The Wiretap That Told the Truth

The shopping mall on National Day was crowded to the brim, the air thick with the sweet smell of popcorn, the perfume drifting from clothing stores, and the constant buzz of children's chatter and laughter. Every step I took was careful, as if afraid of accidentally bumping into someone nearby. The shelves were packed with dazzling goods, but I didn't have the heart to look at any of them. I held my daughter Nola's hand tightly; her little hand was soft and still a little sweaty. A thin sweat formed on my temple and trickled down my cheek. I wiped it away, feeling an inexplicable knot of anxiety in my chest. Nola had just turned four this year, with two little braids and a pink dress. She was staring curiously at the fluffy bears in the toy store window nearby, mumbling over and over, "Mom, the bear is so cute." "Mom, I'm going to the bathroom. Can you watch Nola for me?" I handed Nola over to Mother-in-law Luna Carter, deliberately slipping my daughter's hand into hers again, my eyes full of silent pleading. Luna was wearing a gray coat today, carrying a shopping bag that held several pairs of socks she'd just bought. Luna took Nola's small hand, smiled, and gently pinched her cheek with her fingers. "Go ahead, I'm watching her closely. She won't get lost, I promise. Hurry back—don't keep the little one waiting too long." Nola waved at me sweetly, "Mom, hurry back, okay?" I hurried toward the restroom, my steps quick and uneasy, as if a small stone were weighing on my heart. I kept glancing back all the way, only quickening my pace once they vanished from sight. There was a line at the restroom door as well; I stood waiting, my mind filled with images of Nola, feeling like I should have returned sooner. In less than ten minutes, I dashed back, my pace so fast I nearly collided with a mother pushing a stroller. I hurriedly apologized, but my eyes were already scanning the spot where I had last parted ways with my mother-in-law. But only Luna Carter remained, standing there and looking around anxiously; Nola was nowhere to be found! "Mom! Where's Nola?" I gripped Luna Carter's arm so hard my fingers turned pale, my voice trembling, my heart pounding "thump," as if it was about to burst out of my chest. The surrounding noise seemed to vanish instantly, leaving only the sound of my rapid breathing. The smile on Luna Carter's face vanished instantly; she furrowed her brow and shook her head, her voice tinged with panic: "She was just here a moment ago—right beside me, watching the balloons." I thought she was pretty well-behaved, so I just turned around to the nearby convenience store to grab a bottle of water—it only took a minute or two—and when I came back, she was gone. As she spoke, she pointed toward the convenience store not far away, her eyes darting nervously. My head suddenly buzzed, blood rushing to my skull, and waves of darkness blurred my vision. Nola is so little—she's never left my side before. What if she got scared in such a crowded shopping mall? Could she have run into some bad person? Countless terrifying thoughts raced through my mind. "How could you leave her alone like that?" I couldn't help but raise my voice, my tone heavy with anger and panic. People around us heard the noise and threw us strange looks; some even stopped and whispered quietly among themselves. Luna Carter's face flushed with anger at my tone, and she jerked her hand free. "How was I supposed to know? There were so many people—who would've thought she'd run off? Blaming me won't help! Now's not the time to argue, let's find her quickly!" She said that, starting to look around too, but her movements were slow and hesitant, not like someone truly worried. I couldn't bother with the argument. I pulled out my phone to call my husband, Mike Collins, my fingers trembling so badly I kept punching in the wrong numbers. The moment the call connected, I couldn't hold back the emotions any longer—tears instantly welled up and fell, my voice breaking as I said, "Mike Collins, Nola's gone, inside the shopping mall... We've been searching forever and still can't find her. Please come quickly!" When Mike Collins arrived, I was already frantically shouting Nola's name down the mall corridor, my throat hoarse. Every time I passed someone, I'd grab their arm to ask if they'd seen a little girl in a pink dress with braided pigtails—but all I got were shaking heads. The mall's PA system kept playing missing person notices on a loop, yet there was still no sign of her. "Don't panic, we'll split up and search around, then check the surveillance footage." Mike