Silly Bride

Chapter 192

not registered.”“What do we do now? Should we answer this video call?” Josiah asked.“We’ll pick up and see what she wants,” Winnie said and covered the front camera with her hand before answering the video call.The first image that greeted them was a fat yet haggard face as soon as the call connected. It was the private investigator hired by Winnie.It was evident from the angle of the video that the private investigator was holding the phone, but it was also apparent that he was forced to make that call as there was a cold glint of a thin, long silver needle just visible at his neck.Immediately after, the voice of the owner of the needle rang out. It was Yolanda.“Aren’t you going to show yourself? Your man has been caught in the act. Who are you? Why did you send somebody to follow me? What is your motive?”Yolanda bombarded Winnie with questions to which the latter did not respond.“Refusing to speak, are you?” Yolanda grew impatient after waiting several seconds. “It seems you’re in a bamboo forest. You must be close by. I’ll give you five minutes. If you don’t show up by then, my needle will not be diplomatic. I’m sure you must have had me investigated since you took the time to follow me. You should also know that silver needles are my weapons. The five-minute countdown begins now!”Winnie furrowed her brows.“Yolanda is vicious,” Josiah whispered in Winnie’s ear. “Her needlework is formidable; I have once been on the receiving end. She might be capable of harming the private investigator. Why don’t we just confront her?”Winnie had her reservations. She was still unsure if only Yolanda and the private investigator were in the house.If a third person, Yolanda’s backer, perhaps, is present, it will not be the end of the world to surrender now. If, however, that person does not show up today and is still hidden, I’m not going to reveal myself so easily. Winnie began to tap furiously on the phone screen before the video call ended.The duration of each tap was different, with every note representing a different signal.It is the communication method known as Morse code.Soon, Winnie relayed the most succinct question to the private investigator in the shortest time.The private investigator regained his composure and gave her a definitive answer.Upon understanding the situation, Winnie abruptly ended the video call.Seeing that Winnie had hung up, Josiah asked in his usual volume, “Were you communicating with the private investigator via Morse code? I was interested in it when I was in school and have dabbled in it. Although I didn’t understand the question you sent, I understood the private investigator’s answer. I think he told you ‘yes,’ am I right?”“That’s right,” Winnie confirmed. “I asked if he had been alone with Yolanda the whole time, and he said yes.”“Does that mean we came all the way for nothing today? Yolanda must have come to meet with someone, and she discovered your private investigator before her contact person arrived. D*mn it! Her contact person will definitely not appear today.”“That’s right. Not only that, but we must also rescue the private investigator.”“D*mn! Aren’t we shooting ourselves in the foot?”“That’s true.” Winnie took a deep breath. “I don’t like to admit it, but the fact remains. Let’s go. We’ll talk further when we get there.”They only managed to take a few steps when the phone rang again.It was not a video call this time, so Winnie quickly picked up.Yolanda’s voice came from the other end. “Two minutes have passed, and you only have a hundred and eighty seconds left. I advise you to hurry up. Don’t take my generosity for granted.”Take her generosity for granted? Hah. That’s a bold claim.Winnie did not say anything. Instead, she hung up.The pair promptly arrived at the little wooden house with a minute of the time allocated by Yolanda to spare.“What do we do now?” Josiah asked Winnie quietly. “Do we barge in? Why don’t I go instead? It’ll spare your exposure.”“To her, we’re in this together. Your exposure would mean mine too. I’ll go around the back. There must be windows there.”Josiah was puzzled. “Why are you looking for windows? Are we going to ambush her?”Josiah meant it as a joke, but Winnie nodded solemnly.“You are beginning to know me better, Dr. Houghton.”Josiah gaped at her and even tugged her arm. “Are you serious?”Winnie was unsmiling. “Do I look like I’m joking?”“No, I should go. I’m a man, at least.”“I don’t mean to discourage you, Dr. Houghton, but there are some things I do better than you. All right. Let’s not say another word now.”At that, Winnie snuck around to the back of the house and crouched