Chapter 128 Finding a Needle in a Haystack
"Alexander, Alexander..."
Calling out while looking around frantically, Rebecca couldn't afford to miss anyone.
Her eyes stung from the intensely saturated colors throughout the amusement park. Every time she spotted a little boy who might be Alex, Rebecca would chase after him, hopefully to get a look at his face.
Only to continue forward in disappointment.
"White jacket, black pants, white jacket, black pants..."
Muttering to herself, Rebecca looked up at the kids on the frog hopper ride, then went to ask the staff.
The staff member shook his head, saying he didn't remember. Rebecca started asking nearby parents.
Some said they'd seen him.
Others shook their heads no.
Rebecca couldn't help but sigh.
The phone rang. Rebecca answered quickly, "Frederick, did you find him?"
"No."
The man's voice was cold and heavy. "The bus company sent over the surveillance footage. Alex switched buses midway. He got off at the main entrance of the amusement park."
"What about inside the park?"
"The park found footage of Alex entering through the east gate at 11:30. Too many people, too many obstructions—we lost sight of him after that. But we can confirm he hasn't left yet... Becca, I've already sent people to search the park for him. We should find him soon. Go wait for me at the carousel."
At least he was still in the park.
With Frederick sending people to find Alex, forget the amusement park—even if it were finding a needle in a haystack, they'd fish it out quickly.
Rebecca let out a breath. "Okay!"
After hanging up, Rebecca walked over to a bench and sat down for a bit.
She'd been running nonstop since learning Alex was missing. Both her legs were shaking now.
But what Rebecca felt most was fear.
Though she didn't know why the usually well-behaved and quiet Alex would run off to an amusement park by himself.
But kids will be kids—they get mischievous sometimes.
The only relief was that he'd come to a crowded amusement park.
Sure, it was the end of the year, and there were more child traffickers around, but surely they wouldn't be stupid enough to come to an amusement park looking for targets, right?
A silver lining in the misfortune.
Thinking to herself that she'd need to have a good talk with him when they met, and also protect him in case Frederick got angry enough to hit the child, Rebecca calmed her chaotic emotions and stood up, heading toward the carousel in the center.
"Help! Someone fell in the lake..."
The instant the scream rang out, Rebecca froze mid-step.
She turned toward the west gate of the amusement park, and her mind exploded with a thunderous boom!
Beyond the west gate was a lake.
Every summer, elderly folks loved to fish in the pavilion by the lake.
The amusement park also had water activities like water bikes and boat rides.
In winter, when the lake froze over, neighborhood kids would go skating there.
One year in early spring, a child fell through the ice while skating and died. The amusement park paid out a huge settlement. After that, the area was fenced off even in the dead of winter.
Even so, it couldn't stop kids from winter fun or old folks from winter fishing.
There were always those bold enough to go anyway, gambling on that slim chance.
If it were other kids with adults watching and warning them, it would be fine.
But Alex had run out on his own.
Not to mention, he rarely went out before.
If there were kids playing there or old people fishing, he'd find it interesting and go over to watch, wouldn't he?
Her heart beat faster and faster, as if her instincts were already leaning toward that terrible possibility.
Rebecca broke into a run toward the lake.
A crowd had already gathered by the lake.
"I heard it's a little boy. Don't know where the adults went—so irresponsible..."
"Someone come quick..."
"Help!"
On the ice, broken chunks heaved violently, as if the person in the water was struggling desperately.
The people gathered nearby either clutched their own children tightly or shouted for help.
At a glance, they were all elderly, weak, or young.
"Hey, miss..."
The bitter cold wind whipped past her face. Rebecca could feel someone grab at her.
But Rebecca couldn't care about that anymore.
She tore off her down jacket and flung it aside, then jumped with a splash into the fractured, icy lake.