Chapter 161
Ablett watched Eddy with a cool, detached expression, while Eddy’s eyes saw no one else but him.
Suddenly, a familiar ringtone cut through the tense silence of the car, sharp and
clear.
Eddy’s heart pounded wildly. He yanked the door open.
“Mr. Simmons! Mrs. Simmons has disappeared at the intersection!” The panicked voice on the phone rang in his ears.
At that moment, the call dropped–lost signal.
But the phone inside the car kept ringing off and on, the sound stuttering against
the din.
Eddy released his grip, then strode quickly through the sea of cars to where his bodyguard was waiting. “What happened?”
A black sedan eased into the departing traffic. Blanche rolled down the window and watched as Eddy hurried away with the bodyguard. Then, without a second thought, she tossed her phone into the street. The tires of a passing car crushed the case, right over the words “Beloved Wife,” shattering it instantly.
Something told Eddy to look back. He turned, eyes landing on the black sedan bearing a diplomatic flag.
The tinted window slid up, swallowing the face inside until only the crown of a head flashed past.
A ponytail?
As Eddy looked away, his gaze met Ablett’s from across the street–calm, almost indifferent.
A government official tried to smooth things over. “Mr. McCarthy, please understand–turns out Mrs./Simmons has gone missing.”
“You have no idea how much Mr. Simmons dotes on his wife. He worries if she’s
out of his sight for even a minute.”
Ablett’s tone was mild, “Is that so?”
“Oh, absolutely! A man who cherishes his wife is a good man–good character, good fortune. Please don’t mind his earlier outburst.”
Ablett’s eyes lingered on the departing black sedan before he turned to head ins the hint of a smile playing at his lips.
“The street was blocked, sir,” the bodyguard explained, his words snapping Eddy back to the present. “Mrs. Simmons decided to walk to the police station to collect her jewelry. We escorted her into the crowd, but the next moment–she was gone) There were suddenly a lot of women dressed just like her. We think she may have been taken. Mr. Simmons, you should have all exits locked down–land, air, sea.”
But all access had already been sealed off for the summit two days ago. No one was getting in or out.
Eddy’s thoughts flickered to last night–he’d pushed her too far. She must be angry. But even if she was mad, she should be mad by his side, not vanish.
“Secure every entrance and exit in this district,” Eddy ordered, his voice cold. “Get the police station on the line and have them pull the surveillance feeds from the intersection, I want our tech team to assist with facial recognition. I want my wife found in twenty minutes!”
“Yes, sir!”
The bodyguards sprang into action. Roadblocks went up at every major route; every vehicle was stopped and checked before it could leave.
Eddy rushed to the police station, voice tight with worry. “Have you found my wife. yet?”
“Mr. Simmons,” an officer replied, “surveillance footage from that time is missing–too much network congestion.”
“But with facial recognition synced to your company’s database, we’re sweeping the whole area. Give us a few more minutes. Even if she’s outside the camera’s range, we’ll pick her up soon.”
Eddy watched as faces flickered past on the high–speed monitors, each one quickly.
ruled out.
Regret gnawed at him. Why hadn’t he just coaxed her gently? Why had he forced that kiss, tricked her into taking her meds, and–worst of all–ignored her protests? He could have done better. He should have.
Where are you, sweetheart?–
The facial recognition software suddenly started beeping.
Eddy’s heart leapt. “Did you find her?”
Chapter 162
