Chapter 8: The Search

The following day as early as 8am the two girls went to the student affairs to put a phone call to her parents. on reaching there Linda took the phone and dialed the number it went through "Hello sir" Linda spoke. "hello who am I speaking with please" added Mr Links, Rita's father. Linda said "is me Linda Sir good morning". Mr Links wondering which Linda will be Calling him by this time at the hour" which Linda". Linda surprised that Rita's father can't still remember her up till now,a name that Rita always talk about when talking to her parents but she didn't really blame him because old age can cause one not having a retentive memory "Linda sir,Rita's friend she always talk to you about". immediately Mr Links remembered " oh oh Linda dear,this one you called, please how is my daughter we haven't heard from her since a week now". Linda said soberly "Sir this is the reason I called,she left our hostel since a week now and we haven't heard from here, not even a call unlike her,so we decided to call you to know if she reached home". This justified Mr Links thinking all this while, because her can't even stay for two days without calling them, something is wrong somewhere, his wife have been disturbing him to call the school and know what is wrong with her but he decided to give it some time, he was about calling the school after waiting for a whole week before Linda called" I knew it, something is wrong somewhere, my dear me and her mother haven't been at rest since,so how come she didn't tell you girls were she was going to as her close friends ". Linda became scared,she thought that the man might have suspected they have a hand in it,but as a clever girl she is, she covered up her tracks immediately" Sir to be sincere that got us more worried, we woke very early in the morning,prepared for lectures and went to her room for her to join us to class, but we didn't see her, we thought she has already left, that was strange, we went to class we didn't see her, after class, we went to check up on her in her room,we didn't still find her Sir, we waited for a whole week still no trace of her,we decided to put a call to her family, to check if they know her whereabouts,that was why we called you Sir" Linda said. Mr Links after paying keen attention to what she said added"well my daughter, you did a good thing I must say for calling us,so here is what we will do,you will report to the school authorities for them to conduct a search,while we report the case to the police". Linda replied "okay sir we will do just that, bye Sir". With that Mr Links hung up the phone, unknowingly for him,his wife has been listening from the back, as he turned to go,he saw her" you have been listening?,my dear there is no cause for alarm,she has been confirmed missing ". immediately Mrs links replied " no cause for alarm you said ?,that my daughter has been missing for a week you said I shouldn't be scared,what if something has happened to my daughter, hey god am finished, my only daughter" she said, crying, screaming with her two hands on her head,her husband wasn't left out,he knows fully well that something bad has happened but just wanted to calm his wife down first,but seeing her in tears,made him to shed tears too because their only daughter whom they love so much is missing and is no where to be found, he couldn't bear it, he went to his room and cried uncontrollably leaving the wife who is wailing, which attracted her neighbours who came to console her.