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Adilcilene Ferreira

• Herausgeber: Tektime
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Seitenzahl: 327

Beschreibung

The detective and negotiator Douglas Fernandes is hired to track down the kidnapping of the daughter of a well-known businessman. In the middle of a journey full of ambition, deceit and abandonment, he will find himself falling in love with the victim, without even having met her.
Veronica is an independent, confident woman. However, she will be confronted with one of the most difficult moments of her life. While she is being held captive, she will begin to break the chains of the past and will discover that not everything that seemed to be is in fact. That love can chain a person, but also save her.
Encounters, misunderstandings, and revelations will be constant, and the other side of the story can make her even more valuable, or not.
The night was warm, and although she liked to use the air conditioning,
Veronica preferred the breeze that came with the wind. Sitting on the balcony, she
watched the horizon wondering how her father would be at that moment. Certainly he was suffering and so was she for being away, but she needed to behave and accept the rules of that situation. She didn't even know what was going on. Everything seemed strange and unfounded to her. She had blindly trusted the detective and she was wrong about him. After the silence and night had taken over the whole place, Veronica returned to her room, leaving the window open so that the breeze could come in and refresh the room naturally. Then maybe she could fall asleep right away. Sleep did not come at any cost and upset she got up to go to the toilet. As she got out of bed and took her first steps, she saw something crawling past in front of her. Although the clarity wasn't much, it was enough for her to see that it was a snake. ”Oh, My God!” - Veronica said, hurrying to the door. Her heart was beating unsteadily and without thinking about what she was doing she ran into the corridor forcing her eyes to see in the darkness. She didn't want to look scared in front of the man in the next room, but her legs were shaking so much that she didn't act so proud and went for help. When she opened the door and went inside she felt strong hands taking her by the waist and squeezing her gently. ”What is it, Veronica?” - Douglas asked with heavy breathing. ”There's a huge snake in the room.” - she said, not realizing how close they were to each other. ”But everything is quite locked. How could that happen?” - he stared at her without letting go. ”I don't know what happened. The only thing I can tell you is that there is one there.” Douglas pulled her aside and reached for the light switch. When the light dominated the place, Veronica noticed that he was wearing only underwear. The adrenaline took over their bodies and Veronica didn't know whether to tremble because of the shock or because she was standing in front of the sexy man.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

REVERSE

DEDICATION

CHAPTER 01

CHAPTER 02

CHAPTER 03

CHAPTER 04

CHAPTER 05

CHAPTER 06

CHAPTER 07

CHAPTER 08

CHAPTER 09

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 23

CHAPTER 24

CHAPTER 25

CHAPTER 26

CHAPTER 27

CHAPTER 28

CHAPTER 29

CHAPTER 30

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

REVERSE

THE FINAL PRINCIPLE OF LOVE

Author Dill Ferreira

English translation Caroline Bisognin

DEDICATION

I dedicate this book to the magnificent nature that surrounds this country, and is also the scenario of beautiful and passionate encounters. Also extending to all the lovers who had their stories marked by the unique beauty of our Brazil.

CHAPTER 01

Douglas stood before the door of the great mansion waiting to be greeted. His father asked him to help a friend, otherwise, he would not take this case case.

It involved the kidnapping of the only daughter of a large local businessman who, to his misfortune, asked her father for help. It had been a while since Douglas had taken his long-dreamed vacation, and just when everything was in place to get away from that world of details and great mental demands, he had been asked, or rather summoned, to work on another case.

The door was opened by a short gentleman, apparently downcast, which made him feel guilty about not wishing to take the case.

“Mr. Paul Braz?” - judging by his distressed appearance he didn't even need to ask. It was clear that this was the father of the kidnapped girl. “I'm Douglas Fernandes.”

They shook each other's hands in greeting.

“Yes. It's me! Come in, please!”

The old man invited him and stepped aside to let the man in. In the large and nicely furnished room, Douglas was able to see several paintings and photographs displayed on the sideboards. In most of them, there was a young woman in her 25s, with short red hair. She looked much younger than the age he knew she was. She looked so natural in the photographs, without much beauty effect. Which seemed to make her even more beautiful. There was a glow in that smile that he couldn't explain.

