CHAPTER 49

~If your brain hasn't abandoned you in an Examination hall then you can't define heartbreak. ~

~Mina

SERAPHINA'S POV

"What's the hair colour of this supposed nurse you mentioned, Miss Dominic?"

"Auburn with a tint of maroon. " Maya answered. The detective nodded and jotted something down on his notepad.

"And this said nurse happened to have the exact same hair colour with your housemaid, Miss Del Varia?"

"Yes," I answered in one breath.

"When was the last time you had any form of encounter with your housemaid, Miss Del Varia?"

"Two days ago."

"Thank you, that'll be all for today. We'll contact you if we need additional information. " He packed his documents and handed it over to the guy standing beside him.

"Trust detectives to make me a nervous wreck." Maya chuckled after the men left.

It's been three hours since Tiffany's abduction. The FBI, NYPD and CIA had distributed search teams throughout the state but we haven't heard anything so far.

We visited the room mom was admitted to, occupied by my siblings and friends.

"How's she doing?" I sat beside Severina.

"Still hasn't said anything," Dad mumbled.

Mom had gone into total shut down two hours back, not even her breath could be heard. Her eyes were wide opened and her posture was still, but no words left her mouth. The doctor said she's in shock, but will recover soon. I just hope he's right.

"Any news yet, uncle Grayson?"

Dad stared at Maya and shook his head.

"So far none, sweetheart."

"They should've detained all the hospital staff." Malu seethed.

"That'll be useless because most of them weren't aware of Tiffany's presence and the only people who attended to her, are nowhere to be seen." Aisha shrugged.

It's absurd that the doctor, alongside the other nurses who checked up on Tiffany were all missing.

"I've hired the best rescue team and detective from Russia

We'll be living in an hour to begin effective searching," Dad informed, checking his wristwatch.

"What happened to this other search team?" Severina questioned.

"You mean the strolling team." Dad scoffed.

"When are you leaving?" Asher chimed in.

"An hour from now."

"And when will you be coming back, dad. It's not safe for you to go alone." I added in concern, but he just rolled his eyes and brushed it off.

"My daughter's life is a priority."

"What about mom?"

"I'm taking her along, Severina." He sighed, clearly annoyed.

Our friends were fighting their amusement, Kabia especially. Guess they've never seen our overprotective sides.

"Bu...

I started, only to be cut short by the door barging open. David walked in and whispered something to my dad, whose eyes suddenly widened. He nodded to whatever David was saying, before turning to us with worried-filled eyes.

" That look isn't convincing. " Maya whispered.

"What is it, Dad?" Asher took the question right off my tongue.

"A car without a number plate had been spotted at southeast Colorado running at a maddening speed, not to mention it's the only vehicle on the abandoned road." He explicated, fixing his pistol inside the holster.

"Guess we'll be leaving a little earlier than an hour. I've increased security at home and do not go out at night. No matter the situation. You've got everything at your disposal and the bodyguards will drive you to wherever you want to go to. Just don't go out, okay?"

"Okay, dad."

"Take care of your siblings, Asher. I love you all." He engulfed us in a hug, carried mom in his arms and left.

"This is so fucked up. Who could've possibly done this?" Enrique voiced out.

"The same person following Phina, who else?" Maya snorted.

"Yeah about that I think we all kind of owe Maya an apology." Lalia laughed.

"You owe her, not me." Severina spat.

"Your problem, Severina, is that you don't listen and always think that you know everything." Malu scoffed.

"Are we seriously arguing right now?. A teenager is out there missing for hours, with everyone clueless on her whereabouts and the only thing you could think of right now is a petty argument? You're losers." Leila hissed.

Impenetrable tension clouded the atmosphere after Leila's outburst.

"I know this isn't funny, but I can't help but point out the fact that today's the first time Leila spoke a complete, grammatical-error-free sentence." I glared at Kabia, but I won't lie he managed to ease the tension a bit.

"You know, I think I'm on team Maya. I mean, haven't the strange encounters awakened some sort of suspicion in anyone? I don't know for you guys, but I've been having a hard time sleeping these days." Enrique confessed.

This was shocking because he never told me anything. I felt hurt and betrayed, but we'll settle that later.

"I couldn't agree more. It's no lie weird stuff had been happening lately. Initially, I pinned everything down to coincidence but after noticing that shit happens to only people within our friend group, I'd second guesses." Lalia recounted and surprisingly everyone nodded in agreement.

"I'm having a hard time trying to figure the source of all this." Caleb sighed.

"I think everything started with Seraphina's poisoning." Asher shrugged.

"You're on this dumb shit too?" Severina snapped. What's her problem?

"Look, I'm just saying that Maya's suspicions could've been true." Asher defended.

"Keep me out of this." She stormed out.

