Three days passed, and the search and rescue teams had found nothing.
Both the rescue squads and the police had done everything they could.
“We’ve searched the mountain, the woods, and the entire length of the river downstream. There’s nowhere left to check,” the team leader reported, his expression grim as he debriefed Cedric Clarke at the rescue base
camp.
Earlier that afternoon, Quentin had already taken the rest of the medical staff back to the hospital.
But Cedric Clarke refused to give up hope.
The team leader looked troubled. “In our experience, if no one turns up downstream, chances are they were buried by the landslide.”
“That’s not possible…” Cedric shook his head, unwilling to accept it.
“There’s one other possibility,” the leader offered, “Someone might have found her downstream and taken her away before we got there.”
Cedric’s face was haggard–he hadn’t slept for three days and nights. He set his jaw. “Then widen the search along the river. We keep looking until we find her–alive or… not. If we still find nothing, we dig up that landslide. No one leaves until Stella is found. That’s final.”
The team leader hesitated, but a job was a job. If the client insisted, he had no choice but to order his team to
continue.
It wasn’t until the second day after Stella went missing that her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joyner, received the call.
Ableson and Scarlett Joyner rushed straight to the mountains, staying at the site for a day and a night. By the following afternoon, the strain became too much for Scarlett–she collapsed from exhaustion and grief.
Cedric arranged for someone to take both Ableson and Scarlett to the hospital.
Lockwood Hospital.
son that
When Briony heard Scarlett had been hospitalized, she and James hurried there to visit.
They entered the hospital and headed straight for the inpatient ward.
Down the corridor, Melody Lynn had just finished picking up medication for her daughter, Ottilie Kensington. As she turned around, she spotted Briony.
“Isn’t that Briony?” Melody paused, frowning. “And the man with her–he looks quite charming. Is that her new boyfriend?”
“How should I know?” Ottilie grumbled, sniffling from her cold. “Let’s go, Mom. Why do you even care what Briony’s up to?”
“Oh, use your head!” Melody shot her daughter an annoyed look. “Ever since Stewart dumped Briony, the old lady’s been thrilled–she’s even given us more allowance these past few months! But if Briony gets herself a well–off boyfriend and the old lady finds out, she’ll be furious. And when she’s in a bad mood, do you think life. gets any easier for us?”
“Then just don’t say anything!” Ottilie rolled her eyes.
“As if silence could keep it from her forever.” Melody grabbed Ottilie’s hand. “That old woman’s always keeping tabs on Briony, even if she pretends not to care! Come on, let’s see what’s happening.”
Despite her protests, Ottilie got dragged along, trailing behind Briony and James.
Outside Scarlett’s hospital room, Briony raised her hand and knocked.
Ableson answered the door.
19:58 M
Chapter 233
“Mr. Joyner,” Briony greeted politely, “I’ve come to see Mrs. Joyner.”
He looked utterly worn out, but he nodded and stepped aside to let them in.
Briony entered, James following after a brief nod to Ableson.
The room was heavy with grief.
Meanwhile, Melody and Ottilie crept closer, trying not to draw attention.
Scarlett was half–sitting up in bed, her eyes swollen and red from crying. When she saw Briony, fresh tears welled up. “Bryn, what are we going to do? What will happen to Star… my poor Star…”
Briony’s eyes burned, her nose stinging with the effort not to cry.
“Mrs. Joyner, they’ll find Star. But you need to take care of yourself.”
“It’s been three days, and it’s still raining out there. Star’s all alone in that desolate place–she must be so frightened…” Scarlett’s voice broke, and she collapsed into sobs, clutching her chest.
Briony squeezed her hand, tears streaming down her own cheeks.
James stood nearby, his expression grave.
“It’s all my fault,” Ableson said suddenly, removing his glasses to wipe his eyes. “She told me she didn’t want to go on this mission trip. I lectured her about responsibility. If only she hadn’t gone, none of this would have happened…”
“Oh! So it’s Stella who’s missing?” Melody’s voice cut through the tension from the doorway.
Everyone turned.
Melody strode in, shaking off her daughter’s hand with dramatic flair.
Ottilie, mortified, slipped away to the side, wanting nothing to do with her mother’s antics.
Scarlett’s tears stopped abruptly. She pushed herself upright, her face cold as stone. “Melody, what are you doing here? You’re not welcome. Get out!”
The history between these three went back years. Melody and Scarlett had been college roommates and once good friends, but everything changed when Melody discovered that Ableson and Scarlett were together–a man Melody had pursued for over a year, to no avail.
Unable to accept it, Melody spread rumors, accusing Scarlett of being a homewrecker. The scandal was the talk of campus, but both Ableson and Scarlett were well–liked and respected. Melody’s slander only earned her a warning and a black mark from the university, and eventually she dropped out.
Ever since, the bad blood between Melody and the Joyners had only festered.
Even after all these years, whenever they crossed paths, it was open hostility.
Scarlett had no idea why Melody would show up at the hospital now, but she knew one thing for certain: Melody never brought anything but trouble.