Her fair skin in contrast to the immense black eyes and plump lips seemed to invite any man to a delicious moment of pleasure. Douglas looked for a few more seconds at one of the photograph that had caused him such curiosity and turned his attention away from it. "How can a simple photograph make me feel this way, not to mention that this is not a good time for such thoughts...", he blamed himself in thought before looking away to another location. However, another photograph of the girl caught his attention. She was wearing shorts, surrounded by children. Her slim and well-shaped body of approximately 5′ 5″ seemed not to show her beauty. She behaved like she was one of those children.

“She loves volunteering.” — the owner of the house spoke noticing the interest of the visitor.

“Your daughter has an intense life! Does she work, does she do something?” — "With the money her father has, she probably won't even bother spending hours locked up in an office.", Douglas thought annoyed by the fact that the young woman had drawn his attention so much.

“Yes. She always enjoyed her independence. The only reason she hasn't left this house yet is because of me. Veronica is very active and after she became an adult she no longer depended on me for anything, and this autonomy made her an easy prey to be taken." The man commented, running a trembling hand over his head, making his distress even clearer.

“Your suffering will not help you, Mr. Paul. We need as much calm and care as possible in dealing with this matter.” Douglas asked politely, aware that he was almost never attended by his clients. “The main purpose of this type of extortionist is to leave the family emotionally shaken so that they have full power over the case." he concluded.

“I asked your father for help because I was at a loss. They made a first contact with me last night to inform me of what had happened to my daughter and also to threaten me in case I went to the police. This morning they called again and this time they were more aggressive. I was very distressed by such circumstances. I have no habit of dealing with blackmail and criminality. I could deal with any other subject but this one. Especially when it comes to the most important thing to me, my daughter.”

It would not be at all hard to understand what that father was going through, but Douglas could not sympathize with his suffering, that would only disturb the process.

“Is it possible for us to take a look at her car and see if there are any fingerprints, or any other clues to the kidnapping?” Douglas asked in the hope that something could serve as help to start the work.

“Unfortunately the car was taken to be washed the next day. Officials believed that she left him there for this purpose. That's the way she used to do it." — he said sadly.

“All right. We will look for other means then. Are there cameras in the company's parking lot, Mr. Paul?” — He was pretty sure the cameras didn't exist, but he needed to confirm.

“Unfortunately we did not take this precaution, detective. Although we have a good share of the textile market, we always keep it simple and do not worry too much about safety. Which is a big mistake.”

Douglas reflected on his statement. In fact, he did not know the Braz Textile Industry well, but his father had assured him that it was a good capital generator.

“Nowadays security should be a basic need of every citizen, especially those of good earnings like you. Kidnappings are no longer the privilege of millionaires only. There are some cases when they even take an ordinary person and ask for values ranging from five thousand to millions. They want money no matter from whom.” — he explained respectfully. “You should invest in it as soon as possible.” - He knew what he was talking about. “Did she used to flaunt things and possessions on social media?” - Douglas questioned.

“My daughter has never done such foolish things, Detective. She is a simple woman.”

“It was just an assumption, Mr. Paul. Many people fall into temptation and allow themselves to be exposed too much. As companies keep an eye on these medias as a way to analyze their employees, so do criminals. Does she usually go out alone? Does she have any friends, boyfriend?” — He continued.

“She was very private. She had few childhood friendships, but no big deal, the kind that went out two to three times a week to a party. In fact, She was dedicated to the foundation that we created to serve children in need of affection, food, and respect. There weren't many things other than that she was interested in, not that I knew about!”

That last sentence made Douglas curious.

“Why do you say that? Do you believe that she may have someone or anything other than what she mentions to you?” — “A secret perhaps behind this angelic face and fragility she shows”, Douglas imagined.

“That's not what I meant. My intention was only to clarify that she was very independent and had her own life. I always believed in my daughter's choices” — he replied with a serious look on his face.

“All right. I got it.”

Douglas noticed that even when he was broken, the man possessed a certain authority worthy of good leaders. “I wonder what the beautiful woman who stubbornly stares at me with these bright eyes through the photo while I am in this room looks like.”, he thought.

“Did they say when they would return contact?” - Douglas wanted to know when he looked away from one of the photos.

“No details. They just told me that they are not willing to have much communication, they want to solve the kidnapping right away. They will contact again tomorrow or in two days, I believe!”

