His Precious Love

However, the email was too large to be previewed online.

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 place,” the

we

if there’s

clip ended at that point. Rayna’s eyes

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

was Curtis who told

phone vibrated at that

tapped open her new WhatsApp message and felt her

of an emerald

had gotten it at the temple for James.

believe

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

what happened to Kristie. How could Curtis drag my brother into this and send him

broke when he thought of

herself against the wall and fell limply

the floor, he leaped off his

that she had fainted over, he calmly ordered Kristie, who was passing by,

Rayna awoke, she saw the sun shining outside the

fainting

phone but could not find it despite her prolonged search. When she pulled open the door to exit the room, she ran into Jessica, who was coming in and nearly knocking the latter to

a look of

helped her back to the bedroom.

many things to do, and I’m going over for a look. Ringo must be

James can’t be dead!

her. “Calm down, Nana. This

Baby?

returned to her senses, Rayna gazed down at her belly, and a horrible feeling

Jessica scrambled to wipe

hugged her and cried even

anymore. She only patted her

Rayna had cried enough, Jessica pulled her to sit by the bed and poured

a smile. “I just feel horrible at the thought of what happened to

too, but we can’t do anything to help.” Jessica sighed. “Mr. York is there for them,