A Lover Like Him (The Perfect Lover book #2) (Espresso CRK)

Chapter 43

No'ones Pov

"Chocolate Mocha! Cream Puff! Do you read me?" Walnut called urgently into her walkie-talkie, elbowing her way through the elites. Her gaze darted over the cookies, hoping to see them.

After a moment of static, Chocolate Mocha's voice crackled through. "Yes! Walnut, where are you?!"

"Heading towards Latte. I need a full account of what just happened—also, any intel on Madeleine's sister and Custard," Walnut replied, her brow knitting. She couldn't believe she failed to foresee this as an outcome.

If only I had foreseen this, Latte and so many others wouldn't have been hurt or endangered! Damnit! Now there's a criminal on the loose, 2 if you count Saphire, and my dad's nowhere to be found!

The nagging thought simmered as she mentally kicked herself for not anticipating it, doubting her detective skills.

"Cream Puff? Where are you? Can you hear me?" Chocolate Mocha spoke into her walker-talkie, waiting.

"Cream Puff!" Walnut shouted impatiently, her skin prickling.

A beat later, Cream Puff's shaky voice answered, "I read you! I can hear both of you!"

"What took you so long to respond?" Walnut demanded, her frustration spiking. She finally spotted Latte past a few cookies, who was being tended to by a maid who was checking her for any injuries.

"Black...Black won't move! She's...she's frozen! I tried everything, but she's like a statue. She hasn't even blinked," Cream Puff stammered, her tone trembling.

"Black? Blackberry—the one with the dark hair? Madeleine's cousin?" Walnut's eyes narrowed as she recalled spying on Blackberry talking to Saphire last.

"Yes! And I...I don't know what else to do," Cream Puff's voice cracked with worry.

For a second, Walnut's stride faltered as she processed the news, her mind racing. Should I go to Latte? She's right there. But Blackberry Madeleine was also attacked and hasn't gotten medical attention. She moved left, back and forwards, then left again, like a glitch as she tried to think of which cookie to go to.

"Cream Puff, stay calm. I'm close by and I'll be right there in a second," Chocolate Mocha said steadily. "Walnut, don't stress too much. Go to Latte and then we can regroup."

Walnut exhaled sharply, her nerves tight but calming now. "Thanks," she said, and took a long breath, trying to regain her focus as she hurried towards Latte.

"Black, please don't tell me you're dead," Cream Puff's voice cracked, her hands clasped tightly as if in prayer.

In front of her, Blackberry remained as still as a doll, her eyes glassy, and her face frozen in a mix of a scowl and shout.

"That's that's the adopted child, isn't it? What's she doing?"

"Oh, that Blackberry Madeleine! Is she okay?"

These murmurs of concern flickered briefly around Blackberry but didn't change anything. Soon the crowd's attention wandered back to matters they deemed more important from their perspective, like how some of their grown hems had ripped amid the panic.

"Where's Black?" Chocolate Mocha's voice interrupted as she pushed past an elite couple, brushing off their cold stares.

She froze when she saw Blackberry, her hand flying to her mouth in a startled gasp. "Oh...oh my god..."

"It's- Do you know anything that could fix this? What should we do? I'm so..I..." Cream Puff's words faltered as her breathing quickened. She was overwhelmed by a sudden wave of dizziness, her shoulders heaving as her breathing quickened and her heartbeat increased.