"No offence, but your twin needs mental help."

"None taken, Nate." I've had enough of Severina's attitude. Good thing she even left, otherwise she would've had me to deal with.

"My prospect is, the same person who poisoned Seraphina is the root of all these crimes." Maya asserted.

"What could he or she possibly want? I mean, what's their motive?" Ace wondered.

"But we can't pin it down on the same individual." Aisha disregarded.

"I'm hundred and fifty per cent positive it's the same individual. Have you observed the sequential order of these crimes and the things they shared in common?" Maya cautioned.

"The only crimes I know of are Phina's poisoning, your acid incident, the cheating scandal, Sophia's death and this," Bia stated.

"There's more you don't know of, but we'll get there when the time's right," Maya assured, staring at me from her peripheral vision.

"How can you expect us to believe you when you're hiding stuff?" Aisha argued.

"We're not hiding anything Aisha. We didn't want to bother you guys with our 'delusional' lives." I placed air quotations on delusional. That shut her up.

They wouldn't give Maya a break, before going off on her ass about being delusional and pathetic. Now they dared play the victim, not on my watch.

"This argument is pointless, honestly. What we should be doing instead, is devise a plan to dig this issue to the core." Enrique reprimanded.

"We can only devise a plan to a problem that can be sourced," Aisha argued.

"For starters, I'd request Checking Tiffany's phone since the FBI's detected an active engagement with an unknown number," Enrique suggested.

"Don't bother, it's as empty as an airspace." I chuckled.

"How?" Enrique's mouth hung agape.

"Dunno."

"Obviously if she knew, we wouldn't be seated here." Leila mused.

"My bad." Enrique raised his arms in surrender.

"Have you guys noticed something?"

"Are you waiting for us to ask what?" Bia taunted in her thick accent, making Aisha pout. How cute.

"This issue revolves around people we relate to. Whether it's enemies or friends, it's just people we know and are in our lives."

"Thank you. This is exactly the point I've been struggling to put forward, but guess it's rather unfortunate when you live with airheads." Maya complained, grumbling the last part under her breath.

"What are you trying to get at? because I'm still clueless." Only Leila Suraiya.

"Y'all talking about plans and crap. What about Miskha and the baby?" Kabia pointed out.

We all exchanged looks from the two forbidden subjects thrown in on the conversation.

Malu cleared her throat and sat up.

"We don't deal with murderers, and for the baby, Ahmed is constantly at the hospital. So we don't have to worry about that."

"Lu, were you present during the Sophia incident?" Caleb asked.

"No, bu...

" Then how could you possibly conclude that Miskha killed Sophia?" Nathan scrutinized.

Malu clenched her jaw and lowered her gaze.

"But..but the shreds of evidence were solid." She murmured.

"Yes, because that's what you've been made to see. Nobody, absolutely nobody knew what transpired prior to the incident. What everyone saw was post the incident." Lalia added.

"Who even called the police and parademics?"

"That falls under unknown, bro," I responded. Asher slowly nodded, looking deep in thought.

"Guys please don't do this," Malu whined.

"Do what?"Aisha joked.

"Poison my mind. You know I'd always blamed Miskha for Sophia's murder. "

"That's selfish and inconsiderate of you, Malu. If not all, but at least we know most of Miskha's limits. That girl will go out of her way to beat someone to a pulp, but have you seen how terrified she was when asked to inject a dead rat in the lab?" Maya recollected.

"I don't know anymore. I guess it was just the heat of the moment." Malu exhaled, portraying a regretful demeanour.

"I don't know for you guys, but I know Miskha didn't kill Sophia." Maya firmly stated.

"Point blank." Kabia chuckled.

"I'm sitting on the fence." Nathan raised his arm.

"I'm only worried for the baby."

I don't know how Ahmed will be able to afford a surrogate. Those women charge millions of dollars, and it's the only way to guarantee the baby's survival.

"Why worry when it's incubated in an incubator?"  And Leila won't let Shakespeare rest in peace.

"Talk about tautology." Asher snickered.

"Duh, I just had to let you know babies are incubated in incubators so t...

" And who said they're incubated in microwaves." Kabia rudely interrupted.

"Kabia!" Aisha chortled, falling off the couch. Leila spotted a deep scowl, as she narrowed her eyes at Kabia.

"Sis, exercise silence in public, yeah?" Lalia pleaded, patting Leila's shoulder, who smacked her hand away.

"Back to business guys. So, what's the plan?"

"We've nothing, Aisha. No suspects, no hints. Therefore, no plan." Maya's shoulders slumped in defeat.

"What if I tell you that we've suspects?"

All heads turned to Enrique who had on a blank expression.

"What do you mean?" Caleb perked up.

"When was the last time you saw Zara and Tyler?"