Chapter 423
Being a mother to Jasper, there was no way Camilla could ignore a crying child.
She parted the shrubs and found a little boy, maybe seven or eight years old, curled into a tight ball on the dirt.
He was painfully thin, his skin tanned dark by the sun. He looked practically starved. His clothes were drab, patched up in several places, and faded from countless washes.
He had obviously been crying for a while. His eyes were red and swollen. When he saw Camilla, panic flashed across his face, and he instinctively buried his head in his knees.
She noticed small scrapes and bruises scattered across his face and hands. It was a heartbreaking sight.
“Hey there,” she said softly. “Where are your parents? Why are you crying out here all alone p>
This scruffy boy looked entirely out of place next to the towering, imposing headquarters of The Williams Group. This wasn’t a crowded mall; the chances of him just wandering off and losing his parents here were slim.
The boy didn’t answer right away. He just stared at her with wide, terrified eyes.
“Are you hungry?” she asked gently. “How about I get you something to eat first p>
This time, he didn’t refuse. He gave a tiny, hesitant nod.
Not knowing his family situation and terrified to wander too far, she took him to a nearby fast-food joint and ordered a burger meal.
When the tray arrived, the boy stared at the food, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard.
Camilla slid the tray toward him. “Go ahead and eat. When you’re done, you can tell me where your mom and dad are p>
Given the green light, he grabbed the burger and devoured it like he hadn’t eaten in days. He inhaled the food with terrifying speed, clearing the entire tray in a matter of bites.
Worried he was still starving, Camilla flagged down a waiter and ordered a second meal.
Half an hour later, the boy finally leaned back, looking slightly embarrassed. “Did… did I eat too much? I’m sorry. I haven’t eaten in days. I was just so hungry p>
“It’s completely fine. As long as you’re full,” she reassured him. “Now, can you tell me why you were hiding in the bushes? Where is your mom p>
The meal had bridged the gap between them. The boy sniffled, his voice breaking as the tears returned. “Mom… my mom is gone. She… *sob She was just lying there. They carried her out. I don’t have a mom anymore p>
His words were chaotic, but the devastating truth was clear enough—his mother had died.
Her mind raced. He had been crying outside the company headquarters. A chilling realization struck her. “Did they carry your mom out of that big building p>
The boy nodded, his sobs growing louder. “Mom… I want my mom p>
Camilla’s brows knit together. Something was horribly wrong. She couldn’t leave this kid out on the street. If anyone from The Williams Group found him, God only knew what would happen to him.
She made a split-second decision. “You don’t have anywhere to go right now, do you? How about you come back with me for now, and later we’ll go find the police together. Okay p>
Her kindness had dismantled his walls. He rubbed his red eyes and nodded. Without hesitating, she brought him back to her hotel.
When Carol saw her walk in with a stray child, her eyes widened. She pulled Camilla aside. “Didn’t you go to The Williams Group today? Where did the kid come from p>
Camilla gave her a quick rundown. “Carol, I think he saw something important. Can you talk to him? See if you can get any real details. If we can’t figure it out, we’ll have to hand him over to the cops p>
With her background in law enforcement, Carol was much better equipped for this than Camilla.
Carol bought some candy and snacks, sat the boy down in a quiet corner, and spent half an hour gently interviewing him. Afterward, she slipped into Camilla’s room.
“Well?” Camilla asked.
“I got the story,” Carol said grimly. “His parents are divorced. He lives with his dad, but they came to the city to find his mom. She’s been in poor health and was supposedly getting treatment at The Williams Group. He happened to be hanging around the building and saw them carry her body out. He had nowhere to go, so he just stayed there p>
She let out a heavy sigh. “He’s terrified. Honestly, it’s a blessing he’s so easily frightened. If he had caused a scene, he would have tipped them off. He doesn’t know much more, so we’ll have to wait until we get ahold of his dad. He couldn’t remember the phone number, but he gave me an address. I’ve already passed it to Mahoney, and his guys are checking it out p>
“Carol, what do you think is going on p>
“I suspect Clement is running illegal human experiments,” Carol said, her voice dropping.
The words confirmed Camilla’s darkest fears, sending a jolt of ice down her spine.
If her father had fallen into their hands, was he already p>
She forced herself to stop thinking about it. She couldn’t spiral now. Mustering her strength, she looked at Carol. “Keep an eye on him for now. I’m going to track down Magee and see if he’s noticed any red flags around The Williams Group recently p>