Chapter 69 Suspicion
Ethan guessed the guy's plan and told Charlotte to stay put while he went after Mandy. About half an hour later, they tracked her down to a warehouse in an old, deserted industrial park.
When they got there, it was just Mandy in the warehouse; SilverWolf was nowhere in sight.
Michael saw Mandy slumped in a chair, her cheeks red and her breathing heavy. She looked like she had a fever. His heart sank. He quickly untied her, wrapped her in his coat, and carried her out.
Just as they reached the door, Ethan rushed over. "How's Mandy?" he asked, worry all over his face.
"She's got a fever. We need to get her to the hospital, now!" Michael said urgently. He didn't waste any more time and carried Mandy to the car.
At the hospital, Mandy was immediately taken into the emergency room.
John came back from paying the fees, looking all secretive. "Rachel, guess what I saw?" he whispered, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Rachel was on the sofa, a nurse changing the dressing on her head. She glanced sideways and asked, "What did you see?"
John chuckled. "Mandy, she went into the emergency room. Happy now?"
"Happy about what?" Rachel rolled her eyes. "What happened to her? Why's she in the emergency room?"
John scratched his chin and guessed, "Not sure, but judging by Ethan and Michael's faces, it looks serious. Maybe something happened to her while she was missing. Should we go check it out?"
"No need, it's none of our business. Let's not get involved," Rachel said firmly.
"You're right," John agreed. After getting her wound treated, they headed out.
Just as they reached the hospital lobby, a deep voice called out, "Rachel!"
It was Michael. Rachel stopped and turned around. Michael walked over, holding a payment slip, and stopped a few steps away.
Rachel smiled. "Mr. Smith, what brings you here so late?"
John checked his watch, annoyed. "If you have something to say, make it quick. It's past ten, and we need some rest."
Michael's face turned serious. "How many people did you tell about Mandy causing your injury? Who are they?"
Since the guy in the fox mask had taken Mandy because of Rachel, finding out from Rachel might lead to him.
Rachel looked at him warily. "Why are you asking this?"
Michael didn't answer but insisted, "Tell me!"
John stepped in front of Rachel, angry. "Mr. Smith, you don't answer Rachel but expect her to answer you? That's too arrogant!"
Michael ignored John, his eyes locked on Rachel.
Rachel understood his look, her heart tightened. After a moment, she said, "One person, Robert."
Michael turned to John. "And you?"
John sneered, "Michael, are you interrogating us one by one? Are you...?"
Rachel sensed Michael's anger and interrupted, pulling John back. "John! Answer him."
Though reluctant, John followed Rachel's lead and replied in a bad tone, "No one. Satisfied now? Rachel, let's go. This guy is crazy, talking nonsense!"
John pulled Rachel toward the hospital door. Michael just watched them leave, not saying a word.
Right then, David walked up with a phone in hand. "Mr. Smith, there you are."
Michael turned to him. "What's up?"
David replied, "Miss Brown is out of the emergency room. Mr. Brown wants you to come over."
"Got it," Michael said, then added, "Look into this Robert guy. I need to know if he's the man in the fox mask!"
Michael hadn't interacted much with Robert, but he remembered the way Robert looked at Rachel during Mandy's recovery party. It wasn't normal.
That kind of attention matched the killer's focus on Rachel. Since Rachel only told Robert about the incident, Robert was highly suspicious.
"Yes," David replied seriously.
Michael headed toward the elevator.
Meanwhile, in the car, John was still ranting about Michael. Rachel, annoyed, patted his arm. "Enough, be quiet. My head is killing me."
John pouted but shut up. Rachel rubbed her temples and asked, "After all your ranting, can't you guess why he asked that?"
"No. What reason?" John asked, clearly clueless.
Rachel sighed. "Michael's questioning is probably related to Mandy's emergency admission. Maybe someone kidnapped her, and the mastermind is likely someone we know."
John looked shocked.
Rachel continued, "The incident where Mandy hurt me happened a while ago. It was only after she went missing and ended up in the hospital that Michael brought it up. He suspects we might have wanted revenge and had someone take Mandy away."
That was why her heart ached under Michael's questioning gaze.
Hearing Rachel's analysis, John finally got it. "This is bad. You told Robert about it, and now Michael probably thinks Robert kidnapped Mandy, which led to her ending up in the emergency room."
Rachel murmured, "I'm also wondering if Robert did it. Besides us, only he knows. I need to confirm with him."
She pulled out her phone and dialed Robert's number. John glanced at her, looking uneasy.
The call connected quickly, and Robert's tired voice came through. "Rachel, what's up so late?"
Hearing his cough, Rachel's face filled with concern. "Robert, are you sick?"
Robert weakly smiled. "It's cold here, and I'm shooting on location. So I caught a cold."
"Have you seen a doctor? Taken any medicine?" Rachel asked, worried.
Robert felt a warmth in his heart. "Yes, I have. Don't worry, I'll be fine in a couple of days."
Rachel rubbed her face in frustration. "How can I not worry? You're coughing so badly. What if it turns into something worse?"
Back when Rachel and Henry first went to Pinecrest Valley for aid, Robert had also been sick. The frail boy had been curled up on a broken bed, coughing violently. She and Henry had rushed him to the hospital.
The doctor had said he had pulmonary edema and inflammation. If they had been any later, the consequences would have been disastrous. So now, hearing his cough, how could Rachel be at ease?
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