The Charming Redhead Lady

chapter 32

Dauph felt his body freezing. "What do you mean by she is missing?" "Like I said, she is nowhere to be found. I tracked every place and everyone I knew. I couldn't find her." "What about her favourite clubs?" "We are on it, me and Ruby's sister. But I want to know why you thought she might be with Derrick. She absolutely hates him after what he did. How could she still bear to be with him?" Dauph rubbed the bridge of his nose with irritation. Seems like the princess did not tell her friend about her adventure. "You know what Sheena, I'm coming there. There is something that you need to see..."

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Dauph took a record fast shower. He couldn't go see Sheena at his drunken state. He mentally laughed at himself. Even though she has practically showed him that he is not the one she wants, here he was once again, going to her side to help her. He must have it hard.

Half an hour later he was knocking on the door of Ruby's apartment. He expected Sheena to be the one to open the door, but a beautiful lady with brown hair opened instead. She looked suprised to see him. "Hello." She smiled at him awkwardly. It looked like she was expecting someone else. "Hello. Are you here for Ruby?" Even though she looked nothing like her sister, there were faint similarities. They both had the same shape of eyes and nose, and the cupid's bow of their lips was clearly defined. This must be Jenny, her sister. "Um-no, I'm actually here for Sheena, she called me." "Oh. Come in then." She led him to the living room.  There were two men, one in his mid fifties with brown hair and green eyes like Ruby, and another one about his age, sandy haired. The former must be their father, but could not determine the later. Sheena was sitting with him. "Sheena, this guy is here to see you." Sheena and the men both turned around, and the former stood up abruptly. "Dauph, you are here." She turned to Jenny who was looking at her questioningly. "Mr. Mason, Jack, Jenny, this is Dauph, Ruby's friend." "Ruby's friend? I thought he was your friend." It was Jenny observing. Sheena shook her head. "He is Ruby's friend. Besides, it was Ruby who introduced us." Jenny looked at Dauph, deep in thought. Mr. Mason was also looking at Dauph suspiciously that Dauph felt self conscious, despite being a tough businessman.  The scene looked eerily familiar, like a boy being scrutinized by the father of his prom date.The other man was just watching the scene coolly. To break the tension, Sheena added,"he came here to help with the search." Dauph produced his phone. Even though he was reluctant to show them his texts, he had no choice. "Earlier this evening I got these texts from someone. That's why I assumed that Ruby was with Derrick." Mr. Mason frowned. "That lousy ex boyfriend of hers? I thought they broke up?" Sheena hurriedly shot Dauph a look not to say anything, before she swiftly answered. "Yes they did. Maybe he had something to say to her." From Sheena's look Dauph presumed that her family didn't know what happened that day. He handled them his phone. They looked at the pictures carefully. If they saw the text above it no one commented about it. "Why does Ruby appear to be asleep in his arms in this last picture?" In the picture Ruby was on Derrick's arms bridal style. Even though her face was turned towards his chest , as if hiding herself, the weird angle of her arm showed otherwise, like she was asleep or unconscious. Dauph and the other guy found themselves looking at each other, horror etching on their faces. It was the guy, Jack his name, who spoke first. "Could it be that Derrick drugged her, and then abducted her?" The rest looked at him. It was Dauph who recovered first. "Let me try my friend in Communications. Let's try to track her phone." He moved away from the group to call his friend. Ten minutes later, he came back, an apologetic look on his face. "My friend couldn't track her phone. It is turned off." That was when Mr. Mason took his jacket and made to leave. Everybody looked at him. "Dad, where are you going?" He turned, before saying,"I can't sit here doing nothing when my daughter is nowhere to be found. I'm going to look for her!" Jenny closed her eyes momentarily, exasperated. "Dad, we don't know where she is. Where are you going to look for her?" He shook his head sadly. "I can't loose her too. I'm going to look for her anywhere I can think of." With those words, he departed. The others looked at each other. Jack looked at Jenny lovingly, before saying, "I'll go after him." He went and kissed Jenny on the cheek before following Mr. Mason. Immediately after he left, Jenny sat down on the couch, her knees weak, and started to weep. Sheena sat down with her, her hands around her shoulder. "Don't worry Jenny, we will find her. We can't breakdown now. She needs us to be strong. Maybe she is not abducted. Maybe she is just somewhere as usual, dancing." Jenny leaned her head on Sheena.
Dauph looked at the sight in front of him, touched. Ruby was deeply loved by her family. It made him miss his family too.

