Chapter 20 The Search for Her Kidnapped Daughter
Kevin entered the hospital where Mirabel had been admitted. The air was crisp and clear—except for the smell of antiseptic which lingered above. He went into the room to meet Mirabel’s mum sitting at the corner of the hospital bed.
She was engaged in an interrogative conversation to Alex, who sat facing her on an old, rusty armchair. He put down some information, which he considered vital, on a little note—until Kevin interrupted when he pushed the pewter white door open.
“I apologize for taking so long.” he said, trotting towards the distressed woman.
“Mrs. Lena, who is this, please?” slightly pissed Alex asked, his eyes following Kevin as he came and sat beside her.
“T-this is Kevin,” Lena stuttered, tears trickling her eyes. “H-h-he is the one I told you about who has been helping me and my daughter.”
“Hello Kevin, I am inspector Alex Krevoy, head of state security.” he stretched his hand for a handshake.
“Kevin.” he grabbed his hand firmly. “Have you gotten any lead on the masked man that had taken her daughter?”
The sudden drop in his facial expression told Kevin all that he needed to know.
Alex ran his hand through his hair, sighing in exhaustion. “Honestly, with the information she’s provided so far, it would be pretty difficult, almost impossible, to locate this kidnapper since he had a mask on. It is harder even to understand the motives behind the kidnap.”
He glanced back at the note. “Mrs. Lena stated here that she wasn’t rich, in fact, they barely even survive a day. So the kidnapper’s motive for ransom is off the books for now. Mrs. Lena also stated that neither she nor her late husband had any enemies. She said they had lived in harmony with everyone they came across. So the kidnapper couldn’t have kidnapped her daughter for some kind of revenge either.”
Kevin turned to look at Mrs. Lena, she looked terrified. “Did you get a closer look at his mask?”
“He wore a blank, unreadable mask of ornate gold leather over the small eyes in a fire design—with a small hook nose on it.”
“Did you notice some kind of C-shaped mark carved on his mask, a little close to his left eye?”
Mrs. Lena blinked in surprise, raising her head to look at him, her eyes widening. “Yes. There was a letter C mark on his mask.”
The room was left in complete silence and all eyes fell on Kevin as though he was a suspect or some accomplice. Alex shot a glance at him as if waiting for an explanation on how he knew that.
“Obviously, Mrs. Lena left out the part about the C mark on his mask.” he took out a pen to jot it down, returning his suspicious gaze to Kevin. “How did you know about this marking on the kidnapper’s mask, if I may ask?”
“I knew this because--- I was also kidnapped by this same kidnapper a year ago.”
A blot of silence.
A phone rang, ripping the cold silence. Kevin took out his phone from his pocket, it was Landry calling.
“Excuse me, I have to take this call.” he said and hurried outside.
“Kevin, they’ve found her!” came the voice from the phone.
“They’ve found who?” he asked, a puzzled expression on his face
“The little girl you told me about earlier.”
His brows knitted. “Mirabel?”
“They found her body lying in the City Park a few minutes ago. She was tortured to death! I think you should come see this.”
Kevin froze.
