Emma's P.O.V

Damn!

It's too dark. I can't see a thing!

I clutched the camera detector tightly. Sweat dripped down my forehead and my palms were already sweaty and slippery. I put my other empty hand in front of me to stop myself from banging into something while waving the camera detector in air. I almost made it to the front door when the device in my hand vibrated.

I froze.

"Calm down Emma! Your head including your face is covered with a black mask, remember!", my inner voice screamed back at me.

Oh yeah! I almost forgot. Thanks buddy!

I waved the device and realized that the camera was infact above the door. I retrieved a cloth from my black Jean pocket with my gloved hand and covered the camera with it.

I then fumbled with my lock pick trying to unlock the door.

Click.

After a couple of seconds of trying, I heard the door click open. The click could have been heard for miles, for the night was silent.

The silence was deafening, for it was almost unbearable.

I stepped in cautiously, afraid of booby traps. I then tip toed across the house searching for cameras first. To my luck, I found none.

I tucked the detector back into my black jacket pocket, zipping it up. I then switched on the torch and searched for hidden basements.

I moved the sofa and checked for loose floor tiles. I then inspected the bookcase, randomly plucking books, expecting it to open up a secret passage like in the movies. Next, I entered the kitchen and searched the pantry, even though it wasn't big as Tyler's. I then rummaged through his bedside table and ended up with nothing.

I sighed in frustration. I basically searched every speck of this house, but I ultimately end up finding nothing!

I didn't expect secret basements in Tony's house anyway. I mean if he's the culprit and if he's brainy enough, he would have his house clean, just in case the IAE suspects him. Yet, I did expect an evidence of some sort to prove that he harassed Ella.

He was much brainier than I thought.

I directed the torch everywhere across his room for a final check and still came up with nothing.

I left the door as it was and entered the living room. And just as I was about to pull back the sofa to its original place, I felt my phone vibrate.

It was Martin. I rejected the call and switched off my phone. I couldn't take the risk of them tracking me down.

I pulled the sofa back and my eyes did a one last sweep to see whether all things were as they were. I then looked at my watch to see that it was already 2 am.

Before I leave, I need to do something important.

I knew Tony wouldn't be here till the next day. I did some research to find out that he had a party tonight. And my sources said that he was a heavy drunk. I informed Martin that I was willing to raid Tony's house tonight and that I needed backup.

The backup crew is currently waiting for me in a black van parked a couple of blocks way. All I need is to summon them if I get caught.

So let's hope that Tony gets too high tonight for everyone's sake.

I looked around the living room for a camera footage displaying computer. I found one at the far end corner. I went towards it and switched it on. It asked for a password.

BINGO!

A couple of seconds later I managed to hack into it. I found tonight's footage and replaced it with a previous one. I then skimmed through a couple of footages to detect suspicious activity and unfortunately ended up with none.

I switched off the computer and stood up setting the stool as it was. I walked a couple of steps away when,

BANG!

I bit down a groan as I clutched my leg in pain.

Damn! What was that I hit so hard?

I crawled towards the torch that had rolled away due to the impact and directed it towards the obstacle.

It was a vase and fortunately a plastic one. The flowers were also plastic and they were attached to the vase. So they didn't spill.

My eyes narrowed in confusion.

The vase was quite huge and heavy. Too heavy for a plastic one.

I directed the light beam towards the inside of the vase. The top was filled with black rigiform giving it an artificial soil like appearance.

Still that doesn't give it a reason to be this heavy.

Maybe they've filled the insides to make it stand stable?

Well let's find out, shall we?

What can I say, curiosity killed the cat!

I tried removing the rigiform, but terribly failed. I shined the torch again, trying to get a closer look when my eyes caught the mouth of the vase being broken on one side.

Oh crap!

NO! NO! NO!

PLEASE DON'T TELL ME THAT I BROKE IT!

I frantically looked around for a broken piece on the floor and found none. I inspected the mouth of the vase on the opposite side of the broken piece and found a similar one.

I let out the breathe that I had been holding unknowingly.