The man's stress was not helping much.

"Were they aggressive during the contact?" - Douglas questioned.

"I'd say they were straightforward, detective."

"One more little piece of information". Douglas reflected.

"Could you talk to your daughter?" - He needed to ask this question to be sure the girl was alive.

"Yes." - The man's voice was overwhelmed by emotion. "She told me to be calm that everything was fine. Then they took her phone." - Douglas realized that if it was someone else in Mr. Paul’s shoes this person would be more heartbroken by all of , but his life experience made him strong, the detective could notice the man was shaking due to the strong bond he had with his daughter. Just as Douglas's father had mentioned and which he could increasingly confirm.

"Did you notice any change in her voice? Any evidence of mistreatment or anything? Through some information it is possible to know the degree of aggressiveness and the likely reaction of criminals such as these ones."

"No! I got nothing. She is not the kind that gets altered, although she has a strong personality."

Douglas already knew she takes after her father.

"It's a good thing. They may in fact be only interested in the money and do not want further trouble."

While they were both talking, Douglas kept forming in his mind the probable characteristics of the criminals.

"I pray to God that's all!" - Mr. Paul cried out with a tired voice.

Douglas knew that this was not always that simple, but it would be better to believe that the businessman's daughter had been used only as a source of easy money, with no intention of revenge or anything else. In fact, it seemed to be the case.

“Have you had any troubles in your company with any employees recently? Something that resulted in dismissal related to stealing."

It was another possibility for the detective to analyze.

"Not that I recall, Detective. There are people who are responsible for taking actions like this, but anyway in these cases I am always informed and this has not happened. There is some staff turnover in the company, but in lower positions and we hardly ever have a dismissal of this nature."

Douglas listened carefully.

"Right. So, there is no reason to believe that a former employee who is unhappy and wants to get back at you, or extort you because they know you can afford to pay?"

"I believe it's no the case. As I told you before, we are very discreet and the higher level positions are held by people I trust, who have been with me for years. But we can look further down that path if you prefer ." - Paul answered.

"We will put this option on hold and if the possibility and need arise we will look into it. Could I take a look at her room and her computer?" - He hoped to find some evidence that someone was interested in the girl's father's money, or in the girl herself. Which would not surprise him.

"Sure! Make yourself at home. I'll make some emergency calls and I talk to you later." - The man asked an employee to walk him to the kidnapped young woman's room.

Douglas walked into a simple room with no much decoration. It was comfortable as the whole house was. However, it did not have much beyond the necessary, an interesting contrast with the majestic room he was before. At the head of the bed there was a beautiful picture of children flying kites on the street. The painting seemed old judging by the rustic features. On the two nightstands, pictures and more pictures to torment his mind even more. That young woman seemed to like photographs very much and it was not his case. Douglas approached the bed, picked up a beautifully framed photo of her face, and observed her feminine features. Never before had a simple picture of someone caught his attention so much. Those eyes were following him. He watched her for a few more seconds and left the photograph in its original place. He could not waste time looking at that angelic face which could very well be at serious risk. This fact made Douglas feel something bad in his stomach. He could neither make plans nor imagine situations, because he didn't know much about the case. He did need to get in touch with the kidnappers in order to get some sort of preview.

Sitting down, he turned on the computer and began to search. There were several very well organized folders. By opening some of them, he was able to see projects that were probably from the foundation that her father had talked about. The young woman did not seem to have fun in her life. She was probably married to the work. Another file contained scanned letters that by handwriting should be from children. The loneliness and sadness of children who were abandoned was the topic of the letter, or children that didn't know their mother or father. “What drives this beautiful woman to keep such files?", Douglas was moved by what he had purposely read. Digging around a little more, he opened and closed folders. Most of them were archived completed projects and some contained future schedules. Few pictures seemed to be at moments of leisure, pictures of Veronica in different places and almost always with the same charming smile. There were also many songs stored. He opened some songs and realized the young woman enjoyed the classical and pop style. He was getting to know the victim more than he needed to, but something was driving him to get to know more about her.

After digging a little further, he found that in fact she did not seem to have someone. But what information did he have to come to this conclusion? Nothing but the strong evidence that she preferred to take care of other people rather than herself.

