"Ha ha..."


    What came back at me was a sinister chuckle that sent shivers down my spine.


    And to my astonishment, the voice belonged to none other than Brown.


    But why on earth would Conrad be with him? Could it be that Henrik''s theory about Conrad being the puppet master was true?


    I''d had my suspicions before, and now they seemed increasingly usible.


    Fury boiling within me, I snapped, "Where''s Conrad? Put him on the phone."


    "Whoa, take it easy, tiger. You''re just as fierce here as you are in the poolroom," Brown joked.N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    I was in no mood for his games. "Brown, what the hell do you want?"


    "Just thought I''d challenge you to a game, you know. You were pretty slick on the court today, quite impressive," Brown chuckled.


    Usually, apliment would be ttering, buting from him, it just made my skin crawl.


    "If it''s a game you want, let Conrad talk first," I demanded. I needed to tell Conrad that these dirty tricks would get him nowhere. Even if he had me kidnapped, I wouldn''t give him the satisfaction of mypany.


    "Why bother with a call when you cane and fetch him yourself? I''m sure he''s dying to see you," Brown said, pausing for effect, "Isn''t that right, Mr. Wagner?"


    "Felicia, don''te. Don''t worry about me. Call Ernest and get yourself out of the country," Conrad''s words through the phone caught me off guard.


    Wasn''t he in on this with Brown? It sounded more like he was a victim.


    While I was still processing, Brown cut in, his tone suddenly serious, "If you want to see your Mr. Wagner,e to the address I sent you... Oh, and if you don''t show, I might just send him off to confess his sins to the Almighty." "Felicia, don''t listen to him, don''te..." Conrad''s plea was cut off by the sounds of a scuffle and his muffled groans of pain.


    So, I had been wrong. Conrad wasn''t


    the mastermind Henrik had alluded


    to. Perhaps there was no mastermind, just a ruse by Henrik to throw me off.


    "Brown, stop it! I''ming right now," I yelled into the phone.


    "Great, I''ll be waiting, darling!" With that, the call ended, and the sounds of violence ceased.


    I let my hand drop, the phone still in my grasp.


    A text came through with a location. I stared at it, unable to move or make a decision, until I decided to call Ernest.


    Despite Conrad''s warning, I couldn''t just waltz into Brown''s trap without backup. If I did, Brown would have another pawn in his game.


    Ernest wasn''t picking up, and my


    panic was rising. Then it struck me - I could call Jefferson instead. But just as I was about to switch calls, Ernest answered.


    "What''s up?" His voice was terse, a clear indication that he knew this call meant trouble.


    "Conrad''s been kidnapped by Brown. He wants me to go there, and he sent me the location," I exined hastily.


    "Send me the location. Don''t you dare go there. Stay put," Ernest ordered, his voice sharp andmanding.


    My throat felt tight as I remembered Conrad''s pained sounds over the phone. I wanted to warn Ernest, "Brown might be..."


    "Ernest, we can head out.


    Everything''s sorted here," Ynde''s


    Everyterrupted me, clear and close


    voice


    enough that she had to be right next to Ernest.


    I bit my lip, my worries unsaid.


    Ernest reassured me, "Don''t worry. I''ll get him out."