Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert)

Chapter 355

"I mean-how should I know? Anyway, they've got all the evidence. No one's getting out of this,” Naomi muttered, slicing off a piece of apple and popping it into Sylvia's mouth.

Sylvia chewed, but her mind was elsewhere. If they'd managed to get their hands on the evidence, someone had to have helped. And besides Rupert, she couldn't think of anyone else with that kind of pull.

With a sigh, Sylvia nibbled on her apple, the taste bland on her tongue. "Mom, where's Uncle Rupert?"

"Dead-oops!" Naomi yelped as the paring knife nearly slipped. "Jeez, are you trying to kill your own mother?"

"Dead? He can't be dead," Sylvia's voice trembled. "At worst, he'd break a leg or something."

"I said he's not dead!" Naomi snapped.

"Could you maybe be a little clearer?" Sylvia frowned.

"What are you so jumpy about? On the way back, if I hadn't clamped a hand over your mouth, you'd have been shouting 'Uncle Rupert' the whole way..."

"Mom! I'm starving. Can you grab me something to eat?" Sylvia cut her off, her voice loud and desperate.

Naomi rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine," she said, heading out the door to go find some food.

best of her. She

door, though, she hesitated. Just then, Orson

Sylvia barely had time to signal him to

at the station poked their heads out to

"Aren't you coming in to see if

and hurried into the room. "You had

pillows, looking pale but somehow

a file lying on his blanket and said, "Eavesdropping? You mean all the times you kept asking

did not! My

go ask

her lip, then huffed. "Well, it looks like

Orson slammed it shut from outside with

of water, would you?" He shifted

but poured him a glass anyway, handing

met Rupert's, his gaze deep

and when he took the glass, he didn't let go of her hand-he tugged her just a little

between them grew warmer. Rupert's eyes stayed locked on her face,