The emails he would try to open later, although he had the impression that he would not have what he was looking for through the files. There was no indication that she had been kidnapped for personal reasons, her father was an influential and wealthy man, so Douglas would proceed the investigation using this fact.

He checked the young woman's room a little more, he quickly opened the drawers of the closet. He found pieces of her clothing that caught his attention for its beauty and femininity.

He looked at the bathroom carefully and returned to the computer. Douglas checked the well-kept bathroom and returned to the computer. He opened another file and he came to the conclusion that nothing there would help him. It was a waste of time.

"I’ve already done that." - her father spoke from the door, but there was no annoyance in his face when he saw a stranger messing with his daughter's things, yet Douglas chose to stop what he was doing.

"I don't believe that what we're looking for is here, we will have to be more insightful and attentive to the details we have from now on. If we are lucky enough, maybe the criminals themselves will supply us and we can get to your daughter."

"So I wait, and from now on I leave my doors open for whatever you need."

Douglas looked gratefully at his client. Cooperation was a strong asset for a negotiator like him.

CHAPTER 02

Veronica watched the place where she was taken. She did not know exactly how long she had been there, but it had been many hours from the moment she was approached, she assumed that by the darkness that seemed to exist around her. She had no idea what was going on, she only knew that it was not something ordinary by the way they approached her in the parking lot of her father's company.

She left as usual from her work at 5pm and headed to the parking lot quietly and when she opened the door of her car, a van parked next door and two hooded guys came down and took her in their arms, they put her in the car and sped off.

“Be a nice lady and cooperate with us. If you do everything we tell you, nothing bad will happen to you.”

One of the men gave her some sunglasses and Veronica took them, forcing herself to keep calm because she didn't want to show she was trembling. She saw nothing in front of her while she was sitting between them. The sunglasses were too dark for her to see something. She could hear only the snoring of the vehicle and the altered breathing of the criminal to her left. In silence they continued. Nothing else was said or asked.

It hadn't occurred to her that it was some joke of the foundation staff, since the approach and the way they maintained it throughout the course did not seem like amateur stuff. And so little of friends and co-workers.

One of them seemed to have a gun. Several times when the car passed in some asphalt undulation she could feel the volume leaning against her ribs, but at no point did she try to glance under the fake glasses in order to see if it was indeed a weapon. She remained static until the end.

Sometime later when they slowed down and the whispering inside the van began, she could tell they were getting somewhere, and it was populated. There were residents there. Veronica smelled food. A while later when they were about to arrive everything became silent and she could hear only the singing of some night animals. As soon as the car stopped, she was hastily removed. One of the men had placed his hand on the back of her neck, keeping her head down so that she could see nothing but her feet. The tiled floor was also one of the few things that was in her vision. Then they took her inside the property. Inside the place, Veronica noticed that the air was cleaner and smelled better, there were probably women around. Held up by one of the criminals, she was led down a steep staircase that seemed to lead to a basement. Veronica could only see her feet and sometimes the feet of one of the men who had kidnapped her in the parking lot. He was wearing a beautiful new social shoe, probably leather, and expensive.

As soon as they stopped walking so that he would open a door, the man spoke out:

"We have no intention of hurting you, girl. Collaborate with us and everything will end well."

The warning had been given when he let go of her arm and left her static in the middle of nowhere, not even a wall for her to lean on. When he was leaving, he turned to her.

"Make yourself comfortable, we will soon bring you something to eat. Let's do the right things and everyone will win, especially you."

The man turned on the light at the end of the stairs and left.

As soon as Veronica heard the sound of the key that locked the door, she removed her glasses and looked around more calmly. The place was organized, a bed in a corner, and a table with a chair in the other. There was also a closet for clothes and a bookcase. She curiously approached the closet and found out that there were clothes and two pairs of shoes inside. In one of the drawers, there were underwear of her size and personal products, which no longer surprised her. Everything there seemed to have been prepared exactly for her. In the next drawer Veronica found a simple device that could be used to listen to music. They certainly left it to her use as well.

In the bathroom the basic hygiene products were exposed. Which calmed her down for a few seconds. At least she would have some sort of dignity there. An anxiety began to take hold of her for not knowing what would come next. The only certainty she had was that she would not return home that night.

