The Tracker

Chapter 14

12 hours cramped in a small car can really end your patience no matter how patient you are in daily life. It had been 12 hours since we started but till now we were in middle of nowhere. I didn't know where her mother lived but I guessed she lived in middle of a dense forest. "She thinks she is a part of nature" to quote Sofia's golden words about her mother. "How much time is left till we reach your mother's house?" I asked for umpteenth time and was again met with silence for an answer. There is nothing left to do besides waiting and eating the whole week's ration.

After long and tiring 6 hours we finally reached. Among green, long trees, a white house stood. Mansion would be a better word. A white mansion was it. I was awestruck. If her ring collection was definition of huge then surely, her house was definition of beautiful.

"Kate we have to go inside." she again took me out of my trance. Lately I have been zoning out a lot. "Sure" we walked towards the large doors and before we could knock, as there was no bell,  the door opened revealing a lady in 40's.

But her face showed elegance, grace, maturity, anyone could have misunderstood her age as mid 30s. Maybe living in nature really helps with looks. She shrieked when she saw her daughter and engulfed us in a group hug. "You must be Katherine, better known as Kate, I know. Sofia has told me a lot about you." she greeted me after leaving us and thankfully resuming my supply of oxygen. "Al good things I hope." "Of course." Her smile never seemed to leave her face, a trait Sofia surely inherited.

"Hello to you too mother. Seen you after so many months and to answer you unasked question, Yes, I have missed you too." Sofia said lacing her words in fake excitement. "My darling daughter I missed you so much. Ask Charlie Stuart, Maria anyone they all will tell". Sofia may have seen confusion in my eyes, "they are her plants, Charlie is her favourite." She explained , "Come inside". She turned around and we all made our way to the sitting area. Sofia was right when she said her mother was nature lover. The sofas were white, there were pictures of plants, the rarest of rare and the most beautiful ones. The walls were covered with wallpapers of forests. "Ma'am actually we are here for a reason and if you don't mind I would like to see your ring collection." I said. "First let's have some Tea and eat something." "Mom actually we are in hurry so please can you take us to your room of collection." Sofia interfered. "OK dear." Sofia and her mom started climbing the staircase.

There was a whole room for her rings. If I wasn't in so much hurry I would have definitely stopped to admire the whole room. It would have taken me 1 whole day and that I could not afford at that moment. "Ma'am actually I am looking for a specific ring and Sofia told me that it might be in your collection." I took out the photograph and handed it over to Mrs. Adams. "Stop calling me ma'am. Call me Victoria. And this ring does ring a bell in my head." she chuckled on her own joke. "Let me see if I am not wrong it was somewhere there." She took out a box and shuffled through the rings until she found the one. "Here" I took the ring from her hands, it was the same. The colour was a little bit lighter than my nightmare and the photograph but it was it. "You can have it if you want. It is not so important part of my collection." She smiled and kept the box back where it belonged. "Thank you so much ma'am, I mean Victoria. It means so much." I was smiling like I got the greatest treasure of the world but it was true. This was one more step towards the culprit.

"I shall leave. As Sofia said I am in a bit hurry." I said and I could see she was going to stop me but Sofia again interfered "Mom, let her go. And be happy I am going to stay with you for 2 more days. Kate take my car. I will return by mom's eco-friendly car." she tossed me her car keys. Thanking both of them again I started from there towards home, using the map. Sofia had marked the way and I just had to follow it.

14 hours of driving can tire the hell out of anyone. If I was complaining about being cramped in a car in starting of the trip, now I was complaining about driving. It was dark outside when suddenly a black car stopped in front of me out of nowhere. I was forced to push brakes or else my car would have crashed in the black one and I bet no one would have survived that. Not me, not that driver.

Suddenly, someone came out of the car, his face was covered in hoodie. He came towards my car and knocked on my window, indicating me to roll it down.

I shouldn't roll it down. I shouldn't. Whatever is going on right now, he could be some kind of serial killer or a hired killer. He may kill me, kidnap me. But wait a second, I am a secret agent. Correction, was. But anyways the best one. I am sure I can handle some killer.

I rolled down the window and he removed his hoodie. And I was shocked, was the understatement of the week, well scratch that, of the century.

"You???" I voiced my shock.