The Hollows In Our Freedom | 'Hollows' Book Ⅲ

Chapter Three

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T h e   H o l l o w s   I n
O U R  F R E E D O M
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"Wait, so they're not married?"

"No, see, it says here—bearing in mind that this document was made seventeen years ago—that the couple were Mr Beau and Miss Dufort." Jace explained, tracing his finger under the sentence he was reading to make it easier for me to spot it.

"I guess it was just easier to sign the papers under their shared name: Beaufort." He speculated as I read.

"That's kind of cute." I noted.

Jace threw me an odd look. "Like I said, bearing in mind this is seventeen years old, are we even sure they're alive?" He asked, completely disregarding my comment.

I scoffed. "They're Sky's parents; if they aren't alive, I don't know how we are."

"Duly noted." I smiled at his throwaway comment before getting started on the next task: contacting the parents.

"So did they at least name Sky before sending her off?" Jace asked, returning to his place by the door.

I shrugged. "It's not really important information. Maybe they had preferences, but it was a closed adoption; it's likely that Sky's adoptive parents named her." After that, we didn't speak again for a while.

After what seemed like hours of research, and frantic looks from Jace, I had managed to discover a possibly credible email for Miss Dufort, Sky's mother.

I took a deep breath, before composing a brief message, emphasising the importance of her participation.

The reply was almost instant.

The computer beeped with the notification, making Jace frown and shift over to me, leaning over my shoulder once more.

'We need you. Your daughter's life is in danger. She is AB positive and we need a transfusion.'

That was my message.

The response?

'I know.'

Great.

"Okay, oracle." I scoffed, growing frustrated once more. Jace laughed at my joke, and I found comfort—and a fuel for my ego—out of that.

'You know what, exactly?'

I sent the message back, gnawing at my thumbnails as we waited for a response. Then the computer beeped.

'I know everything. Where you are. What you did. The condition the girl is probably in. I know everything. What did you take me for, Miss Abbot?'

"This woman is a bloody psychopath." I muttered under my breath as I finished reading the message.

"You can tell by the use of 'the girl' that she does not feel maternal to Sky one bit, in fact, I'd go as far to say–"

"–Jace, I love that you have the ability to naturally analyse a person in seconds, but I really don't want to hear it right now."

Jace clamped his mouth shut, becoming instantly quiet. I think he was stunned by both my compliment and by my scolding—which, wasn't meant to be a scolding.

'This is urgent. Can you help?'

I sent the message, tapping my fingernails against the desk table.