I am sorry. I wish I had better news for you, but I don’t. But this is new for us also. The fact that they are going after young children is very worrying. The fact also that she is very small in size means that it is easier to move her. So, these syndicates operate very differently, and they work in different areas of the city. The fact that she was taken in Bangsar tells us that this is a very sophisticated gang. To go into such an area is high-risk and they obviously know the territory and their clientele. We are not going to give up, this is part of an ongoing investigation, but we also don’t want to tip them off, so we need to be careful… These are very dangerous people and they are very clever. Everything is planned, nothing is random. These people have been following you for a long time and they knew exactly when the time was right... Anything is possible, so it’s difficult to come to any kind of conclusion right now.

They had been following us? Sex slaves? Kiddy porn? New parents? Sold? Taken by traffickers? My baby could be anywhere, more alive than dead?

This is all we have right now.

Omar and I kept silent. There was nothing to say, only a barrage of questions that would render us even more distraught.

Do you think she’s in KL? I blurted.

We have no idea of knowing where she is at all. Like I said, she could be anywhere.

But she’s alive? You think she’s alive?

It’s highly possible that she is, yes, she is worth more alive…

Omar stifled a gasp, raked his fingers through his hair and said, in a pained voice.

Thank you, Inspector, thank you for your time. Please keep us updated.

He then walked past me, stopped and attempted a weak smile.

Take care of yourself, Del.

And he walked out the door as I turned away and stifled a scream. I was breaking, breaking, breaking up into little pieces.

I counted all the pills again before I swallowed them. I had prescription Xanax for panic attacks and for sleeping and I lay them out in a row, all twenty of them. Like sweets. I had bought a bottle of vodka and I was ready. I re-read the note I had written.

I am sorry. I have no more reasons. I am beyond pain. I just want to sleep forever and dream of Alba. Please cremate me, I have no wish to be buried. Thank you.