Chapter 69
Aurora exited Crawford Manor and saw a taxi slowly approaching. As it reached the main road, the driver asked, “Are you going to Bradley Mountain? It's Saturday, and traffic at Blue Overpass can be heavy until the afternoon. Should we take a different route?” He was familiar with Mereida's streets and knew when congestion would be worst.
“That’s fine,” Aurora replied, removing her headphones to listen to music.
After leaving the winding mountain road, the taxi driver turned down a less populated alley. Aurora watched the scenery blur past, propping her head up with one hand. In her previous life, she'd lived in Merida for ten years, often accompanying clients to Bradley Mountain, never imagining Victoria would disappear there. Jaxon had never mentioned it either. If only I hadn't focused so much on pleasing Stacy and Maura back then, she mused.
Just then, an unremarkable small door appeared. She straightened, telling the driver, “Stop here. I’ll go in from there.”
He complied, and as Aurora exited, he wished her a good day before driving off. She smiled in return.
The small door was near a restaurant; its upper wall was blackened by chimney smoke, the lower adorned with chalk drawings. Aurora entered the restaurant to buy milk, which she enjoyed with her bread while walking.
Passing through the small door, she found herself on a quiet street lined with large sycamore trees. Early summer's lush branches blocked the sunlight, casting the street in dim shade. Cars were parked along the street, with occasional vehicles speeding by. Aurora, walking on the wooden planked sidewalk, was the sole pedestrian.
Rounding a corner, she encountered two anxious-looking men, one carrying a leather suitcase. “Excuse me, miss, how do we get to Bradley Mountain?”
Removing her headphones, she treated them as ordinary passersby. Pointing, she said, “Go along the right road, cross the street, and keep going straight. You’ll see a slope; climb over it, cross the road, and you’ll be there.”
“That sounds a bit complicated,” John Weber said, wiping his brow, repeating her directions.
Aurora nodded.
“Thank you!” John smiled, saying to his companion, “Mr. Whitaker, let’s go.”
Dexter sighed with relief, taking a drink from his water bottle. Knowing the way, he felt lighter, smiling at Aurora. “Thanks a lot, young lady. We hadn’t seen anyone, and we were getting lost. We almost gave up.”
Aurora smiled and nodded, watching them depart. She replaced her headphones. Although she was also heading to Bradley Mountain, she had no interest in accompanying two strangers. Even elegantly dressed and handsome, their sophistication might be a facade.
The sun blazed on the opposite side of the road as early morning exercisers returned from Bradley Mountain. Aurora walked leisurely, arriving just before noon. She left the tourist path for a relatively open, flat area.
“Is this the place?” She photographed the scenery and sent it to Lizzie Law Firm, confirming the location with a topographic map. This shaded area was about three hundred feet from a road at the mountain's foot.
She knew the road predated Bradley Mountain's development, a necessary route for local residents. Later, a wider asphalt road was built, leaving this one neglected. But over a decade ago, it was the only way down.
Aurora pondered, convinced Victoria hadn't abandoned her; someone had taken her. This spot was conveniently located yet sparsely populated—ideal for a criminal.
On the other end of the line, the Lizzie Law Firm staff member said, “Ms. Crawford, Bradley Mountain is quite large, and given that this happened over ten years ago, we only found Ms. Whitaker had been there, but we can’t help further.”
Aurora understood the difficulty of her request. Their information came through their boss's connections, checking decade-old police records. The police also found this location only after Jaxon's call; standard methods wouldn't have uncovered it.
“I understand,” Aurora replied, hanging up, feeling disheartened. Her only lead was severed; she didn’t know what to do next.
She sat, stretching her legs, gazing at the blue sky. After some time, a sharp itch and pain in her leg startled her. A mosquito, engorged with her blood, was perched there. Seeing the crimson stain on her hand, she focused on the flattened mosquito corpse. It reminded her of jumping from a hotel rooftop, her body a bloody mess. If Mom knew, she thought, she'd hate to see me this upset.
With an expressionless face, she wiped the blood, pulling herself together. Having a second chance, I shouldn’t be defeated by such minor setbacks. I avenged Stacy and Maura; I can find my mother. She stood, ready to leave.
Turning, she heard a familiar ringtone. It wasn’t hers; her phone wasn’t lit. But there’s no one here. Where’s that ringtone coming from?