CHAPTER THREE
1081 Words
The ambiance inside the exhibition venue was tense.
The hall still carried little traces of the event from weeks ago, some half-dismantled decorations and a few lingering staff.
Staff members murmured amongst themselves as Damien Chase stride angrily dressed in a well-tailored black suit his polished shoes clicked against the marble floor as he walked towards the front desk, his appearance set in stone.
His patience had run out.
He had given the police enough time.
He had also given the venue management time to come forward with the truth and yet no one was saying anything.
So he was going to do things his way now.
Weeks passed and Lily was still missing.
The deeper he dug the more he realized someone was hiding something so he was here to find out who.
He made a pause at the front desk fixing his gaze on the receptionist who was a middle-aged woman with sharp eyes, with a firm stare.
“I want to see the CCTV footage from the night of the exhibition.” his voice in a commanding tune not giving room for excuses.
The receptionist in a shaky voice replied “I'm sorry sir we don't have…”
“If you don’t get me the CCTV footage I’ll make sure I bring this institution down there’ll be nothing to remember you by.”
Damien interrupted, not letting her complete the sentence.
“So, I’ll mind the next word that comes from my mouth if I were you. Don't lie to me.” his voice sounding dangerous.
“I know you have CCTV cameras covering every corner of this building.” He demanded.
“Sir I can't give out such information.”
“Well get me someone who can,” Damien said, pulling out his phone.
A minute later the manager and an edgy bald man arrived.
“Mr Chase, the authorities have already reviewed the footage and there is nothing there.”
“I’ll confirm that myself” Damien answered emotionlessly.
Grudgingly the manager led him into the security office.
Damien fixed his eyes on the screen as the manager lined up the footage.
The screen gleamed to life, showing people arriving. Guests making small talk. Waiters and waitresses pass drinks, Elle’s painting being admired in anticipation of her big reveal.
And then nothing.
But something was missing.
“Where is the underground parking lot?” Damien asked in a surprisingly calm voice.
The manager froze for a second and replied “There was a system crash that night so we lost most of the footage.”
Damien exhaled, he used his fingers to brush his hair.
“A system crash,” he repeated, “How expedient,” he said, turning his back on the manager.
The manager shakily tries to touch his shoulder. “Sir I promise you-”
“I don’t believe a word you say. There are no coincidences in my book.” Damien cut in pulling out his phone “Well check this out”
He tapped the screen, playing footage from his private team.
The footage from Elle's team didn't show Lily at all. As if Lily never stepped foot in the exhibition.
Damien’s grip on his phone tightened, something was wrong and he wasn't going to back down until he found Lily.
Before he could say anything else a familiar voice interrupted.
“Mr Chase.”
He turned and there stood Ava in an elegant blue gown with her hair perfectly packed up and her expression composed.
“Sir, you need to stop,” she said, now walking towards him.
Damien chuckled “I should stop? My girlfriend is missing minutes after her car was seen driving into your parking lot and you and your team’s footage ideally doesn't show her at all.”
Ava looked at Damien as if telling him to back off
“Mr Chase, Elle has nothing to do with this disappearance whatsoever.”
His stare turned cold. “Then why are you trying to convince me to drop it?”
Ava didn't answer immediately; she took a deep breath. “Mr Chase You have no idea what you’re insinuating.”
“The clouds have gathered and can you withstand the storm?”
Damien gave Ava a cold stare
“Tell Elle whatever she’s hiding I’ll find out and if she has anything to do with my girlfriend’s disappearance well she better hide 'cause I’ll crush her.”
With that, he stormed out.
************
Hours later social media was in chaos.
This time Damien had made a post with a statement.
“Elle’s team knows more than they are letting out.” Attaching the CCTV footage showing Lily entering the parking lot and not coming out.
With that single post, the internet started buzzing with different hashtags and so much speculation.
#ELLE KNOWS SOMETHING#
#CCTV DON'T LIE#
#ELLE THE CON ARTIST#
#WHERE IS LILY#
All these and many more were online trolling.
* * * * * *
Damien is sitting at the back of his Maybach thinking of his next move. Right there an idea struck him.
Without thinking twice, he said to himself track down Ava and find out what they are hiding. He tracked her down at a downtown cafe.
She could barely react before he slid to the seat across from her
“What is she hiding?”
Ava exhaled, “Are you stalking me, Mr Chase?”
“Tell me all you know Miss Ava and I'll make it worth your while”
“Mr Chase, you are making a big mistake.”
Damien sneered. The only mistake was trusting Elle.”
His phone rang. An unknown caller.
“Who is this?” Damien replied slightly irritated.
A calm voice responded, “I have information about Lily Kingston.”
Damien’s heart raced. “Where is she?”
“She’s at Hopkins Hospital.”
There was a pause.
“She was brought in here twelve days ago by an unknown person and has been in a coma ever since.”
Damien's heart skipped.
Lily was alive.
But why was this information coming now?
Why had no one told him?
Who had kept her hidden?
Immediately after the call Damien looked over at Ava and blurted out.
“Where is Elle?” He asked wondering.
“Elle is out of town at the moment” Ava answered hoping the questions would stop.
“When did this happen?”
“Well, she traveled last night.”
- Writer
