Charming

Chapter 4 (Missing)

Summer walked towards her home with a slight smile gracing her lips, about the memories of her school trip and what happened. She felt giddy and was ready to tell Bella all about it.

“I am hom-” she stopped dead in her tracks when her mum came rushing out of the living room, tears tracks, lips quivering as she smiled widely and embraced her daughter.

“Oh, my sweet Bella, I thought we lost you” she kept sobbing as she squeezed her tightly. She as a parent never wanted to go through the heart breaking devastation of losing her child.

Summer confused about the whole incident, until she realises that her mother assume she was Bella. But confused on why her mother was in this particular state, halted her in her tracks before she could hug her mother back.

“Mum, I am not Bella, I am Summer” she said gently as she pushed her mother away and holding her arms length away.

As soon she said, she wished she took it back, because in that incident, her mother crumpled to the floor, letting out a heartbreaking whale. Summer stood there close to tears at the sight of her mother.

Swallowing deeply, she looked at her father who also had tears tracks on cheeks. But right behind stood two stranger men.

“Wh....what happened? Dad, answer me! Where's Bella?” as she shook, lips quivering and tears emerging but not yet falling.

“Sh.. Bella, has missing been missing for a while now, ” with a quiet voice he looked down shameful like it was his fault for the loss of his child.

Summer stood there shocked and unable to move, every memory that she had with Bella flashing through her mind. She turned around and started fully at the closed door. She's missing. My twin sister that I shared basically everything is missing.

Reaching out she touched the wooden door, her heartbreaking slowly. Thinking back to the time she was going on a trip and said goodbye. If only she knew, that was the last time she would see her.

Anthony bit his lips as he saw the devastating family crumpling in front of him. But he couldn't say anything or do anything to reassure that their daughter would be alright. Never knowing the outcome, that a missing child could come back alive, or they find them dead.

Scratching his neck, he diverted his attention from the family and to his left, where he saw a picture frame. Going towards it, he saw the father, mother and two identical daughters, but was able to tell apart from the dress. One wearing a blue dress and one wearing a yellow dress.

Moving away from the picture frame, he kept shifting side to side and instead trying to discreet take in the living room decorating, trying to distract himself from the distressing cries.

Lockie watched as the father walked towards, his wife and daughter before he gently took a hold of their hands and led them to the stairs, where they got the message and started to walk upstairs.

“I am sorry detectives, but that all we know, so would you mind leaving us alone to deal with this situation” back turned towards them.

“Sure, we understand. We will report back to you if we find anything” Lockie smiled even though the father was looking his way. “We will make her way out”

Both of them in car, sat silently processing the evening. When Lockie uttered the words that Anthony been thinking the whole time.

“Do you think it possible, that she is not missing, but killed?” he stared straight ahead, into the dark streets. Waiting quietly for the response of his partner. But getting nothing he was about to shout, when he saw the focus on Antony's face staring into the distance.

Not wanting to disrupt his thinking, he switched the car on and drove away from the well lit houses. And back towards the office, to report the incident.