Lost

Job hesitated for a moment and then said — There is nothing wrong with your diamonds, right? because if so the price will be very different.

Ethan replied decisively:

—Don't worry, they are clean.

—Okay, first I'll find someone to value them and make sure they're clean before putting them on the market. —Job took another sip of wine, letting the red liquid caress his palate —. You should be aware that since we cannot record transactions and assuming that these diamonds have no problems, you could get between 30% and 40% of their real value, minus my commission.

Ethan looked at Marie, and she nodded at him.

—Okay, I have no problem with it, I will leave it in your hands. You know now I think I will need a good accountant, can you find one that fits my needs? —Ethan stopped to reflect for a moment before nodding, feeling that he had reached an agreement.

—Leave everything in my hands, I'll take care of it. And as for the accountant, I think I know the right person, but it will take some time to contact him, since it is something reserved. 

—Okay —Ethan agreed —. When the time comes, divide the total between Marie and me, please help her too so she has no trouble getting her share.

—Consider it done. —Job was so happy that he quickly got up and said — Let's have a drink and congratulate them in advance on good fortune.

—We will not leave it for later it was a difficult day Job, we will leave first.

Ethan shook his head. Although Marie, who was sitting next to her, was a little excited by the prospect of money, her face showed evident tiredness.

—Okay, don't worry, your car is at the end of the street. — Job took Ethan's car keys out from under the table and threw them at him.

After leaving Job's apartment that night they stayed at Marie's house. The atmosphere was calm, and the soft murmur of the rain against the windows became a comforting melody. Ethan woke up and when he opened his eyes, he noticed that the quilt next to him was raised, as if someone had rushed out. A slight sound of running water reached him, coming from the bathroom. He stretched out, feeling the softness of the bed and the familiarity of the place.

— Do you need me to wash your back? —he joked, with a mischievous smile drawn on his lips.

The response was immediate: a surprised exclamation from inside, followed by a slight noise of water that seemed to intensify immediately. The tension dissipated in the air, and a nervous laugh arose from behind the door.

Ethan couldn't help but laugh as he peeked out. The image of the person inside the bathroom, wrapped in steam and water, was a perfect blend of surprise and comfort. The atmosphere, warm and full of the fragrance of soaps and towels, seemed to enclose an instant suspended in time.

— Are you going to enter or are you just going to stand there watching? —he asked, the voice still tinged with a playful tone.

With a spark in his eyes, Ethan crossed the threshold, ready to enjoy a moment that promised to be both light and revealing. The girl was standing under the hot water, the jets of water sliding down her skin like a blanket of liquid crystals. Her dark, wet hair fell into soft strands on her shoulders, framing her face. The drops slipped down his neck, accentuating the delicacy of his figure. It had a slender complexion, with smooth skin that glowed subtly under the bathroom light.

As the water fell, his arms moved gracefully, while rinsing the foam from the soap. The warmth of the steam enveloped the environment, creating an intimate atmosphere. Her eyes, closed in a moment of tranquility, revealed a mixture of relaxation and vulnerability, while enjoying the solitude of that moment.

After a long time, Ethan took Marie back to bed, both renovated. Then he went downstairs and found two bottles of red wine in the living room. After uncorking them, he took them directly to the bedroom on the second floor.

Marie was still lying down, without strength. He faintly took the red wine and took several sips before he could catch his breath. After cleaning his mouth, he looked at Ethan.

—You're a bestie, you're needing a couple of diets to get me back.

Ethan smiled and turned on the television, sat on the bed, and watched a prank show with her. They both laughed from time to time.

Dismiss of a mouse, Marie dijo in a baja voice:

— Do you think what they did was really bad enough to end up like this?

—¿Joe the Chucky?

—Sí.

—I don't know if what they did deserves a punishment as severe as death or torture —Ethan reflected, deep in thought for a moment. Then, he continued — Even if that man is not really Amanda's father, simply spreading those rumors was enough to ruin someone's life.

—I guess in the end they were victims of their own decisions — Marie sighed, deciding not to think about it.

He perked up and looked at Ethan.

— What are you going to do after receiving the money?

Ethan smiled and said:

—I will continue to own a normal, chorip cop of a peeled pebble. I all enjoyed that kind of life.

— Do you think I'm so innocent? —Marie stared at him — How can an ordinary policeman from a small town enter and leave a private prison without a single scratch? Get guns and transportation with just a phone call in New York? And or have a contact who can handle $ $ 20 million in diamonds?

