Chapter 41: Chapter 41

After smoking, Thyme called him to the dungeon. There he saw Thyme and Verdict standing in front of one of the detention cells where the two men Verdict had found.

'I thought it would be much longer,' Thyme's hands crossed as soon as he saw her, said sarcastically, pointing at Verdict. 'I don't know, how much longer can it take to face this person.'

'That should be my line, Shortie!'

This time Thyme was not hooked, still showing their usual calm expression, ignoring Verdict, who refrained from hitting them. 'Ready? We'll ask them one more time. '

Very quickly they adapted to Verdict's childish attitude, Raymond muttered to himself. Even he sometimes gets angry with each other every time he faced Verdict.

'Yes, I understand. Do you want to open the door immediately?' Raymond approached the white smartphone door, ready to press the code.

Thyme nodded, 'Find the reason the intruder came in. Then after that— '

'Get rid of them. I know what I do, 'Raymond interrupted, pressing the code for the door that he got earlier from Thyme.

The door opened to both sides. The three of them went inside, and the door closed automatically after they entered. In front of them, two women with masculine faces—not the real attractive type, looked at them with different expressions. One looked pale, trembling with fear. The other shot Thyme a glare.

'Maria and Rachel, if I remember your name correctly?' Thyme approached the two of them, wearing a smile that was accompanied by their cold expression, standing over the two women who were tied to their chairs. Their hand grabbed their hair until they grimaced in pain, especially a woman named Rachel—an athletic woman of African-American descent—who, according to the information she got, had been living at the Umberbridge residence since Thyme was 3 years old.

'Young Master Thyme, I can explain—'

'I don't need an explanation!' Thyme's screaming voice boomed, echoing through the room, startling everyone present. Including himself.

Thyme took his hands off the two of them. Rachel lowered her head. The woman's body trembled even more at the sight of Thyme's expression, which now looked very terrible because they were holding back their frustration.

'Raymond, ask them what you want to ask. Now.'

He tried to stay calm, stepping forward to face Rachel and Maria. Compared to Rachel, Maria was much curt. She did not even dare to look at him and Thyme at all.

'What's the reason they infiltrated this place?'

'Why do we have to answer your question? Besides, I don't want to be ordered around by a runny kid like him! ' Maria spat, hitting Thyme's shoe. 'You're just a kid, Young Master. What do you think Nicholas died of, Thyme Umberbridge? You only got your position because your father appointed you to replace his position. It's not your position to act this arrogant!'

'So you still can't accept my father's decision?' Thyme smiled sarcastically at Maria.

As the woman intended to spit back at Thyme, Raymond pulled their hand back. He told them to back off while he continued his questioning. 'I start with you, Maria. You're Nicholas Paddington's girlfriend, am I right?'

'Outsiders have no right to ask questions,' Maria replied, glaring at him.

From the woman's body language, he was sure that his guess had hit the mark. 'Were they coming here to get the blueprints for the newly sold mansion?'

The two women were silent, looking tense. Rachel's reaction was obvious. Their eyebrows twitched, and their pupils widened for a moment—a micro-expression he had managed to catch from them.

'It's all clear. Thanks for the answer,' Raymond said, then pulled his gun straight at their heads. 'Any last wish you want to say before you die?'

'Nothing,' Maria replied, calmly.

'Please forgive me! I'm truly sorry, Young Master Thyme!' sobbed Rachel.

'I went out first. Kill them,' Thyme walked out of the room, followed by Verdict.

'Leave it to me,' Raymond fired his first bullet at Rachel, killing her in an instant. The woman's blood splattered on his face and clothes. Then the gun pointed at Maria, who was now shivering with fear.

'Why do you want to be ordered around by a kid!?'

'It's my choice, not yours. What's your business?' he said, staying calm.

Maria then laughed derisively. 'Even though you are a former cop. Just because Arnold Walter died, you became like this pathetic.'

He tried to hide his anxiety when the woman mentioned his late friend's name. He must remain calm. The woman deliberately provoked him. 'None of your business.'

'You are talented. You should join Simon's group than that feminine brat.'

Raymond pulled the trigger, vomiting the bullet several times. Forehead, heart and stomach. The woman died instantly, following the death of her friend. He took a deep breath as he clenched his trembling fist.

'Asshole ...,' he muttered, cursing the now Maria's body with her eyes wide open.

'Let me take care of it,' said Leah, who had just arrived, as the door opened.

Behind him, five female servants stood behind Leah, wearing rubber gloves and body bags. Two men were also standing behind the five servants. Those people did their job with alacrity.

***

He did not know how long he was soaking in the bath. His clothes—which were dirty from the blood of the two women splashing to him—had already been brought by one of the servants who had come to pick up dirty clothes. He closed his eyes, enjoying the hot steam that calmed his tense muscles.

'Even though you are a former cop. Just because Arnold Walter died, you became this pathetic.'

Maria's words before he killed him stirred his mind. The woman found out about Arnold Walter and appears to have joined Simon Clive's group voluntarily. Strange. Given that he knew exactly from the information he got, Maria should not have betrayed Umberbridge that quickly, especially since Nicholas had been very loyal to Thyme until he died. It seemed that the woman could not accept Renault's decision to hand over the Umberbridge group to Thyme. Or maybe, there was something else that Thyme Umberbridge did not offer to her, but that Simon Clive has. It could be so.

Now the reason was clear. The blueprint was their target. There might be a possibility of Clive's group was targeting the building because of the warehouse in the basement. The size was indeed large and ideal for conducting transactions without the public knowing. Coupled with the amount of room space in it. From the result of his investigation, they likely did not know the secret path of the building. Or maybe, they only managed to find one secret path. It could be like that, remembering them to order people to infiltrate to steal the blueprints.

'Raymond? Are you still inside?'

There was a knock on the door followed by Edward's worried voice.

'Yes,' Raymond answered him half-yelling so that Edward could hear his voice.

'I just wanted to say that all your clothes in Hazel's room have been moved to the wardrobe.'

'Okay, thanks.'

'I'll go to Hazel's room first. I have some things to take care of.'

He no longer heard Edward's voice anymore. It seemed that the man had already come out of the room. He got up from the soaking tub, put on his bath kimono, then walked out of the bathroom.

***