2 With A Relaxed Tone
the caretaker commented as he walked away from the tomb after cleaning it.
John didn't hear his comment and just let the man go on his way. "Auntie, I'm here. I'm sorry I have to let you down. I'm still not able to find your daughter."
He touched the epitaph where the name of a woman was engraved. Elizabeth Marshall was written on it in beautiful calligraphy.
"I promise I'll find her, auntie. No matter what," he said to the tombstone before going back to her mother's tomb.
It's been nine years since his mother died. A year after her best friend's death, she committed suicide due to depression and guilt. It was said that her best friend, Elizabeth Marshall, was a mistake.
The target was actually his mother but that unfortunate night, Elizabeth borrowed her car to pick up her child. Thus, the crime happened to leave a little girl alone and led his mother to death.
John never gave up on the case. Both his mother and Elizabeth deserve justice. All these years, he had asked his men to investigate the matter and to locate the girl which his mother entrusted to him, but it was fruitless.
"Mom, I'm here once again. I am still not able to find her. Her relatives said that she didn't stay with them. I asked around but there was no news at all. Am I that incapable? I felt so useless.
Finding her should've been easy but it's been years without any progress." John mumbled helplessly in front of his mother's tomb. He covered his face with both hands in frustration.
He spoke to his mom mentally. He just stood there doing nothing in an imposing manner which made people avoid him.
He spent almost an hour at the cemetery before leaving the place with a guilty face. Every time he visited the cemetery, he would go back in low spirit, guilt was eating his pride away.
Emily saw John walking towards her with a dark face. Hawk was following with a relaxed manner, making her roll her eyes at them. She just had a little fight earlier and she didn't want to see someone in a bad mood.
"What's the wrong boss? Bad mood? I have good news though." she opened the door on the copilot seat after John seated himself in the backseat. Following, Hawk took his position as the driver and drove the car for them.
"Say it." John leaned on the headrest and closed his eyes to calm his nerves but he was still in an alert mode in case something would happen.
Emily turned her body to the side facing Hawk with a laptop sitting on her lap. She opened some documents sent by her friend.
"I asked someone to help us locate Ms. Marshalle's daughter. She had collated all the women from ages 21-23 who lost their parents with the same name to her daughter.
My friend included those that got married, too. We have less than a hundred prospects so it would be easier for us this time." Emily reported before she handed him her laptop.
He opened his eyes and reached for it to see the document himself. His face didn't change or showed any expression but deep inside he was truly happy.
Earlier he was sulking because he didn't know where to find her, but now the news was sent directly to him.
"Thanks, Emily. We'll ask some PI to check on these ladies." John returned the laptop to his secretary.
"Heh! I'm good at this. Good thing we found you or you would have to spend more years to locate her." Emily said proudly which was true.
"Four years. Oh god! It's been four years since you helped us. Two years in your company. Two years! It took us two years to find the little girl." she spoke in an exasperated tone.
John just laughed it off. "It doesn't matter. As long as we find her, I'd be able to fulfil my promise."
Emily just smiled while Hawk kept silent as he listened to their conversation. He was focused on his surroundings and was driving carefully.
"We have a lead but we are not sure yet which one of them is her." Hawk expressed his thoughts.
Emily pinched his thigh in frustration. "You spoiler! Don't burst my bubbles of hope!" she glared at him but Hawk just chuckled at her expression.
****
Eva drove back to her house first to record herself. She had to finish the recording and do the post editing later that night so that it could be released the next day.
She took a rest after two hours of recording before changing her clothes to visit Merry's family.
She chose a pair of black jeans and a white sweater, paired with white rubber shoes. She used a sling bag to put in her wallet, phone and keys.
She put on her baseball cap and mask before grabbing the paper bags containing her gifts.
She made sure that all windows and doors are locked as part of her safety precautions. she had always reminded herself of that ever since they were young.
***
On the way home,
Eva stopped her car in front of a pharmacy and bought some coffee to keep her awake.
She didn't really stock her cupboard with coffee. She'd only buy it when she needed it the most. She paid for three canned coffee and walked out of the store.
When John entered the store, his eyes went wide and shock was registered on his face. He walked around the store aisles but he couldn't pinpoint her location. None of the people inside the store has the same body built as her.
There was something on the woman at the cemetery that kept bugging him. And now, he was sure that she is or she was in the store before he came in.
Eva jogged back to her car when she caught sight of someone familiar to her. The woman looked at her and
