Page 17 of Scarlet Embrace

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From talking, both women had gone into the kitchen, and in the end, I had to leave to attend to far more important things. Elena wasn’t going anywhere, or at least that was what I thought.

Sonto and I were going through the cars when Thomas came to inform me that Elena had left the mansion. I asked him how that had happened, and he told me that she and Linda had gone out.

“Damn it all to hell!”

My instructions to the men guarding the compound were to ensure that Elena didn’t step out, but there was no way they could go against Linda’s wish. Most likely, Elena had manipulated Linda, who might be a little trusting, to get out of the apartment. It was only a matter of time before she disappeared into the wind.

“Where are they now?”

“According to Linda’s driver, they’re heading to her office. I think she wants to show Linda her office or something,” Thomas informed me.

This was a disaster waiting to happen, and I needed to get both of them back into the mansion. If anything should happen to Linda while she was out with Elena, Hannah would never let me hear the end of it, and she would only go and complain to my father how I had planned it all.

“Do you have the address?” I asked Thomas, who nodded. “Sonto. Ensure that the cars are in good condition. I’ll be back in an hour or two.”

All the way to her office, I had to try to keep my anger in check. Never have I met a woman who was adept at getting on my toes. Just within twenty-four hours of meeting her, I have lost my patience countless times, and when I thought I had her in the mansion, she had devised a means to get out. Her office was on the second floor of a building in downtown. Climbing the stairs within minutes, I was right outside her office, banging the door.

The door opened, and I saw a rather horrified Linda staring at me. “What are you doing here?” she managed to ask me.

“Bringing both of you back home,” I said as I passed by her into the office.

I realized that there was a client in the office. Elena was sitting right behind a chair, and she had what I assumed to be a smile on her face. “You! I’m taking you back to the mansion right away!”

“I’m sorry, who are you?” The client stepped in my path.

Her office was quite cramped. Books all over, files scattered on her desk. I couldn’t help but wonder exactly how she managed to get anything done in this place. The man who had blocked my path had a hand stretched out, a move that got on my nerves.

“Lucas Cruz, and can I ask who are you?”

“Detective Roland Gray,” he answered as he brought out his badge.

Of course, he’s a detective!

“And I’m Sherlock Holmes,” I snorted as I looked at his badge, which was real. I looked from him to Elena, who had a triumphant look on her face. “So, you are really a detective?”

“Yes, I am, and what are you doing here?” He questioned.

I looked at Elena, who still had a smug look on her face. I turned to Detective Roland and told him that I was there to consult with Elena on a case.

“I find it hard to believe that a man of your standing would be interested in hiring Elena,” Roland pointed out.

“Hey, that’s not fair,” Elena said.

“Detective Roland, there are a number of things you don’t know about me,” I said as I stepped forward to face him. “I am not the type of person to discriminate against professionals.”

I sound like an idiot.

From the look on his face, it was obvious that he didn’t believe me, but Elena finally stepped in and told the detective that I was her client.

“I don’t trust him, Elena,” Detective Roland told her.

For the first time, I became curious as to exactly what their relationship with. It wasn’t entirely odd that a detective and lawyer were familiar with each other, but something did not sit right with me.

“You can just stand right outside with Linda. We’ll be done in a moment,” Elena assured him.

With a triumphant smile, I watched as both Linda and Detective Roland left the room, leaving me alone with Elena, who simply sat on her chair. I noticed she was wearing a green shirt with the words ‘Biggest and craziest’ written boldly on it.