Let me go, Mr. Hill [by Shallow South] Chapter 44 âMaybe not. Freya said that the Jones family is hopelessly biased.â
âAlright. Iâll check it out.â
Fretful, Shaun then gave Hadley another call. âFind out where Catherine last appeared.â
An hour later, Hadley brought him some news.
âMiss Jones went to the Jones familyâs house three days ago. Shortly after she entered the house, the Jones family headed to the old house located in Pennington using their car. Sheâs probably there.â
âDo you mean that she might be imprisoned?â
âVery likely. The Jones family would not go there except for their family worship. Whatâs more, that place is remote and desolate.â
Shaun held his phone firmly. âCome and pick me up. Iâm going to visit that place in person.â
â¦
Considering that Pennington was a large distance away, Hadley drove for three hours before they reached there.
It was already midnight by then. Only when Shaun got out of the car did he realize that the place was eerily desolate. It was surrounded by mountains, and there was no light.
The old house that belonged to the Jones family was constructed in an enclosed style. From the main door, it seemed that the house was a few decades old.
Shaun knocked on the door, yet there was no response. As such, he climbed over the wall straight away.
The minute he stepped on the ground, a ray of light shone on him.
âWho are you? Why are you barging into the house in the middle of the night?â
Shaun turned around and saw an old lady who was holding a torchlight. âIâm looking for someone. I knocked on the door just now, but you didnât open it.â
âIâm the only one living here. Get out now.â The old lady gave him a push.
Shaun then pushed her back. He took the torchlight and headed to the two-story house. As he glanced around, he got a shock.
He noticed that all the windows were nailed shut on both levels while the door was locked.
âHurry up and get out now, or Iâm going to call the police.â In a panic, the old lady pushed him even more violently.
âYouâd better call the police. Donât let me catch you imprisoning someone illegally.â Her expression further confirmed his assumption.
He took a big step forward, then kicked the door hard. After a long while, he still failed to kick it open.
Upon noticing the ax at the side of the house, he broke one of the windows using it and leaped into the house.
A rotten smell filled his nose. Since there was no electricity in the house, he had to search for Catherine room by room. At last, he found her curled up in a corner of the wooden bed.
She was still dressed in the same thin top that he had seen before he left that afternoon. The material of the top was very thin, while the temperature had reduced by ten degrees over the last two days.
However, there were not any blankets and pillows on the bed she was sleeping on. There was not even bed linen.
As he approached her, he could sense the smell emanating from her body. However, he could not be bothered about it.
He dashed toward her and shook her forcefully, but she showed no reaction. Her body was as cold as ice, while her face was as white as a sheet.
Luckily, he found out from the tip of her nose that she was still breathing faintly, or he would have nearly thought she was dead.
He carried her and rushed to the main door. The old lady who was hiding behind the door panicked upon realizing Catherineâs situation. Afraid to stay any longer, she immediately fled using the back door.
Shaun did not have the time to seize her. If he did not send Catherine to the hospital right now, she would be dead for sure.
On their way to the hospital, the woman remained motionless in his arms.
Shaun lowered his head, gazing at her face. Her originally chubby cheeks had become slim, while her jelly-like lips were dry and chapped.
He found the incident incredulous. Catherine was the Jones familyâs biological daughter, after all. How inhuman they were!
Deep inside, Catherine must be consumed by frustration and torment.
Shaun was sympathetic toward the woman. At the same time, he kicked himself for not looking for her earlier.