31. Worry

The car Ben was driving stopped when they arrived at an apartment complex. Ben made sure that they were at the right address. After being sure it was the location they were looking for, the man turned the car towards the gate until it stopped in the parking lot.

Leonardo got out as soon as the car stopped. He took a small jog towards the apartment building. His heart couldn't calm down; he didn't want to be late to find Caterina. Every second and minute was precious to him. The man's long legs ran up the stairs to the fifth floor. This was because he couldn't wait for the elevator.

The man's footsteps echoed. Ben and his friend do not follow Leonardo's steps; they prefer to wait for the elevator. Because they believe taking the elevator will still arrive at the top floor faster than having to climb the stairs one by one.

True to Ben's expectations, he and Leonardo met on the top floor when the elevator door he was riding in opened.

“Room number 37.” Ben looked for the door with the room number on it. They found the room right at the end of the hall.

Leonardo pressed the bell. He pressed repeatedly, as if he was urging the occupant to open the door. However, the door did not open after they waited for some time.

Leonardo banged on, as his patience was at the end of its rope.

“Break down the door.” Leonardo ordered his men.

Ben looked doubtful; he looked at Leonardo with a look of uncertainty.

“Sir, we can't do that. We can't damage people's property.” Ben tried to remind him.

“Give the building owner and the room occupants money as a form of compensation. We can't wait any longer. I'm sure something is wrong.” Leonardo said firmly.

Ben looked at his friend; the man just nodded in response. Because Leonardo's orders are things that must be done.

When the two men were about to break in, a man shouted from a distance.

“What are you doing in front of my room?!” The man ran over with a shopping bag in his hand. It seemed that he had just been shopping downstairs.

Leonardo and his two men immediately turned to look at the man.

“Have you seen this woman? She was with her father, who broke his leg. We found her car parked at the restaurant where you work.” Leonardo handed him a picture of Caterina.

The man looked at Caterina's picture carefully. His gaze looked serious, as if he was remembering the events of last night.

“Ah yes, she and her father had a meal at the restaurant where I work. She said they were going to Australia. She left the car keys with me. I'll get the keys if that's what you're looking for.” The man said as he was about to open the door to his room.

“No, I don't need that. They went to Australia, you say? The airport is a long way from that restaurant; if they left the car there, what did they go to the airport with?” Leonardo pressed as if the man was a criminal.

“I'm not sure, but I saw them boarding a bus at the bus station in front of the restaurant. That bus usually goes to the airport.”

Leonardo clenched his fists after he heard that answer.

“Australia, huh?” Leonardo seemed to be talking to himself. Australia is huge; how to find Caterina there? He had no clue.

We have to hurry; let's take the flag now.” Leonardo said to his men. They quickly left without saying thank you at all.

The three men descended the stairs quickly. Upon arriving at the car, Ben immediately started driving at high speed towards the airport. The atmosphere inside the car was eerily quiet and tense. Until a call broke the silence.

“Sir, we've checked all the airports in Mexico. Kate and her father did book a flight to Australia, but they did not arrive at the airport. There were no passengers on the plane from Mexico to Australia last night.”

Leonardo was very upset after he heard his men's report. They had found a clue, but it was useless. If Caterina and her father were planning to flee abroad and they never went to the airport, it meant that something had happened to them.

“What about the street CCTV? Did you check? The waiter said Kate took a bus to the airport. Find out what happened to that bus.”

“Sir, I heard there was a bus hijacking last night. No one knows who did it, because they were wearing face coverings. All the passengers were dropped off in the middle of the road except Kate and her father.”

Leonardo unconsciously squeezed his cell phone roughly. A hijacking? Why was it such a coincidence? He was pretty sure that it was one of his enemies.

“Find out where the bus was taken and report to me immediately.” Leonardo said firmly. Afterward he switched off the phone.

“We're going to Marco's headquarters now. I'm sure he's the culprit.” Leonardo commanded with his hands clenched very hard.