30. The Accusation
On Monday morning, I was in my room at Eleanor's Mansion, getting dressed to go to the office. I had made the decision to spend the night at my mother's residence as her comforting words provided me solace and allowed me to regain my strength. This was necessary, especially since I had to maintain my brave facade despite what happened on Saturday night.
A voice note came through on my phone, and Eleanor's voice reverberated in the room. "Bran, tune in to the cable News Web. It looks like your friend talked to the press last night about his recent findings on his missing daughter, and it was just announced as the next upcoming program," Eleanor said with excitement in her voice. I wondered why Samuel didn't call me to share the progress with me last night when he knew I was searching for Emma too.
I quickly picked up the phone and, through the exit that was in my closet, rushed down to the main sitting room and tuned in to the Cable News. On the channel's Breakfast Bulletin, a program that aired every Monday morning showed a rebroadcast of the interview Samuel Coleman granted to the press last night in his villa.
I sat in the chair and fixed my eyes on the television. My heart kept beating erratically, wondering what the new findings on Emma's whereabouts were. I hoped she was fine. I hoped she was not dead. I kept murmuring these thoughts as I impatiently waited.
I would have loved to call Samuel, but since he abruptly ended the call on me yesterday, he had not picked up my calls or replied to any of my text messages. Therefore, I decided not to try calling him again.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I'm Sofia Thompson and I welcome you to this special edition of Cable News Web. Tonight, we have a groundbreaking interview with Samuel Coleman, the CEO of Coleman's Aviation and Kaiden Harrison, the charismatic son of the vice president.
Mr. Coleman has called this interview to address the new findings concerning his missing daughter and share some shocking allegations against his best friend, Brandon Henderson the president of Zenith Group of Companies. These claims will send shockwaves to everyone. Please stay tuned," Sofia the popular newscaster of Cable News Web said and I shuddered and couldn't believe my ear.
"Mr. Coleman, thank you for joining us tonight. Can you begin by shedding some light on the new findings and why you accused your friend, Brandon Henderson," Sofia said and I shuddered.
I felt bad that Samuel couldn't approach me and discuss things. We had grown up together, and this unexpected behavior from him deeply disappointed me. It would be an understatement to say that I was merely disappointed; I was completely devastated. I picked up my phone once more and dialed his number again, but there was no answer.
"Thanks for having me, Sofia Thompson. It sucks that we're stuck in this mess, but I gotta spill the truth for the sake of justice, you know? Straight up, I got a hunch that Brandon Henderson has been keeping my daughter, Emma Coleman, hidden away in his fancy estate while he looked me dead in the eye on Saturday and fibbed about not seeing her. Seeing my best friend and brother pull this shady stuff is really heart-wrenching," Samuel said.
"Samuel what's going on?!" I asked, staring at the television as though Samuel could actually hear me.
"Have you called Brandon Henderson for dialogue?" Sofia asked.
"Yes, and he denied ever seeing my daughter!" Samuel exclaimed. "Why should I bother calling him for dialogue again when he continues to deny ever having seen my daughter?"
" These are serious allegations, Mr. Coleman. Can you share any evidence to support your claims?
"Certainly, Sofia Thompson. As a devoted parent, I initiated my own investigations after Emma abruptly disappeared without a trace. I uncovered a series of undeniable clues pointing to her secret whereabouts," Samuel said. Kaiden cleared his throat and took over.
"Em… Sophia, for the sake of transparency, I have compiled a significant amount of evidence, including documented correspondence, witness, and even photographic proof. Brandon Henderson kept Emma Coleman somewhere in his estate," Kaiden said.
" That sounds like a substantial investigation, Mr. Harrison. How certain are you about the authenticity of this evidence?" Sofia asked.
"I have taken every measure to ensure the validity of the information I possess before making these assertions public. Each piece of evidence has been thoroughly vetted by independent experts, investigators, and legal authorities. I understand the gravity of such accusations and the potential consequences they hold, which is why I wanted to handle this matter with utmost integrity and ensure that the truth prevails. He's gonna hear from me soon!" Kaiden laughed mischievously.
" Thank you, Mr. Coleman and Mr. Harrison for sharing this insight with cable News Web. Our viewers eagerly await further developments in this shocking scandal," Sofia said.
"Thank you, Sofia," Samuel said.
I buried my head in my palm for a long time, shocked by what had just transpired. I never imagined Samuel would stoop to such lengths to involve me in something I knew nothing about. Lost in thought, my head remained buried when I felt the comforting touch of my mother's hand on my shoulder.
"Are you absolutely certain Emma isn't in the estate?" Eleanor questioned.
"Eleanor, we've searched everywhere, reviewed all the CCTV footage from different angles. Emma did not enter the estate," Richard replied, as my head continued to rest in my palm.
"You all need to double-check," Eleanor insisted. Suddenly, a message appeared on my phone. I brought the phone closer and checked the notification. It was from Samuel Coleman. My breath caught in my throat, and my hand trembled as I read the message Samuel sent to me.