Before Marie's interrogation, Ethan was speechless, since he did not know what to say to her.

—Believe it or not, I'm just really satisfied with my current life. But I can tell you that I have a great capacity to get into trouble. What about you?

Marie released her hand, bit her lip, and said firmly:

—I will go to Africa

— Traveling? —Ethan joked, pinching her gently.

—No, my dream has always been to go to Africa to provide medical care and to be able to help people who need it most. —Marie turned away from Ethan, clearly excited — Now that I have this money, I don't have to worry about my mother. I can finally make my dream come true.

Ethan took the bottle of wine and said seriously:

—Promise me that you will take care of yourself. If you have any problems, just call me and I'll take the first flight.

—Of course.

Marie turned sideways, and Ethan was fascinated by her waist. He gently rubbed Ethan's solid abdominal muscles and then picked up his hair as he leaned.

Banshee, Pennsylvania

At night Ethan was sitting in front of the pier in front of the lake in his house comfortably, illuminated by dim lights. More than a week had passed since he returned from New York, continuing his routine life in the small town.

Steps were heard, and Siobhan approached with a cooler and sat next to him.

Ethan opened the box, which was full of ice and beers.

— What are you thinking about? —Siobhan asked, taking out two bottles of beer.

—I was thinking about the fish in the lake. I often see Sugar row to fish. I want to join someday —Ethan replied, having a beer.

—Then you have to be more patient —Siobhan leaned towards Ethan's arms.

Since their return, Ethan and Siobhan had become closer, spending a few nights together. Not long after, lightning illuminated the sky and raindrops soon began to fall.

Siobhan screamed and ran to the porch of the house. Ethan grabbed the cooler and both soaking up in just a few meters.

Already under the porch, Siobhan dried his hair, with his clothes glued to his body, revealing his curves. Smiling Ethan took her in his arms and led her to the bathroom in the midst of their protests, they both spent the night together.

It was then at midnight that Ethan's cell phone vibrated on the nightstand, waking him up.

He quickly picked up the phone and answered.

—Ethan, children disappeared in the Amish settlement. We have to organize a search. I need you to come fast. —Hood said urgently.

Ethan's drowsiness disappeared immediately. He rubbed his face, lifted the quilt, and stood up.

Siobhan also woke up, sleepy.

— What's up? —asked.

—You'll know soon, check your phone. — Ethan replied, putting on his pants.

As Siobhan looked at him confused, his own phone rang. After answering, he got up quickly. They both got dressed and left the house together. The cold wind made her shudder, they both took a couple of waterproof jackets on duty, and Ethan slapped her on the back before walking in the rain.

The storm had not yet subsided, and lightning illuminated the sky, cutting it to pieces. He quickly quickened his pace and got in the car. After Siobhan's SUV started, the two people left one after the other.

Ethan wiped some water off his face and perked up. Visibility outside was very low, and the car's windshield wipers swayed violently, due to poor visibility from the rain Ethan had no choice but to turn on the police lights, and the SUV in front did the same. The two police cars went through the rain and moved on.

More than twenty minutes later, the vehicle arrived in front of a wooden house.

This was the meeting place that Hood had arranged with them. Several police cars with flashing lights were parked in front of the house. Ethan opened the door and got out of the car. As soon as he got up, his boots got stuck in the mud.

At that moment, it had been raining a lot in the middle of the night and everything outside, as far as the eye could see, was full of mud, which would make the search difficult, along with Siobhan, accelerated the pace and ran towards the porch of the house. There were already several people standing on it.

 Ethan greeted Emmett.

 — Who is missing?

 He took off his coat, shook off the water droplets from his body, and took out the cigarette.

 Fortunately, the box was not completely wet thanks to its raincoat. He took a dry cigarette and put it in his mouth and lit it quietly.

 —This is Mr. Bowman's house and the missing person is Solomon Bowman his young son — Emmett said solemnly.

 Behind him, Brock and Hood interrogated a gray-bearded Amish man.

 Ethan looked closer and saw that it was Elijah Bowman, who had come to the police station to report the crime on the barn rave. He was also Rebecca's father. Ethan lit his cigarette and looked at Emmett.

