I felt a jolt of shock and stared at him. He gave me a signal and walked ahead, with me following closely behind.
After finding a quiet place, I grew increasingly nervous.
Patrick glanced at me, hesitated for a moment, and said, “Jacob Campbell has escaped from prison.”
“What did you say?”
I widened my eyes, almost unable to believe my ears.
I had mentally prepared for various scenarios, such as him being unruly in prison, getting into trouble again; perhaps he would get an extended sentence, or even be sentenced to death…
But I never expected this situation.
He had escaped from prison?
“How could he have escaped?” I grabbed him excitedly. “Are your prison guards so incompetent? How could they let him get away?”
“The reasons behind this are complicated,” Patrick sighed. “There are corrupt guards in the prison…”
“And then?”
“Jacob Campbell had planned it in advance. He had bribed the guards long ago, and there were people waiting for him outside.”
“No…” My heart was almost jumping out of my throat.
My dad had escaped… He would definitely come looking for me! Then I wouldn’t have any peace…
I closed my eyes and a scene from before I was eight years old popped into my head … He was drunk, he beat me to death, he used me as a punching bag; he starved me for two days and two nights because I accidentally stubbed out his cigarette …
I let out a low cry, tears streaming down uncontrollably.
I trembled all over, my hands and feet icy cold, terrified out of my wits.
Patrick sat beside me, gently pulling me into his arms, patting my back, saying, “Don’t be afraid, I’m here.”
I startled, lifting my head abruptly to look at him, only to realize that it wasn’t Cameron’s face.
“Laura, I understand how you feel,” he said awkwardly as he released me, “I’ve thought about it too, he will definitely come looking for you! Because besides you, he has no other family.”
“So…”
“So I’m just here to give you a heads-up, you need to be prepared,” he said, “This is not a glorious matter after all. The prison is keeping the news under wraps, and they’re doing everything to capture him, but I think you should know. You must prioritize your safety, understand? And once Jacob Campbell comes looking for you, you must inform me immediately!”
I nodded dazedly.
“Alright, let me take you home,” he helped me to my feet, “And about Carter… if he bullies you again, don’t just endure it. You have to learn to fight back, okay?”
“Okay,” I looked at him gratefully, “Thank you, Patrick.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“Patrick…” I hesitated for a moment, then asked, “If my dad gets caught again, what kind of sentence will he receive?”
Patrick turned to me, his gaze somewhat strange.
“I know… it’s not quite appropriate to ask such a question, and it’s also an internal matter for you. I shouldn’t know too much…,” I felt conflicted, “But Patrick, he’s still… my father.”
The word ‘father’ almost felt foreign coming out of my mouth.
What kind of father was he anyway? He never shouldered any responsibility, only bringing me painful memories.
Yet, it wasn’t until now that I truly felt the weight of blood ties.
I had read about news regarding prison breaks before, and most of the time, those who escaped and got caught again ended up in a terrible state. If they were serious criminals, they would receive the death penalty.
“I don’t want him to die…” I lowered my head, tears welling up, my heart feeling like it was being torn apart, “He’s not a good person, but he’s my father. Patrick, I’m sorry, I know it’s pathetic to feel this way, but he’s my… my biological father…”
“I understand,” Patrick gently patted my shoulder, “I can understand how you feel, Laura. But I have to tell you, the law is the law, and if you break it, there are consequences.”
“I don’t know what will happen if he gets caught again. All we can do is file charges against him, and it’s up to the court to decide the outcome.” He looked at me, speaking softly, “But I’ll be with you. You don’t have to be afraid, even if your father’s situation seems irreversible, you can consider me family.”
I looked at him in astonishment, noticing a hint of ambiguity in his gaze.
My heart raced, and I quickly looked away.
Patrick opened the car door for me and drove me home. We didn’t speak a word on the way, but the atmosphere in the car was noticeably different from before.
…
Those days were filled with anxiety.
I didn’t dare to go out, took a leave from work, and stayed home. Even with a mountain of articles to write, I couldn’t produce a single word sitting in front of my computer. My mind was consumed by thoughts of Jacob Campbell’s escape.
I couldn’t stop wondering where he had gone, why there had been no news for several days. Patrick didn’t contact me either. Could it be that he had been caught by them already?
But if he hadn’t been caught, where could he have gone? Why hadn’t he come to find me? Did he intend to spare me?
My mind was in turmoil.
I even found myself constantly peering out the window, watching to see if Jacob Campbell would lurk around The Lynch Family. I instructed the driver and the servants to be vigilant of any strangers around…
However, the thing that I feared the most finally happened. That day, when Cameron drove back, the sharp sound of brakes pierced the silent afternoon sky.
I was startled and hurried downstairs to see what had happened. Cameron rushed in, looking flustered and grim.
I had a premonition that something had gone wrong, and it must be related to my father!
“Cameron…” I ran over to him, and he paused in front of me. As our eyes met, I felt like countless swords were piercing through my heart.
There was resentment in his eyes, just like when Anne died, the cold hatred he had looked at me with.
My hands and feet went cold, and I trembled as I asked him, “Is… something wrong?”
“What do you know?” he asked coldly, his tone sharp. “Seems like you’re quite well-informed!”
“No…” I hurriedly explained, “I, I was just asking if… if something happened. You seem so flustered, and you never come home at this time…”
“Queenie has been kidnapped,” he said, his voice harsh and cold. “And the one who kidnapped her is Jacob Campbell!”
My head buzzed, and I almost couldn’t stand, grabbing onto the nearby cabinet for support.
“Jacob Campbell escaped from prison,” he said each word slowly. “You knew about this, didn’t you?”
“Cameron, you’re misunderstanding!”
“Laura!” he raised his voice. “You and your father, when will you two ever stop causing trouble!”
“No, it’s not like that…”
I wanted to explain to him, I wanted to tell him loudly that this was all unexpected for me.
But my body felt weak, I couldn’t utter a single word.
I heard Cameron go upstairs, heard him anxiously making phone calls, saw him change his clothes and come out of the room, his expression even darker than before.
He quickly left the house, getting into his car.
The engine started.
I summoned up whatever strength I had left and rushed towards his car. Before he could drive off, I opened the car door and jumped in, fastening my seatbelt.
“What are you doing?” he shouted at me.
“No matter where you’re going, I’m going with you!”
“I’m going to find Jacob Campbell! Get out of the car!”
“I’m not getting out!” I shouted back hysterically. “Cameron, I said, wherever you go, I’ll go! I won’t let you face him alone!”
“You…”
“Drive already!” I yelled, “Jacob Campbell kidnapped Queenie, his goal is to see you, right? If you’re late, aren’t you afraid he’ll hurt Queenie?”
“Laura!”
He said my name heavily.
He stared at me, his eyes sharp and clear, even in his urgency and anger, his intense hatred, he still looked so beautiful to me.
“Let’s go,” I said.
He didn’t say anything else, the car roared out of the gate. I quietly held onto his hand resting on the gear lever, tears falling onto the back of his hand.
…
Jacob Campbell had Queenie tied up in an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts.
When we arrived, he was sitting in the open space, drinking alcohol. The warehouse was filled with the smell of cheap liquor. Queenie was leaning against a pillar, her hands and feet bound, her face dirty, her body trembling slightly, her big eyes full of fear. It was evident that he had beaten her: her cheeks were swollen, and there were dried bloodstains at the corners of her mouth.