The Devil's Sweetheart

Evelyn just got home from the hospital, Grandpa Arthur informed Harley hadn\'t come back from the office. She let the matter aside, assuming her daughter would have gone to visit a friend. But it was half-past seven; Harley neither picked the call nor called back, raising the alarm. Harley rarely goes to a friend\'s place, and if she goes, she will call and inform her even if she is busy.

\'\'She is not picking the calls, father-in-law. I am scared.\'\' Evelyn said panic had set in her legs. \'\'Adney is also not here to track her location.\'\'

\'\'Don\'t panic. She might have gone to her friend\'s home. I will right away call Devin and Rick.\'\' Grandpa Arthur assured Evelyn, but he was also seized by fright, and it was confirmed when Devin informed him Harley\'s last location is showing at Menbury avenue. 

\'\'Why did she go there? She has no friends in that place.\'\' Evelyn whispered in disbelief. Something is wrong here.

Everybody\'s heart was beating at a rapid rate as they reached Devin\'s home. \'\'Did you trace her car, Leena?\'\' Fredrick asked, anxiously looking at Leena\'s laptop. 

\'\'Yes, Father-in-law. I am following her. An hour ago, she entered Medieval street...\'\' Leena said, keenly focusing on the vehicles behind her car. Strangely, they have been following ever since Harley was off the office premises. \'\'She parked the car to the east near a gift shop and entered the shop. Within a minute, the subway truck has stopped next to the car, and behind it, another food truck arrived, completely blocking Harley\'s car.\'\'

Leena watched the truck counting the time for the people to step out, but in a trice, a black screen appeared on the laptop like a twist in fate, surprising her. \'\'Damn it!\'\'

\'\'What\'s happening? Why is it showing black?\'\' Jasper questioned, sweat drenching his body despite the air conditioning. When he knew the truth and wanted to set things straight, his Lillie is gone, away from him.

\'\'They have jammed the security cameras of the entire area. This is probably to capture Harley without being noticed!\'\' Leena\'s revelation put the home in complete silence except for the clock ticking on the wall.

Jasper\'s throat tightened. He felt the water creep out of his eyes. \'\'Leena, quickly check when they entered the CCTV focus again.\'\'

As Leena fast-forwarded, she found the three vehicles moving in an array for quite some time, and within five kilometers\' range, they parted, and started moving in three different directions. 

\'\'Her phone was thrown outside of the car,\'\' Leena said. \'\'The two trucks\' direction will eventually lead to the outskirts of the city. Harley must be taken in one of them.\'\' Leena glanced at Devin without a word, and with an understanding, he nodded and called Kurt to track the license plate of the two vehicles he sent.

Evelyn sniffled; streams of tears flowed faster than her heartbeat when she thought of the worst possibility. Who has done this? Why did they kidnap their daughter? What would they acheive?

Rick pulled Evelyn and hugged her. Complete hopelessness converted in him, but he cannot lose it, not at this time. \'\'Nothing is going to happen. We will see our daughter\'s happy face soon.\'\' He said with a determined expression. Whoever it is will pay for committing this horrendous sin.

Fredrick turned to Leena. \'\'Leena, how long has it been we lost contact with the CCTV footage of the two trucks?\'\'

\'\'Approximately half n hour,\'\' Leena said. \'\'If we can start the search via choppers, we can hasten the location, but the laws, and restrictions_\'\'

\'\'Choppers will fly in a couple of minutes.\'\' That was all Rick\'s reply before he made a call to his secretary ordering him to summon the team. \'\'I am going with the pilot.\'\' Evelyn joined him despite his objection. Jasper also wanted to go, but Leena didnot let him. Chopper search is alone not enough to find the exact location of the food trucks. What if they have stopped the trucks and took her somewhere? She needs to track the exact place in the fastest way possible.

\'\'Jasper,\'\' Leena called him. \'\'I will cut this short. Your break up with Harley two years back is related to someone close to you. I think she is the one behind this.\'\'

\'\'Is it Celia?\'\' Jasper questioned, tightly gripping his knuckles. When Andrew confessed the truth, he had a hunch that it is Celia.