Emmett continued explaining:

 —Today Mr. and Mrs. Bowman went out to attend a wedding. When they returned, they discovered that Solomon Bowman was not at home. At first they paid no attention and thought that Solomon had gone to a friend's house. But when they didn't see him return late at night. Mr. Bowman went to the houses of several of Solomon's friends to look for him, but they all said they had not seen him. Desperate, Mr. Bowman called the police.

Ethan pulled out his watch, quickly wiped it out of the water droplets, and saw that it was almost midnight. Outside, the wind continued to hit hard and the rain did not give a truce. He gave the cigarette a deep drag, letting the smoke slide slowly while thinking that the situation was not looking good at all.

 At that moment, Hood and Brock approached.

 —Solomon is now confirmed to have disappeared —Hood — announced. The characteristics are as follows: Caucasian man, blonde hair, freckles on the face, slightly chubby, dressed in a white shirt and black suspenders.

 —Now we are going to look for Solomon in the surroundings. They will also organize search help. Weather conditions are appalling, so pay attention to safety —added Brock.

 They all nodded, and after a few minutes, a dozen people dressed in traditional black clothes, wide-brimmed felt hats, and carrying kerosene lanterns walked in the rain.

 Ethan scratched his head. These people made him feel like he was in the 18th century. The group split into several teams, with Hood at the helm. Ethan threw down the butt, turned on his tactical flashlight, and, guided by two bearded men, walked into the dark cornfield.

 The raindrops creaked over the corn husks, a strong wind blew, and the drops of water hit the face. The already heavy boots were now covered in mud, making them appear even heavier. They advanced with difficulty, one foot sinking more than the other.

 Occasionally close screams could be heard, but the sounds quickly disappeared. Not long after, the two bearded men in front began to breathe with difficulty.

 — Where are we? —Ethan yelled forward.

 —The surrounding area is the Bowman family cornfield. Our children often come here to play —replied one of them, a bearded man holding a flashlight.

 Ethan scanned the area with his tactical flashlight, but found nothing. He wiped the rain off his face and kept looking. This damn weather seemed like an endless shower.

 After crossing the cornfield, the panorama opened up a bit. Around them were apple trees over a meter high. Grass grew under the apple trees, which at least provided a firmer walking surface.

They quickened their pace and kept yelling Solomon's name. At that moment, one of the bearded men in front slipped and, with a splash, fell into a small nearby pond. Ethan quickly tossed his tactical flashlight aside, ran to him, grabbed him by the arm, and, with the help of another man, pulled him out of the pond.

 The man tried to get up, but his feet gave way, and he ended up sitting on the floor.

 —I sprained my ankle —lamented.

 —This damn rain is complicating everything. — murmured Ethan to himself — Okay, we'll take you back first.

 —Hold it, I'll go get my flashlight —Ethan said to the other bearded man, and then he walked the other way.

 In his haste, he had thrown the flashlight far away, but followed the light until he found it. When he saw the flashlight on the floor, he sighed with relief. It was almost impossible to move without light. He bent down to pick it up, and just as he took two steps back, the movement of his feet suddenly stopped.

 —No, why is the soil water red?

 Ethan quickly turned around and pointed the floor with the flashlight. The water had some red locks. He followed the marks to an apple tree, observing with a solemn expression, and then stopped On the grass in front of him was a yellow and black blanket.

 Lying sideways on the blanket, there was a girl with long black hair wearing denim shorts and a blue blouse. Her hair, soaked in the rain, covered her entire face.

The rain fell on her, but the girl did not move. Ethan sighed, pressed the police radio, and yelled,

 —Sheriff, I'm Ethan, I have a situation here.

 After a stallide of static, Hood's voice is in the radio.

 —'Has found Solomon?

 Ethan covered the radio and replied:

 —No, I found the body of a woman. It is next to a small pond, surrounded by apple trees. Come quickly to the Bowman cornfield

— Okay we're on our way.- Hood replied on the radio.

 — What did you find? —exclaimed two voices behind him.

 Ethan turned around and saw the two bearded men helping each other.

 He reached out quickly.

 —They are right. Here there has been a murder, in us we must play the scene.

 The two men stopped while Ethan looked around with a frown. It was raining so hard that the crime scene was already practically destroyed.

 After a time, several policemen, led by the Amish, arrived at the scene. They looked at the long black-haired girl lying on the blanket with an ax stuck in her head. Bowman's legs gave way, and he fell into the muddy water.