Chapter 231
Chapter 231
The fever left Stella’s muscles aching and weak, sapping every ounce of strength from her body.
She was slung over a man’s shoulder, every jostling step sending sharp pain shooting through her ribs.
Face contorted in agony, Stella gasped, “Cedric Clarke, put me down… My ribs are killing me…”
The man ignored her completely.
He strode out of the house into the pouring rain.
Within seconds, Stella was drenched to the bone.
“Damn it!” The shock of cold rain jolted her fever–fogged mind awake.
She wiped the water from her face and started pounding on the man’s back with what little strength she had left. “Cedric Clarke, are you crazy? If you’re trying to cool me down, this is not the way! Put me down, right
now!”
But instead of slowing, the man quickened his pace.
Stella froze, a sudden chill running deeper than the rain. Something was wrong.
This definitely wasn’t Cedric Clarke.
Cedric might be many things, but he’d never drag her, sick with fever, out into a storm.
“Who are you?” Panic rising, Stella thrashed and fought, kicking and flailing with both hands and feet. “Who the hell are you? Where are you taking me? I swear, if you don’t let me go, I’ll scream for help!”
The man kept silent, forging ahead..
His rain boots splashed through muddy puddles along a winding mountain path. Wind howled, rain pelted down, and thunder cracked overhead.
Through her disorientation, Stella finally caught sight of their surroundings.
She went rigid with fear.
He was taking her into the woods.
What was he planning to do?
Stella had taken judo classes–under normal circumstances, she could’ve flipped herself free and had this guy in a chokehold in seconds.
But now, feverish and weak, her body barely obeyed her. Every attempt at resistance fizzled out uselessly.
Suddenly, the man stopped.
Stella barely had time to process before he hurled her forward.
For an instant, she felt herself suspended in midair–then she plummeted.
The man, face shadowed under his rain hood, didn’t look up.
A bolt of lightning ripped through the night, illuminating his features for a split second. In that brief, heart–stopping moment, Stella saw his face.
Her eyes widened in terror, but she didn’t even have time to scream before her body crashed into the raging river at the bottom of the gorge-
By the time Cedric Clarke returned, clutching the medical kit, the bed was empty.
He blinked in confusion. “Dr. Joyner?”
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Chapter 231
He called out several times. No answer.
A knot of anxiety twisted in his chest.
Stella was still sick, and the storm outside was getting worse. Where could she have gone?
He set down the kit and turned to search outside, but something caught his eye–her shoes, still by the bed.
She couldn’t have left without them.
Cedric grabbed his phone and dialed one of the male doctors. “Check with Dr. Adah and the others–has anyone seen Stella?”
“No, we’re all in the living room playing cards. Wasn’t Dr. Joyner supposed to be resting in her room?”
A cold dread settled over Cedric. “Something’s wrong! Dr. Joyner might be in trouble. Get the others, put on your rain gear, and meet me outside. We need to look for her–now!”
“Got it! We’re on our way!”
Dr. Jarvis hung up and stood, his voice urgent. “Stop what you’re doing–Dr. Joyner is missing! Dr. Clarke says. we all need to help search!”
“What do you mean, missing?” someone blurted.
“I thought she was resting–she wasn’t feeling well, right?”
“Yeah, I brought her dinner earlier. She barely ate, looked awful, so I didn’t want to disturb her.”
“It’s pouring outside and she’s sick–we have to find her, fast!”
“Right, let’s go!”
Everyone liked Stella. The moment word spread, they all sprang into action.
The commotion drew Quentin from his room. He emerged in pajamas and a jacket, eyes bleary from sleep, frowning at the sight of everyone suiting up in raincoats.
“What’s going on?”
“Dr. Joyner’s missing!” a nurse called. “She was ill, Dr. Clarke went to check on her, and when he came back with the medical kit, she was gone!”
Quentin’s expression turned grave. “Missing? What do you mean, missing?”
“We can’t find her anywhere,” Cedric said, clearly rattled. “Her shoes are still in her room, so I don’t think she left on her own.”
Quentin stared at him, brow furrowed. “Are you saying someone took her?”
Cedric’s jaw tightened. “That’s my guess.”
A heavy silence fell over the group.
“But… this town is supposed to be safe, right? How could someone get kidnapped in the middle of the night?”
“It’s only a guess. Maybe she wandered off, delirious from her fever…”
“That’s even worse! If she’s out there, sick and disoriented, anything could happen!”
“Everyone, calm down,” Quentin cut in, trying to steady the group. “Whatever happened, we need to find her. Let’s move.”
Flashlights in hand, the team paired off and fanned out into the storm.
The search party made such a racket that even the mayor was roused from bed.
Hearing that Stella was missing–and possibly abducted–the mayor was stunned.
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Chapter 231
“That can’t be! All our young people left for the city. Only seniors and kids are left here now. Dr. Joyner’s a grown woman. How could anyone here possibly abduct her?”
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