Robbie's POV
The flight felt endless, even though it was barely an hour. Once in Warham, I took the first cab I found. My car wasn't ready, and I hadn't warned anyone I was coming. My instinct said to go to Tony, but my gut told me to confirm what I feared most.
If it were my father… I could get Twen back.
My thoughts spiraled again. If my father really did this, the fallout would ruin everything. My relationship with him, my mother's world, everything.
I was about to lose both my families, for good.
My phone buzzed.
It was Tony.
I hesitated before answering.
"Robbie? Are you here yet?" he asked, voice taut with anxiety.
"Just landed. What's happening?"
"We went to Mrs. Miranda's place. She was at her mother's house, her sister's engagement party. 22 miles away. Family confirmed her story. The cops are reviewing footage from the party, but… she has a solid alibi."
My chest tightened. "So someone else used her ID?"
"It was stolen. She has no idea how."
"What about the school's CCTV? Face recognition?"
"She avoided every camera. They have nothing."
I cursed under my breath. "What about the car? Traffic cams?"
A silence followed.
"Tony?"
"The car made three stops," he finally said. "A bus stop. The abandoned road where it was found. And… the Walker family villa."
I closed my eyes. Fred had been right. The footage existed. My father was involved.
"Robbie," Tony's voice cracked, "Did your dad—"
"I don't know," I whispered, leaning back in the seat. "I'm going to him now."
There was a pause. "You sound like you already knew."
"I—" I began to respond, but Tony's voice suddenly shifted.
"Sorry, I wasn't looking—"
Then a gasp.
"Tony?" I asked, instantly alert.
"Who are you?" he asked someone else, then, with real fear in his voice. "Hey! Wh—What are y—"
Silence.
"Tony?! TONY??" I shouted into the phone.
Only muffled noise. I hung up and immediately called Fred.
"Finally, you're back, old m—"
"Where's Tony?!" I barked.
Fred's tone shifted instantly. "He went to where the car was dumped. Why?"
"Check on him. Now!"
"Calm down, he's with the cops. Nothing can happ—" Fred paused. "Wait. The cops are calling me."
"Put it on conference," I ordered.
Fred clicked over.
"Mr. D'Souza?" a new voice sounded.
"Speaking," Fred said.
"Please don't panic. Mr. Hawker appears to have been abducted."
Everything inside me went still.
No.
Not Tony.
Fred lost it. "WHAT THE F*CK WERE YOU PEOPLE DOING?!"
"Mr. Hawker stepped away to take a call," the cop replied, tone defensive. "We were questioning witnesses. It was barely a minute. Then he was gone. We found his phone on the roadside."
I couldn't listen anymore. "You incompetent fools!" I roared and hung up.
My hands were shaking.
Tony. Twen.
Both gone.
No. No. No.
I can't fall apart now.
I forced myself to breathe.
First: talk to Dad.
Then: figure out if anyone else had a motive. Any recent threats? Who would know of it best?
Samuel? Jenny? Boris? Fred? No, they weren't with him 24/7.
Then who?
And just like that, lightning struck.
Tanya.