"Stop!"
Cecilia suddenly shouted, drawing Alston's attention. He turned to see her holding a gun, both of them freezing in their tracks.
Although they weren't far apart, for some reason, neither of them could clearly see Cecilia's expression. She held the gun firmly, her clothes fluttering slightly in the wind. She raised her arm, pointing the gun at the bearded man.
"Cecilia, guns are dangerous. Let's talk this through. Put the gun down."
"Did Alston hire you to kidnap my daughter?" Cecilia's voice was calm and steady, but Alston couldn't detect anything amiss from her tone.
"Yes, but I didn't hurt your daughter. Are you sure you're pointing that gun at the right person?" The bearded man spoke casually, his tone flippant. If not for the tightly clenched hands betraying his nervousness, he might have succeeded in deceiving Cecilia.