After checking the bathroom, Veronica returned to the room and stayed there for a long time trying to remain peaceful. In the silence of that unfamiliar place she remembered her father. A strong and hard-working man, but she knew her health had been weakened for a long time. He must be devastated at that moment. Since his mother left, abandoned them, Paul had never been the same. He had devoted himself fully to the company and his little daughter, and created a unique bond between them. Veronica hoped that he was being assisted by someone at that bad moment. This assurance would be a great comfort. She could worry about the rest later.

The memory of her mother came to her mind. Veronica rarely allowed herself to remember the woman who had traded her for freedom, leaving everything that was part of her past behind. Not even Valquíria’s family had informed her of her location over the past 15 years, and on the occasions when Veronica and her father talked to her uncle, the only relative who visited often and seemed to like her, they did not get much valid information, so they gradually put aside their questions and eventually accepted the absence of their mother and wife.

She didn't know why she was recalling the past at that moment. Possibly because she was experiencing the same sense of fear and emptiness that she had when her mother was gone. Putting her face between her legs she let herself fall on the bed and there she stood looking at the ceiling with nothing to do or think about.

Later, Veronica heard a female voice, confirming her predictions that there was a woman there. Then, silence took over the place again until the same woman came to bring her something to eat.

After a knock, and before entering, she asked:

"If you’re not wearing the blindfold put it on."

Veronica looked around and saw a black cloth that was attached to the headboard of the bed, she picked it up and covered her vision before informing her that everything was ready.

"I'm wearing it'

The woman came in and approached while she was organizing something on a plate. Then Veronica heard that a liquid was poured into a glass. “Probably juice.” she thought when she smelled a faint strawberry smell. “Amazing how the other senses become more acute when one is prevented from acting." - she noted quietly.

"I will leave your food here" - the woman said next.

Veronica waited until she was alone in the room, then she removed the blindfold from her eyes. Probably the woman did not want to be seen by her.

The meal was a glass of strawberry juice and a generous slice of pepperoni pizza. She didn’t have the slightest urge to eat or drink anything, but she knew that it would be better to eat and keep herself well physically. Nor did she wish to create tense situations that could upset those people. She didn't know who they were or what they would be capable of if they were tested. She was right about one thing, she needed to stay calm.

After the meal she went to the bathroom and took a quick shower in an attempt to relieve some of the tension she felt on her body. After everything was set and her teeth was brushed, she went to the other room where a tidy bed was waiting for her. After sitting down, she observed the things around her. Discomfort overwhelmed her. The situation was too stressful and it made her emotions run high. In order to fall asleep soon she put the earphones on low volume and lay down tiredly, trying to chase away the ghosts of anxiety and fear that were haunting her.

CHAPTER 03

It was very early when Veronica was woken up. Two men, probably the same as the previous night, entered the room startling her.

"You see, cutie, we do not intend to hurt you, for that to happen you just have to behave and do everything we ask," - one of them explained approaching. They were wearing masks of a black fabric on their face.

She would no longer need to wear blindfolds which would help her to better observe her environment, or not.

"You may have already noticed because we are treating you like a princess here" - one of them said showing her around. "Then, as soon as your father pays the ransom, we'll release you and everyone can move on with their lives."

The second man seemed to be more friendly, but Veronica didn't want to get her hopes up, she had been kidnapped and knew that the less she got involved or said the better it would be for her.

"Nobody mentioned she was so beautiful." - the troglodyte with the harsher but honeyed voice spoke full of malice.

"That doesn't matter to me or you. Don't forget that!" - the other kidnapper commented in a low tone and Veronica listened to everything without making a single movement.

"It was just a comment and I’m not crazy enough to touch the little girl. Somebody would get mad."

"Who?" Veronica thought curious. “There was a person behind it all that didn't want them to touch her, but who would it be?" she wondered mentally.

"I have no intention of upsetting anyone, I just want this to be settled soon, and I can go home." - she said trying to sound confident.

"That's how we want you, honey, sweet and calm."

Veronica was beginning to feel disgusted at that man she didn't even know the face of. She didn't use to judge people she did not know, but the voice of that guy caused her anxiety and chills by the sarcastic and mean tone in which he spoke.

We will call your father today to get him to provide the amount we are going to ask for as soon as possible. You will talk to him to let him know that everything is okay.

