Chapter 13

Someone whom Stanley had never spared a thought before was now lodged in his mind like a splinter he couldn't dig out. Rebecca had become an integral part of his life without him even realizing it, like the air he breathed. Now that she was gone, he was shocked by how empty everything felt. The thought unsettled him more than he wanted to admit. "Maybe I'm just worried about her safety," he muttered. "After all, we grew up together. Of course, I'd be concerned if she suddenly vanished without a trace. That's just a basic concern between longtime friends. Yeah, that must be it." He spent a long time trying to convince himself before finally calling Jarvis into his office. "I want you to have someone track down where Rebecca went. She better not have done something reckless and ended up dead. I don't want her parents coming to me for answers I can't give." Jarvis nodded and kept his expression neutral despite his surprise. "I'll get right on it." Stanley rubbed his temples and tri