A Step Closer to Love

Kieran did not mind the request of the girl as he ran out of the police station into his car leaving his dad behind. He would do anything to make sure that Arabella was okay and with him at that very moment.

“You are here already?” the girl asked as she watched him burst through the door to meet the still-empty restaurant.

“Where is it?” Kieran asked ignoring any words she was about to say.

“How much would you be willing to offer?” she asked pushing herself from the counter she had been resting and then going through the small door to be in the same space with him.

“How much do you want?” he asked.

She was taken aback by his reply. She knew that she sounded shallow and did not want him to think that way of her so she felt the need to explain properly.

“It’s not because I am selfish or greedy” she murmured.

“What?” Kieran asked. His eyebrow furrowed as he felt pressed for time. He had no time for chitchat with her. She should be showing him the footage and not telling tales. He was only enduring her since she was about to help him otherwise he would have ignored her.

She pointed to her feet and then looked up at him. “I have worn those sneakers for five years now” she continued before looking up to meet his eyes.

“I am knee-deep in debt and it’s annoying. When that lady promised to give me money, I thought it was finally my way out of the situation” she continued with a weary smile.

“That’s why I did that, it’s not because I am wicked or greedy I just wanted a way out of this hell”

“I am not judging you” Kieran said taking a step forward. “I will give you what you ask but I just ask that you help me now, I want to see the video so I can know what to do”

“Here,” the girl said silently pointing him toward the door that had Staff Only written boldly on it. Kieran pushed himself to catch up with her and was soon sitting in the room watching the way Aurora and two men forced Arabella out of the restaurant.

“Are there any cameras outside?” Kieran turned to her.

“Yes” she said navigating her way to the outside camera so he could watch it. He gasped as he saw the car. He took down the number plate and hurried out of the seat into the main restaurant.

“Are you just going to leave?” she asked when she noticed he was almost out the door. She let out a frustrated laugh and ran her hand through her hair.

“Why is everyone taking me for a fool”

“How much do you want?” Kieran cut her off.

“Three hundred,” she said and felt a pang of guilt struck her chest.

“You have my number why don’t you forward your account number to me and I can make a transfer on my out” Kieran said.

She looked at him and nodded. She sent the details immediately and a few seconds later when he was out the door her phone rang with the alert.

Kieran presented the number plate to the police and they searched the car, the car of course was a stolen one so there was no way of tracking Aurora. The officer who took up the case tried to assure Kieran.

“We will track them down soon. We know who is responsible for the kidnapping and we also know what car had been used” the officer said to Kieran.

“Do we have to wait for any of them to show up? Can’t we do something else? Maybe track them by phone?”

“We can but we don’t want to go by that route yet”

“What if something happens to her while we wait?” Kieran was worried. “She has a great grudge against the victim”

“I would put a request to my superiors to see if they would let us track her down that way. But I need you to be sure that she is the kidnapper”

“I am sure, when you get a warrant we can check the CCTV at the site of the kidnapping” Kieran responded.

He wished the officers would stop moving at a snail’s pace. They were being awfully comfortable. He was worried, who knew what Arabella might be going through at that very time?

“I will give you a call once everything is sorted out”

Kieran was sure he could not wait for them to do their own thing, he did not know who to call aside Ryder. He did not know if Ryder would be of any help but he was as helpless as he could be.

“What do I owe the pleasure of hearing your voice on a weekend?” Ryder answered the call.

“Arabella had been kidnapped,” Kieran said. He had no reason to beat around the bush with pleasantries.

“What?” a squeaky voice came out of Ryder’s mouth before he could control it.

“By Aurora” Kieran went on to drip the entire information on him at once.

“Kieran I don’t want you to make assumptions about things like that just because you are pissed at Aurora. How can you think she would do something like that?”

“I did not think about it on my own, she called me to confess to the crime and then also I saw the video of her and two men carrying Arabella away”

“Are you sure?”

“Are you an accomplice?” Kieran let out in anger. Ryder might want to show sympathy but why did she need sympathy when she was bold enough to kidnap someone?

“Of course not, why would you say something like that?” Ryder was hurt.

“Then why do you keep defending her?”

“I am not defending her, I am just giving her the benefit of the doubt”

“Maybe you should call her yourself so your questions can be answered”

“I will call her but I am on my way right now to meet you” Ryder said. Kieran heard shuffling in the background and the doors shutting. “Where are you?”

Kieran explained to Ryder and he was out the door and off the call with Kieran as he tried to get on a call with Aurora.

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