Turning Point

Chapter 20 - Who Are You?

-Chapter 20-

"Hi I am Mr Winston and I am here to help you."

"Who are you?"

"I am an undercover detective and I have been told that your father is after you."

"How will I know if you work for him or not. I dont trust you."

"That is very wise. At this point, trust no one. But you should trust me. Your dad has been our wanted criminal even before he got together with your mother. He has a gang we are looking for too. You're Vanessa Carton and that guy over there is your ex boyfriend name Cody." he said pointed at the frowning Cody standing at the living room with the translator. "He was deaf since birth and his younger brother who also is your ex boyfriend is Cameron. Plays for the football team under your best friend Nick as captain."

"How did you-"

"I take my job very seriously and to accomplish a mission, I need to do in depth research."

"Why does Mr Winston sound so familiar?"

"Probably your dad might have accidentally slipped out the word. Right now, I need all the information I can get from you regarding your dad. Any memory or experience?"

"I still dont trust you."

"What do you want to know or what do you want me to do to gain your trust?"

"I dont know."

"How about hearing it from your mother? Will that do?"

"I guess so."

He picked up his cell and dialled my mother's number. He put it on speaker for me to hear too.

"Ms Carton. I'm Mr Winston and I am calling to tell you that I have arrived at your house."

"What? I told you to wait till I reach home! Vanessa doesnt know anything about this! You were suppose to wait for me and let me handle her!"

"I am sorry to say that I have already met your daughter but she doesnt trust me."

"Of course she doesnt! She isnt stupid enough to just believe anyone. I'm on my way. I'll explain everything to her when I get back." she said and hung up.

"Well then, do you believe me now?"

"I want her home before I spill anything." I muttered.

He sighed in frustration and surrended. He then sat quietly at the couch, waiting for my mum since he was unable to persuade me to spill the beans.

Cody was holding me as we waited for my mum.

"Vanessa?" I heard someone say after the jiggling sound of keys and door opening.

"Mum."

"Honey."

"What is happening? Who is he? How do you know him? Why is dad a wanted man?" I asked, shooting questions at her.

"Urm.. Let me explain." She said nervously and Cody stood up to give us privacy.

"Yeah, go ahead. What are you keeping from me?"

"I'm sorry for what you are going to hear but I'll tell you anyway." she said and took a deep breath before continuing. "Your dad was once a highly trained criminal, stealing top secret data. We dated without me knowing his past and later on got married. Keeping it from me was hard for him so he started drinking and was always drunk until one day he tried strangling you. Immediately, I filed a divorce and moved out with you. He was a wanted man and FBI had been on the lookout for him."

"Which was how many years ago?" I frowned.

"When you were 4 years old."

"That long? You kept it from me that long?"

"Your mum was just trying to protect you." Mr Winston butt in.

"I take responsibility of my actions. I regret deeply that I didnt say anything about this. You deserved to know but I was just looking for the right time."

"So the right time will be after dad kidnap me and threaten to kill me?"

"No. Of course not. But I just didnt know how to tell you."

I gave it a thought for a moment and realised that I was wrong. If I was in her shoes, I would do the same thing.

"Explain how you met him then." I said pointing at Mr Winston.

"Our wedding was done privately so no one knew, but when we went to the court for the divorce case, the FBI found out about him and tried to track him down. He had to flee so he surrended the case, resulting in him losing a lot of money. After that he disappeared until now that is. Mr Winston was on his case so he had to interview me. That is how I know him."

"So, he wants revenge?"

"I suppose so. If I hadnt filed the divorce, his hideout would still remain and the FBI would not find out about him." she sighed.

"What are we going to do?"

"They are sending a team to protect us. Especially you. I am pretty sure he wanted revenge on me by taking you away." she said.

"Because you filed the divorce with the reason he is an alcoholic and abused me? That's crazy!"

"No. He urm told me about his past and I couldnt handle it so I filed it with that reason" she said nervously and with guilt in her eyes.

"Oh."

"Right now, Mr Winston needs every information he can get from you to track him down."

"Who kidnapped you?"

"Some guy in the gang." I left out the part where that guy was my friend and wanted to help me in case they considered him commiting a crime.

"How did you escape then?"

"The same guy who kidnapped me helped me escape. He told me my dad's plan and how to escape."

"Why?"

"He pitied me?" I answered but it sounded more like a question instead.

After being asked about a billion questions, Mr Winston finally thanked us and left. Somehow, answering him felt like I was betraying my dad.

Yes, he kidnapped me but maybe he did it for a reason. Maybe he wanted his daughter back or something. I mean, they shouldnt come to the conclusion that he wanted revenge, not that I sided him.

Something felt weird and who exactly was Mr Winston? Why was his name so familiar?