THE FORGOTTEN LUNA novel Chapter 13

KAEL.

“If you press a fucking alarm, you will surely not like what I’m going to do with you.”

“This is harassment, sir.”

“No. This is frustration, sir! I want my ring back. My wife is missing. She has that ring, and I want to know who sold it here!” I snapped at him.

He swallowed.

“Do you have a wife?” I asked him.

He nodded.

“Do you love her?”

He nodded again.

“I have a wife, too. I want her back, but I don’t know where to start.” I put my hand in my back pocket and pulled out my wallet.

I opened it and took out stacks of bills, placing them on the counter in front of him. “Now, I just want to see the CCTV of the person who left this ring. And who bought it. Also the buyer’s information on when he will come to pick it up. I meant no harm. I want to know so I can buy it from him.” I was talking calmly this time.

He didn’t talk, but his eyes were on the cash in front of him.

“You can buy many things with that money. Buy something for your wife or kids if you have any. I’m not even going to take the tape or the recording. I just want to see it.”

“After this, you will leave?” He asked in a low voice.

“Once I see the video and after you give me the information about the buyer.” I made it clear.

He grabbed the cash on the counter, inserted it into his pocket, and walked to the back of the shop. He then led me to a door that had a narrow hallway before it came to another door.

The security room. I didn’t say anything and watched as he operated it, rewinding the recordings for the day, and my heart dropped because I was sure I saw Adessa.

“That one…” I didn’t know where I found the voice to speak.

He stopped and rewinded a bit more before playing it all.

The door opened, and Adessa stepped in, looking at her back before going directly to the counter. She spoke to the woman behind the counter. It took a while before she finally took the ring from her pocket.

My hands coiled onto my tight fist as my breathing hitch.

“Do you want to record it?” The man spoke.

“What do you mean?”

“Record it from your phone. I’m not going to replay it again for you on another day. You know, after this, I might lose my job.”

I should feel guilty for putting him in this position, but I didn’t. I was desperate.

I took the phone that Dexter had bought for me earlier and asked him to start the video again. It took a lot of effort on my part to refrain from punching anything while watching the same scene.

Adessa disappointed me. I expected more of her. But I could see why Dexter said he expected her to take that ring. She was probably with me because of my money. She didn’t even wait for a day to sell or pawn it.

I wondered if she had been stealing from me while we were married.

I didn’t know how I was able to get back inside my car. He informed me that, according to their records, the individual who had reserved the ring would pick it up next Friday before the shop closed.

I didn’t say anything to Dexter and just told him to drive home.

It was the longest three hours of my life. I was drowning in silence. I felt betrayed.

I had no idea why I was hurting.

I was still quiet when we arrived home. Desiree met me by the entrance and began chattering about how inconsiderate of me to leave the territory without letting her know. I didn’t say anything. I didn’t try to explain. I just walked away and locked myself inside my office.

My eyes fell on the trash bin. It was untouched.

I grabbed the crumpled piece of paper and brought it to my table. The folders were still stacked up, and I opened the first one.

The same person clearly wrote the signature and her instructions.