“I’d better go inside and see what the damage is.”
“He’s been in a good mood,” she said.
A picture fell out of his back pocket. She reached out for it.
“Lucas, wait.” She picked up the photo. He turned to her. “You dropped this.” She gave him the photo.
“Thanks,” he said, taking it from her. She noticed he hesitated a few moments while staring down at the picture. “It’s my sister. She’s, erm, she’s not with us anymore, but I like to keep a picture of her with me.” He showed her the woman in the photo. Ursula frowned. She recognised her.
“I know her.”
Sean walked into the hall before Lucas had a chance to talk. “What are you looking at?” He saw the photo. Lucas pushed him out of the way.
“What do you mean you’ve seen her?” He moved closer. She knew something was wrong.
“I thought I’d seen her, but if you said she’s gone then it can’t be her,” Ursula said. Lucas looked frightened.
“When did you see her?” Lucas asked.
“Wait, what’s going on?” Sean tried to move Lucas out of the way.
“She knows where Isabella is.”
Both men crowded her bombarding her with questions. She didn’t know what to do. They were both larger than she.
“Get the fuck away from her,” Stephen yelled pushing both men out of the way.
“She knows where Isabella is.” Lucas shoved the photo up into Stephen’s face. She gazed at the photo and saw the same woman from the park.
Stephen turned to her. “Do you know the woman in this photo?” he asked.
“I went walking in the park a few weeks ago and bumped into a woman who looked very similar. She was dirty like she spent most of her time on the streets. The resemblance is remarkable from what I remember.”
“What park?” Sean asked.
Ursula gave them directions, and both men headed toward the door.
“Where are you going?” Stephen called back.
“This is the first real lead we’ve had. I’m going to go find my sister,” Lucas said.
Cadeon and the others left with the two men. Ursula looked at Stephen. “I could be wrong.”
“But you could be right. It has been over five years since either of those men have seen this woman.” He gave her the photo. “I’m going to help them look.”
She gazed at the picture then followed him outside. “I’m coming with you.” Everything was moving so fast. Ursula didn’t know if she could keep up with everything. Stephen drove in the direction she told him.
“Stay here,” he said when he got out of the car.
“You can’t expect me to stay here while you’re all looking for her.”
“That’s exactly what I want you to do. This is dangerous. I want you to be safe.” He kissed her then walked off inside the park. She watched as they walked round the park where she’d bumped into Isabella. With a sigh of frustration she got back in the car. Reaching into her pocket she pulled out the photo, flipping the card between her fingers. She glanced down at the photo in her hand, putting the light of the car on. When she’d seen her, she’d been upset, but she was sure it was the same woman she’d bumped into in the park.
Ursula saw the lights of their torches as all the men ran ‘round the park looking for the woman. She felt wrong sitting in the car while the others were out looking. There was a free torch, which she grabbed, and then began searching. The bushes were thick, and the darkness made them scarier.
Everything was moving fast, and she felt she was struggling to keep up. “Isabella?” She shouted the woman’s name to no avail. The cold was bothering her. She wrapped her jacket around her body trying to keep out the chill. Sean stopped beside her.
“Are you sure it was her?” he asked.
“She looks very similar. I can’t guarantee.”
There was a noise in the bushes. They froze as the sound came again. Sean pushed the leaves out of the way. He took the torch from her and shined it through the darkness. There on the ground lay a body curled up.
Sean went towards it. Ursula followed behind. The tension in him couldn’t be mistaken for anything else.
The body didn’t move when he approached. He handed her the flashlight. She pointed the light near the body’s head. Sean turned her over.
“Isabella.” He cried out her name holding her close. “She’s freezing.” He pulled her in close. His shouting alerted the others. They helped them out, Stephen shooting her a glare as they walked. Lucas took her from Sean. They pushed her matted hair off her head. She was pale, thin, and looked dead.