Chapter 709 Pop Is Missing
Dexter had once shared the exact location with her; it was somewhere around this area. Following his pointers, she navigated the surroundings and reached the office building. Upon opening the door, Thomas’ voice sounded from inside.
He was assigning tasks to the employees, who were all engrossed in their work. Josie knocked on the door, and Thomas’ gaze snapped up, his eyes locking onto her as he uttered, “…Mrs. Russell? What brought you here?”
Josie’s gaze swept over him, “I could ask you the same thing. Why are you here?”
Thomas’ eyes shifted subtly, “Mr. Russell asked me to oversee this project, so here I am.”
“Is that so?” Josie’s tone held a touch of suspicion.
Among the
many people, only a few garnered Dexter’s trust, and Thomas was his confidante. There were tons of responsibilities and tasks awaiting Thomas at Russell Group; it just seemed odd for Dexter to
relocate Thomas here.
Her dubious expression caused Thomas to wipe a bead of sweat from his forehead. He couldn’t help but notice how, under Dexter’s influence, Josie’s casual yet commanding manner mirrored that of Dexter.
“Indeed, I’ve been transferred here.
Unconvinced, Josie cast a cursory look around the office.
Thomas inquired, “Mrs. Russell, what’s the reason for your visit today?”
With no particular reason for suspicion, Josie shifted the topic to Claire, “Look into that as well.”
Thomas jotted her words, “Absolutely, I’ll make sure she doesn’t slip past us.”
With that said, Josie had no other tasks at hand, so she departed. Just before entering the elevator, a thought struck her. “If you’re not here, then who’s with him?“
Thomas was momentarily taken aback, then promptly replied, “There are a few others in the secretary’s office ready to assist.”
Knowing Thomas didn’t lie, Josie nodded in agreement and directed her steps straight to her car.
As she opened the car door, she called, “Pop…”
Her voice trailed off, her realization hitting hard the car was vacant; Paul was nowhere in sight.
A surge of unease washed over Josie.
She rushed to the back seat and found a handkerchief belonging to Paul.
It bore marks of being clenched tightly, evident in the wrinkles and creases etched onto the fabric.
Her heart kicked into high gear immediately.
She swiftly scanned the street, asking the passersby, “Excuse me, have you seen an elderly man with a cane about this height?”
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However, none of them had seen him.
Josie navigated through the bustling crowd, searching repeatedly. After searching for half an hour, there was still no sign of Paul anywhere.
No, this couldn’t be happening. Pop wouldn’t just vanish like this!
Panic surged, and she phoned Mason Garden, “Has my father returned?”
The servant’s voice held a surprise, “No, Mrs. Russell.”
“Please keep an eye out for my father around Mason Garden!”
Josie hung up abruptly and ran her fingers through her hair, her anxiety escalating. The idea of going to the police station crossed her mind, but she dreaded the thought of Paul returning and not finding her car.
Immediately, she dialed 110.
After briefly explaining the situation, Josie demanded directly, “I need access to the nearby surveillance footage.”
In less than ten minutes, a police officer arrived on the scene. He stood tall and lean, a middle-aged man named Scott Buncho. “Good afternoon, I’m Officer Buncho. How can I assist you?”
Josie gripped his hand, her back damp with sweat, and said, “My father’s memory tends to falter due to a previous botched surgery. Most of the time, he’s unable to think clearly or make logical choices. I’m genuinely concerned…”
Scott patted her shoulder, posed a few concise questions, and quickly guided her to nearby stores to present identification and request access to the surveillance footage.
However, the store owners explained, “The surveillance system in this area is down.”
Scott’s expression shifted, and the store owner added quickly, I’m not lying; it’s not functioning. If you’re skeptical, you’re welcome to come and see. We notified the maintenance company a while ago, but no one has come to fix it.
The surveillance footage was pitch-black, confirming its dysfunction. The coverage scope around this area was notably inadequate, with only one camera monitoring the entire street.
Josie’s heart sank with each passing moment.
Something dreadful had happened….
