Chapter 31 - Silhouette of a suspect

Holding the stuffed rabbit, the commonplace shiver ran down his back, leaving the detective on alert. He immediately looked around for the child, but to no avail. Regardless of not being able to see through the grey curtain, Giovani had forced his feet to crawl across the grassy lot in search of some other clue.

― Lucas! Where are you?

The boy had been clinging to the stuffed rabbit the whole time, as if it were his life raft. If he was left behind, something would have happened. The thoughts were diverse, the worst possible scenarios tormented his hopes.

Until he could see a silhouette in the greyish darkness.

A small silhouette. It looked like a child.

― Lucas!

He quickly ran towards the silhouette eager to touch it. The detective's brown eyes widened as he noticed the second taller silhouette next to the smaller one. And the closer he got, the clearer was the sweatshirt he had bought earlier.

It was him.

He was there.

Pulling the boy's arm to embrace him, Giovani was surprised by the stiffness of Lucas' body. Keeping him in his protection, his angry eyes went to the taller silhouette, where he could partially see a face. Whitish skin and a scratch in the skin that ran across the greenish eye. It looked like a scar.

Could it be the kidnapper he was looking for?

Was he responsible for the disappearances?

If he was, Giovani should go after him that very instant. Arrest him under suspicion until the truth comes out.

However, he was alone with Lucas in that dark and cold lot. He couldn't confirm if the suspect had associates, and there was no one to leave the boy with.

― What the fuck! ― growled the detective, lowering his eyes to check on the child who had been silent until then.

Lucas' eyes were dull, lifeless, as if he were in a trance. His face was serene without any fear, maybe he didn't even know the danger he was running. His body was rigid like a wax doll, and cold.

Giovani immediately took him in his arms and hugged to warm him.

― I'll protect you, believe me ― He whispered, stroking the boy's dark hair. ― No one will take you away.

He needed to find a way out of there. The problem was that he had been wandering and had no idea where he was. He couldn't even retrace his steps thanks to the dense fog.

Giovani was about to swear, but bit his lip to contain himself. At least he was with the child, he should think on the bright side of that shitty situation. Trying to get back on track, Giovani did his best to get out of the invisible maze.

He knew that the park was huge, and there were still empty lots for employee installations and future constructions. The problem was knowing exactly where he was. He had already walked all over the circus and the park, but he restricted himself to where there were only employees. He hadn't got around to exploring the empty lots.

It didn't even make sense to do it.

Well... It should now.

No matter how much he paced back and forth, he couldn't find a way out. He had no idea where he was and it frustrated him. Standing in place, Giovani let out a loud sigh as he threw his head back.

He was tired.

His legs hurt from walking so much. His arms ached from holding the child on his lap, who was now sleeping serenely. His head throbbed with anxiety, trying to keep as many details as possible of that face while trying to find a way out.

In all the years he had worked as a policeman, it was common to feel frustrated. There were cases that were not easily solved, requiring overtime and lots of caffeine to keep him in a frenetic rhythm in his constant search for answers. However this time it was even more frustrating.

― Oh, detective, what are you doing here?

The familiar voice sounded like a lighthouse lighting up the sea for a shabby boat that had just come through a dense storm. Turning his head back, he found the young trainee with the rucksack on his back looking at him curiously.

― I ask you. What are you doing here?

The question muted the young trainee who scratched the back of his neck looking confused. Giovani squinted his eyes, squeezing the child in his lap. He didn't want to suspect that boy, he was good to him and they always talked in their breaks. Only his situation was not the best.

― I just got back from college, because it was a work presentation and we managed to get an early release ― Laughed the boy approaching cautiously ― Oh, it's an early boy. I thought you were going to take him to the police station...

Giovani sighed, turning towards the trainee.

― I asked a policeman to investigate the boy, but until I got some answers I kept him close to me. But just now he was almost taken by a kidnapper.

The trainee's face had gone white and his eyes were wide in terror.

― Kidnapper? ― Immediately the boy looked away and then went to the detective's side ― You'd better get inside, it'll be safer.

The trainee's fingers pushed the detective's back in some direction, and the more he tried to look at his face the more convinced he was of his despair. Giovani had given in for the moment, since he had no idea where he was within that huge park. If something went wrong, or he was being tricked, he would find a way to escape with clues from those suspects.

― Enter? Where to?

The trainee hadn't answered. He had only pushed Giovani through the fog until they had passed through rusty gates. The detective's head began to throb even more as he was directed down the unknown path. Even seeing the stone mansion construction where only the light in front of the door was on, he couldn't dispel his anxiety.

― Dreamland Mansion ― Whispered Leonardo taking from his jeans pocket a set of keys ― Here you will be safe, because not everyone can enter.

― You know you are acting suspicious, aren't you, kid?

Leonardo opened the door with an embarrassed smile.

― I know, I know. I accept your suspicions and reservations gladly.

The instant he stepped inside the mansion, the detective could breathe a sigh of relief. Finally he was free of the dense fog and could see something.

Leonardo had entered next, keeping the keys and directed the detective to the living room where there were upholstered blankets. When he realised that Giovani was using his own coat to cover the sleeping child, Leonardo took one of the blankets and covered both of them.

― At night it is very cold here because of the fog. How can he sleep in this cold?

Lowering his eyes to the sleeping child, the detective sighed.

― I have no idea what happened, but it was close.

Leonardo dropped his backpack in a corner and then disappeared from the detective's sight. Being alone, Giovani looked around, noticing that the mansion was beautiful and well furnished. Something that certainly a trainee could not afford.

Dreamland Mansion... That name was familiar, he just couldn't tell what exactly. He'd heard of it. But what was it?

After a few minutes, Leonardo returned with a porcelain cup and handed it to the detective.

― Hot milk with honey to calm the nerves. You looked so tense when I found you that you could faint at any moment.

Half reluctantly, Giovani took the cup and took a sip. He should be careful in case of poisoning. But he was too tired, and his confidence in that boy spoke louder. I mean, Leonardo didn't seem like someone who would hurt him. Although the culprits are always those you least expect.

It would still let its guard down a bit.It would still let its guard down a bit.