Novel Xo
Chapter 226
Chapter 226
TIMOTHY POV
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The afternoon sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow in Aria’s cozy living room. Timothy sat on the edge of the couch, frustration etched on his face as he ran a hand through his hair. The hunt for Bruce felt like trying to catch smoke with bare hands- elusive and impossible.
“Any ideas?” Timothy asked, his voice taut with urgency.
Aria, perched on the arm of an adjacent chair, chewed her lip in thought. “Evie was pretty vague about where she lived, right? She only mentioned the town.”
Lucas, reclined on the floor, frowned as he considered. “Yeah, she was pretty cryptic about it. Didn’t give specifics.”
Timothy’s mind raced. The mention of the town triggered a distant memory, a fleeting recollection from the past. He paused, eyes widening as realization dawned on him. “Wait… that town. I’ve been there before.”
Aria and Lucas exchanged glances, curiosity evident in their expressions. “You have?” Aria leaned forward, her eyes locking onto Timothy’s.
He nodded, a surge of determination rising within him. “Evie’s old home. I visited it once, a long time ago. That might be where Bruce is hiding.”
Without wasting another moment, Timothy rushed back to his car and sped off. The drive was tense, silence hanging heavy in the air as he navigated the winding roads toward the town etched in his memory.
Arriving in the quaint town, memories flooded back to Timothy. The streets seemed frozen in time, unchanged from his last visit. He directed the car through the familiar lanes, the anticipation building with each passing moment.
Eventually, he came upon that familiar little home. It didn’t have the same foreboding aura that it once carried. There were delicate little decorations in the yard, the grass was cut, and the walls were painted a delicate blue.
As he stepped out of the car, the weight of uncertainty bore down on him. He approached the door and rang the doorbell. A few moments passed before the door creaked open, revealing a middle– aged woman peering at him curiously.
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“Can I help you?” Her voice carried a cautious tone, eyes narrowing slightly as she studied Timothy.
“Hello, I’m sorry to bother you. I was wondering if a man named Bruce lives here?” Timothy asked, trying to hide the urgency in his voice.
The woman furrowed her brows, shaking her head in response. “I’m afraid not. No one by that name lives here.”
A wave of despair washed over Timothy. His shoulders slumped as he searched for words, desperation clawing at his chest. “Did… by any chance, do you know someone named Evie? She might have lived here before.”
The woman’s expression softened slightly, as if trying to recall. “Evie? No, I moved into this house years ago, and it was never owned by an Evie. They found the place completely abandoned before I remodeled it. I’m sorry.”
Timothy’s heart sank deeper, the sense of hopelessness engulfing him. He managed a weak smile, trying to mask his disappointment. “Thank you for your time.”
Turning away from the door, Timothy felt a knot tighten in his stomach. He had been so certain, grasping at straws in his search for Evie. The realization that he had hit yet another dead end weighed heavily on him, a deep sense of failure gnawing at his resolve.
Back in his car, he sat in silence, grappling with a flood of emotions. The frustration of chasing shadows mixed with the overwhelming concern for Evie. The sun had just begun dipping over the horizon. It was getting late.
With a heavy heart, he started the car and drove back home. Pulling up in front of his apartment building, Timothy parked the car and let out a deep sigh.
After a long moment, Timothy pulled out his phone and dialed the emergency line. The call connected, and he jumped right into his explanation, detailing Evie’s sudden disappearance.
“I need to file a missing person report,” Timothy said..
The operator assured him that an officer would be dispatched to take the report. Moments stretched into an agonizing wait, each second ticking by like an eternity. Finally, the arrival of a police car disrupted the quiet of the neighborhood.
An officer stepped out, introducing herself as Officer Reynolds. Timothy quickly relayed the details, the sense of urgency palpable in his words. He recounted everything he knew, from Evie’s unexplained absence to the elusive connection with Bruce.
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Officer Reynolds listened attentively, her expression reflecting a mix of concern and determination. “We’ll do everything we can to locate Evie, Mr. Timothy. Our team will start an investigation based on the information you’ve provided.”
Relief washed over Timothy, albeit tinged with uncertainty. He thanked Officer Reynolds, a glimmer of hope flickering within him despite the overwhelming sense of defeat. As the officer returned to her car to initiate the investigation, Timothy was left alone with his thoughts, the weight of the situation pressing down on him.
As he ascended the elevator to his apartment, a sense of unease settled within him. He needed clarity, needed to act. Bruce could’ve been doing anything to Evie, and Timothy felt useless just sitting there.
“Aria?” Timothy’s voice carried surprise as he noticed her walking toward her own apartment.
She turned, her eyes frantic. “Hey, Timothy. Did you find anything out?”
Timothy’s expression fell, a sense of defeat shadowing his features. “No, nothing. The current owner of Evie’s old home doesn’t know anything about her or Bruce.”
Aria’s brows furrowed, mirroring Timothy’s frustration. “Oh. I thought we were onto something there.”
He let out a sigh. “Yeah, me too. Anyway, I wound up calling the police and filing a report.”
“A report?” Aria blinked, but her head quickly fell. “I was hoping it wouldn’t have to come to that.”
“It was for the best. We don’t have any other leads outside of Bruce being the likely cause,” said Timothy. “As much as I want to handle him personally, we have no choice but to get the authorities involved again.”
At the mention of Bruce’s name, Aria bristled and frowned. “That didn’t go too well last time. What if he knows we’re getting the police involved and does something to Evie?”
“As long as we keep it a surprise, it shouldn’t be a problem for now,” he assured her. “Either way, we’ll just have to wait it out for any updates from the police.”
Aria nodded sympathetically. “I understand. Well, I’ll be up for a while too, just in case you hear back. Let me know if anything comes up.”
“Will do,” Timothy replied, managing a faint smile before bidding her goodnight.
As he entered his apartment, a sense of restlessness settled within him. He glanced at the clock; it was already
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past midnight.
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He settled on his couch, the silence of the night amplifying the turbulence in his mind. Evie’s absence weighed heavily on his thoughts, the frustration simmering beneath the surface. He checked his phone repeatedly, hoping for a message or call from Evie or the authorities.
The faint glow of his phone screen illuminated the otherwise dim room. Timothy’s heart skipped a beat as the device vibrated with a notification. He scrambled to grab it, hope surging within him. But it was just a message from a friend, unrelated to the investigation. Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.
“Evie…” The name escaped from his lips and he slumped back onto the couch. Duke nuzzled into his fingers, but even the cold touch of his wet nose hardly pulled Timothy away from his spiraling thoughts.
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