Josephine seemed uncertain about whether to trust Arnold’s words, but nonetheless, she nestled within his embrace, seeking comfort.
Scar unable to contain his impatience, nudged Josie, signaling it was time for them to leave. “Enough gawking. Let’s go!”
Suddenly, Josie found herself being whisked into a bedroom, the door locking with a click behind her. “Hey!” she called out in protest, but Scar had already secured the door from the outside, leaving her with no choice but to stay.
Surveying her surroundings, Josie realized she was in a room far too lavish for any ordinary bodyguard. The presence of liquor on the bedside table caught her attention-it was brandy, a detail that hinted this was Arnold’s master bedroom.
The thought crossed her mind that Arnold had managed to keep a secret lover hidden in such a place.
While searching for an escape, she was startled by a pair of hands that suddenly covered her mouth from behind.
“It’s me!” a familiar voice whispered, bringing a sense of relief.
Turning around, Josie found Dexter standing there, his presence in the room as surprising as it was reassuring.
“How did you get here?” she asked, stepping back to gauge his response.
“I went on a patrol.”
“What did you find? What’s on the ship?”
“It was all cash,” he stated, his tone reflective as he recounted the sight of an entire warehouse overflowing with money, a sum so vast it could easily be Wayne’s life’s accumulation.
Josie began to share her concerns, “Arnold mentioned that any mishap could lead to the ship being blown up directly. Dexter, there’s something you should know-”
Her words were cut off by Dexter, “I’ve been listening.”
“You…”
“I’ve been here all along. How else do you think Josephine was roused from her sleep?” Dexter revealed, shedding light on the cause of the earlier disturbance that had caught Josie’s attention.
This revelation prompted Josie to inquire further, “Who exactly is that woman, and why does Arnold seem to tread so cautiously around her?”
Dexter, while examining a bottle of wine on the table, shared, “She’s the daughter of the second-in-command in Rivodia. Arnold needed a reputable wife to solidify his social standing. It’s no surprise to me; leveraging influential relationships has always been Arnold’s strategy to climb the social ladder.”
“So, Arnold found himself ensnared in his own game,” Josie mused aloud. “Arnold and Summer were merely pawns for Wayne, used to ingratiate himself with the elite. It’s rather sad, isn’t it?”
Josie pondered what true benefit Arnold sought from his actions. Was survival his sole motivator?
As the conversation progressed, she made a connection, “The second-in-command-that was the contact you had before we boarded… So, this means…”
Their exchange of looks confirmed their mutual understanding, with Dexter concluding, “We can no longer use this contact.”
Even the second-in-command is one of Mr. Dalton’s people. Who can we trust now?
Breaking the silence, Dexter broached the subject of Josie’s earlier interaction with Arnold. “I heard your conversation with him,” he said.
“I was playing him,” Josie admitted hastily.
Dexter’s response, accompanied by a rueful smile, was, “I’m not upset.”
This left Josie momentarily lost for words, her gaze lowered.
“I-”
“Earlier-”
As they both attempted to speak, a momentary pause allowed the tension to build. Josie gestured for Dexter to proceed. “You go first.”
“Scott confirmed the departure of numerous workers from Rivodia earlier tonight.”
“What does it mean?”
“The true merchandise is concealed on their bodies.”
On their bodies? Josie furrowed her brows. It was a tactic reminiscent of historical smuggling methods. “Have we initiated any countermeasures?” she asked, concerned about their next steps.
Dexter assured her, “With our presence here and no signal sent out, he’d be reluctant to act rashly.”
“But… there’s only two of us here,” Josie retorted. Moreover, they needed to keep Arnold in the dark about Dexter’s presence.
“Josie,” Dexter began, “When the time comes, Arnold has to die.”
