The Tomboy Wears A Gown

The Nineteenth Chapter

Alma

"You have to come back home, Alma."

Not again. I glared at the figure through the screen of my laptop.
Why couldn't he understand I couldn't return there?

I had an incredible and stress - free life here but it seemed they just wanted me to go down my memory lane once again.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not coming back, Tobias? I'm happy here in Canada, I've created a life for myself here and now you all want me to give it up? That won't happen."

"Alma."he paused before continuing,"we can't continue this. Everyone is worried sick not knowing your whereabouts, even dad. I've hid you long enough, I can't do that any longer. It's either you come willingly or I'll tell everyone your location."

"You can't do that, Tobias. I love this place, I can't just leave everything here. I can't-"

"Gina, quit playing around. I know there's nothing there for you to do. I practically cater for your needs. I send you money because you don't have a job so I don't understand why you still want to stay there. For heaven's sake,we kept your whereabouts from our family, isn't that enough for you to change your mind and come back?"

"No it isn't, I still need closure."I was lying but nothing would stop me from doing this.

Tobias seemed to have caught on my lie." Closure from what? Alan? For goodness sake, Gina the man went crazy when you went missing. I almost told him your whereabouts because he was so miserable and he still is. I had to bribe the detectives he hired just so they'd leave your case hanging. I don't know what your problem is with him but you have to put the past away. It's been two years already."

"I don't care about Alan, Toby. He told me we were strangers now and if he decided to worry about me, that's his problem. I definitely didn't ask him to care for me,did I?"

Tobias mumbled something under his breath,"Just come back, Gina. Don't force me to get you here."he said before ending our Skype call.

I groaned in annoyance. This wasn't supposed to happen.

"What do I have to do, Minda?"I glanced at her frame standing at the doorway to my room.

"I think Tobias is right, Alma. You have to go back. We can't stay here forever, anyway."she spoke shrugging her shoulders.

"Of course, you'd support him just because you're in a relationship and you've missed him."I pointed out and a blush smeared her cheeks.

"Alma, that's not true."she bit back.

"Your cheeks say otherwise."

"Whatever you say, Alma but Toby is still right. You need to stop doing this. Spying on the Elmers won't make the difference that your father is dead. You're just wasting your time."

I knew Minda was right but I just couldn't accept it.
Coming to Canada was the only way I'd be able to find out things without anyone suspecting me and it had worked.
The detective I'd hired had done a great job.
My eyes flickered to the files that littered the table. I hadn't gone through them yet because I had been going for physiotherapy and now I could walk again.

Right now, I knew I had my answers but what was preventing me from going back?

Alan.

Well maybe it was time I cleared my past. Love never dies I guess because my little heart was still thumping for him and I couldn't do anything about it.

I sighed and gave Minda a small smile.

"We're going back to the USA."

Alan

"What are you saying to me, Derrick? Just repeat yourself, I can't believe this."I stared at the detective in disbelief.

"Sir, the thing is I was bribed to stop my investigation on the whereabouts of Miss Regina Alma Salvador and leave it hanging as were all the other detectives you had hired. You weren't supposed to receive any news regarding that case Sir."I sat silently, absorbing his words. Why would someone do this to me?

"Who gave you the money, Derrick?"I asked him calmly although my heart was bubbling in anger.
Alma could be probably hurt but I wouldn't know because someone had done such a callous thing.

"He gulped,"Mr Tobias Salvador paid me, Mr Elmer."
My anger turned to shock in a few seconds.
"What did you say, Derrick?"

"Mr Tobias Salvador paid me and all the other detectives you hired to leave the case of Miss Regina Alma Salvador hanging."he repeated again.

"Are you really sure about this? That is was Tobias Salvador?"I just couldn't grasp things. Tobias loved his niece. Why wouldn't he want her to be found?

"Yes Sir,it was Mr Tobias Salvador who paid me. I have evidence here if you don't believe my words."he said, digging out a file from the briefcase he held.

"This contains all the transactions made with me and all the other detectives, Sir. Also I have a voice recording from a phone call he made with me."he also held out a voice tape to me.

"Why are you doing this, Derrick? You've just betrayed your client."

"I know Sir but I felt guilty for doing it. It was greed that had me accepting his deal but after a while I felt I was wrong and that's why I've decided to do this. I'll take my leave now."

I held the voice tape in my hands and hit the play button. My eyes widened as Tobias voice flowed out as he had a conversation with Derrick.

He had paid him.
And he'd made him know he'd paid others too and it was no problem if he accepted the money.

I dropped the tape on the floor.

How couldn't I have realized this?
Anytime we were getting a lead, the detectives would suddenly come out with no results.

It wasn't because they couldn't find any leads.

It was because they'd been paid off.

One thing was for sure though.
I was certain Tobias knew Alma's whereabouts and no matter what I'd find her.

By hook or crook.

There you have it. How much did you enjoy the nineteenth chapter?

Alma has been in Canada for two years and Tobias and Minda knew her whereabouts.

Tobias had bribed all the detectives so the search for Alma would always come to a standstill.

Alma has gotten her answers to the truth of her father's death and she's yet to read them.

Any thoughts on what you think she'll see?

Please let me know in the comments section.

Love you all,
brunettemuse.