At the police station, Ethel was surprised to see Nicole.
âNicole, where have you been? Iâve been trying to reach you for days.
I was starting to get really worried.
.
â
Ethelâs worry was real.
Since she couldnât reach Nicole, she started to use investigative techniques to track Nicoleâs last known locations, which brought her to Jarrodâs villa.
She was almost ready to confront Jarrod to discover Nicoleâs whereabouts.
Luckily, Nicole showed up just in time.
Nicole quickly shared what had happened to her recently and then asked the urgent question, âAny news on Brett? And Jamie, whoâs now using the name Melissa, is she still in the hospital?â
Before being confined by Jarrod, Nicole had told Ethel about Jamie and requested that she keep an eye on Jamie.
Nicole was eager to hear about Jamieâs condition after all this time.
Ethel answered each question, âWeâve made progress with Brett.
I found out his family is still here.
They havenât moved but have been living secretly in the countryside.
Brett had taken his daughter there for medical treatment and stayed.
They only came back to Ardlens this year.
â
Brett thought the danger was over since Nicoleâs father had died several years ago, and no one seemed to be after him anymore.
He believed the threats were gone.
Little did he know, Nicole and Ethel had continued their investigation all along, which led to their recent breakthrough.
Nicole finally heard some good news.
She inquired of Ethel, âWhere is Brett at this moment?â
âs BunnyBookery Nicoleâs urgency to confront Brett in person stemmed from the fact that he was the last individual to see her father alive.
What had transpired between them? Why had he committed such a betrayal? Why had he turned against her father, who had always treated him with such kindness, particularly in light of her fatherâs generosity toward Brettâs ailing daughter?
Moreover, Nicoleâs mother had shown Brett great compassion, even renting an amusement park to make his daughterâs birthday special.
Back then, Brettâs gratitude appeared sincere because authentic emotions cannot be fabricated.
So, why had he inflicted harm upon her father?
Nicole was baffled and felt compelled to confront Brett directly.
However, Ethel lacked the information Nicole sought.
âWe havenât located Brett yet.
Weâve checked immigration records, and thereâs no indication he left the country, but his family maintains he has gone abroad,â Ethel replied.
âThatâs impossible,â Nicole immediately commented.
âBrett cherishes his daughter profoundly.
She means everything to him.
He would never abandon her.
â
âT agree,â Ethel concurred.
âSince the beginning, his family has been extraordinarily secretive.
Brettâs mother feigned being both deaf and mute during our visit, which implies they possess some knowledge.
Brett may have been forewarned and escaped to another location.
â
Nicole felt a wave of frustration but became even more resolute in her quest to locate Brett.
He must be aware of something crucial!
Noting Nicoleâs distress, Ethel offered reassurance.
âDonât worry, Kiki.
Iâve requested to reopen your fatherâs case as a criminal investigation.
Once authorized, we can issue an arrest warrant for Brett, making it more challenging for him to remain concealed and easier for us to track him down.
â
Ethel tried to project confidence, but she had her doubts.
If Brett had indeed absconded, it could take years to find him.
Some fugitives successfully evaded capture for years.
Due to the outdated classification of Nicoleâs fatherâs death as self-inflicted, crucial evidence might no longer be available.
If Brett fabricated his story, uncovering the facts would be arduous.
Nicole conceived a different approach.
âI know how to locate Brett.
â
Ethelâs eyes brightened.
âWhatâs your strategy?â
âBrett deeply cherishes his daughter.
By monitoring her, weâll find him.
He wonât remain distant from her,â Nicole clarified.
Ethel, doubtful, responded, âI canât legally track Brettâs daughter at this moment.
My current caseload and unprocessed paperwork necessitate review and approval first.
â