Chapter 3 – AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT

UNKNOWN POV

Rich got down from the car and rushed to the scene of the accident with Arianna tagging behind.

"Mr. Rich, you are here" a police officer walked up to him.

"Yes, I got the news this morning and I immediately rushed down here" Rich replied. "So can I see them, how bad was the accident, I hope there are no casualties?" he asked.

"How did the accident happen?" Arianna enquired.

"It is a brake failure," one of the officers said.

She left with the officer that had replied to her to have some discussion with him. She is a high-ranking Police officer and would like to find out everything about the accident.

Rich walked around the car and he inspected it to know how damaged that it looked. He started to pray silently as he does not want to lose any of them.

"Where are they, are they in the ambulance or have they been taken to the hospital already? I hope they are all responding to treatment" Rich inquired.

Rich was in great panic. In the condition that the car was in, he was sure that there was no way anyone would have survived in it but he was been hopeful.

"We lost them, Mr. Rich" the officer responded.

"What" Rich exclaimed and ran to the ambulance.

He saw the bodies of the parents and the son but that of the daughter was not there. Tears flowed down his face.

"Where is she" he requested. "Where is Annabel? She was with them but her body is not here"

"These are the bodies that we saw when we arrived. However, we noticed that the car door was open and it seemed as if she jumped out of the car" the officer replied.

"So she is not dead, where is her body?" Rich asked.

"We did not see anybody. But her blood was on the floor. She is dead" he replied.

"But if her body is nowhere around, then she must be alive. Someone must have rescued her" Rich said.

He does not want to believe the narrative of the officer. If Annabel had jumped out of the car and her body is not here then she should be alive and all they need do is to go in search of her.

"We don't think so, Mr. Rich. There is no record of any car passing this route after the accident. We fear that she might have been consumed by a wild beast" he replied.

Arianna arrived and stood by his side.

"No, I don't believe that. I must look for her. We must all search for her everywhere. You have to run a test on the blood and some autopsy. I don't mind what it is going to cost, I will spend everything" Rich said.

"I will lead the team, Rich. I will make sure that we get to the root of this" Arianna said.

Rich inhaled. "Thanks, Arianna. I believe Annabel is alive somewhere. We have to find her and take care of her. I will not stop until I find her even if it takes me forever"

"If she is out there we would find her and bring her back to us soon" she replied.

.................................................

"I think you just have to give up, Rich," Williams said.

Rich was pacing around the room and has a bottle of gin in his hand.

"No, I will never do that, Williams. Until I see her alive or dead, I will never stop looking for her" Rich replied.

"But what more can you do. The autopsy, forensic reports everything, they all point to the fact that she is dead" Williams asked.

"I will continue to do the search myself" Rich responded.

"Arianna led the team, Rich. She did her best. You know if there was something that could be done to bring back Annabel, Arianna would have done that" Williams said.

"I know she did. I will go in search of her every damn place. I will not rest until I get her" Rich replied.

"You have searched everywhere already. The orphanages, schools, hospitals, just name it. Now, where more can you look? You have been on this for months now and you even canceled your engagement to Arianna. You know Mr. Macpherson would not be happy that you are doing this to yourself. Just how long will you continue to search?" Williams asked.

"Even if it takes me forever, I will not stop" Rich replied.

"Even at the detriment of your life? What about Arianna, do you stop to think about her feelings?" Williams asked.

"I have relieved her from her bond with me. She can continue her life with someone else" Rich replied.

"Just like that, Rich. Things are not done that way. Don't you care about the fact that she loves you?" Williams asked.

"See, Williams, Mr. Macpherson, and his family did not just die. They died on their way to my place. And now, Annabel is out there somewhere with no one to care for her. What sort of her friend will I be if I should just ignore the lost daughter of my late friend and act as if she was never here?" Rich yelled.

"But you have done enough. It is almost a year now and your life has practically been on hold" Williams said.

"My life has not been on hold, I have been doing all I can to get Annabel. What else can be more important than that?" Rich retorted.

"And how sure are you that Annabel actually survived that day. What proof do you have that she is still alive? You have done enough, please let it go" Williams appealed.

"I am the only one with valid proof here. The absence of her body is enough proof. And until it is proven otherwise, I will continue to look" Rich responded.

Williams exhaled. He had been going back and front on this issue with Rich almost every day. And with each passing day, his friend's conviction increases. He honestly wished that there was something that he could do to assist him.

"You are never going to give up, are you?" Williams asked.

"No, Williams. You should know me better than to give up" Rich replied.

"And when do you intend to stop searching?" Williams asked.

"The day I see Annabel smiling at me as she always does" Rich responded.