Seems like it was Tony's work to use it as a hidden compartment. I succeeded in lifting the rigiform with the help of the broken holes on either side of the vase and placed it on the floor beside me.

I peered inside and my eyes widened in surprise.

There sitting on the bottom of the vase was a black laptop with its charger. I slowly took it out and placed it in front of me on the floor. I switched it on and as expected it was password protected.

As usual it took me a couple of seconds to hack through. I came up with nothing important as I searched all the folders.

It can't be. There should be something important, to go to the extent of hiding it.

I went to the search bar and typed 'secret'.

'No results found' was what I found staring back at me.

Then I typed 'important'.

Still, 'No results found'.

'Ella'

Nah!

'Mafia'

Still NO

'SAFE'

noPe

I pulled my hair in frustration.

What would it be?

Damn it! Think Emma! Think!

Raped once.
Same way.
Used only for rape.
Ex-boyfriend
Cheated

I went through all the details I knew about Ella's case over and over again.

C'mon Emma! C'mon!

Think! You dumb nut!

I was at the process of thinking when my eyes widened in realization.

What if he was hiding something else?

Oh boy! The 'perks' of being a detective is unexplainable.

Tell me why I love this job, again?

I sighed.

Wait.

My thoughts came into a rumbling tumbling stop when a bulb lit at the back of my mind suddenly.

Love

I typed hurriedly on the search bar.

....Loading....

...

...

BINGO!

A couple of seconds later a single folder loaded.

I clicked the folder as my hands shook in excitement. The folder was password protected. And this time it took me a couple of minutes to open the folder without leaving any trace.

The folder was filled with photos and videos of Ella and Tony. All dated within the two months they dated. I skimmed through the content when my eyes caught sight of a particular video. It was dated the day Ella went missing.

My heart bounced against my ribs, leaping in excitement.

I clicked on the video and it started playing a scene where Tony threatens Ella and then brutally rapes her.

I covered my eyes in horror.

My fingers fumbled with the mouse pad, trying to pause the video as they shook terribly.

Once I succeeded after a few seconds, my shoulders sagged in relief. I tried applying pressure into my eyelids to get rid of the images. Yet, they stuck on to the walls of mind like chewing gum, refusing to budge from their place.

The images kept coming back and forth no matter how much I tried to get rid of them. My mind was an utter mess. I was too shaken out of my mind to compose myself.

I spaced out now and then as I stared at the bright laptop screen blankly, too horrified to bring myself to blink the tears welling in my eyes away.

Too horrified to even feel the presence behind me,

Until-

A hand squeezed my shoulder tightly.

______________________________________________________________________
Hey guys,

Here's the bonus update as promised. Hope you guys liked it.

I am kind of not satisfied with this chapter. I mean with the way it was written.

Do you guys find it the same? Or is it just me being paranoid? 😱

Please do tell me so that I could see to it? 😅

Anyways, back to the chapter. And here are the questions,
1) Did you all guess that it was Tony? Hopefully not. 😅
2) Now that we know that Tony is the culprit, will Emma be able to find the rest of the gang easily?
3) I have a feeling that the story is going to turn a full three hundred and sixty degrees from here. Do you too?
If yes, in what direction will the story go? Would you like to take a wild guess?? 😉

And now that the questions are done, I think it is time for me to wrap it up.

I hope you guys liked this chapter.

Tell me your views on it in your comments. And don't forget to mention  whether you enjoyed the bonus update too.

And I changed the cover of this book yesterday. Do you guys like it?

Does it match the story? Would it attract the audience? Please give me your comments.

And the cover may have Emma Watson and Ian Somerhalder on it, but as you know, the cast is different and it will remain the same as it is.

I don't know their names, I just came across their pics on the internet and I instantly laid my eyes on them for my characters.

I apologize for being ignorant but I'm not going to change them.

And if anyone of you know their names, I would be glad to know. 😊

And then again, those pictures that I updated in the previous chapters, rightfully belong to their owners. They were solely used for the purpose of helping you to imagine your characters. Not for anything else.

And now that I've said everything that was in my mind, Cheerios!

And oh! Don't forget to vote and share.

See you soon!

Love,

Ranna