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.”

James of the time and

is Arnaud’s turf, Curtis. If you send James, we may not

Leave if there’s

that point. Rayna’s eyes were wide with

she understand how James could have gotten such an accurate inkling of Arnaud’s movements and how he had

it was Curtis who told him

phone vibrated

tapped open her new WhatsApp message and felt her head splitting open

photograph of an emerald pendant

it at the temple for James. She would

can’t believe

photograph of the emerald pendant, Rayna almost collapsed when her

to Kristie. How could Curtis drag my brother into this

broke when he

hand supporting herself against the wall and fell limply onto the floor, startling the others who were

Rayna on the floor, he leaped off

had fainted over, he calmly ordered Kristie, who was

sun shining outside the window. It looked

remembered fainting the night

the recollection of the prior night, Rayna scrambled to locate her phone but could not find it despite her prolonged search. When she pulled open the

grabbed her arm with a look of panic. “Where’s

her back to the bedroom. “The doctor says you’ve been working too hard lately, Nana. You need

arm away to head outside. “I have many things to

James can’t be dead!

“Calm down, Nana. This isn’t good

Baby?

to her senses, Rayna gazed down at her belly, and a horrible feeling rose from her chest. She blinked, and her tears began flowing down her

to wipe her tears. “What

hugged her and

anymore. She only patted

cried enough, Jessica pulled her to sit by the bed and poured her a glass of warm water. “What’s going

Rayna forced a smile. “I just feel horrible at

“Mr. York is