The voice in his headset issued an order in Talnamese too. “Follow her, and find out where she got that ruby.”
“Yes, sir,” the man replied as he got up, impassive as he followed Cindy, who was still reveling in delight.
–
Later that night, Janet said her goodbyes with her colleagues at Flora Hall, turned off the lights, and was ready to head home.
Just as she picked up her bag, she noticed a slender figure collapsed by the shadows of the wall.
“What?” Janet moved closer to find a woman covered in injuries.
Scabs had built up over her wounds—new and old, while her clothes were in pieces.
“Hello? Hey!” Janet walked up, gently patting her on the cheek.
“Frank… Frank Lawrence…” the woman suddenly murmured.
“Frank Lawerence?” Janet exclaimed in shock and leaned in to listen to the woman’s feeble whispers.
But there was no mistaking it—she had said Frank Lawrence.
“Could she be Frank’s girlfriend?!” Janet promptly went to work, calling in her colleagues who had not let her carry the woman into Flora Hall.
She was stunned when she turned on the light and saw the true extent of the woman’s injuries—there was not one inch of her skin that was unscathed.
Blood had thickened, gluing the hole in her clothes to her injuries, while pus was growing almost everywhere.
Her ribs and various other bones were broken, and her left thigh was bent in a horrific angle.
It was a miracle at all that the woman was alive.
“Go! Prepare the necessary herbs and tend to her injuries!” Janet ordered.
She was a healer of virtue worthy of inheriting her grandfather’s legacy—even though it was obvious that the woman did not have any money on her, Janet refused to deny her help since she was on the verge of death.
Moreover, the woman said a name Janet was very familiar with.
While her colleagues cleaned the woman’s wounds and stabilized her, Janet headed outside Flora Hall to call Frank.
“Yes?” Frank asked, his tone clearly sharp, proving his bad mood.
Janet searched her words, glancing at her busy colleagues as she said, “Hello, Frank. We just brought in this woman who’s thoroughly hurt and had collapsed outside Flora Hall, on the verge of death. I don’t know her, but she was calling your name when we picked her up…Do you want to come over and see who she is?”
Frank was actually annoyed with Janet’s call, but being told about a maimed woman calling his name left his hair standing.
Could it be Kiki, or was some other woman Maron Ocean abducted?!
“Just wait there. I’ll be right over!” he cried.
“Sure—huh.”
Janet was just about to speak, but Frank had already hung up.
Disappointment showed in her eyes as she listened to the static beeping, but soon composed herself.
“Now’s not the time for fantasies, Janet,” she muttered to herself as she adjusted her glasses and threw away those messy thoughts, joining her colleagues again to help the woman.
Frank arrived then arrived after ten minutes, rushing into the operating room before Janet greeted him.
Still, he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the woman’s bloodied face.
