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 place,” the man

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

if there’s nothing else to

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 latter from his vantage point atop the

Curtis who

phone vibrated

message and felt her head splitting open

photograph of an emerald

at the temple for James. She would

believe he

the emerald pendant, Rayna almost

could Curtis drag my brother into this and send him to exact

heart broke when he

against the wall and fell limply

he saw Rayna on the floor, he leaped off his chair and ran

who was passing by, “Aunt Kristie, hurry up and

awoke, she saw the sun shining outside the

remembered fainting the night

her 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

with a look of

is smashed. Carl took it for repairs.” Jessica helped her back to the bedroom. “The

have many things to do, and I’m

James can’t be dead!

grab her. “Calm down, Nana. This isn’t good for the

Baby?

belly, and a horrible feeling rose from her chest.

Nana?” Jessica scrambled to wipe her tears. “What

hugged her and cried

ask anymore. She only patted her back

enough, Jessica pulled her to sit by the

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

anything to help.” Jessica sighed. “Mr. York is there for them, so don’t worry. Take good care