The old butler was shocked beyond words by what Emily had said. The girl had dared to tell Old Master Jackson that someone had murdered Old Madam Jackson, and it was someone from his family. If she was not overtly brave, then she must have been insane!
The old butler would bet his money on the latter option.
“Miss Gale…”
“Grandfather, if she really has evidence, then we should dig up the lake and investigate it.” Porter stood before the old master, and his mischievous grin had all but disappeared from his face. “Everyone still has questions about it, and Emily was the only person there when it happened. If it were truly an accident, then it would be a relief for everyone. But, what if she had been murdered?”
Old Master Jackson’s sharp eyes looked at his grandson. Porter was a little afraid, but he stared back at him.
“If we really do have a murderer in the family, what if they harm another person next?”
“Fifth Young Master, you can’t simply say stuff like that.” The old butler looked at him as if he wanted to signal him to stop. When did the boy get as crazy as Emily? Did he not know that his grandfather was on the brink of explosion?
The butler carefully said, “The old madam was kind to everyone. Nobody in the family disliked her. She had no desire to compete, so she couldn’t have offended anyone. Why would someone want to harm her?”
The old butler was right. Old Madam Jackson was a gentle soul, so she had no enemies. There was no reason for anyone to harm her.
“What if the old madam discovered some secrets, and someone couldn’t afford to let her live?” Emily’s voice was not loud, but she was firmer by the second.
A gust of wind blew on her, and she seemed frail against it. She was petite, and she was scrawny, it was as if the wind could blow her away. However, her eyes were steadier than everyone there, so her words seemed to carry more weight.
“Old Master Jackson, if you’re covering up the issue because you’re trying to protect Jackson Corporation, then you’re an accomplice! As far as I know, the Jackson family owed the old madam a fair amount of gratitude, and you were respectful to her because you felt guilty!”
“Shut up!”
“Old Master Jackson, for all that she had done for the Jackson family, please give her the justice that she deserved!”
“Rubbish!” Suddenly, Old Master Jackson turned around and marched toward the main quarter.
“Old Master Jackson…”
“Miss Gale, some things are not as simple as you think!” The old butler blocked Emily’s path. He said, “The old madam’s death was a severe emotional blow for the old master. They had been spouses for so many years, and one cannot explain their relationship with a mere ‘gratitude.'” He sighed and continued to say, “Miss Gale, you were the prime suspect. If you don’t let this go, it won’t fare well for you either. Please consider it carefully.”
The old butler looked at her before he went off to catch up with Old Master Jackson.
Emily followed them for a few steps and shouted, “Old Master Jackson, even if you don’t wish to look into this, I will not just give up!”
They were already too far from her, and so they did not engage.
Emily stood in the wind as she watched them go further away.
Then, she heard a slight cough behind her. “Well…”
Emily was slightly surprised that Fifth Young Master Jackson was still there. She turned around and looked at him. She wanted to say something but lost the impulse right away.
“Do you know that if things were really as you said, the Jackson family would experience a terrifying turmoil?”
Emily was silent—it was not like she had never considered that.
However, would they live in peace if they buried the truth about Old Madam Jackson’s death?
“Aren’t you worried that the murderer would kill another person in your family?”
Porter shrugged with a smile and said, “As a matter of fact, that’s merely your suspicion.”
“What if it’s true?” Emily stared at him.
Porter lowered his head to catch her eyes. The girl was more stubborn than he thought. He did not say anything, but he gazed at the direction of WongRiver Pavilion.
It took a while before he said, “Is Eldest Brother out today? Let me take you home.”
Emily, however, kept her eyes on the filled-lake with clenched fists.
“I’m not on anyone’s side, but I think it would be best to discuss it with Eldest Brother.”
He wanted her to discuss it with Eldest Young Master Jackson… would he even listen to her?
“You are the Jackson family’s fifth young master, and you should know very well what happened before.”
She looked at Porter, not sure if he would give her a clear answer.
“When that thing happened, I was locked up by the old master. I had no idea what had happened in the outside world.”
She was already outside when she woke up, so she did not know about what had happened to the Jackson family after that.
“The old madam’s wheelchair, is it buried in the lake?”
Porter did not answer her question. Instead, he looked at the surface of the filled-lake. Nobody knew if the wheelchair was buried there, except for the old master. Perhaps he had gotten people to send it away. Or maybe, it was still under the lake as she had imagined.
The lake was gone. In a short month, the grass had rooted, and the trees had grown dense. New lives thrived. If there were secrets in the lake, it seemed like they would remain a permanent mystery.
“It doesn’t seem possible to dig up the lake again.” Porter looked at Emily as she sat on the grass. Her eyes were sad as she looked at the flowers and plants around her.
Porter did not know how to comfort her. After a few moments, he said, “You know, the old butler wasn’t wrong. Grandmother would not have had any enemies. What evidence do you have that you’re so sure she was murdered? It sounds like a made-up story to everyone else.”
Emily kept quiet as she looked far ahead.
Porter felt like he could not stay there with the girl anymore. She looked so young, about 18 or 19 years old, but she sounded like an older person.
“I still have something to attend to, so I guess I’ll have to say goodbye.” He stood behind Emily and looked at her.
“If you can finally see things clearly by yourself, go back to Eldest Brother as soon as possible. Don’t think too much about it.”
She did not answer him.
Porter gave her one last glance before he turned around and walked away.
Emily sat on the grass for a very long time, from the height of noon until the sun had almost set, and then until the sky had turned dark.
Suddenly, a voice from not so far behind her caught her by surprise. “Emily, what are you doing here?”