Rhénee Johnson: Emelda's Sapphire (Book One)

Chapter 21

Rhénee turned her head to look back in front. She had to make sure there’s no car following them. So far, there’s been none, but she couldn’t be too carefull. Not when they know there’s someone in the boot and could gain consciousness at anytime.

Greta who sat beside her in the backseat, looked out of the window at the dark trees as the car drove. Rhénee could tell just how nervous she is even when she isn’t in a frantic mood like she usually is. She wished she could place her hand on Greta’s shoulder and assure her that everything is going to be alright, but it’s simply not going to. They were about to do something dangerous again, and this time, Rhénee isn’t sure they will be lucky like they were a few hours ago.

She looked straight at Kevin who sat in the front passenger seat. She now wished he had never thought of going to Mr. Cowell’s house. A thought soon crossed her mind.

"Kevin?" she called to him.

"What is it, Rhénee?" he asked.

"Did Mr. Cowell call you to come to his house?"

Kevin turned his body in his seat to look at her. "I actually just went there myself to check on him. I always do so whenever he doesn’t show up for work."

"He must have taken advantage of that and knew you were going to come," said Malcom in the driver’s seat.

"What I’m trying to figure out right now, is if we aren’t just dealing with another group apart from the one we know are after me," said Rhénee.

"Wait, you think there’s another?" Greta asked, sounding frantic as usual.

"There’s a big possibility." Rhénee stared at her hands in front of her. "I feel there are two different groups. They might have different ways of doing things, but they all have one motive: To get to me."

"What made you draw to that conclusion?" Malcom asked, his eyes fixed on the road.

"Well," Rhénee paused for a bit as she tried to pick her words carefully. "First there’s the person who keeps calling over the phone. Your mother might be working for him, since he did confirm that he was there at the party she held to welcome me. It’s the same group that we met guarding the cottage. Then Mr. Cowell kidnaps Miss Griselda and leaves behind someone to jump us at the house, though I was meant to come out of that place alive and brought in. I don’t know, I feel there are different groups here. Maybe even more."

"Two is enough than we can handle and now you think there might be more?" Greta asked. She couldn’t believe what she’s hearing.

"The way they operate doesn’t seem right," said Rhénee. "Let’s not forget the finger that we found in Miss Griselda’s bathroom and the message that came along with it. We now know Mr. Cowell and whoever he is working with is behind it. So I assume we’re dealing with a different group."

"I never thought of it that way," said Kevin.

"We’re definitely dealing with another group," said Malcom.

"I just hope there aren’t anymore," said Greta as she folded her arms.

"We’ve to be ready for anything," said Rhénee. "So let’s be on our guard."

"I don’t know how many showdowns I’ll have to find myself in today. I just hope I don’t get shot at or killed."

Rhénee looked beside her. There is a pile of guns lying in between her and Greta. Rhénee thought it best for them to carry weapons, and she didn’t forget to carry a few hand grenades and blades that they managed to find in Mr. Cowell’s house. They don’t know what they will face at the bridge, so they've to be prepared. She got a black hand gun in one of the piles and started to check it. She had a bag that she took from Mr. Cowell’s closet where with the help of Malcom, packed some ammunition for the weapons they were carrying. Malcom was quiet shocked about Rhénee’s knowledge of guns.