Veronica quickly got ready while the criminals was waiting for her right there. When she returned from the bathroom, she was carried up the stairs. On the way she had seen no sign of the woman who had been in her room the night before. She probably went to the grocery store or didn't live there. In the living room there was not much furniture. Just a big sofa and a small sideboard where the phone was placed. And finally, a TV on the wall and a small coffee table. As soon as she sat down they made the call.

One of the men was the first to talk to her father, he gave Mr. Paul the necessary information about the money. Veronica listened to what he said, but she really wanted to know how her father was at that moment. While the criminal spoke nonstop she kept her head down and her eyes fixed on a single spot. The man put her on the phone and Veronica felt a wrenching deep inside her, but she knew this feeling would not help, so she took a deep breath and tried to be as natural as possible. She wished she could talk softly to her father in order to calm him down, but the only words she could pronounce before they took the phone from her were that everything was fine and that he should be calm. The criminals didn't want her to talk to her father. Their only wish was that the businessman would listen to his daughter's voice and take immediate action on the requests they had made.

Then she was taken from the room by one of the criminals and the other was talking to Mr. Paul. The moment Veronica was left in the room she no longer was able to listen to the conversation. Would they have threatened her father or just made the usual request? She hoped they hadn't tormented him by implying they would kill her, because that would drive him out of his mind and his pressure had been high recently.

It was clear in her mind that their only purpose was the money, but she did not feel safe, moments such as those were followed by high levels of stress which could easily lead to something more dangerous. She knew that many kidnappings ended up tragically, not only because of the criminals' intentions, but because of their lack of preparation and cleverness. She would have to collaborate a lot because one of them seemed totally out of control in terms of emotions.

She slowly sat up on bed and remained still, doing the only thing she could at that moment, breathe.

After a few hours and no noise being heard by her, one of the men came to bring her lunch. The big, burly criminal with a malicious look on his face was wearing a mask, and she imagined a bad semblance that had given her a sense of fear.

"Here's your food, princess."

He put a nice-looking tray on the nightstand. In addition to the traditional rice and beans there was also a small amount of mashed potatoes, beef stew, salad, and fruit juice. He had been kind enough to bring her a slice of pudding for dessert. That could be a good sign that they wanted everything to end well. Veronica would hold on to that certainty to try to feel less tense.

"Thank you!" - She didn't have the slightest intention of bonding with him, but being polite could be useful.

"You are even more beautiful than in the pictures you know?"

Veronica watched the plate quietly without any bad or good reaction. He continued after noticing she was silent:

"Don't worry, girl, unless you force me which I would very much like, I will not be able to do anything to you."

"Thank goodness." - she thought.

"Now eat and rest."

The man was leaving when he turned quickly.

"Do you need anything else?"

"No, thanks!"

The moment she was alone in the room Veronica took the tray, she was starving. That would be her first meal of the day and she was not used to going so long without eating. After finishing, she leaned against the head of the bed thoughtfully. What could she do to fix the situation? Maybe it was just her job to stay calm, nothing more. She would try to follow that thought.

CHAPTER 04

Douglas arrived at his house thoughtfully. Apparently there was no hint of a crime of passion that he could link to the kidnapping. Money seemed to be the only purpose of that crime. He would handle the case accordingly, and would not create too many possibilities that could divert his attention to unsatisfactory paths that would ultimately lead to nothing. He would take advantage of the fact that they would not call until the evening, or the next day, and would organize his things. He had to stay at Mr. Paul's house that night and as long as necessary until the situation was solved.

The man had no condition to speak by himself with the kidnappers and since they chose not to include the police, unless the case became very complicated and extensive, it would be just him and the victim's father dealing with the case. There was also the possibility of messing the negotiations up if the news leaked out and the media got to know about it. Although it seemed strange, Douglas knew that many bad guys were not prepared for something of this magnitude and could end up making stupid mistakes because they might feel trapped.

While organizing his belongings he would need during his time at the Braz residence, Douglas reminded of the photos of the kidnapped woman. He did not recall having seen that face, in fact, if he had seen it he would never forget it. For him it was normal to know so few faces. His life was based on few things. His focus was always on his work and career. He did not allow himself to have many distractions other than a few love affairs to ease his body and mind.

