MATTEO’S POV
Day three into Sofia’s disappearance and Alfredo’s supposed death.
That was how long it had been then. Three days, and we still had nothing except her abandoned car in the hotel parking lot. She checked in and never came out leaving everyone fucking worried.
And as if that isn’t enough, the damn DNA results were still being delayed by Hughes and Dawson.
“I want those results on my desk in an hour,” I snapped into the phone talking to Dawson, pacing the length of my office. “I don’t care what the holdup is. Make it happen. And don’t bring up that crap that he was burnt beyond recognition else I’ll Have you burnt as well.”
The man on the other end stammered, trying to feed me more excuses. I hung up before I lost my temper completely. This was already getting me on edge as it’s been days and we’ve still had nothing from the forensics or the CCTV footage.
I turned to Anthony, who was leaning against the desk, his eyes glued to the screen monitoring the CCTV footage. “Go pay them a visit. Make it clear that waiting is no longer an option.”
Anthony gave me a knowing look. “You want me to be… persuasive?”
“Whatever it takes. Even if you need to put a bullet through the darn bastard’s head.”
Seconds later, he was gone. I sank into my chair, rubbing my temples. Sophia’s sudden disappearance. The DNA results…I let out a frustrated sigh.
The door swung open an hour later, and Anthony stepped in, tossing a file onto my desk. “You were right. The bastard was stalling. Had to convince him otherwise with a gun to his head of course.”
I flipped open the file. A single look at the results sent a cold shiver down my spine. I wasn’t wrong after all.
“That’s not Alfredo.” The words left my lips like a curse.
Anthony dropped into the chair across from me. “Which means Alfredo is out there.”
Before I could respond, my phone buzzed. One of the guards from surveillance. “Sir, we found something on the prison CCTV footage. You might want to see this.”
“Anthony let’s head down to the surveillance room.”
….
In the surveillance room, the footage played on the screen.
Alfredo walked out of the prison yard in a mufti outfit, escorted by a prison guard. A few minutes later, the same guard returned, now in civilian clothing. A car is parked outside the prison and a man in a suit steps out before leading both Alfredo and the prison guard into the car.
Anthony let out a low whistle. “Smooth. He had help.”
“Who’s the guard?” I asked, eyes still locked on the screen. Pause!
I notice Anthony’s eyes widen as he pauses the clip and proceeds to zoom into the man in a suit.
“Does he look familiar to you?” I asked him as he studied the person on the screen intently.
Anthony taps the back of the tech guy, “Run the face of this guy in the system…I’m trying to recall where I know him from, he looks too familiar.” I brush my fingers at the sound of this. Another mole!
The tech guys zoomed in, running the image through the system. It took him less than four minutes and the result was out
“Ricardo Ramirez. He’s been Miss Sofia’s bodyguard for years now.” He explains showing us a clearer photo of Riccardo.
I exhaled sharply. “Find him. Now.”
…….
A few minutes later, Ricardo was in my custody. He sat in a chair, hands tied behind his back. He looked roughed up as my men had already trashed him out while bringing him down here.
I stood before him, arms crossed. “You helped Alfredo escape. Why?”
Ricardo didn’t answer.
Anthony stepped forward, rolling up his sleeves and taking off his wristwatch. “You don’t want to do this the hard way.”
Still, silence.
Then a punch from Anthony landed on his face and he groaned in pain. Another punch. And another one. Each came one after the other. I hold Anthony back when it gets almost too bloody, knowing Anthony, once he’s angry he could kill.
I crouched down, leveling my gaze with his. “Ricardo, I already know you helped him. I just need to know why. Who put you up to this?”
A flicker of something in his eyes. Hesitation. Fear.
Then, my phone buzzed. A message from an unknown number.
I opened it.
A picture of Liam, my son, sitting in the backseat of a car.
My blood ran cold.
Anthony saw the image over my shoulder and cursed. “He moved really fast.”
I turned back to Ricardo, my patience gone. “Last chance. Who are you working for? Where is Alfredo?”
Ricardo looked at me this time with a smug look. Then, finally, he spoke.
“You’re too late.”
And just immediately Aurora came into the interrogation room her eyes filled with tears and Bella was right behind her with a worried expression. What could be wrong?
“Please find Liam.” She cried out as she fell to the floor. Dang it! She’s found out about his disappearance.
“Liam is gone, Sofia took him.” She tells me and my blood runs cold at her words.
Sofia?