Mysterious abduction

It was 10 in the morning when Crystal, a police officer got the news over her cell phone about the 5th mysterious abduction. The last abduction occured about a week ago; a man named Trivian Holmes went missing and this time the victim was a 22 year old girl named Melissa Frost.

This is the same case which Crystal has been investigating along with her best friend and colleague Jonathan. The pattern of abduction was same as before. She became awestruck hearing the news. She had even sacrificed her sleep for evidence yet she got none. But the abduction kept happening. She had searched the victims' house, their workplace, everything. But all in vain.

After composing herself, she rushed to the reported spot where Melissa's car was found.

When she reached, she saw Jonathan already investigating the surrounding. He noticed her and walked towards her with a frustrated look.

"Why do people keep disappearing like this ?", she said as she hugged him.

" We need to find them to get the answer.", he patted her back.

Wearing gloves, she started to investigate the car. The black box was gone. They didn't found her cell phone either.

The tyre prints of another car was the only thing present there. Soon the forensic team arrived and they took thr sample of finger prints, mud struck on the tyres of Melissa's car and photographs of the tyre prints.

"There aren't any cameras so we can't get a CCTV footage of this area.", Jonathan sighed.

Both of them were tensed as this was the 5th incident in a row and they got no evidence.

" There's something big going on.", Crystal looked at Jonathan. "5 people went missing. But neither of their friends got any ransom calls nor any dead body is found.", she explained further.

Jonathan rubbed his chin as he opened the case file.

1. Bob Tide, a bartender - disappeared from the bar's restroom.

2. Shelby Wills, an event planner - disappeared while she went on a date.

3. Simon Watson, a microbiologist - abducted from his own house during night.

4. Trivian Holmes, a photographer - abducted during his photography trip.

5. Melissa Frost, a researcher- abducted while she went to forest for collecting plant specimens.

" All these people are orphan. This can't be a mere coincidence.", Jonathan murmured. "Come lets go to Melissa's house. We have to find something.", Crystal pulled him by his hand and walked towards her car.

Melissa's missing complaint was made by her neighbour, Mr. Nicholas.

" She wasn't home since 4 days and besides whenever she went on a trip or holiday she used to inform me before leaving.", Mr. Nicholas told Jonathan who was questioning him.

"Do you know about her family or workplace ?",Jonathan cross questioned him.

" As long as i know her she never told me about her family. She said she was an orphan and about her workplace, she had a laboratory at her home.", Mr. Nicholas replied.

Meanwhile Jonathan was busy questioning her neighbour, Crystal went inside Melissa's house. It was very neat and tidy. A thin sheet of dust sat upon the furnitures, indicating that the the house was empty from few days.

She then went inside Melissa's laboratory. There were various research papers and thesis. She then saw a computer which was locked so she called for the IT experts to open the computer and fetch the useful information.

There were many medicinal plants in the small garden attached to the laboratory. To provide them with enough water, small canals were built near them. Suddenly, an area with Cardinal flowers planted on it caught her attention. Unlike the other plants, they looked little withered. As if they were upset because of Melissa's abduction. She waa in the middle of her thoughts when Jonathan called her from behind,

"Hey, found anything ?"

"Umm, not yet. I hope the computer has something useful", she said.

" Hmm... The neighbour didn't know much either.", he told.

Despite of having a conversation with him, Crystal looked lost in her thoughts. Jonathan on the other hand was looking at her as if he was trying to memorize each and every feature of her face.

The way she bit her lower lips while thinking was the best scenery for him to see. He started liking her while they were in high school but he was afraid to confess.

While he was adoring the nature's best creation, his cell phone began ringing. But he was too busy to notice it.

"You got a call, why aren't you answering ?", Crystal asked looking at him.

But he was just staring her. She playfully punched him in the stomach.

" Oww.. wh.. what was that for ?", he averted his gaze afraid of getting caught.

"Your phone", she pointed at his cell phone which was still ringing.

" oh, yea i know. Excuse me.", he went outside to answer the call.

"Why is he suddenly acting weird ?

Is there something on my face ???", Crystal thought while wiping her face with the sleeve of her shirt.

When he returned, Jonathan looked panicked.

" Higher ups are asking about our progress regarding this case."

"What did you said ?", She asked.

" I have avoided them for now but excuses won't last longer. We have to find a proper evidence." ,he said folding his arms.

"Well we have CCTV footages of the hotel Shelby went missing from and of Simon's house.", she said counting on her fingers.

" We don't have their faces, not of at least one if them." he said frustrated.

"We'll go through those footages once again then. I'll go to Shelby's house tomorrow afternoon.", she started walking out of the house.

" But I've checked it myself...", he was in the middle of sentence when Crystal cut in.

"I want to have a look myself."

"Okay. I'll go to Bob's place then.", Jonathan opened the car's door for her.

While they were leaving, the experts Crystal had called for arrived with the forensic team.

Jonathan started the car and drove off.

Crystal still seemed tensed. His heart hurt seeing her like that.

" Hey, I'm hungry now. Come let's go eat something. My treat", he said revealing his best smile.

"I'm not hungry. I want to go home.", crystal rejected.

" What ? You want me to die of starvation ?", he made a heart melting puppy face that Crystal can't reject.

"Aahhh... This is your ultimate weapon. Sometimes I wonder how you handle the culprits." she yelled.

"Hahah.. " he was happy to distract her.