Chapter<b>158</b>DetectiveHoven
Patricia<bmented</b><b>,</b><b>“</b><b>You</b>almostcausedasceneyesterday<b>by</b>bringingMs.BowentotheofficetofindMr.Middletonandme.”
Emelieturnedherhead<b>slightly</b>andlowered<b>the</b>sunshade.
<b>Still</b>smiling,Patriciasaid,“Iwasabitsurprised.Afterwhathappenedonthe<b>ship</b>andwithyounolonger<b>at</b>CloudexCorporation,Ididn’texpectyoutostillbesopossessiveofMr.Middleton.JustasIwascatching<b>up</b>withhim,itfeltlikeyouwerereadytointerrupt.”
Interrupt<b>?</b>
Emeliewondered<b>if</b>whenDaphneshowedup,sheonlysawwhat happenedafterward,orifsheinterruptedtheintimacyinthemiddleofit.
Shepicturedthatscenarioandfurrowed herbrow.
Aflightattendantcameoverandaskedpolitely,“Wouldyodieslikesomethingtodrink?”
“Half<b>a</b>ssof lemonwater,please,”Emelierequested,feelingabitqueasy.
Theflightattendantpouredassandhandedittoher,andEmeliedrankitdown.
<b>Patricia’s</b>voicewassofterthantheflightattendant’s.“Ms.Hoven,youseemprettybotheredbymyrtionshipwithMr.Middleton,don’tyou…Orareyouperhapsfeelingabitjealous?”
EmelieopenedthedisposableeyemaskprovidedinthebusinessssandfinallyturnedtoPatricia,saying,“Sorry<b>,</b>I’mabittiredandneedtogetsomesleep.”Patriciawascaughtoffguard byEmelie’ssuddenstatement.
ButEmeliehadalreadyputontheeyemaskandadjustedherseat.Foldingherhandsonherabdomen,sheappearedasifshewasgettingreadytodozeoffpeacefully.
Patriciafoundherselfsimultaneouslyirritatedandamused.
Afterallthetalk,Emeliedidn’treplyatall.Shejustmentionedwantingtosleepandwasbasicallytelling Patriciatoshutupsubtly.
Patriciacouldn’thelpbutfindEmelietobepoisedandunppable.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.
Threehourter,thenndedinWimstourCity.
Theirridewaswaitingoutsidetheairport,andtheirluggagewasalreadybeinghandled.EmelieandSamuelwalkedtogether.Samuelswitchedoffairnemodeonhisphoneandcasuallyopenedhisphotoalbum,saying,“Checkthisout.”
William,whowastrailingbehindthem,liftedhisheadandncedat EmelieandSamuheadwithankexpression.
EmeliencedatSamuel’sphone.
Itshowedapictureofantstandwithfourorfivepotsofmintnts.Sheeximed,“Havetheyallgrownthismuch?”
Samuelchuckled,“Youonlygavemeafew,andnowthey’realmosttakingovermyntstand.”
Withhissharpeyesight,WilliamnoticedSamuel’sscreenwasfilledwithlushgreenery.
RememberingEmelie’spotofmintnts,hewonderedifshehadgiventhemtoSamuel.
Williampressedhislipstogether.
Emeliesawrightthroughit.“Idon’tbelieveit.Youmusthaveboughtsomeyourself.”
Samuelchuckled,“You’requitethedetective,aren’tyou,Sherlock Hoven?Ishould’vetakenyourwordforit.Mintntsdothrive,soIshouldn’thaveboughtmore<b>.</b>Nowmyntstandisoverrunwiththeir‘descendants.“”
Emeliesighed,“Mr.Swanson,asadistinguishedprofessor,youshouldn’tbethrowingaroundnicknames.”
“Sorry,”Samupologized withasmirk
Lockinghisphoneandncingatherhair,hmented,“Idon’tusuallyseeyouwithyour hairtiedup.Itlooksnice.”
EmeliewastakenabackwhenshenoticedsomethingshintherofSamuel’sphonescreen.Itwaslikeacamerasnappingaphotoofher.
Shequicklyturnedherheadtolookinthatdirectionbutfoundnothingthere.
Frowning,shencedaroundagainbutstillfoundnothing.
Williamcalmlyapproachedfrombehindthemandsaid,“Moveaside.”
SinceEmeliedidn’tnoticeanythingstrange,shehurriedtocatchupwithSamuel.
WilliamwatchedEmeliegowithindifference.Henoticedthebunonthebackofherheadbobbedasshejogged.
“Looksnice?Morelikeshejustrolledoutofbedwithoutbotheringtofixherhair.Howmessy,”Williamthought.
Theywerepickedupbyaprivatecarandwentstraighttothehotel.
WhilethetwoCEOsandSamueltalkedinthelobby,Emelieandafewsecretariescheckedin<b>at</b>thefrontdesk.WithSwansonCorporationonlysendingPatriciathistime,shehadtohandlethecheck–inherself.
EmelieoverheardPatriciaaskingAshton,“WhichfloorisMr.Middletonon?”
Chapter158DetectiveHoven
“The19thfloor,”Ashtonreplied.
Withasmile,Patriciaturnedtothehotelreceptionistandsaid,<b>“</b>I’d liketobeonthe19thflooras well.”