This was going to be a long day and it was definitely not what I planned. After I calmed Nancy a bit, I told Amelia to get me any car key and some cash.
"What happened?" she asked and dashed off.
I began switching off the electric appliances and closed some windows. "Mia, come on we have to hurry out." She only stared at me.
Amelia got back with what I requested and I told her to bring Mia along since the girl refused me touching her. We got to the car and zoomed off.
"Your name is Victoria, right?" Amelia asked me and I nodded in response. "You know Mom is going to be home anytime soon."
"Fuck," I muttered as I saw the digital clock read 5:40pm.
"Language," the little girl reminded me and I forced a smile.
"Hopefully, we will be back before she returns." I tried to reassure us. I did not see any chance of us finding Jon within the limited time we had, but it was better to hope.
I heard her gasp and mumble, "Jon is missing? How is that possible?"
I did not reply because I too needed the answer to that question. We arrived few minutes later at the house Nancy described and I gunned down the engine. "Stay in the car," I ordered the kids and got out.
I stomped through the gate which was already open and entered the house. Was not so hard since the door was unlocked. There was a long dark hallway and as I went deeper in, I heard loud blast of music. I came to the end of the hallway to meet a large hall filled to the brim with people. Disco lights danced around and mostly teenagers mingled with themselves.
Where could Nancy and the boys be? I patted my pockets for my phone but realised I had left it in the car. What kind of temptation was this? I scanned the multitude but came up with nothing.
Victoria think. It would take more than just looking in the crowd.
My mind went back to the phone call. The background was not noisy and I could hear the whishing of fan blades. That should mean they were in a separate room. I descended into the hall and struggled my way to the bar.
I smiled at the bartender and asked where the restroom was. He pointed to a door I had not noticed. I thanked him and walked through the door. I found myself in another hallway with doors on the left and right. The first door had restroom above it and I walked past. I checked the other doors to find the rooms behind them empty.
"Nancy?" I called getting tired of opening and shutting doors.
I heard a door open and Nancy and the boys scrambled out. She ran straight to me and crushed me in a hug, still sobbing. That was easy.
"So, where do we look? We do not have much time," I said as soon as Nancy untangled us.
"Actually, we do not have any time at all. It is six thirty pm already," Stan said.
Nancy began to sob all the more.
"Where was the last place he was seen at? Who was he last seen with? What was he wearing?" I fired.
"He has been with us all the while. He only went to use the restroom," Ben answered.
"So did you check the restroom then?"
"That was the first place," Cass deadpanned.
"Oh right. Sorry. So where do you think he must have disappeared to?"
"I saw his friends leave a while ago. Maybe he must have left with them," Dave said.
"That is a good start. Come on, let us go," I urged them as we all dashed outside.
We got to the car and saw only Mia. I felt like pulling my hair.
"I specifically told Amelia not to leave the car," I groaned.
"Oh no," Nancy cried. "What are we going to do now? Where would she have gone to?"
"Can this nightmare of a day end? I am exhausted already," Stan grumbled.
"Okay, everyone calm down." Where do we begin looking for Amelia? I was so lost on what to do.
Nancy phone shrilled in the silence. She shuddered with fear when she looked at the screen. "It was Mrs. Pelton."
The boys' faces all turned pale. Dave snatched the phone from Nancy and ended the call. There was a moment silence when Ben suggested we asked Mia.
I decided to try cause no one was making an effort to. Looks like they were all looking up to me, "Mia, where did Amelia go?"
Why does she always ignore me? It was getting so annoying.
"Sugar, do tell us which way Amelia went," Cass said. She pointed behind the car.
"Thank you," Nancy said and made to move but a police car screeched to a stop in front of us.
The doors opened and two officers alighted with their guns raised, "Freeze. Your hands where we can see 'em."
We all complied and one lowered his gun and pulled out a flashlight. He shone it on our faces and nodded to his partner.
"Officer, there must be a mix up somewhere," I began. "We were only going for a drive."
The other officer talked into his walkie talkie, "There are seven of them here. Two adults and five kids. Over." There were screeching noises and then he replied, "Roger that."
"Kids get in the car," the one with the flashlight ordered. Then got out handcuffs and used them on Nancy and me.
"Uh... What's happening?" Nancy choked out.
"You are under arrest for kidnap," he said.
"What? How? Where?" Nancy questioned but she was not answered.
This was indeed a long day.
∆∆∆∆∆∆
We got to the station and got locked up. The kids were in the waiting room. Nancy kept wailing.
"I am just eighteen. My mom is in the hospital. Who is gonna take care of her? I have got a whole life I am supposed to live. And now it is about to be taken from me."
I wanted to laugh out loud. I remembered I was just eighteen too when I was sentenced to jail.
"Nancy, can you calm down? This is just detention," I said.
She shot me a look, "Just? Just? I have never been to jail before."
"This is not jail, babe," I tried to reassure her.
"Of course. You should know," she muttered and continued to sob.
I really do not know what she implied by that but I did not care. We heard the door to the cell open and Mrs. Pelton sashayed in. Nancy got to her feet and ran to hold her.
"Ma'am, there is a mix up here. We did not kidnap the kids. We only went to find Jon and then Amelia went missing. We did not kidnap them, I swear."
Tears rolled down Mrs. Pelton's cheeks, "I paid you to babysit them. But instead you took my kids to party. And now Amelia is missing. My poor daughter."
"Ma'am, I am so sorry. We were about to find Jon and Amelia before we were arrested," Nancy pleaded.
Mrs. Pelton scoffed, "You wanted Jon to go missing too?"
"What? No. He was the one who put us in this mess in the first place," I shot at her.
Mrs. Pelton's eyes turned red, "You were the ones who got my kids in this mess for not doing your job, so do not blame them. Jon was home when I returned but you all were not. So how is that his fault?"
I looked at Nancy, just as she looked at me. What now? So the whole trouble we went through tonight was for nothing? The whole trouble only got us into more trouble. I am officially tired of today.
"Look, we are sorry." I tried consoling her.
"Sorry? Would sorry bring back my daughter? Oh my poor daughter," she cried.
"We could look for her," I tried.
"No. You would remain here till the police finds her. And my dear, you better pray it would be soon." I could make out the threat that dangled in her tone as she turned and left.