Family Portrait (Fam Series #1)

Chapter 89 - Where is Ashleigh?, Inner City North and East.

Adeline -

She's everywhere.

I look up as the ceiling fan spins above my head. I had asked Charlie to turn it off when he got up for work, but of course, he had to ignore me and leave it on. I don't know where the twins and CJ are.

What I do know is that I can't move.

It's been two days since my best friend, and sister, Ashleigh Sami Templeton was taken from her workplace on Collins St, in Melbourne CBD. In broad daylight, nobody on the streets of Melbourne saw the kidnappers or saw Ashleigh or where they went. Nobody at the law firm has yet spoken up. The law firm has not released a statement on the terrifying crime that happened. It was on the news as Jordan Roughead tipped off to Ed Richards in complete worry, and Ed's reaction was to go absolutely mental at the media. 

But since the media found out, it's been huge news. Literally, on the nightly news every single night. Charlie was watching it so intently last night. Security footage had been found from across the building. But the guy's faces weren't captured. There was some blonde girl involved, but nobody, not even Jordan, knows who she is.

The authorities aren't doing anything. It's understood the law firm did not contact the police. Someone internal at the law firm called the police on her own mobile phone, but it did nothing. The police don't seem to be looking anywhere for Ashleigh, promoting her disappearance or in any rush to get her back. I don't know how to handle it. My best friend could be dead, and she was pregnant when she was kidnapped. What if I never see her again? What if the last time I ever saw her, was when we left the cafe, just hours before she was kidnapped? And this all happened on her boyfriend's birthday. I couldn't imagine how Ed feels either.

I can't get out of bed. I don't want to check my phone to see all the messages and tagged posts regarding Ashleigh. I don't want to watch TV, to see her on the news. I just don't want to do anything. I'm exhausted. She's not here and that's not normal. She's always been here since 2nd grade.

...

Zac -

'Caleb, calm down!' I exclaim, as I race over to my teammate, who's walking up the corridor raging. Another teammate suddenly catches my eye.

'Paddy!' I yell, trying to run after him. He doesn't have a Gatorade bottle in hand today.

'Wait, Lachie!' I scream, as I change my directions and run after Adeline's older brother, skidding across the floor.

'What, Zac?' Lachie asks, yelling at me as he turns around.

'Want a coffee?' I offer pathetically.

'I want Ashleigh Templeton back. I've known the girl since I was a kid, Zac. How can people just kidnap her, and the authorities not act on it?' Lachie asks.

'If you ask me, Slashleigh got what she deserved. Much more peaceful around Melbourne now' Olivia NOT Silvagni says, as she looks up from her art + decor magazine.

I turn around to face her, trying to hide my inner rage.

'Shut the fuck up, iPod 6th Gen. Nobody fucking asked for your opinion, not that it's actually a legitimate opinion' I say.

'Why wouldn't it be a legit opinion?' Lachie asks.

'Because her words are so pointless they mean absolutely nothing' I say.

'What's your surname again, Olivia? The one before Silvagni?' Cam Polson taunts.

'If I give you a Gatorade bottle, will you attack your friend with it and leave me alone?' Olivia asks.