"Sir, please… this is so embarra.s.sing…" he tried to pursue his leader but Griffith did not give in.The man felt helpless and could no longer protest because all of them stared at him that his embarra.s.sment rose up to heavens. But his protest is suddenly interrupted by the butler.
"Excuse me, Master Clint, Master John, Mr. Vladimir and his companions have just arrived. Where should we lead them, sir?" the butler asks.
"Lead them to the study room… Griffith, come with us because you also need to know the details."
"Yes sir." Griffith then instructed his men to go back to the headquarters.
"Also, Gary please continue looking after Clark." Clint added.
After that Clint and John went straight to the study room together with Griffith.
Inside the study room, they all sat at the conference table with serious faces.
"Vladimir, tell me what have you discovered." Clint sat down on his chair with demanding look on his face as though he wants the result to be worth his time.
Vladimir came prepared because he knew how cruel Clint Briggs could be if he thinks that the result of the investigation is only a trash without any lead.
"Sir, according to our investigation, the driver"s name is Arnold Thomas, a former employee of Briggs and Briggs Company. He worked for ten years in the company and was fired three years ago by young madam Ingrid." Vladimir reported.
Clint"s brows knitted. "A former employee… what"s the reason why he was fired?"
"He was caught stealing products for numerous times to illegally sell it cheaply and was only suspended every time he"s caught. But when it reaches Miss Howard"s attention, she called the man to her office, however, this man did not comply with the order. That prompts the young madam to fire him. Ever since, he never set foot to the company…"
"So you mean to say that because he was fired by my daughter that he harboured hatred towards her? Why now? It"s been three years! He should have done it years ago… Is that the only reason, or is there something else?" John is still not convinced with the report.
"Yes, we"ve also asked the same questions, Master John, so we further our investigation. After he was fired, his wife and children left him when they knew what he did and that he was fired by the company and could no longer support them. After his family left, his neighbors have observed that he drown himself in alcohol almost every day. Oftentimes, they heard him cursing the young madam"s name and the company. And just two months ago, there were two men who kept on coming to his house. Then after that they noticed that he"s no longer drunk and would often leave his house for days then be back for a while then leave again…"
"Who were the men who came to him? Did you also look into it?" Clint"s eagerness to know is very evident as he clenches his hands and gnashes his teeth.
"We"re still looking into it, sir. Because those men would often appear there when it"s almost dark and they could not clearly see their faces. Though, we"re already looking into nearby CCTVs, to find out some unusual cars that pa.s.sed by in the alleys during those months."
John and Clint nodded as they were caught in deep thought.
"We"ll keep you informed, Master Clint, if we found more lead to this."
Vladimir and his company then bid goodbye to his master and left the mansion.
♥…♥…♥
In the middle of the night, Ingrid woke up and the room is pitch black and that there"s not a spark of light could be seen.
"Why is it so dark?" she wanted to stand up but she remembered that she"s in the hospital so she called Clifford.
"Love, are you awake?" but he did not respond.
"Clifford! Are you there?" she called again, still Clifford did not respond.
"Cliff… please answer me! Don"t fool around…" but the room is quiet.
All of a sudden, she heard some footsteps and it"s coming to her side. Its steps are unhurried that it gives her some eerie feeling. Her heart started to throb and she becomes anxious.
"Clifford, is that you?" but when the person did not answer she wanted to scream for help but then someone strangles her neck.
"Who–" she coughed and she couldn"t breathe and she feels like throwing up.
She grips the person"s forearm to bear out who"s choking her since the person did not utter any word yet. She wanted to know if the person is a she or a he. But the person distances one"s face from her.
"Ingrid… Remember me…?" the voice is unclear whether it"s from a man or woman but the laughter sounds that of a malevolent one.
"Who is this person? But his voice… it is familiar to me! I"ve heard it somewhere…" she screamed in her head, but her strength slowly fade away.
"NO!!! I can"t die now! I need to fight…" she"s said as she gasps for air.
"uuhhmmmppphhhhh…." She struggled to get out from his tight grip.
"HEEELLLLPPPP" she gathered her strength to scream for help when she thought that she already run out of breath.
"PL-PLESE… SO-SOME-BO-DDDYYYY… HEL—LLLPP…"
"No one"s gonna help you… no one"s gonna rescue you. Didn"t you know you"re alone now?"