The Killer Queen by Noella Briony

Chapter 143

Noella rounded the corner of the staircase when a peculiar noise from the basement storage room caught her attention. She frowned slightly and whispered, “Palmer, hang on a sec

“I can wait forever.”

After all, what was a little waiting if it made her fall for him?

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Noella paused, sensing an undertone in Palmer’s words. She slipped her locked phone into her blazer pocket and headed towards the basement, where stacks of supplies awaited,

The gallery staff had gone home for the day, but there were still some workers in blue overalls bustling about.

Noella glanced around the storage area and stealthily climbed atop a construction scaffold, crouching above the workers to eavesdrop.

“Come on, lace that batch of paint with the stuff.”

“You sure they won’t detect it once we put them in?”

“No way!” The ringleader was brimming with confidence.

“They’re odorless and colorless. Once they’re in, those painters will be none the wiser until they’re sick. And when that happens, the gallery will be in deep water. Ms. Schnabel chose to be uncooperative and cross swords with the Gruber clan. She made such a show today, turning the Gruber’s gallery into a laughingstock!”

The workers mixed the powdered substance into the paint, and then added the doctored paint cubes into the original batches.

“Is Ms. Schnabel still in her office?”

“Lights out upstairs, must’ve left.”

The lead worker pulled a vial from his pocket, his face twisted with malice, “Just drop this into her office water cooler. One sip and she’s done for!”

The other workers paled on spot, not expecting to take action against Noella.

“You can’t hit Ms. Schnabel, even if you’re out for Petra’s blood. What if the Schnabels come

after us?”

Ms. Noella Schnabel, for heaven’s sake. If something happened to

snarled, “Relax, the Gruber

done things without considering their feelings. All Petra did was skim some cash, chump change for the Schnabel family. But Noella had to show her authority

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impassively. Her gaze swept over the surveillance EXTATES, AN predictably dead, every red light that

was tampered with, they turned to

the equipment?”

space will collapse, preferably during business hours. Wouldn’t it be fun if

the equipment failed and the exhibition collapsed, killing people, not even the Schnabel family could save the

sure. And they would see who

she’s Ms. Art Connoisseur? Let’s see

over to a brat. There’s nothing the Gruber

the workers swept a glance around the stuff in the storage and left, satisfied

leave through the back door. She recognized them; they were Petra’s go–to crew, who had swindled the gallery for years under Petra’s wing. Now with Petra locked away, those workers lost a cash cow, thus turned to the Gruber family and ganged up for revenge? Conspiring for money and murder, the lowest of the

the spy earrings Yasbel had tested – with added video capabilities, perfect for recording everything she

Noella descended from the roof, dusted off her blazer, and left the

was there with an

rain. What were

up

Palmer saw Noella in her professional attire. Her tailored capris revealed slender, pale ankles,

Palmer walked Noella to the gates of her home, gazing at her, reluctant

ways.

chance

he’d saved the video as his phone’s live wallpaper, a reminder of her when he used his

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hapter 145

embracing Noella and planting a swift kiss

you’re not yet accustomed to missing me, then dream