Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

Chapter 351

Sylvia Lloyd felt her legs give out beneath her. As her eyes fluttered shut, the last thing she saw was a pitch-black motorcycle helmet.

The man glanced down at Sylvia's crumpled form, pocketing the empty syringe. He let out a low chuckle. "Trust me, I'm not the only one who wants you dead. So long, Sylvia."

...

Rupert Garcia strode through the automatic doors, balancing a bag of takeout— cheeseburgers and fries-on one arm. He paused at the doorway to Sylvia's hospital room, only to find it empty, the bedsheets undisturbed, the air stale and lifeless.

He spun around and landed a punch squarely on his bodyguard's jaw.

"This is what you call protection?" Rupert's voice was icy.

"S-sorry, Mr. Garcia, I just stepped out for the restroom," the guard stammered, clutching his face.

"Who's been here?"

"That woman you helped-Mrs. Carter-and her son. I checked with the nurses; they said Ms. Lloyd went downstairs to find them just a few minutes ago..."

Before the guard could finish, Rupert was already storming off.

Downstairs, Mrs. Carter and her young son were shuffling wearily through the lobby, hand-in-hand. When they saw Rupert charging toward them, they nearly jumped out of their skins.

barked, not bothering

upstairs resting?" Mrs. Carter stuttered, eyes

free from her grasp, dropping to his knees to scoop

did Blackie get here? I gave him to

insect's tiny footprints. Grim-faced, he ducked into the stairwell. At the

Jayson protested, pointing at

up, glancing at

nodded, signaling his team to sweep

discovered a used syringe tossed in

reported. "Surveillance caught this guy wheeling a

showing a burly man in janitor scrubs, moving with the confidence of a linebacker. Clearly

glared at the syringe

crisply.

SPLASH!

bucket of ice-cold water jolted Sylvia awake. She gasped, shivering so hard her breath fogged in

the two middle-aged men standing over her-the

two are Garcia family elders?" she managed, her fists clenched, trying to keep her

"Look at that, she's got brains. Too bad

her deeper into the night.

old mining site-abandoned, silent, the entrance cordoned off with yellow police tape. The mine

if she didn't act now, she'd disappear here for