Chapter 34 – Investigating

After today, the housemates have four whole days to find out where Mimi is. Four more days until they have to pay the ransom. During the meal, Noa tells them that he has seen a lot in the time he lived on the streets. Things that are simply good, but also things that are downright bad. He suspects that Danni has problems with a drug gang whose activities he kept an eye on at the time. They have grown in a very short time by using clever tricks to blackmail people into continuing to work for them. Someone is in strict control of a group of underbosses, each of whom has a group of people under them who do the work for them. “There is every chance that Danni is in that gang,” he concludes.

“Maybe Flora too,” Lana suggests with regret in her voice.
Noa nods. “That could be possible. It is a very extensive network.” “She met that man at a glamorous party, maybe Frits is also part of it. There aren’t many places where parties like that are held,” Marc suggests.
Lana nods, her shoulders drooping. “She’s always had bad boyfriends. I think it’s a shame about this latest one, because I like him.”
“I know roughly where I can find those guys,” Noa says. “I want to investigate tonight.”
“I’ll go with you,” Marc says.

“Me too,” Jean Paul says, to which the other men protest. Someone has to stay with their female housemates. They don’t want anyone else to be kidnapped, although everyone knows that the chance is very small.
After the meal, Noa and Marc leave. Both men are very different and they will never be good friends, but now they are united by one goal, namely to save Mimi.

They arrive home in the middle of the night, while Claire and Lisa are sitting tensely at the table. Lana and Jean Pauls have fallen asleep on the table with their heads on their arms. They suddenly wake up when the two men enter. The two think they know where Mimi might be. Tomorrow morning, when everyone in the suspicious hotel is still asleep, Marc will investigate further, he says and explains further.

“Nobody knows me, while Noa can be recognized by Danni. Are you coming, Jean Paul?”
“Of course,” he agrees happily. It was not nice to be left behind.
Now Noa protests. “You don’t have to clean up my mess.”
“It’s not your mess, Noa,” Marc refutes. “It’s our mess and our Mimi.”
The others agree with Marc. “We are your new chosen family,” Claire says firmly. The others now agree with her statement.

Noa and Marc look at each other sheepishly. They like each other against their will.

The next day, Marc and Jean Paul come home in the afternoon with good news. They know the name of the owner of the shady hotel and that he is never there.
Jean Paul looks at his girlfriend. “We saw Frits there, your sister’s friend. Marc followed him until he disappeared into a laundry in Steenstraat.”
“What is he doing there? You see, she’s got the wrong friend again,” Lana calls out in disappointment.

“Shall we go and investigate the hotel together?” Jean Paul asks.
His girlfriend jumps up, immediately forgetting her sister’s wrong choice. “Yes, of course. With pleasure!”
The others laugh at her enthusiasm.
“Then I’ll disguise you,” says Lisa.
“Yes, it’s better if no one recognizes you,” Claire adds. “And we have to come up with a story.”
“Yay!” Lana calls out. She jumps into the air, runs to the cupboard and puts the map of the city on the table. “What are we going to do, when and where?”