\'\'Yes,\'\' Leena said. \'\'An online company faked the pictures of you and Celia\'s. She has contacted them and paid for the pictures. The track records all lead to her. There is a higher chance she is involved in Harley\'s disappearance. She might be knowing Harley\'s kidnapping location also.\'\'

\'\'Give me her house address,\'\' Nick said. \'\'I will go now.\'\'

\'\'She will be in the office,\'\' Jasper said. \'\'Let\'s not waste time and meet her directly.\'\'

Before going, Jasper looked at Leena. \'\'I will send you a message from her mobile, and you can have a direct entry of the contacts if you want to track the location.\'\'

Jasper and Nick reached the office in fifteen minutes without caring that they are violating the traffic rules. Jasper barged into a certain room and glanced at the girl spitefully.

At the sudden sound, Celia snapped at the door and was quite surprised to see Jasper here. Has he come here to apologize for what happened yesterday? Since night, she was angry, sad, that Jasper was mad at her because of that bitch, but her happiness returned seeing him today. \'\'Jasper, when did you come_\'\'

\'\'Where is Harley?\'\' Jasper spewed with a malicious gaze. There was only disgust for her. He trusted her, and he got retribution for his trust. How much has Harley cried seeing those pictures everyday?

Celia\'s body went cold with dread all of a sudden. Why is he asking me directly? Did he find out everything? Her hands went clammy just thinking of it. There is no way he might have found out. The man said he would clear all the evidence.

\'\'I_I don\'t know what you are talking?\'\'

A pair of hands around her neck ceased her thoughts. Jasper squeezed her throat tightly. She tried to hold his hand, but with each succeeding try, his grip tightened around her.

\'\'J_as_per p_lease...\'\' Celia coughed, catching her words. \'\'I_I don\'t is_\'\'

\'\'Stop pretending your act. I know everything. Where is Harley?\'\' Jasper loosed his grip around her throat and turned to Nick.

When Nick held her hand, Celia\'s face turned pale. \'\'I swear I don\'t know.\'\'

\'\'Will you tell the same thing when I cut your finger?\'\' Nick pulled a small size scissor and held her pinky finger in between the blades.

\'\'Please..no.\'\' Celia cried, begging him to spare her. \'\'I really don\'t know where Harley is, but there is one person who knows.\'\'

\'\'Who is it?\'\' Jasper demanded.

\'\'Your grandmother.\'\' Celia said. \'\'The plan was all made by her from the beginning.\'\'

Jasper\'s eyes went wide. Grandmother? Why would she involve in Harley\'s kidnapping? He knows she is a ruthless woman, but there is no reason to kidnap Harley. What benefit she will get by torturing Harley. \'\'Do you think I am a fool to_\'\'

\'\'I am not lying, Jasper,\'\' Celia pleaded. \'\'She knows you are in a relationship with Harley, and she doesn\'t want Harley to become Allen\'s family daughter-in-law because she is an orphan. She called a person yesterday and assigned a man to kidnap Harley.\'\' Celia revealed everything and blamed Jasper\'s grandmother. Saving her life is more important now.

Jasper\'s mind went blank for a second. His grandmother? Until now, his own family member is plotting against him without his knowledge? If it was any other day, he would have dealt with her in his way. This is not the time to think of revenge. Harley is in a situation of life and death. Rescuing Harley is the top priority. \'\'What time did she call him?\'\'

\'\'Afternoon. Around three.\'\' Celia said.

 Jasper called Leena and explained briefly. \'\'My grandmother called a person yesterday around Afternoon. That must be the assassination\'s number. If we are lucky, he will be riding one of the trucks.\'\'

\'\'I got him.\'\' After Leena received the mobile number, she hacked his grandmother\'s mobile within seconds and got the contact number. 

\'\'I got the location,\'\' Leena shouted. \'\'It\'s outskirts of the city. I am sending you the location map. Tell the pilots to move in that direction.\'\'

....

Helicopters whirled in the air. Cars surrounded the house, it more looked like a dungeon. Armed men climbed out of the car with guns, and surrounding the house.

Evelyn held on to her husband\'s shirt tightly as she stepped out of the chopper. Rick held her, and brought her in front of the house, and ordered the men to break open the door. With one thud of the armed man, the door hung to hinges. Evelyn raises her head, and glanced at the place which has turned into a pool of blood. At the sight of her daughter state, tears uncontrollably flowed.. The damage has already happened.