They had gotten along great when they were roommates—not brothers by blood, but closer than many who were.
Now, with Keeley missing, Fortune was genuinely worried.
Caitlin Kensington pressed her temples and suggested, "Grandpa, how about this? I still have ten days before classes start. Why don't I go with you to Keeley's hometown? Besides, you promised him you'd visit, didn't you?"
Once her semester began, she wouldn't have the time.
Fortune hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Alright. Let's head out tomorrow."
He wouldn't be able to rest until he saw things for himself.
The next day, Caitlin and Fortune boarded a flight to Portchester.
After a two-and-a-half-hour flight, the plane landed smoothly at Portchester Airport.
Keeley didn't live in the city itself, but in a small town under its jurisdiction. Caitlin had arranged for a car in advance, so after they deplaned, the two of them were driven directly toward Keeley's hometown.
The scenery outside the window was beautiful, but Fortune was in no mood to appreciate it. A sinking feeling told him Keeley was in trouble.
Sometimes, having too much money was its own curse. After a drive of more than two hours, they finally arrived. Keeley had previously given Fortune the address of his nephew, Sloan Prescott. With the help of some local villagers, Caitlin and Fortune found Sloan's house, but the front gate was shut tight.
Fortune walked up and knocked for a long time, but no one answered.
A neighbor from the house next door came out. "Who are you looking for?"
"We're looking for Sloan," Caitlin replied.
The neighbor continued, "Sloan? Oh, he came into some money a while back. Took his wife and kids on a trip abroad. They won't be back for a while!"
A trip abroad?
Hearing this, Fortune immediately asked, "Did Keeley go with them? Keeley Prescott."
"Keeley?" The neighbor thought for a moment. "You mean Sloan's uncle?"
"Yes, yes, that's him," Fortune confirmed.
"I don't know," the neighbor said. "I haven't seen him in a good while! He probably went abroad with the family."
With that, the neighbor turned and went back inside.
Fortune's brow furrowed. "No way. Keeley would never go abroad without telling me. If he were really
on vacation, he would have sent he
message. It's not in his nature to
just disappear."
FindNovel.net
Caitlin thought her grandfather had a point. "Grandpa, don't worry just yet. Let's spend the afternoon looking around and asking people. Maybe we can find some clues."
They had come all this way; they couldn't just turn back.
Fortune nodded in agreement.
But after walking around the village all afternoon, all they learned was that Keeley's four nephews were not at home. As for Keeley's
whereabouts, no one knew, and no one had seen him. 'FindNovel.net
With no other options, Caitlin and Fortune decided to head back to the town center and find a hotel for the night.
Yeah, the room was pretty basic. But hey, it worked for Caitlin. She's not fussy.
She booked two rooms. Their driver was a local, so he didn't need a room.
After checking in, Caitlin decided to take Fortune to try some local specialties at a restaurant the driver had recommended.
Just as they reached the entrance,
Caitlin's gaze was caught by a figure
standing next to a trash can. The person was hunched over, rummaging through the bin. It was the peak of a hot summer, and with every movement, flies and gnats buzzed out of the can.
Even from a distance, and despite the person wearing a mask, Caitlin felt a strange sense of familiarity.
"Catie, what are you looking at?" Fortune stopped and turned to her, curious.
Caitlin's eyes remained fixed on the figure by the trash can. She called out, her voice clear, "Keeley?"