Right Here At The Ridges
That show of strength really had its desired effect as those paparazzi were left pallid and gasping in
relief. Rokan Hill’s a perilous place with dangerous roads and a frequent haunt of street racers. Out of
considerations of safety, it might be better to not come back here again.
While they were engaged in discussion, the roaring of beasts reverberated from within the wilderness,
and several eagles started to circle in the air as well. That spooked them enough to jump into their cars
and scoot off.
“Bunch of sickening cowards,” Lupine cussed as she drove.
Charlotte stared at the skies beyond the windows at those soaring eagles. “Did you hear that just
now?”
“Could be some wild animals,” replied Lupine, seemingly unbothered. “You’ll get that here sometimes.
They probably came out in protest after being alarmed by these people.”
Quietly lost in thought, Charlotte merely teared up a little.
A while later, she picked up the phone and called Gordon to ask about his progress on Zachary.
“We were working on some leads yesterday, but nothing came of them.” Gordon sounded a little
disappointed when he spoke. “Goddammit. I’ve never felt this defeated in years.”
“I really have to hand it to this Francesco. With so many people tracking her, she could still manage to
vanish without a trace with an unconscious man in tow. Now I can see why Sean has been telling me
that she’s a monster and the one person in this world apart from Mr. Lindberg that you don’t want to
mess with!”
“Uh…” Rarely had Charlotte heard Gordon having so much to say in one sitting, and also communicate
with this much emotion. Even more unexpected, was for him to encounter someone who had
impressed him for the very first time.
“Several of my men had been knocked out by her gas and hasn’t come to yet,” Gordon continued to
cuss away. “Of course, the Gold family are doing comparatively worse off on their end as nobody they
sent after Francesco managed to get back in one piece. I think they might have been scared off, seeing
how they seemed to have reined it in a little today.”
“Where are you now?” Charlotte asked.
“Following the leads from before had brought me to Baykeep. Right now, I’m combing through an
abandoned warehouse,” Gordon replied. “How are you doing over on your end, Ms. Lindberg? Are you
short of manpower? Shall I send some people over?”
“It won’t be necessary. All of you should stop looking,” Charlotte declared. “Send your wounded
personnel for treatment, and have the rest meet me back at Northridge.”
“Huh? Are we forgoing the search?” Gordon sounded a little surprised. “Although the Gold family has
eased it off today, that doesn’t mean that they’ve given up on finding Mr. Nacht. He and Francesco
could still be in danger should they get to them first.”
“I know what I’m doing,” came Charlotte’s bland reply. “You guys must be worn out having been at it for
the past two days. Wrap things up and reconvene with me back here.”
“All right.” Seeing that Charlotte had her mind made up, Gordon desisted from pressing further and
went on to make the necessary arrangements.
“Why have you suddenly decided to discontinue the search, Ms. Lindberg?” Lupine asked.
“I suspect that Francesco is right here at the ridges.” Charlotte narrowed her eyes and gazed at the
wild eagles fading further and further into the horizon. “Perhaps, she’s holed up somewhere
inconspicuous and secretly administering treatment to Zachary…”
“Huh?” Lupine stared with eyes gawking. “What led you to such a conclusion? There isn’t—”
“Aside from Danrique, she’s the only one who can summon beasts.” Charlotte’s lips curled into a smile.
“I suppose she must have been annoyed by those journalists, and that’s why she sent out those
animals to chase them off the ridges.”
“I see,” replied the enlightened Lupine.
Elsewhere, over at the backyard loft.
Francesco scanned the skies and whistled at those eagles that promptly flew off and away from
Southridge.
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