Veil of Ophelias

CHAPTER 4 : The search

Police Station 11PM

The fluorescent lights buzz overhead as I sit in the police station, tension coiling tighter in my stomach. The walls are painted a dull gray, and the atmosphere feels heavy, almost suffocating. I glance over at Ethan, who is leaning back in his chair, legs crossed, his usual carefree demeanor replaced by an edge of seriousness.

A police officer, Officer Harris, shuffles through some paperwork across the table from us. He's in his forties, with a weary expression that suggests he's seen his fair share of lost cases. "So, you're saying she hasn't been seen since the competition?" he asks, his pen poised over a missing person form.

I nod, swallowing hard. "That's right. Chloe was supposed to catch a flight home after the debate, but she never made it home."

Ethan chimes in, "We checked with the airport staff. They found her phone, but..."

"Who found it?" Officer Harris interrupts, looking up.

"A passenger," I say, trying to keep my voice steady.

Flashback: The Airport

The moment we arrive at the airport, adrenaline spikes through me. Ethan and I rush to the lost and found, our hearts racing. We're greeted by the same staff member who found Chloe's phone. He looks relieved to see us.

"Thank God you're here. I was starting to worry," he says, handing over the phone with a hesitant smile.

"Did you see her?" I ask, my heart pounding in my chest.

He shakes his head, looking apologetic. "No, I wasn't the one who found it. It was a girl at the reception. She said a passenger found the phone in the restroom."

Ethan and I exchange a glance, hope flickering for a moment. "Can we speak to her?" Ethan asks.

The staff member gestures toward the reception desk. "Sure, she should be around."

We approach the reception desk, where a young woman with tired eyes is sorting through papers. "Excuse me," I start, keeping my tone calm. "We're looking for information about a lost phone. A girl named Chloe."

She looks up, frowning. "Oh, right. I remember that. The passenger who found it left his contact info, but..." Her voice trails off, and I feel my heart sink.

"What happened?" I urge.

"The paper got misplaced. I'm so sorry," she says, glancing nervously around the office.

"Is there any way to contact the passenger?" I press.

She shakes her head. "I don't know who took it. I promise if I find it, I'll call you."

End of FlashBack

That's all we know " Ethan concluded

Just then, the door swings open, and Mr. Reynolds rushes in, looking disheveled. He's wearing a Christmas sweater backward, and his eyes are puffy, clearly from lack of sleep. I know he was supposed to be off today, preparing to finally rest after helping his wife with renovations around the house for the past three months. Chloe used to come by on weekends to lend a hand, and seeing him like this only deepens the pit in my stomach.

"Adam! " he calls, urgency lacing his voice as he approaches. "What's going on?"

"We're filing a missing person report for Chloe," I say, trying to keep my tone steady despite the chaos inside me.

Mr. Reynolds doesn't waste time. He gestures to Officer Harris, who quickly rises to meet him. "Let's get this sorted out. We need to start looking for her now," he insists, his voice firm but tinged with concern.

A junior officer, looking anxious, asks, "Do you have a number we can call? A family member?"

"She's an orphan," Mr. Reynolds replies, his tone heavy. "Put my name and Adam's down. We're her family."

As the paperwork continues, Mr. Reynolds leans in closer to me. "Get some rest, Adam. I'll keep you updated," he says, his voice softer now, filled with the familiarity of someone who cares deeply.

"Thanks, Mr. Reynolds," I manage to reply, but the knot in my stomach tightens further.

The trip back to the dorm was a shitshow. I'm furious at myself for not piecing things together sooner. How could I have missed every fucking hint? Each second stretches into an eternity as I replay our conversations in my mind, searching for clues that might lead to Chloe.

"Adam, chill," Ethan says, trying to keep his tone light despite the tension. "We'll ask around. Someone from her team, maybe even the other teams... someone has to have seen her."

"Yeah? And what if no one did? What if something happened?" My voice comes out sharper than I intended.

"Then we'll find out," Ethan replies, his expression turning serious. "Look, we know she took the next flight. That's at least something, right? Positive vibes, mate."

"I know, but I just... I'm scared something bad happened and I wasn't there to protect her. She has no one else, Ethan. It would kill me to know I couldn't protect the one person I actually care about."

Ethan goes quiet for a moment, then says, "I get it, man. She's important to all of us. We'll make sure she gets back. Whatever it takes!"

"Whatever it takes," I echo, but there's still a knot in my stomach.

"WHATEVER IT FUCKING TAKES!" Ethan screams, his voice echoing in the empty car.

"What the fu... Are you high or something? Ethan I swear ... Did you smoke something before we got in?"

"No, how dare you! That was old Ethan. This is Ethan 2.0," he says, feigning indignation.

"You better not be lying or I..."

"I'm not mom , pinky promisse!" Ethan joked

"You better stay away from that stuff or say goodbye to football. And before you say anything—no, I won't pity you!"

"Glad someone cares about me," he responds dramatically. "I'm... DISGUSTED!" He pretends to gag, which makes me smirk despite the situation. "Feeling better? I even emptied my guts for you"

"Yeah, you could say that!"

"Well, glad I could help. Chloe would have done the same and would've bragged about it afterward. She loves a good success story. I bet she took the same plane she would've if she'd won! Must be fate, right?"

A light clicks on in my mind. " The flight ! " I pull out my phone again, searching for the flight name. After a moment, I confirm it with Ethan. "They took the same flight Chloe was on"

"They ? who they ?" Ethan asked confused

" Harrington's team was on the same flight back. They must have missed the first one because of the winners after-party, right? We just need to find someone who saw her."

"We need to go to the Harrington party," I say, my determination hardening. "If anyone saw her, it'll be them."

Ethan nods, his eyes brightening. "I can talk to my friend from Harrington. I'll make sure the politics club is there. If anyone has seen Chloe, it'll be them."

"Let's move," I say, urgency pushing us forward.

 My thoughts race ahead, calculating every possible outcome, every conversation we might have.

I'll find you chloe 

Promise

To be continued...

Author's note :

Hey there again ! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the story so far . 

I know this chapter was quite short but it will get exciting from now on so be prepared for a thrilling chapter ahead . 

See u next week :)

SAUDADE