At the age of 32 and with a beauty that did not let him go unnoticed, Douglas was constantly approached by beautiful women. He was 5′ 6 tall, dark skin and well-shaped body for the sake of health and also for work that required him to be well disposed, in case he needed. He also had brown hair in a short and serious cut in conjunction with beautiful honey-brown eyes, which were sometimes cold and distant, seemed to delight the female class with its mystery. And finally, full lips that occasionally showed a discreet smile and formed a shapely line between the aligned teeth completed the detective's beauty.

However, he did not have time for the increasingly daring attacks of women. And when he accepted the flirting he would soon try to end the affair in order to avoid unnecessary problems. He was pleased with his life and would keep it up as long as it was satisfying.

There wasn't much to take, since he did not cling to so many things to live. One of the reasons for not sticking to the material things was because he had been orphaned at a very young age, and his father had not had much time to devote to his son. He needed to work hard to make ends meet. As a result, Douglas has grown up with too many responsibilities and too few attachments. He was aware this situation helped him a lot in his development and character. And that led him to the profession he had chosen and which he loved. His work demanded a lot of his time, but he could get return out of it. He owned his own business, and had a well-trained staff that was willing to solve dangerous cases if necessary. By being aware of the professionalism of his collaborators he decided to take on that case that according to his father should be full time to meet any needs that his friend might have. He had accepted the offer also because he would be devoting less time to his work, which would give him a little rest in a way.

Back at his client's mansion, Douglas arranged his things in the room that was provided for him next to the young woman's. He got organized and decided to get to know the house a little more. There were many rooms there, the luxurious decor hardly matched Veronica's room. Was she unaware of all that she had? Or she just didn't care? He doubted that very much. However, it was none of his business how the resident of the next room lived and acted. His only function there was to solve that case and return to his routine and his work.

The walk around the house soon bored him and Douglas chose to sit on a bench under a large tree in the garden. From there he could get a broader view. He observed without much interest, because he knew he had no need to do so. The kidnapping didn't start from there and he would soon find out more. As he discovered all his other cases, there was only one that he could not solve due to the poor performance of the kidnapped gentleman's son, and because of his immaturity, his father became a victim of the outlaws and was killed in captivity. He did not want to remember that subject, it had been years since it happened and he still blamed himself, although it was not his fault. It would not happen again he promised himself.

It was dark and after talking for a while with an old maid, Douglas was going to his room when the phone rang, startling everyone. A line had been arranged for the kidnappers so that nothing would keep them from talking to the family. Douglas asked Mr. Paul to answer calmly.

"Hello. Yes."

The criminal's voice could be heard by Douglas who was standing next to the telephone on speakerphone.

"We don't intend to spend too much time with your daughter, boss, so let's start working it out, okay?!" - the criminal spoke rudely.

"Yes, of course, we'll fix it soon. How's my daughter? Can I talk to her?"

Douglas was at the man's side in order to guide him with gestures requesting him to calm down and not to ask so many questions. He should listen and obey, that's all.

"Daddy?"

That voice penetrated Douglas' mind like a punch in the stomach. He became restless when he heard the sweetish sound. If it weren't for the fact that the occasion demanded so much of his attention, he might have come to the conclusion that he was freaking out, for caring so much about a female voice.

"My dear are you all right?" - her father asked in distress, breaking Douglas' thoughts.

"Yeah, Dad, I'm fine. Don't worry we'll sort it out soon."

The voice, though soft, was also of commendable strength. She conveyed such assurance in her words that Douglas felt proud of that young woman who was in captivity without the slightest awareness of what the outcome of that story would be and yet seemed strong and confident.

"Aren't they mistreating you, honey?"

The man began to get carried away by emotions. It was not good for the negotiations. Douglas waved to catch his attention and told him to calm down again.

" You have already talked to your daughter. You see, she's fine. So here is the deal, provide five hundred thousand dollars and she will be back without a scratch. No complaints, I know you could pay more, but we don't want to make it hard for you to gather the money, so be quick and we'll get back to you soon.

The line was silent for a few seconds.

" It is worth remembering that the police are not to be involved in this case, otherwise you will get your daughter in a black bag, that is if I play nice and don't dump her somewhere where you can only get her bones if you are lucky.