SINGLE MOTHER AND CEO

The Narrator:

Estefania, when it was seven o’clock at night and in view of the fact that Sofia was not coming down for dinner, ordered one of the service girls to go up to her room and let her know that they were waiting for her. When she came down, she informed her:

-Mrs. Estefania, Miss Sofia, is neither in her room, nor in the children’s room, check the upstairs areas and nowhere is she -commented the young woman, with astonishment.

Sofia’s mother, getting up from her chair, with a bad feeling, went out to the mansion’s guardhouse to ask the watchman on duty if he had been seen leaving.

The watchman on duty replied that she had left a few minutes before six o’clock in the afternoon and that she had not allowed anyone to accompany her and the strange thing was that she had not yet arrived. He also notified her that he would send someone to pick her up.

-Miss Sofia told me that she was quick, that she would be back soon. She was going to the mall near the house to look for some things she needed,” he said, worried, because it was his responsibility to take care of them.

Immediately, Estefania started to dial her cell phone, but it kept ringing and no one answered. She began to despair and called Benjamin, whom she had always trusted since her husband died.

-Benjamin? -she asked.

-Yes, Estefania! It’s me,” he answered.

-I’m sorry, I disturbed you! -she added.

-You don’t bother me! Tell me what’s wrong? -he asked, deducing that something was wrong, because of her distressed voice.

-Sofia is not showing up! I don’t know if I’m exaggerating, but she went out a few minutes before six in the evening, alone without an escort to the mall, near the house, and she hasn’t returned,” she said.

“I call her cell phone, it rings, but she doesn’t answer! You know better than anyone that my daughter is not a crazy or irresponsible girl. It’s lunchtime for the children and she’s not here, this is sacred to her, her children come first.

-Yes, I know! Well, you’re going to calm down! Suddenly, she lost her cell phone or left it in the car. There are so many reasons not to answer the cell phone, which car is it in? -He asked, walking towards the garage, getting into one of the vehicles in his collection.

-He loads the Range Rover, where he gets out when he takes the kids,” she explained.

-Relax, let me turn on the GPS and I’ll locate it. I’ll call you as soon as I have news,” he announced.

Benjamin, through the GPS, located the van exactly in the parking lot of the mall. Next to it, he saw a bag with sanitary napkins and some cosmetics lying on the floor, and there were also traces of blood.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

This caught his attention, the van was locked, but there was no trace of Sofia, except for the bag. Presuming that something serious had happened, he called the Commissioner of the Investigation Corps of the Island, to whom he explained what was happening, to ask for help.

This one, made him see that it was not possible to speak of disappearance until twenty-four hours had passed. In any case, as they were very good friends, he went to the Shopping Center, accompanied by two of his best detectives.

The first thing they did was to ask for support to cordon off the area where the van was parked. Next, they asked to see the mall’s security videos.

To their surprise, only the internal cameras were working, while the parking lot cameras were turned off and no one knew how to explain this.

In view of this, the Commissioner was alarmed and immediately asked for the names of those in charge of the cameras that day. Once he received their names, he ordered them to be detained while they investigated.

He asked for the support of his anti-kidnapping team so that they could start a tour of the entire mall, checking store by store, without letting anyone out, and then decided to search the entire area where the mall is located.

-Benjamin! -called the Commissioner.

-Yes, tell me! -he answered.

-Contact your friend, the Judge Rector and the Prosecutor, so that in case of any event, they can provide us with support. Although the statutory time has not elapsed, there are many indications that it is a kidnapping. I also suspect that the victim is injured, and the samples have already been taken to the laboratory.

Benjamin, with his eyes shining, put his hand to the outer corner of each of his eyes and wiped away the tears that were coming out at that moment. He felt fear and panic at what Sofia might be experiencing at that moment, suspecting the Medinas.

-Yes, I’ll get back to them,” he answered, trying to control his emotions.

For Benjamin, although he had suspected it for a while, hearing this from his friend’s lips was a hard blow. It made him feel a strong pressure in his chest, because he has always loved Sofia as if she were his daughter.

He worriedly called his friends, explained to them what was going on and then got them to talk to the Commissioner. He explained to each of them everything they had found. Sofia’s van was taken to the police station late at night.

Meanwhile, Benjamin debated whether to call Estefania or wait until there was certain news of what had happened. About an hour ago, he simply told her that he had already located the truck, but that he was looking for Sofia.

The search procedure in the shopping center lasted approximately more than two hours. The Commissioner even called a special brigade, which does not move in any case, but given his friend’s request, he resorted to it.

Finally, Benjamin opted to go personally with the Commissioner and this group of officials to the mansion. Their intention was to settle there and start the investigations. Estefania was very frightened when she saw this large group in her house.

-What happened to my daughter, Benjamin? -She asked with her eyes swollen from crying, because something tells her in her heart that her daughter is in danger.

-There is no Sofia, Estefania! -he answered with his guttural and muffled voice.

-Let me introduce you to the Commissioner in charge of the case! -said Benjamin.

-It’s a pleasure to meet you! Although it is not a pleasure to meet you under these circumstances,” she answered crying, leaning on Benjamin’s arms and chest, who was trying to comfort her.

-I know! -He replied, “We are here to make sure that if there is a ransom call, we can locate her more easily.

-Do you think my daughter was kidnapped for money? -Estefania objected incredulously, thinking of the Medinas.

-Yes, don’t you, can you clarify what you have just said? -Who do you suspect and why was your daughter kidnapped? -he asked.

-My daughter is the owner and CEO of the shipping company, in which three shareholders were arrested a few days ago, who are her manifest enemies: Jose David Medina, Reyner Medina and Ezequiel Zamora.

“In addition, that same day, he confronted and had Yoly Del Mar Medina removed from Naviera for this same act. She is Reyner Medina’s daughter and whoever threatened her,” she added, she is convinced that one of them was responsible for what happened to her daughter.

-Anyone else? -asked one of the detectives. We need all the information to rule them out one by one.

-No!” answered Estefania.

-Does Miss Sofia have a boyfriend? -asked the Commissioner…