His Precious Love

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It took Rayna several minutes to download the audio clip. After reducing the volume, she held the device beside her ear.

The audio clip began with only the sound of footsteps before various other noises joined the cacophony as if somebody was watching television.

Rayna sped the clip up.

After listening for a while, she put the playback speed back to normal when she detected the sound of somebody opening the door to enter the room.

“I bought you some strawberries and cherries, Kristie.” A low male voice sounded from the audio clip, followed by the sound of footsteps. “I’ll rinse them in the kitchen, then watch television with you. How does that sound?”

Kristie hummed her assent.

Having listened to the dialogue, Rayna assumed from Kristie’s state that it was during the interval when Curtis brought her back from Yartran.

Why did Ringo’s people plant a bug in Kristie’s place at that time?

She did not delve into it but instead pressed the phone against her ear and listened intently.

Curtis’ tone was gentle when he spoke to Kristie, but she merely responded with noncommittal grunts no matter what he said.

Rayna could sense how awful Curtis must have felt.

Feeling awful herself, she once again sped up the clip.

After a while, Rayna heard the sound of the doorbell, followed by Jeremy’s and Wyatt’s voices.

The group chatted a little while until Jeremy suddenly said, “Have James come over, Curtis. You saw how much Kristie wanted to see him when I showed her his photograph.”

“That’s unnecessary. I don’t need outsiders to be concerned about my sister.”

Silence befell the group.

“Ms. Garland called me, Curtis. She wants to help Jefferson, but she requires the signatures of the politicians who attended the party. It just so happens I’m on that list too.”

“We have long since severed ties,” Curtis said blandly. “There’s no need to consider my feelings.” A while later, Curtis asked Jeremy, “When is the party?”

“Two months from now.”

time and

turf, Curtis. If you send James, we may not

if there’s nothing

clip ended at that point. Rayna’s eyes were wide with

inkling of Arnaud’s movements and how he had managed to ambush the latter from his vantage

it was Curtis who told him all

vibrated at

her head splitting open when she saw the image Ringo

a photograph of an emerald

gotten it at the temple for James. She would recognize it

can’t believe he

the photograph of the emerald pendant, Rayna almost collapsed when her

mistake for what happened to Kristie. How could Curtis drag my brother into this and send him to exact vengeance on Arnaud by himself? How could he

when he thought of the man’s

wall and fell limply onto the floor, startling the

When he saw Rayna on the floor, he leaped off his chair

Kristie, who was passing

sun shining outside the window. It looked as

remembered fainting the night

search. When she pulled open the door to exit the room, she ran into Jessica,

a look of panic. “Where’s

Carl took it for repairs.” Jessica helped her back to the bedroom. “The doctor says you’ve

flung her arm away to head outside. “I have many things to do, and I’m going over for a look. Ringo

James can’t be dead!

“Calm down, Nana. This isn’t

Baby?

feeling rose from her chest. She blinked, and her tears began flowing

to wipe her tears.

her and cried

not ask anymore. She only patted her back

by the bed and poured her a glass of warm water. “What’s going

feel horrible at the thought of

“Mr. York is there for them, so