SWNOVELS Chapter 31
Chapter 31~ The real culprit
“Answer me! Why did you meet this man?!” “I’ve already told you he wasn’t the one I was supposed to meet! That man only came to my table to ask for directions. I don’t even know who he is!”
While Delilah and the officer went back and off with the same conversation, Tessa, Aaron and Inspector Michael observed the interrogation through the two-way mirror.
One side of the mirror could reflect, while the other side was transparent which enabled them to observe what was happening in the next room properly.
Tessa narrowed her eyes at Delilah through the glass. She could see her but Delilah couldn’t see them. Delilah seemed confused and frightened. She genuinely looked startled.
Several thoughts reeled through Tessa’s mind when she noticed this. Her eyebrows knitted together as though she was confused about something. “Tell us where the kids are! Do you want to be tortured?” The officer’s voice resonated through the 100m.
It was deep and menacing. He then banged his hand on the table, making Delilah flinch.
“Answer me!” The officer roared. Thirty minutes passed and Delilah had stuck to the same story despite how horrified she looked. Tessa couldn’t help but wonder if there was something that they were missing.
“I’ve already told you. I know nothing! You got the wrong person. Why would I kidnap little children?” Delilah replied.
Tessa’s eyebrows knitted. She gave Aaron a sideways glance and remarked, “I don’t think Delilah knows anything about the kids’ disappearance.”
Aaron’s eyes squinted at her words. She just spoke his mind! He had been observing Delilah and so far, she didn’t look like she was guilty.
He affirmed and returned Tessa’s gaze, saying, “I think so too. It didn’t make sense at first but I think I now know why she was in that video. Someone is trying to set her up.”
“I’m not speaking anymore! I want my lawyer,” Delilah screamed and the officer stopped -interrogating her.
Aaron looked in Inspector Michael’s direction. His voice was low and dangerous as he requested.” How about interrogating her when the man in the video is found? For now, we can’t know for sure until we find that man. He’s the one who took the kids after all.”
Inspector Michael was a blonde man who was built like a tank. Average height with rough beards. He looked like he was ok but he was trembling inside.
Aaron oozed power that could force people to bow in submission to him. Inspector Michael was doing his best to find the missing kids of the most powerful man in the City, lest he lost his job.
“The police are working together with the military. The man shall be found soon,” he said. Aaron shoved his hands into his pockets and narrowed his eyes at the inspector, making him gulp.
His voice was dripping with iciness as he said, “He better be. Or else I’ll bring this world to its knees if the triplets are not found. If the police can’t even find a bunch of criminals then the system needs a reshuffle.”
It was two hours later when a man with a scar on his left cheek and short curly hair was dragged into the police station. Inspector Michael immediately informed Aaron and Tessa who had been waiting in the chief inspector’s office.
“The man has been brought in-”
He couldn’t finish his sentence as Tessa cut him off. Her heart was pounding erratically as she inquired anxiously, “and the kids?”
The moment the inspector shook his head, Tessa’s stomach twisted violently. A terrified gasp left her lips and she lost her balance, causing Aaron to catch her before she hit the ground.
“I’m sorry, Miss Hilton. The man was caught trying to leave the City via train. But the kids are not with him and he doesn’t know where they are. He won’t say anything more,” Inspector Michael reported.
“He’s the one who took the children. Why is this man still able to use his rights? He didn’t think of the children’s rights when he used tricks and took them. Hand him over to me, Inspector, I’ll make him talk,” Aaron suggested.
Inspector Michael hesitated at his words. Such a thing was not allowed. But Aaron had influence. He was rich and rubbed shoulders with high officials, so he got special treatment. “You can interrogate him as you wish. Just don’t kill him… or make him bleed.”
Aaron smirked and cracked his knuckles. He responded. “I’ll make him regret the day he was born.”
Aaron and Enock were given access to the interrogation room. The monitoring camera was switched off to give them privacy.
Tessa stayed in the opposite dark room to watch what they were doing. She gasped when Aaron punched the suspect’s stomach viciously.
Bellows of pain could be heard resonating from the interrogation room as Aaron vented his anger on the suspect. He had just met his kids and they were kidnapped. It made him look like an incompetent father who couldn’t protect his family. Hence, his frustration was released through the heavy blows he landed on the man while avoiding his face.
After a series of beatings in spots that wouldn’t bleed, Aaron clutched the collar of his shirt and pulled him up, questioning, “WHERE THE FUCK ARE MY KIDS?!”
Despite his body being beaten black and blue, the man didn’t say a word. This made anger flare 2’5 through Aaron.
He grabbed his neck and slammed him against the wall. “You better speak if you wish to live. I don’t care about the consequences as long as I get rid of scum like you. Where did you take my kids when you took them and what did you want with them?”
