Just In Case
Lupine was in a daze when the van shot past her, nearly tumbling down the cliff.
“Who was that? That was really dangerous,” Jade, who was in the car, commented.
“I can’t believe they’re acting this recklessly!” Emma chimed in angrily.
“The driver must be young and impetuous.” Though Lupine was upset, she didn’t dwell on the matter.
“Perhaps he is new.”
“It looks like the car we bumped into previously,” Jade said. “Do you remember it?”
“Yes,” Lupine answered with a nod. “Ms. Lindberg told us to check it out. Wasn’t it the car of the
restaurant?”
“Yes, it was driving toward that restaurant. I think it is the same car,” Jade said.
“Forget it. Let’s go home.”
Without thinking much, Lupine sped up and drove back to Northridge.
When they arrived, she told Emma to park the car before heading to the villa.
Right then, Jade pointed at the back of the car and yelled, “Lupine, look!”
Turning at her shoulder, Lupine spotted some blood at the back of the car. Stunned, she scurried over
to check it out. “What is this? We didn’t bump into anything.”
“Did we run over a small animal?” Jade queried nervously.
“I don’t think so.” Lupine frowned. “I was driving, so I’m sure about that.”
“Or did we run over a dead animal?” Jade was throwing out guesses. “If we did, the blood might
splatter on the car.”
“If that’s really the case, the blood should be on the tires,” Lupine answered, pointing a finger at the
tires. “Look, the four tires are clean.”
“Then what happened?” Jade was confused.
“Could it be that van?” Emma came over to them and suggested.
“But I didn’t bump into that van or hit it,” Lupine replied, utterly baffled. “Don’t tell me there was blood
on that van that splattered on our car?”
“That is highly possible.” Jade nodded in agreement. “But that sounds really scary.”
“Yes,” Emma chimed in fearfully. “No wonder they were speeding. Is it some kind of murder case?”
“Start investigating immediately. If there’s something out of the ordinary, call the police,” Lupine
commanded.
“Got it.” Jade and Emma got to work at once.
Lupine ordered someone to park the car and keep it safe so the police could gather evidence easily
before going upstairs to Charlotte.
It was late at night, but Charlotte was still busy with work in her study room.
After knocking on the door, Lupine entered and reported, “As you’ve expected, someone tried to sneak
into the hospital, but Gordon’s men caught him. Gordon’s questioning him now. I wonder if he can get
something out of the man.”
“I doubt that,” came Charlotte’s cool reply. “They must’ve discovered my plan at the hospital and sent
someone to sound me out.”
“Gordon said the same thing, too.” Lupine nodded. “There is some progress to Ellie’s condition, and
Marino is recovering well. But Ben…” She trailed off gloomily. “He’s still the same. Dr. Wright said she
can’t do anything about it.”
“He’ll get better,” Charlotte consoled her. “Perhaps it might take some time. If Helen can’t treat him, we
can get another doctor.”
“Mm.” Lupine forced out a smile. “By the way, we encountered a strange incident on the way here…”
She proceeded to explain the matter in detail before concluding, “I’ve asked Jade and Emma to
investigate the matter. The van must be full of ingredients. Perhaps the blood came from meat or
something similar.”
Charlotte was unfazed. “Find out what it is just in case it’s something dangerous.”
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