Looking For The Mastermind
Joe sharpened his hearing. The helicopter was not far away. He tugged on Briana's hand, and they sprinted through the thorny bushes. Joe glanced away briefly as Briana moaned softly as her hand was scratched by the thorns. But he kept Briana running because their chance to go home didn't come twice.
"Hey .... We're here!" Joe shouted loudly. He could see someone standing next to the helicopter. That person was none other than Antonio. His personal assistant who he could always rely on
Antonio turned his body to face them. He had a big smile on his lips. He waved his hand until they managed to get close to him.
"Boss... I finally found you," Antonio said emotionally.
"Thank you for looking for me," Joe replied in a slightly hoarse voice as he patted Antonio lightly on the shoulder.
Antonio just nodded his head quickly. He got into the helicopter, then sat in the cockpit and started the engine. Soon he would be flying the helicopter again.
Joe immediately encouraged Briana to get into the helicopter first, then he followed after her. They sat side by side and were both silent for a few moments. Joe noticed Briana's injured arm. The wound wasn't too bad but it could make the girl grimace in pain.
"I'll call a doctor to check on your condition once we get home," Joe said soothingly. He grasped Briana's hand tightly as he smiled slightly soothingly.
Briana did not reply to Joe's words. She chose to remain silent as she looked out the window of the helicopter, at the cotton-white clouds in the sky. Her heart felt empty. Maybe after this her life would end soon. Surely Joe had not forgotten what she had done to kill his father.
Joe held Briana's hand as the helicopter slowly began its descent. Briana's palm felt cold. He stared at Briana's face for a few moments, then he kissed her lips lightly. After that he immediately turned away as he realized there were other people around them.
"You can stay in this room while you're here." Joe opened a very spacious room with large windows facing the forest.
"I .... There's no way I'm sleeping here," Briana said. Her face looked very pale, a sad look in her eyes.
"Nothing is impossible in this world," Joe said. He gently pushed Briana into the room.
"I'm ...."
"Be quiet. You'd better get cleaned up so that the wound on your hand doesn't get infected. I'll call the doctor now." After saying that, Joe left Briana alone.
"Why are you treating that criminal so well?" snapped Antonio as he met Joe at the end of the stairs. "Have you forgotten the wrong she has done before?" Antonio reminded, his face red with anger.
"I haven't forgotten her at all. I'm just trying to tame her. After that I'll know who sent her," Joe replied in a half-whisper. He looked back, making sure no one had heard his words.
However, unbeknownst to them, Briana was standing at the door of the room. Briana had listened to their entire conversation. Now she was trying to hold back her tears that were pushing their way out. Her heart felt sliced to pieces. She felt entangled in the trap set by Joe.
Briana wiped away the tears that were rolling down her cheeks. Now she decided to go along with Joe's game. She would not fall into the same hole again. Knowing that fact, she was determined not to fall in love with Joe. Never.
"What did the doctor say to you earlier?" asked Joe as they ate dinner.
Briana put down her spoon. "There's nothing to worry about. I'm just scratched, and there's no infection," Briana replied with her head down without looking at Joe. If she was honest, she didn't want to be alone with Joe right now. She would have to eat dinner with him and pretend not to know anything.
"You should rest after this. You've had a hard day and need time to recover your strength," Joe concluded.
"Thank you for everything. I can't possibly repay you for all your kindness," Briana said before leaving the dining room.
"It's no big deal. If you need anything, you can find Maria. She'll help you," Joe said.
"All right, if that's the case. But for now I don't need anything," Briana replied. Just as she was about to walk away, she remembered something. "Oh, yes. All those clothes in the closet, is it okay if I wear some of them?"
Joe smiled broadly at Briana's question. "They're all yours. So you're free to wear them."
Briana's body froze immediately after hearing Joe's words. Joe must have had other intentions with all the favors he was giving Briana. Briana decided to be on high alert after this. From now on she would not trust Joe so easily.
"Thank you. But you shouldn't have done that to me," Briana said in a low voice.
Joe met Antonio not long after. A few hours ago he had told Antonio to investigate the background of Briana's life. He knew he wouldn't easily get the answers he wanted from Briana herself. So he decided to investigate Briana to find out the truth. He had to quickly find the mastermind who told Briana to kill her father.
They were on the back porch of Joe's house having a drink. For a few minutes they were silent with their own thoughts. Joe glanced at Antonio who looked very tired.
"Did you do the job I told you to do?"
"I did what you told me to do. But I only found a little information about her," Antonio replied.
"What do you mean exactly?" demanded Joe, dissatisfied with Antonio's answer.
"I don't know much," Antonio replied calmly. "I got information about Briana's life in the past year." Antonio took a sip of his drink. "For the past year Briana has been working at Madam Elizabeth's club."
"I've heard my dad mention her name. So, after that?"
"Madam Elizabeth was the one who brought Briana together with Mr. Richard Carter. When I looked for her, I found nothing. Everyone doesn't know where she is now either," Antonio concluded.
Joe didn't ask any more questions. The information provided by Antonio was enough for him. Now he would search for her whereabouts. Madam Elizabeth was the main key behind her father's murder.