Chapter 301
After bracing her classroom, Hera beaded to Pineview Hospital instead of meeting Christopher.
She stopped at a nearby fruit vendor to pick up a basket before continuing to the fifth floor of the inpatient department.
Nathan, clad in a hospital gown, sat up in surprise upon seeing Hera.
“Ms. Youngworth? What brings you here?”
“Just checking in. How’s that wound healing?” Hera replied, locking the door behind her and placing the fruit basket on the table.
Nathan lifted his shirt to reveal the bandaged side. “Nothing serious, just a scratch. Any updates on the investigation?
Hara pulled up a chair and settled in.
“There’s a mole in the department,” she said in a neutral tone.
Nathan’s fists clenched. “Is it really him?”
Hera shook her head. “I’m not sure.”
The truth was, Nathan’s injury wasn’t as severe as Stephen had made it out to be during their phone call.
Hera’s suspicions about a mole began to fester ever since the items from the oak forest vanished.
However, the identity of the mole remained a mystery. Later on, Nathan sustained a minor injury while on a mission during the Queenie bribery scandal
at Shuttle Ventures
It was the perfect opportunity, so Hera and Nathan hatched a plan.
Nathan would exaggerate the severity of his injury, claiming it rendered him incapable of handling his current case. This would prompt him to temporarily hand it off, revealing Amelia’s location in the process.
Just as expected, the new case officer swiftly apprehended Amelia and closed the case. The swiftness only solidified Hera’s suspicions.
The threat wasn’t over with the disgraced Brandon
Queenie’s associates, the mole within the department, or even a combination of both, were still at play. The possibility of multiple traitors couldn’t be ruled out.
The moment Amelia’s arrest became public knowledge, Queenie’s pre–orchestrated media blitz went live, accompanied by a flurry of activity behind the scenes. However, her meticulously crafted plans crumbled spectacularly when Amelia exposed her, leading to Queenie’s swift return to prison.
The whirlwind unfolded in a shockingly short timeframe. From her arrest and interrogation to the desperate attempt at suicide by biting her tongue, Queenie’s demise at the hands of a sniper outside the police station all transpired in less than half a day,
The swiftness of the sniper’s actions pointed toward a leak within the department–someone had tipped them off, ensuring a clean elimination.
No one could have predicted Queenie’s drastic move. Perhaps even she recognized its inefficiency. Suicide by self–mutilation wouldn’t guarantee a quick death. The police would rush her to the hospital before blood loss could claim her, potentially offering an opportunity to escape or even visit Zyler. Whatever her true intentions, they were buried with her.
However, Queenie’s death served as a stark confirmation for Hera. The department was riddled with moles, not just in Norburgh but likely in Southburrow as well.
“He” as Nathan referred to Stephen, remained a question mark.
While Hera expressed uncertainty, Nathan saw things differently. He had only shared the screenshot of Isabella’s email with Stephen, yet the evidence vanished and Hera herself was abducted.
Stephen’s involvement seemed increasingly probable.
Awave of anger washed over Nathan as he contemplated the possibility of his friend’s betrayal.
“Stephen has only contacted me once since you were injured. He just mentioned your situation and Amelia’s case being closed, nothing more,” Hera said. Nathan remained silent, his face an unreadable mask. However, the clenched fists by his side spoke volumes about the simmering rage within him.
Hera reached into her bag and pulled out a small box
“Here,
she said, offering it to him.
“This is an immune booster I made. Get well soon. You’re far more experienced at catching moles than I am.”
Queenie’s death served as a brutal lesson in patience for Hera. She had naively believed that ruthlessness and speed were the keys to uncovering Daphine’s true killer. But she had underestimated how cunning the mastermind was
