Detective Leon wished he could beat the hell out of Jas Wendover. He had almost lost his job and reputation by following a criminal to the Thornston estate. It was a wide-known fact that Ian Thornston was a reasonable but strict man.
Leon thanked the heavens for that because he would have been in deep trouble if Ian had decided to pursue this. It would have been an act of insubordination, amongst other charges, that would have cost him everything he had built up in life!
However, not only did he not hold him accountable, he also handed him evidence on a silver platter!
Gratitude shone in his eyes, and he got so overwheld that he dared not say anything.
Cupping his hands, he looked straight at Ian,
"Thank you, Master Ian. I will never forget this favour!"
His address of Ian had changed drastically, but to save him face, no one pointed that out. He thanked the old couple as well.
"I will take my leave now. My sincere apologies for disturbing your day."
Ian nodded and waved him off.
For Jas, it was a different issue; the cold cuffs woke him up from his stupor. He still did not understand how the situation had turned around to this. His every plan had been systematic, and even the timing was supposed to have been impeccable, but sotis even the best-laid plans go awry.
He had lost the fight for the second ti that day and in the sa place without realizing it, but this ti, he had gotten himself into deep waters!
That morning, he had felt humiliation beyond anything he had ever felt after his near-death experience, but now.... ’I now understand why he did it in plain sight. Ian knew that no one could touch him!’
Jas shot glares at Ian, but then, he did not understand the kind of person Ian and his family were. He had thought them one of those people he could bully and toss aside, but he had for once t his match as do most bullies do eventually.
"Shelby! Talk to your husband about this on my behalf, okay? This is just a misunderstanding!"
Shelby shrunk back more into Ian’s chest. Ian held her firmly and patted her as if to reassure her that it was all okay.
With one signal, the sa two n from the morning picked up Jas unceremoniously and dragged him from the room amidst his shouts. Jas had made things easy for Leon because he had left his car at the police station and hitched a ride with him.
The two n dropped the handcuffed Jas at the back of the police vehicle. This ti, he was not given the privilege of riding in the front pager seat.
"What is the aning of this, Detective?"
"Thank you, gentlen." Leon thanked the two n and then got into the driver’s seat and started the car.
"Detective Leon!"
"Jas Wendover! I am trying my best here to maintain so decorum in front of you. I already read you your rights and charges! If I were you, I would shut up and start thinking if I can get soone to defend because drug use in T-Vino Island is a serious offence and can even get you the maximum sentence here!"
"What?!"
"And you had to go try to defa the most powerful family, too! I don’t even know why you wanted to drag soone else into this ss."
"What drug use? I am not a user!"
Leon looked hard at Jas through the review mirror, and then he turned on the video of Jas from that morning. Jas gasped in surprise as he saw himself bring out a load of drugs from his car and take out one packet to sniff.
"People just use the drugs, but from the looks of how big that suitcase is, you must be a big-ti dealer. At least I won’t go back empty-handed. If you are who I think you are, then my boss will pardon for disturbing the Thornstons."
Jas felt his head reeling.
’How was that even possible? There had been no caras there that morning! Where did this video co from?’
"I- The video is fake! It must have been edited! Yes, Yes, that is it!"
"Whether it’s edited or not, we’ll see when we get our forensics team to check. Also, we will check your car for consistencies to this video!"
Jas slumped back in the backseat. He was done for!
***
In the receiving room in the central part of the estate, Katie dismissed the servants, and she, as well as Currey, also excused themselves.
Alex and Geneva approached their son who was still in his seat.
Geneva wanted to ask what had happened, for it looked like even Katie had been affected. Gone was their fear from what had been witnessed, and a calm had replaced it instead.
Ian looked at them with a smile, waiting for them to ask, but at the last minute, as if by mutual understanding, the older couple decided against asking.
"Good job handling the situation." That was all Alex said.
"I’ll go urge them to prepare the dinner faster so that we can all enjoy so peace on this chaotic day!"
Geneva also added and then turned to leave.
"C-an I he-lp out?" Shelby asked.
"Don’t worry your pretty head about that, Shelby. You must be ntally drained from having to see that ridiculous step-father of yours. Take the ti to get so much-needed rest and accompany Ian. That should be enough to occupy yourself."
Shelby nodded, but deep down, she was unhappy with this, and Ian felt it.
Alex and Geneva left just as Currey also returned. He took his stance right behind Ian’s chair and remained there.
***
Samantha remained in the bathroom for a long ti, fuming.
’I am not needed anymore. I am so useless! Even Ingrid can take care of Gabriel now. Of what use will I be now?’
She kept replaying the last scene in her head over and over again.
"Mum, you said I was only good for caring for them. If I can’t do that, then what am I doing here? W-"
She stopped talking as she heard two people talking in their backyard. Once every few days, they ca over to clean there and trim the hedges.
But it did not sound like they were working, though. She tuned them out until she heard that one na: Ian!
"Master Ian is so thoughtful. Even though we’d not seen him for a long ti, he gave us a whole half-day off just as he arrived. This is unheard of-"
"Hmmf!" Samantha scoffed.
"So, he is finally out?" Her anger, which had been directed at her own incompetence, rose steeply.
She closed her eyes, feeling a new level of betrayal.
"He ca out, and he did not even look for us? Why are we here, then? When Mum was around, he would not even let us out of his sight! He fawned over us so much, but now that he has a new wife, he does not even bother with us! He said he would be there for us, only to disappear for this long while. I hate him!"
In their room, Gabriel and Ingrid sat on their bed and watched the closed door, hoping that their eldest sister would co out, but she never did.
Ingrid sighed.
"Ingrid, see, I am being a good boy. I did not get down from the bed. When will Mama Shelby co?"
"Soon, Gabriel."
"Ingrid?"
"Hmmm," she pushed her glasses up and looked over at him.
"I don’t like soon. It never cos!"
"Pfft! Gab-riel, ju-st wa-it okay?"
"Okkkkkaaaaay."
It took all but two minutes for Gabriel to ask his next question.
"Can I go see Mama Shelby then? Maybe she wants to co see her instead?"
"Gabriel, Gentlen have to learn how to wait at all tis."
"I don’t like that, Ingrid. Being a gentleman is too hard!"
"Hahahahahaahah...." Ingrid laughed out loud for the first ti in forever.
"Stop laughing, Ingrid. You said that a gentleman cannot cry, and then I have to be a good boy, and now I can’t go to Mama Shelby, too? That’s too hard!" He lanted.
"Trust , Gabriel. Don’t you think it’s worth it in the end?"
He scrunched up his little face as if in deep thought. When his little shoulders slumped down, Ingrid heaved a sigh of relief.
"I’ll try that for Mama Shelby’s sake."
"Thank you, Gabriel, for trying. I am sure that Mama Shelby will be very happy to know this."
"I-"
"Of course, I am very happy that Gabriel is still practising how to be a gentleman!"
That sweet voice that the children were starting to get used to sounded from the doorway, and then both of them perked up. Ingrid was the first to notice the second person, and she shrunk back into her reserved mode.
Gabriel, however, did not care. His wish had co true, and his Mama was there to see him.
"Mama Shelby!" He got off the bed and ran as fast as his little legs could carry him, hurling himself at her.
Shelby went down on her knees to et him and hugged him tight.
"I missed you, Mama Shelby!"
"I missed you too, Gabriel. I heard what you said, and I am proud of you for trying."
"Mama Shelby?"
"Hmmm?"
"Who is this man behind you?"
*********
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