After sometime, Jenny calmed down. Sheena stood up and said that she will go and call her parents to inform them that she won't be back tonight. When she left Jenny turned to Dauph. "Do you love her?" Dauph was surprised by the question. "Why are you asking me that question?" Jenny shrugged. "I can see the love in your eyes." Dauph exhaled heavily, before making way to sit beside Jenny. "It's nothing." Jenny snorted. "I saw the text Dauph. The sender said that you were in love with her." Dauph's shoulders slumped backwards. "It doesn't matter anyway. What I feel." Jenny scrunched her beautiful face. "Why?" Dauph shrugged. "I realized that she still loves Derrick." "What makes you say that?" Dauph paused. He was thinking what to tell her. "Something happened one day. I gave her a gift, and she started crying and telling me all about Derrick and how he cheated on her. Today...today I was going to tell her how I feel. Then I saw the pictures of her and Derrick. So I did the maths myself." They remained quiet for sometime, before Jenny talked. "You know, I cannot account for her actions. But why don't you give her time to tell you how she feels?" "I gave her time. Lots of it. We have been having a thing for months now. Since then I never knew where we stood. But since she decided on Derrick, then I'd rather set her free to be happy, than hold on onto her and she becomes miserable." Jenny did not answer him, but rather sat on silence, comforting him in silence.

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Sheena returned, smiling apologetically. "Sorry I stayed long. My parents are totally strict. They didn't let me stay over until I had to tell them what was going on. Only then, with their concern for Ruby did they allow me. " Jenny smiled at her. "It's okay." They were quiet, before Dauph broke it. "You know, why don't we look for her on the last place she was seen, the park? I'm sure that someone might have some information." The others agreed and they left for the park.

Two hours later, after asking around to some people, one guy on a food stand was able to identify her. "Yeah, I saw her arriving in her car. She parked it at that far end of the park. What went on I don't know, it ain't my business. I only noticed her because she was hot as hell with that red hair of hers." Dauph wanted to hit him but resisted the urge. Jenny, noticed that, and quickly asked another question. "After that, did you see her leaving?" The man shrugged, then smiled at her, showing his brown teeth. He was enjoying the attention. "I saw her car leaving but there was a guy on the wheel. The hot chick was on his side, sleeping I think." The others looked at each other. "Can you describe the guy?" He thought for a moment. "Sure. Tall dude, tanned and handsome, Brown hair in an up style." It was the perfect definition of Derrick. Dauph handed him twenty dollars. "Thank you for your help."

They waited as Jenny called her father to tell them the news. He and Jack were rounding up her favorite clubs to find her and so far had no results. She got off the phone and made way to where the others were standing. "Dad said to wait for them here. They are on their way. Then we can plan our next move." They went to the park and found some benches and sat, waiting for the others.

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What will happen to Ruby? Will they find her? How will they look for her? Let's find out!!

I wrote some lyrics to go with the chapter. Hope you will enjoy!!

Song: a thousand years
Singer: Christina Perri

Heart beats fast,
colours and promises,
how to be brave how can I love, when I'm afraid to fall,
but watching you stand, alone,
all of my doubts,
suddenly goes away somehow...

(Chorus)
I have died everyday waiting for you,
darling don't be afraid,
I have loved you for a thousand years,
I'll love you for a thousand more...
All along I believed that I would find you, time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years, I'll love you for a thousand more...

Time stand still,
beauty in all she is,
I will be brave,
I will not let anything take away, what's standing in front of me, every breath,
every hour has come to be...
One step closer...

(Chorus)