Avan roared pacing around the room. 

“Von could tweak some settings.” Kate said as she examined the phone for further damages.

“Right, Von!” he called out and walked towards the staircase. 

“Do I get an apology or something.” Kate called after him.

He stopped in his tracks. “For?” 

“I don’t know..maybe for smashing my phone’s screen.” Kate said with hands on her waist.

“Did you apologize when you made yourself an inconvenience?” Avan asked back arching an eyebrow.

“It’s …I” she stuttered.

“Yeah, I thought as much.” Kate watched as his masculine figure disappeared and she slumped into the chair with a sigh of defeat.

***

Knock knock!

“Who is it, I’m coming.”

“Hello babe.” Fiona says as Bryan opens the door.

“What are you doing here?”

“You weren’t answering any of my calls, so I decided to come see you instead.”

Bryan sighed.

“Won’t you let me in?”

He opened the door for her to come in.

‘‘Did you even miss me?” Fiona asked taking her seat on the sofa.

“Fiona, a lot has happened lately, and right now we’re just trying to find Kate, hoping she’s alright.”

“Is that concern I hear in your voice?” She cackled. “You’re talking of the woman you pretended to help whereas you were the one that put her father’s company at risk in the first place so she can be helpless and choose you.”

“It doesn’t mean I don’t care about her!”

 Fiona cursed under her breath 

“Babe, forget about her, you saw how she disgraced you at the wedding.” 

“She was under pressure.” 

“You know, what if she had a tip off about your schemes and couldn’t continue with the wedding.”

Bryan turned to look at her.

“No one else knows about it, except..” 

“No, that’s not what I mean. Baby I don’t have a hand in any of this!”

“And if I find out you do..”

“Forget about Kate, just see how stressed out you are these past few days.” she said in a soft tone unbuttoning his shirt. “Let me calm you down.”

Her thin lips parted and crashed into his. 

“I’ve actually missed you.” He said under her seduction.

“I know you did.” 

***

“Hello ma’am, I’m afraid the phone could not be tracked. It is inaccessible.” A young man’s voice could be heard at the other end of the line.

“What, how does that even happen.” Mrs. Delaney answered sharply.

“There’s a possibility the phone has been disconnected.”

“It’s alright, thank you.” She responded accepting her fate.

Few minutes later, her phone rings again.

“Hello, I saw this number on a poster about a missing lady.” A treble voice came through the line.

“Yes, yes Kate Delaney!”

“Yeah I think that’s the name, uhm..I just saw someone right now at an eatery and she looks exactly like the lady in the poster.” 

“Oh my gosh!, where?” 

“The eatery is in the outskirts of Brownston, Fanny’s meals.”

“Oh, thank you so much, we’d be there as soon as possible. Please just stick to her trail. Can you send a picture of the person?”

“Yes, alright”

“Uhm, About the reward…”

“Yeah, you’d get it. Thank you so much.”

Mrs. Delaney stares at her phone and exclaims as she saw the pictures. She dialed a number on her phone.

“Bryan, they found her!”

“They took my poor baby from Lavoire all the way to Brownston, I just hope she’s safe, dear Lord.” She said as they were in the vehicle on their way there.

“Have you contacted the police, yet?” Bryan asked with his hands tightened on the steering wheel.

“Yes, they’ve been alerted.”

“Won’t the sirens alert the kidnappers, you know they could’ve just brought her out to eat and be hanging around. What if this is a trap?” Fiona inquired.

“No, the police understands the assignment, those miscreants won’t see us coming. Bryan please drive faster than that.”

After what seemed like a 45mins ride, they arrived at Brownston.

“The number’s not going through again. I’m sure this is the eatery.” Mrs. Delaney said analyzing the environment from the tinted glass of the car.

“The police aren’t here yet” Fiona noted surveying the area as well.

“I’m going in.” Bryan stated as he adjusted his shirt.

“No!” Mrs. Delaney snapped “If the kidnappers are around the area then they might recognize you… and me as well. Fiona, you should go. Look for any lady putting on a dark blue hoodie and a pair of black trousers.” She said showing her the picture on her phone.

Fiona goes in and proceeds to make an order at the counter, she then sits to eat and surveys the area while pinging her phone.

‘I don’t see her.’ she texted. After about six minutes, she stepped out.

“Not a single trace.” Fiona reported as she got back in the car.

“I got a new message. The tip-off said she left and is on a bus heading for some place. Bryan just follow this location.” Mrs. Delaney said giving him her phone.

They drive downtown in Brownston city while keeping to the trail of a particular bus.

“Kate!! Kate!!!” Stop the car here.” Mrs. Delaney runs out as she sights a lady on dark blue hoodie alighting the bus.