Chapter 233

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.

both Ableson and Scarlett

Lockwood Hospital.

hospitalized, she and James hurried there to

entered the hospital and headed straight for

Melody Lynn had just finished picking up medication for her daughter, Ottilie Kensington. As she turned around, she spotted

Melody paused, frowning. "And the man with her he

grumbled, sniffling from her cold. "Let's go,

dumped Briony, the old lady's been thrilled-she's even given us more allowance these past few months! But if Briony gets herself

just don't say anything!" Ottilie

could keep it from her forever." Melody grabbed Ottilie's hand. "That old woman's always

Ottilie got dragged along, trailing behind Briony and

hospital room, Briony raised her

Ableson answered the door.

greeted politely. "I've come to see Mrs.

worn out, but he nodded and stepped aside to let

James following after a brief nod

was heavy

Ottilie crept closer, trying

from crying. When she saw Briony, fresh tears welled up. "Bryn, what are we going to do? What will happen to Star...

nose stinging with the

Star. But you need to take care of

desolate place-she must be so frightened..." Scarlett's voice broke,

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