Bertelli Investigations Volume 1: Noteworthy Mysteries

Chapter 26

Thursday, May 4th,2024  8am

It was 8am as both of the guys had fallen asleep researching all night long. They were looking up locations and going over any evidence. They went through 2 pots of coffee between them but still somehow managed to fall asleep at 5:30am. Tino's phone buzzed in his back pocket, waking him up immediately. As he looked at it, it said,'Dad'. He rubbed his eyes for a second and answered it with an extremely groggy voice."Hello?"

"Where have you guys been?!,his dad yelled." I've called since 2pm yesterday. "

"Oh sorry.",Tino replied stretching and still not fully aware if he was awake or not. "We've gotten busy with work. It's been one thing after another."

"Well you could stalwart have answered a call.",his dad replied sharply. It was very unlike him to get so upset over one of his sons not answering the phone. He was usually a very patient and understanding man."What's going on with the investigation?",he asked, huffing.

"We're not really sure. We're about to take Hannah Smith in for interrogation. "

"Hannah? Why?"

Tino sighed, not being up to 20 questions at the start of a day that had a short night."Dad it's a long story,and me and Tony have been up all night. We'll explain later. "

"Are you...any closer?" There was a hint of desperation in his father's voice. But after so many years of looking for his daughter, Joe could there not be?

Tino paused, not knowing what to say. They really didn't have much information and he didn't want to give his dad's hopes up."To finding Tia? Maybe." Tino scratched his head, trying to think clearly so he wouldn't say anything he wished he hadn't. "Hey by the way you've never heard her talk about a kid named Jaden have you?"

"A Jaden?" His dad thought for a moment ."Nope. Not that I can remember. I think you all went to school with a Jay,but I don't think it's the same person."

No it's not",Tino answered right away. He would never forget Jay. Jay was a short,always happy,good sense of humor kind of kid. And he was a good kid. Tino also knew that his last name was also Daniel's,so it couldn't have been him. "I know who you're talking about. It's definitely not him."

"So whose Jaden?", his father asked curiously.

"I honestly have no clue. It's going to be a bit before we find out. Me and Tony have been searching thousands of pieces of information. This is a really complicated case." Tino rubbed his eyes again as they were still red and stinging from staring at a computer all night long.

"You guys can do it. I know you can. I believe in you guys."

"Thanks dad." Their father was always very supportive of whatever him and his brother did, and he truly believed they could accomplish anything, as a typical was.

"Just try to find out everything you can.",his dad said with his his voice breaking a bit."This is hurting your mother. She's been having dreams about Tia again."

"Oh no",Tino groaned regretfully." That's not good. I wish she hadn't found out that this even involved Tia."

After Tia had initially vanished 15 years ago, their mother Isabella had a mental collapse got a short period of time. She would wake up every morning having had either a beautiful dream or a terrible nightmare about her daughter. It was of course an extremely stressful time for a mother, especially since Tia was her only daughter. But the anguish it brought on her was almost too much to take. After 2 months of Tia being gone, Isabelle had a suicide attempt. She managed to swallow a whole bottle of pills while her husband was at work and her sons were at school. It was only because Tony came home early from school with the stomach flu that she survived. He had come home to find his mother lying on her bed, an empty pill bottle gently clutched in her limp hand. Pumping her stomach and giving her CPR barely saved her life. Gradually, with the help of a counselor, Isabella got better and was able to cope with her daughter being gone. But it was a very hard road.

"Don't worry," his father reassured." I'm watching her. If she starts acting different I'll get her back into a few counciling sessions. Oh and would you guys please make time to stop by and spend some time here? I think it would do your mom some good."

Tino rolled his eyes and sighed."Geez dad I don't know. We really don't have time." It wasn't that him or his brother didn't like seeing their parents, but they didn't even have much time to sleep and eat lately, let alone go over somewhere for dinner.

"I always made time for my family despite being a police officer. You have to figure out your priorities."

Something felt very off about his dad's tone of voice. "Dad trust me you guys are very important to us. Whats wrong?"

"Nothing. We just want to see our boys, that's all. Come over for dinner on Saturday.",he demanded."Your mom would love it and I would too."

Tino sighed again, knowing he couldn't disappoint his father."Okay. I'll ask Tony. But I gotta go for now. I have to wake Tony up. We fell asleep working and we have something important to do.

His dad all of a sudden became cheerful."Alright. You boys take care. Bye."

Hanging up the phone, Tino looked over, seeing his brother still fast asleep in his work chair."Tony!",he yelled."Tony! Wake up!"

Tony's eyes suddenly opened as he took a small gasp of air and looking around him confused."What? What happened?"

"We fell asleep researching all night."

"What time is it?",he asked as he ran his fingers through his hair, yawning loudly.

"Its after 8.",Tino replied as he grabbed Tonys hands, trying to tug at him to get up."Now cmon, we gotta get dressed and interrogate Hannah, the little witch."