Evadne had vanished without a trace for fifteen hours since she left the Office of the President. Darcy, with the full weight of his office behind him, launched a wide-ranging investigation. With Thaddeus and the Ashbourne boys in tow, they raced against time, arriving at Rose Sanatorium in the dead of night.
The quiet of the night was shattered by their arrival.
Given Darcy and Debby's high-profile status, despite Debby's insistence on joining them, Cassius firmly held her back.
Meanwhile, Elvis, after a tumultuous journey, was savoring a tender reunion with his beloved, who was now recuperating in the hospital. The Ashbourne boys kept him in the dark, unwilling to rob him of these precious moments of happiness.
The head of the security team and the chief detective cordoned off the sanatorium, making it impenetrable.
The on-duty security and the sanatorium's director, roused from their beds, arrived in a panic, completely overwhelmed by the scene.
Aaron, through his technical expertise, had secured footage from the entrance cameras.
The sight of Evadne’s graceful figure entering the gates sent a jolt through everyone’s hearts.
“Evadne!” Thaddeus, with eyes bloodshot from worry, shouted uncontrollably, as if hoping his voice would somehow reach her through the video.
“Where’s the nurse who attended to this lady? Find him now!” Aaron's piercing gaze demanded answers from the stunned director.
The old detective’s intimidating presence was palpable. Within five minutes—
The male nurse who had welcomed Evadne walked forward, his demeanor meek under the scrutiny of all those eyes.
Aaron scrutinized him, his gut telling him something was off.
Years of facing criminals had honed his ability to judge a person's guilt, but this man seemed nothing more than a frightened nurse, his innocence practically written on his face.
“Why were you the one to greet my wife as she entered? Out of all the nurses, why you?!” Thaddeus, veins throbbing on his forehead, grabbed the nurse by his collar, lifting him off the ground with one hand, “Speak! Are you Avery’s pawn? Were you part of his scheme? Where did you take my wife?!”
The man’s roar echoed through the tense hall, slicing through the stillness of the night.
“I...I’m not...I swear!” The nurse stammered, terror-stricken by the furious man before him.
The chief detective ordered, “Take him for interrogation. He’ll talk.”
“Yes, Captain!”
As the police moved in, the director hurriedly intervened, “This is a misunderstanding! Avery, our backer, a renowned philanthropist, Mr. Chambers?!”
“A philanthropist?” Aaron scoffed, “He’s nothing but a wolf in sheep’s clothing, a villain masquerading as a benefactor!”
“But that’s not true!” The security guard protested, “Mr. Chambers not only saved our failing nursing home, but he also invested heavily in its renovation, providing care for many elderly abandoned by their families, ensuring they had a place to stay and free medical treatment. He’s been a true philanthropist to us!”
The Ashbourne boys were taken aback.
Their version of Avery was worlds apart from the saintly figure being described, a clear case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
But Thaddeus knew better—
The facade of dignity, compassion, and kindness was nothing but a veil for Avery’s dark soul.
“What happened when my wife visited this afternoon?” Cassius asked, his expression cold.
“Mr. Chambers had informed us, not just me but all the nurses, that if a beautiful lady arrived, we were to direct her to his mother,” the nurse explained, visibly shaken.
Thaddeus's expression darkened, “Avery’s mother, is she here? Take us to her!”
“Mrs. Chambers… she’s already left the sanatorium.”
Everyone was taken aback.
Thaddeus’s voice was a hoarse whisper, “And my wife?!”
“After meeting Mrs. Chambers, something they discussed caused her to suddenly convulse and foam at the mouth. I called for a helicopter, and the lady, concerned, left with Mrs. Chambers through the rear garden of the sanatorium…”
Hearing this, Thaddeus’s face drained of color, and he dashed towards the rear garden in desperation.
The police took the involved parties in for questioning, while the Ashbourne boys followed Thaddeus to the garden.
In that moment, even the most direct paths seemed fraught with desolation and foreboding.
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