“Scared?” Jaquan extinguished his cigarette. “You can still leave now, and I can protect you.”
Saying she wasn’t scared would be a lie. Callie recalled the earlier scene and felt a chill, but she couldn’t back down.
“I’m not leaving. We haven’t found Reuben’s clue yet.”
Jaquan narrowed his eyes. “You heard it just now. The events from over a decade ago involving Reuben are connected to Owen. Do you know who that is? Don’t tell me you plan to investigate him!”
Callie didn’t understand. “What’s wrong with investigating him? He’s got dirty things on his hands. He should be the one afraid of me.”
Jaquan sneered, pulling her head close to his. “You want to go after him? I could take your life anytime.”
They were so close that Callie could smell the smoke and alcohol on him, which made her frown.
“Then why haven’t you?”
He paused slightly before pushing her away, as if resigning himself to fate. “Go back to Nelson and be Mrs. Oconnor.”
“I will go back,” Callie said indifferently, “after I find Reuben.”
She picked up her bag and left the room.
Kieran had been waiting outside, almost frantic. Seeing Callie, he rushed over. “Madam, are you alright? I heard there was bloodshed…”
As he got closer, he noticed some blood on her wrist and stopped breathing for a moment. “This…”
Callie took out a tissue and wiped it off slowly. “I’m fine. Jaquan showed up and bailed me out.”
Kieran paused again, sensing something odd about this relationship. “What do we do next?”
It was already dawn. Callie glanced back at the buildings of Dragonstone. “Send a message to Nelson’s men in Ylosea. Have them investigate someone named Owen. If possible, check his relatives too.”
Kieran quickly agreed and went to handle it.
Callie found a hotel near Dragonstone to stay in. At the moment, everything was still shrouded in fog. Maybe she wouldn’t return to Ylosea so soon.
Exhausted from the day, she fell into a restless sleep and woke up in the afternoon to her phone ringing. It was Nelson.
“Awake?” His voice was magnetic and intimate, deliberately lowered.
“Yes. Did you find anything?” Callie’s voice was hoarse from sleep, not asking how he knew where she was.
There was a slight pause before he answered, “We haven’t found a specific identity yet. Owen seems to be just a code name.”
“I heard from Jaquan that he hasn’t seen Owen either, but this person can command Mike. He must be significant, with enough power to make the dean take action and make a doctor disappear.”
Callie quickly analyzed.
“I understand. But once it involves higher interests, it will be uncontrollable, especially with you in Anbusea. My reach isn’t that far.”
Nelson’s voice was cold, clearly concerned.
He allowed Callie to investigate but didn’t want her in danger.
Callie quickly understood. “I’ll be fine, Nelson. You don’t have to worry about me. I just want to find Reuben. I can figure out how to avoid a dangerous situation.”
“How? By relying on Jaquan?”
His words made Callie fall silent.
After a moment, she asked softly, “You know?”
Kieran had been diligent in reporting these matters.
There was silence on the other end.
Callie softened her tone further. “I had gotten away by then. Jaquan’s appearance was an accident.”