Elena informed her parents that she had placed several adverts in multiple media companies in Blue City and in Sun City and also put a heavy prize as they had agreed on earlier. Two weeks passed but they got nothing. Then one day, all the family members were in the dining room having their dinner silently when Elena's phone started ringing in the silent atmosphere.
She looked at the caller and a small frown settled on her face. On noticing it, Mrs Howells asked, "Who's that?" "It's an unknown number. I don't pick them," with that, she muted it and placed her phone back on the table and they resumed their meal. After a minute, the phone rang again and Mr Howells spoke," I think you should answer it. It might be about the advert we placed in the media." "Oh I almost forgot," gasped Elena and she picked it up.
"Hello," said the male voice from the other end. "Hello, who's this?" asked Elena. "I'm I speaking to the Howells?" "Yes you are. What do you want?" "It's about your lost daughter that you are looking for. I have all the information and I know where she is." On hearing this, she put the phone on speaker so that all the family members could hear it.
"What did you say?" she asked again. "I said that I have information on the daughter you're looking for and I know where she is."
All the family members were astonished and Mrs Howells heart thudded in her chest.
Elena looked at her parents as if asking for permission to talk to the man, which they nodded and she asked," How should we trust you?" "If you want to know everything, come to the address I'm sending to your phone," said the man before he hung up and there was silence at the table. All this time, Grandma Terry was critically looking at her. After a moment, her phone pinged and it seemed the man had sent the address. "We have to go there honey," Mrs Howells told her husband. "Is it in Blue City?" asked their Grandma and Elena shook her head before she continued, "He's lying then. She's in Blue City. That's where I saw her." "I think Mom is right. We should go there. You never know," said Luis Howells their second and last born. With this, they all agreed to go to that address first thing in the morning.
Finally, morning came and the Howells family sat in one car ready to go to the address they were given leaving Grandma Terry behind.
When the car left, Grandma Terry remained standing outside in deep thought. She didn't trust that man who called, and Elena as well. It was because all these years they have looked for their daughter and failed to find her but when Elena decided to intervene, they had gotten a lead this first.
Grandma Terry right from the beginning didn't approve the action of leaving Elena to stay with them when the truth about her came to light. She suggested that it was better if they took her to the orphanage just like how her mother did to her granddaughter but the couple being so kind and considerate rejected it. She thought it was wrong because here she was while they didn't know how their daughter is, not knowing whether she has eaten or not, if she got what to cover herself at night, if she got the needed attention when she falls sick as Elena was here enjoying every thing that didn't belong to her.
It was an hour and a half drive when they reached the address. The four got out of the car and on seeing the small house, they walked towards it. When they reached it, Luis stepped forward and knocked on the door. A while later, they had footsteps and the door was opened revealing an elderly woman who looked at them questioningly. She looked to be around the same age as Grandma Terry. "Good morning ma'am. We are the Howells family. We received a call yesterday evening saying that we come at this address," said Mr Howells. "Okay. My husband has been waiting for you. You can come in," she said as she made way for them to step in. Being the family head, Mr Howells stepped in first and others followed.
The house looked old and not so clean inside.
She offered them a seat on the dusty sofas which they obliged and sat down. She then asked if she could offer them something to which they all said that they were fine.
She then left to call her husband who came and sat on a wooden chair that was opposite them. He looked much older than the woman. After a moment of silence, he said," Good morning, the Howells, is it?" "Yes, it's we," replied Mr Howells.