The man still kept mum. A flash of irritation flitted through Aaron’s eyes. He glanced at Enock and instructed, “Find out everything about this man”
“Yes, Sir.”
Aaron left and monit glass. the interrogation room and went into the dark room where they could see the suspect
his actions. The room was dark to make it easier to see the next room through the He looked at Tessa apologetically. She looked pale and exhausted but she had refused to rest until the children were found.
“I can’t be in comfort when I don’t know what the kids are going through” She had said when he suggested she rest.
She had refused to eat too. How could she stomach any food when it was not known whether the kids were safe or not?
“What are you planning to do with information about the suspect?” Tessa asked, her voice hoarse.
“I need to find you anything suspicious that could give us clues. It’s clear that this man and Delilah were just used. The real culprit is out there but we will catch him soon.”
Tessa nodded. Her throat was so dry, she couldn’t talk anymore. They stood in silence as the
officer in charge went in to interrogate the suspect after switching on the monitoring cameras.
“I’m sorry for blaming you for the kid’s kidnapping. The first thought that came to my mind was that it was one of your enemies or the woman who’s obsessed with you. Either way, I shouldn’t have reacted that way,” Tessa suddenly said.
They shared a look and Aaron remembered how she had been about to say something when they received the shocking news.
He was sure she was about to agree to give him a chance. Regardless, he couldn’t bring it up at that moment. He hoped she would still have the same answer when he asked her again after they
found the kids.
Shaking his head, he gave her a small smile. “Don’t apologise because you were right. As a man, it’s really embarrassing that I let such a thing happen. I haven’t even told my Dad because I know he will be on me. The first thing I should have done was ensure you and the children’s safety.”
Silence befell them once more and a few minutes later, Enock returned to the room.
“Sir, I’ve found something But first, I want to report something else. The men you had instructed to keep their eyes on Harry said he always knows they are following him and they end up losing
him. So it’s hard to track his movements.”
Aaron’s eyebrows creased but he dismissed the report, “Ok. Tell me about what you’ve found about the suspect.”
“There’s nothing much. But his family was in a lot of debt and then suddenly, the debt was
Chapp) 31 The teal culcre
cleared. The loan sharks were threatening to get his sister until a few days ago, they received a lump sum of money and the sender indicated it was to clear the suspect’s debt. I traced the address of the sender even if it was tempered with and I’ve finally found someone. A drug lord, called Cobra. For now, I’ve only found his base-”
“Call Graham for me and tell him to instruct his team to deal with the drug lord. I want the kids to
be found today, by crook or by hook,” Aaron said through gritted teeth.
An hour had passed and yet, it felt like a hundred years. To everyone’s horror, the sun had began to set and the Wentworth kids had not yet been found.
Tessa was on the verge of losing it. Her eyes were swollen like globes. And her stomach constantly churned.
With each passing minute, she was starting to lose hope and thought of the worst. A stone-like hand kept squeezing her heart. The more the kids stayed missing, the higher the possibility of something happening to them.
She was worried sick.
So when they received word that they had found Cobra and his car was heading towards the port, her heart sank deeper and deeper into the pits of her stomach.
Aaron grabbed her hand and led her out. She didn’t shake his hand off because the warmth his
hand was emitting was soothing her.
“Why do you think he’s heading to the port? Is he selling our triplets?” Tessa asked Aaron this question for the umpteenth time.
Nevertheless, he didn’t dare complain or tell her she had asked him so many times. He understood her fear because her feelings mirrored his
He glanced at her briefly before steering the car with one hand and stretched his free hand to hold
hers.
He gave her a gentle squeeze, assuring her, “Whatever the reason is, he won’t manage to take them anywhere. We shall find him before he leaves”
The police were the first to arrive at the Port. They quickly found a container that looked suspicious. Three men were carrying three sleeping children to that container in haste.
The three men were Cobra and some gang members, while the three kids were none other than Aaron and Tessa’s triplets.
“Freeze!”
The three men stopped when they were suddenly surrounded by the police who were pointing guns at them
Tessa saw the kids and her heart almost burst out of her chest.
“The kids! Aaron, we’ve found the kids!” She squeaked and opened the car before it could stop, making Aaron slam his foot on the brake.
By the time they both rushed to the scene, the officers had retrieved the children from the kidnappers and cuffed the criminals.
Clapp 31-The real culpot
“Oh my god! My babies!” Tessa grabbed Willa from an officer, and then Reagan.
She then went for Nia but Aaron grabbed her and got Reagan from her. He said, “Let me carry the
two of them. You’re exhausted.”
Tessa shook her head as tears stung her eyes. She replied, “I can never be too tired for our kids.”
However, she didn’t take Reagan back and held Willa tightly, knowing the other two were safe in their father’s arms.
Suddenly, just when the police were about to drag the criminals away, three deafening gunshot sounds reverberated around the area.