Collins rested his hands on my shoulders; they felt cold, and though his voice was steady, I could see the fear deep in his eyes. He pulled me aside, telling me to wait on the first floor while he contacted mall security to review the surveillance footage. He arranged for Luna Carter to search the second floor. The three of us divided the tasks clearly, but with every passing second, there was still no sign of Nola. We didn't sleep a wink for the next three days. We watched the mall's surveillance footage over and over, scouring every corner, even checking the alley behind the back entrance; We also contacted the traffic police to review the street cameras, scouring the routes around the shopping mall for hours, but Nola seemed to have disappeared into thin air. We searched every nearby neighborhood, going door to door, and posted missing person notices at the entrance of every community. I put up countless missing person notices; my fingers sticky with glue, my throat raw from shouting, even drinking water hurt. My eyes were swollen like walnuts, bloodshot all over. That night, I just sat on the sofa, clutching the clothes Nola usually wears. Whenever I thought about her possibly being hurt out there, the tears wouldn't stop falling. Luna Carter sat on the sofa every day, wiping tears from her eyes, holding a photo of Nola, whispering again and again, "What a tragedy—how could such a good child just disappear?" But aside from crying, she hardly went out searching. She could still eat normally at mealtimes, unlike me—I couldn't even swallow my food. Mike Collins grew more and more haggard, blue stubble spreading over his chin. He chain-smoked relentlessly, the ashtray stuffed with cigarette butts. Sometimes he'd sit by the window, staring blankly. When asked if he'd uncovered any leads, he'd just shake his head and say to wait a little longer, that maybe there'd be news tomorrow. On the morning of the fourth day, I collapsed onto the sofa, feeling every bit of strength drained from me, without even the energy to lift my hand. Sunlight streamed in through the window, but it couldn't warm my frozen heart. If Nola can't be found, I won't be able to live either. Without Nola, this house just isn't a home anymore. Just then, Mike Collins's phone rang—an abrupt ringtone that cut sharply through the quiet living room. He suddenly snapped upright from his chair and hurried over to answer, his fingers still trembling slightly. He picked up the phone; his previously vacant eyes shifted suddenly, and his expression darkened with surprise and a subtle, barely noticeable nervousness. After hanging up, he yelled at me, "The police called—they said Nola has been found!" His voice was a little hoarse but carried a strange excitement. I suddenly stood up, trembling with excitement, almost falling over, and Mike Collins quickly caught me. I grabbed his arm, asking urgently, "Really? Where? We're heading there now! I need to see Nola!" Tears fell again, but this time they were tears of joy. "The police said she's at the hospital and asked us to keep it quiet for now, not to spread the word, saying it might affect the investigation." Mike Collins packed his things, shoving his wallet and phone into his pockets. His tone was strange, and he avoided meeting my eyes, dodging my gaze. I didn't think much of it; my mind was fixated on seeing Nola soon—I simply didn't notice his odd behavior. As long as I could see my daughter, nothing else mattered. We got into the car, with Luna Carter following us. She even changed into a clean outfit, and the sadness on her face seemed to ease a little. I sat in the back seat, my hands clenched tightly, my heart full of hope. Mike drove, Luna sat in the passenger seat. Every now and then, they exchanged a glance, lips moving slightly, but no words were spoken. The car had just pulled away from the neighborhood when I overheard Luna speaking to Mike in a hushed voice, so quiet it was like a mosquito buzzing, yet I still caught a few words. "Are you sure everything's okay? Is everything all set at the hospital? Don't let anything go wrong." Her tone held a flicker of worry, her eyes fixed tightly on Mike. Mike glanced at the rearview mirror and met my gaze. He quickly looked away, his voice cold as ice: "Don't worry, everything's set. Once she gets to the hospital, we'll follow the plan—there won't be any problems." His fingers gripped the steering wheel tightly, knuckles white. A heavy weight settled in my chest, like being struck by a stone. My fingers clenched the edge of my clothes so hard the fabric warped. Who is the 'she' they're talking about?