Chasing Shadows: Luna and Maxim's Pursuit of Truth

Chapter 41: Charlestone Under Investigation

The morning sun cast a golden glow over the city, its warmth barely touching the unease settling in Maxim Collin's chest. Sitting at his desk with a cup of coffee, he reached for his phone as it buzzed with an incoming message from an unknown number.

"Meet me at The Enchanted Plate."

Maxim frowned, his fingers hovering over the screen before he typed back.

"Who is this?"

The response came almost instantly.

"You don't need to know me."

His grip on the phone tightened. "How can I be sure this isn't some kind of joke?" he texted back.

"Because I have the answers you've been looking for."

Maxim's heartbeat quickened. Answers? There was only one question that had been haunting him-Luna.

Could this person know where she was?

He exhaled sharply, his mind racing. If there was even the slightest chance this message could lead him to Luna, he had to take it.

"Alright. I'll be there."

As he placed his phone down, a strange feeling settled in his gut. Was this a trap? Or was he finally about to uncover the truth?

Either way, he had no choice but to find out.

Maxim sat at a corner table in *The Enchanted Plate*, his fingers tapping lightly against the wooden surface. The café bustled with morning chatter, but his focus remained on scanning the room.

Then, he spotted someone approaching-a figure clad in a black hoodie, a face mask concealing their features. The person moved with caution before stopping in front of him.

**"You're the one who texted me?"** Maxim asked, his tone sharp.

The person nodded. **"Yes. I'm Halsey."**

Maxim's eyes narrowed. **"Is that your real name?"**

Halsey hesitated, then shook their head. **"No, but you can call me that."**

Maxim crossed his arms. **"Fine. So, what's this important thing you wanted to tell me?"**

Halsey glanced around as if making sure no one was listening. Then, in a hushed voice, they said, **"I saw what happened to Luna that night."**

Maxim stiffened. **"What do you mean? What did you see?"**

Halsey leaned in slightly. **"She was running... and a van was chasing her. But listen carefully-it wasn't an accident. The van didn't hit her on purpose."**

Maxim's heartbeat pounded in his ears. **"Then what happened?"**

Halsey's voice dropped lower. **"Two men got out of the van. They looked anxious, panicked... like something had gone wrong. They didn't know what to do with her. And then-"** Halsey took a deep breath. **"They threw Luna into the sea."**

Maxim's blood ran cold. His fists clenched under the table. **"They... what?"**

Halsey nodded grimly. **"They dumped her into the water and drove off. I don't know if they meant to kill her or just get rid of her, but they left her there."**

Maxim's mind raced. Finally Maxim Collin know the reason of the disappearance of Luna he think that he need to find Luna the girl he loved.

His jaw tightened. **"Who were they? Did you see their faces?"**

Halsey shook their head. **"No. It was dark, and they were wearing masks. I don't see their face."**

Maxim leaned back, inhaling sharply. **"Then I need to find out who thank you for your help."**
Halsey replied "you're welcome,"

Maxim Collin knocked on Darnell's office door and entered. "We have a witness."

Darnell looked up from his desk, a hint of relief crossing his face. "That's great. Things will get easier now."

Maxim nodded. "Yeah, but we still have a lot of work ahead."

Darnell agreed. "Absolutely. Let's investigate thoroughly to find any evidence."

Darnell and Maxim were deep in their investigation, poring over notes and evidence when the telephone rang. Darnell picked it up.

"Who's this?" he asked.

A low voice on the other end responded, "I know who the suspect is."

Darnell frowned. "I don't know you."

"It's Charlestone," the man said. "He's the reason why Luna is missing."

Darnell's grip on the phone tightened. "What? How true is that? Are you making this up?"

"The evidence is in Charlestone. Find it, and you'll know the truth."

Before Darnell could ask anything else, the line went dead. He slowly placed the receiver down, turning to Maxim.

"The caller knew the suspect," he said.

Maxim narrowed his eyes. "And who is it?"

Darnell exhaled sharply. "He said it's Charlestone. Your stepbrother's friend."

Maxim's expression darkened. "Charlestone... This just got more complicated."

The morning sun cast a warm glow over the city as Charlestone busied himself with his work. His office was quiet-until a sudden, firm knock on the door disrupted the silence.

Charlestone glanced up, frowning. He stood and opened the door, only to find Maxim and a team of detectives standing outside. His expression shifted from surprise to forced composure.

"Maxim Collin," Charlestone said, his voice steady. "The brother of Maxwell. Come in."

Maxim stepped inside without hesitation. "Charlestone, you're under investigation."

Charlestone's brows knitted together. "Why? For what?"

Maxim didn't bother to answer. Instead, he motioned to the detectives, who immediately began searching the office. They rifled through paperwork, opened drawers, and scanned the room for any incriminating evidence. Charlestone watched in silence, his arms crossed, his expression unreadable.

Then, one of the detectives spoke up. "Got something!"

All eyes turned toward the investigator holding up a crucial piece of evidence. Charlestone's face paled.

"I don't know why that's in my drawer," he said defensively. "I swear, I have nothing to do with this."

Darnell stepped forward, his voice firm. "Explain your side in the investigation room. Not here."

Charlestone swallowed hard, knowing he had no choice but to comply.