The Plan

Chapter 22

April 4, 2011 (2:00am)

Sean left before the sun came up with a promise to have breakfast together. Wide awake, she lay on her bed thinking how she had strayed too far from her plan and Lightman was the cause. Part of her wanted to be happy for once, but her logical side said wishing for something good was out of the picture. She chose retribution, and sooner or later, it would get her for a more heavy cost. She didn’t know where Lightman was going with this newfound partnership of theirs, but whatever it was she couldn’t let him take the fall if the time came.

You trust him already, the voice inside her head accused. He might only be using you.

True, he could be using her for his own way of gaining justice and protecting his name in the process.

But I saved him once, he can’t be that selfish, she tried to reason out.

You’re getting soft, the voice warned.

She got up and took a cold shower. Plan B will save me in case something goes wrong with the plan.

(7:00am)

“Anything good from the family?” Lawson asked.

“Nothing. The poor wife is still in shock. Carlson doesn’t share anything about his work. His wife sensed he’s been different lately since the news of the killings appeared on the news. Said he’s always lost in thoughts until his death—like he was afraid or something. But aside from that, I got nothing more. I’ll be checking out names of children who has been found in the winter of 1996 and narrow down the search even more by looking for female children ages ten or eleven. Hopefully, the database will have something useful to give us some leads of Kyla Howard’s whereabouts.”

“That’s good, check every orphanages around the area where she disappeared—there’s not much,” he said, lighting up a cigarette.

“How was your meeting with Lightman?”

“Hmm…” he said, puffing out smoke, “it was interesting.”

“How so?”

“Sean Lightman is hiding something.”

“What?”

“Information about Kyla Howard.”

“You think he knows where she is?”

“No, not really, but I think he’s made a much better development on finding her.”

“Sunny, I know you have a very wild imagination, but I’m almost afraid to think that you believe Sean Lightman is conniving with Kyla Howard.”

“Why? She was his savior, right? And now she’s out for justice. He wants justice too. It’s enough reason to help her.”

“He’s not stupid. He won’t risk his name and his empire just to get caught helping a killer.”

“Tanaka, revenge is blinding.”

She snorted, “Where the hell did you get that?”

“My ex-wife. She made it sure I get the message.”

His partner laughed, “Yeah, I know that.”

“Anyway, any leads for the tape?”

“No, nothing.”

“Let’s put that on hold for a while. Let’s focus on finding Kyla Howard and digging into this cover-up further. Go talk to Senator Stuart.”