Chapter 79: I'll Kill Them All
Isabella looked up at Richard, her anxious emotions instantly calming at his reassuring presence.
"Come on, let's do this together." Richard stood up, extending his hand to Isabella with an encouraging look.
"I took a look around outside earlier. While this amusement park's surveillance system isn't the best, its security is decent—every entrance has guards posted. There's a good chance the children are still somewhere inside the park."
So right now, the best approach would be to investigate all suspicious personnel within the grounds.
While the other parents followed the police outside to check surveillance footage, Richard and Isabella chose to stay and help with the internal investigation.
Even though this amusement park wasn't particularly large, the staff numbered over two hundred people. Standing at the park entrance, it was quite an impressive sight.
"Distribute photos of the missing children to everyone. For those who haven't been questioned yet, have them look at these first and see if they recognize any of these kids!"
The police officer waved his hand, distributing printed photos among the crowd.
"I've seen this little girl!"
The photos had barely been passed around when someone shouted from the crowd before the formal questioning had even begun.
Isabella turned toward the voice and was surprised to discover it was the ice cream vendor who had chatted with her earlier!
She stepped forward from the crowd, equally delighted to see Isabella.
"Oh, it's you! Your daughter is absolutely beautiful—I'd recognize her anywhere in a crowd. I remember when you bought ice cream from my cart. I only looked down for a moment, and then I couldn't see your daughter anymore!"
Isabella smiled bitterly. This seemed like useless information—the woman remembered Olivia but didn't know where she'd gone.
"I didn't see who took your daughter, but after you left, a janitor passed by pulling this huge garbage bin. My goodness, I even thought to myself, when did our amusement park start using such massive bins? The thing looked almost as wide as me—I could probably sit inside it with room to spare!"
While the vendor continued recounting her observations, Isabella and Richard had already exchanged meaningful glances.
"A janitor!" The police officer had the same realization.
"There's no way we'd have janitors working at this hour!" A staff member spoke up truthfully. "Usually, they just sweep up visible litter with small brooms during operating hours. The big bins—that's an end-of-day thing, after we close. Why would anyone be doing that now?"
This confirmed Isabella and Richard's suspicion.
"I'm afraid this person planned this in advance, and he's definitely not among these employees," Isabella whispered to Richard.
They both quickly understood what the other was thinking and turned to head deeper into the amusement park with surprising coordination.
If he wasn't among the staff but also couldn't leave, then he must be hiding somewhere in the park.
Those unsuspecting parents might even be fooled by him, unknowingly letting the very criminal who kidnapped their children slip away!
"You take the east side, I'll go west!" Isabella felt that moving together would be too limiting, so she suggested they split up.
Richard looked concerned about Isabella being alone. His eyes shifted, and he immediately called her phone.
"Stay in constant contact. The moment you spot anyone suspicious, call me right away, and I'll come help you!"
Nodding firmly, Isabella strode toward the eastern section of the amusement park.
The east side was the service area with virtually no rides—mainly the food court and souvenir shops.
As Isabella walked in, everything around her was eerily quiet.
Suddenly, heavy footsteps sounded behind her.
"Excuse me, could you move aside?" The man's voice was hoarse, and he spoke to Isabella without any courtesy.
The instant Isabella turned around to see him, she was certain in her heart.
Anyone wandering around the amusement park at this time, especially someone dragging a huge garbage bin, could only be the kidnapper!
"Are you an employee of this amusement park?" Isabella asked calmly.
The man dressed in a janitor's clothing hesitated for a moment, then nodded at Isabella. "I need to empty the trash."
"You must know that many children have gone missing from the park, right?" Isabella followed behind him, her eyes constantly fixed on that large garbage bin.
"What's that got to do with me? I'm just collecting garbage!"
"Then let me see what you've got in that bin!" Isabella demanded sharply.
Almost instantly, the man realized he'd been exposed and took off running, dragging the garbage bin behind him.
He was in excellent physical condition—his running speed wasn't slowed at all by the massive container he was pulling, while Isabella struggled to keep up behind him.
The huge plastic garbage bin swayed back and forth as he ran, muffled sounds coming from within.
Isabella's heart nearly broke. Trapped inside that bin were other people's children!
Just as Isabella used every ounce of her strength to finally catch up, placing one hand on the garbage bin and about to lift the lid...
A tremendous force suddenly hit her. The man had stopped and grabbed Isabella's hand, shoving her backward with all his might!
In an instant, Isabella lost her balance, falling helplessly backward as she watched the man drag the bin away.
"Help! Someone help! I found the kidnapper—he's over here!" Isabella used every bit of strength in her body to shout, trying to attract attention.
At the same time, Isabella scrambled up from the ground, continuing to chase the man while dialing Richard's number.
"Where are you?" came Richard's anxious voice through the phone.
Isabella gasped for breath, having chased the man to a corner of the amusement park.
"Fairy Tale Town," she said.
The man was clearly running out of steam too, bracing his hands on his knees while glaring at Isabella with vicious eyes.
Without anyone else to help, Isabella could only swallow hard, regulate her breathing, and walk toward the man.
"I know what you're thinking. You want to get out of here. You think if you escape, you can get away with this."
She approached the man slowly, step by step.
Just as Isabella felt she was about to reach him, the man suddenly pulled a combat knife from his pocket, holding it defensively in front of him.
"Look, I just want our children back. I can pretend you were never here. Just give me the children, and I'll let you walk away right now."
Isabella continued trying to get closer, but the man's emotions had reached a breaking point.
He waved the blade frantically, his eyes bloodshot and wide.
"Don't come any closer! Take one more step, and I'll kill them all!"