Bernie took a slow sip of wine and said coolly, “Not necessarily.” After all, he knew she possessed medical knowledge. He needed time to confirm his guess.
As Katelyn’s car vanished completely from view, he turned to his subordinate and gave a quiet order. “Keep a closer eye on her.”
“Yes, sir!” The subordinate nodded respectfully.
Meanwhile, driving away from the estate, Katelyn mulled over Bernie’s behavior. From the very start, she had sensed something off about him. But as their conversation progressed, he seemed increasingly natural, making her wonder if she had been overthinking things. Just then, her phone suddenly rang.
Katelyn answered the phone, her attention caught by Vincent’s concerned voice on the other end.
“Katelyn, did you finish dinner? Should I come pick you up?” He hadn’t heard from Katelyn all afternoon, which had set his nerves on edge.
Only then did Katelyn realize she had completely forgotten to update him. A pang of guilt washed over her. “I’ve been busy and forgot to tell you. I just finished, and I’m on my way home,” she said.
She paused for a moment before adding, “Are you home right now? If so, let’s talk when I get back.”
Vincent had no ion. He simply nodded and replied, “Okay.” Neither of them said much more, and the call ended.
Over an hour had passed by the time Katelyn finally arrived home.
As she walked in, Vincent remained engrossed in his work. Not wanting to disturb him, she headed straight for a much-needed shower. Just as she emerged, Vincent stepped out of the adjacent bathroom.
? : ?ν
He approached her, gently enveloping her in his arms. “Tired?” he asked softly.
Katelyn shook her head. “Not really.”
Despite her words, she instinctively leaned into his chest, a profound sense of security washing over her.
Unable to resist, Vincent scooped her up and carried her to bed. Katelyn’s arms naturally found their way around his neck, content to let him do as he pleased.
He placed her gently on the bed, tucking the blanket around her. Only then did he gaze down at her, inquiring, “So, did you notice anything unusual about Alfy’s uncle today?”
Shifting slightly, Katelyn adjusted herself to lean more comfortably against Vincent’s arm. She felt her exhaustion melt away the instant she settled into position.
Meeting his eyes, she shook her head. “No. Either he’s very cautious, or we were overthinking. Everything I checked today seemed perfectly normal.”
She proceeded to describe what she had discovered and recounted her tour of the estate with Alfy. On the surface, it appeared no different from the home of any wealthy businessman. Nothing about it raised suspicion.
.
.
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