145 Kidnapped Arc 1

An hour earlier, Lino arrived ahead in front of Diane's house. He saw he had no way to go in through the gate. He looked around. The street was a bit dim, the neighborhood was quiet, and no one was on the road. So he parked his car beside the wall and climbed on it, then hurriedly jumped in the courtyard.

Lino pulled a gun from his back and held it in one hand. His other hand reached for the doorknob, it's locked. He pulled a penlight from his pocket, turned it on and bit it between his teeth. The light focused on the knob. His fingers clipped a hook-like master key from his pocket and inserted it in and unlocked the door with ease. The whole house was dark.

Using his penlight, he scanned every room. There was no one at home. Satisfied that he had the place to himself, he went into the biggest bedroom. Inside he stood quietly for a moment, allowing himself to absorb the feel of the moonlit room. His eyes roamed every corner. There were a king size bed and a closet. At the corner to the right, there was a table with a reading lamp and books.

He walked directly to the table and found a knob on the lamp base and turned it. Soft light cast on the table. His eyes went to the objects on the table and opened every page of the ledger, then another. Nothing. He opened a notebook laid on top of a book and he threw it on the floor. He shook every item on the table until nothing was left but the lamp.

Lino looked down and saw nothing under. He moved to the closets, nothing but clothes. He pulled each clothes and one by one fell on the floor until the whole closet was bare. There was no paper hidden between clothes.

He pulled the blankets, pillows and touched every space of the bed. Absolutely nothing. When he was about to go to another room, he heard a squeaking sound outside the house. He ran to the nearest window and saw Diane came in with a man. He readied the gun in his hand.

John and Diane went to the courtyard.

"Do you want to go in?" Diane asked when suddenly John's phone vibrated. He dug in his pocket and took his phone. A message reflected in his eyes, he was needed in the hospital.

"I need to go. Have a good rest. I'll come tomorrow morning then we'll go together to the hospital."

He kissed her and let go. John walked out and Diane closed the gate.

When Lino saw the man walked out the gate, his shoulders lowered. He gave a sigh, relieved.

Diane unlocked the door and moved into the house. As she reached for the light's switch, she heard a clicking sound and a cold round metal touched her temple.

"Don't shout. This gun has no mercy, I'm warning you," Lino said, pointing a gun on her head.

Diane bit her lower lip, stopping herself from shouting. She thought of her earrings but something hard hit the back of her head. She lost consciousness and fell on the ground.

After securing her in the chair, he continued to search every room of the house, including the bathroom and the kitchen. And found nothing resembling the written list he had before.

Exhaustion caught him. Sweat dripped from his forehead and face. He sat on the sofa to rest. He ceased his fruitless search and decided to wait for Diane to gain her consciousness back. Somehow, he got impatient. He went to the kitchen and filled a glass with water then went to Diane's side. He pulled his hair from her back, tilting her head up and poured the water on her face.

Diane shook her head and tried to open her eyes. She let out a cry but a muffled sound came out. Her jaw ached from the tight cloth secured around her mouth. Her eyes blazed with anger as she saw the face in front of her.

"Hi, we meet again, Diane," he said as he smirked.

"Umm, umm," Diane tried to shout her anger but was muffled out.

"I will let you go if you tell me where your father hid a very important piece of paper. Once I have it I'll leave."

Diane did not believe every word he said. She cast her eyes directly at him and planning what to say.

"Don't do anything stupid or you'll die like your father." He pointed the gun back and forth at her, trying to scare her.

She looked at the gun but only anger filled her chest and she wanted to yell at the man. She wriggled her body and hands to set herself free but instead felt stinging pain around her wrists. Her hands went red from the friction of the string.

"Cooperate and you'll be free." He sat back on the couch.

She closed her eyes and suddenly opened them and glared at him like an angry tigress ready to pounce at her prey.

"Go ahead glare at me. It won't help, you'll suffer more if you won't cooperate. Just nod if you wish to cooperate."

Diane became sullen. She was planning how to activate her earrings. She muffled some sounds.

"What?"

Diane moved her chin and shook her head.

"You want me to take off the cloth from your mouth? No way. Just nod, Diane and you won't suffer more."

She stopped and slowly nodded. Diane planned to cooperate and waited for what he would do next.

"Good. Now, where is Robert's hiding place."

Diane shook her head.

"You mean you don't know?"

Diane nodded again.

"Have you seen him holding a list of names and addresses."

Diane nodded and moved her chin to the biggest room's direction.

"Where?"

Diane moved her chin again, her eyes on that room.

"You mean that room?" Lino pointed at the room.

Diane nodded.

"Not those list in there. Another one. I've seen everything. It's not there."

Diane's shoulders slouched. Yet, her mind debated on what to do to reach her earrings.