Dedicated to slm-95, because she woke up till 2 AM today to read this book. :D I hope your mother didn't scold you a lot. :P
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Chapter 21 The Art Of Retrieving Information

“If you want to forget something or someone, never hate it, or never hate him/her. Everything and everyone that you hate is engraved upon your heart; if you want to let go of something, if you want to forget, you cannot hate.”

– C. Joybell C.

• • •

"Got anything important?"

"Nope. Not really." Mallory said sitting next to her apparent-husband. "Besides, these heels are killing me." She scrunched up her nose.

"Yeah, I know. You have mentioned it five times already." Andrew rolled his eyes. "How do you even involve yourself in their conversations? I mean, even I failed to do that!"

"It's a secret. Mallory's secret." She winked.

"Not that useful, though." He muttered under his breath.

"Excuse me, Mr. Andrew whatever, Bells--Aha Mr. Andrew Bells..." She grinned. "At least I am not just sitting here hiding behind potted plants! I am doing something useful."

"Call me Edward." He hissed.

"Yeah. Yeah. By the way, why are you hiding?"

No reply.

"Hello. I am talking to you." She waved her hands in front of his eyes.

"That man over there, Victor Stone, he knows me. And well, let's just say I haven't seen him in a while and I don't intend to, anytime soon. I cannot tell you anything else."

Mallory looked at him like he was a chimpanzee in the zoo, then blinked repeatedly. "Of course you cannot. What was I thinking!"

"Yeah."

"Anyway, when can we leave? I am getting late. It's almost midnight!"

"When these goddam people would let us go. It's not like I love waiting here for these dumbasses to open the door which they sealed shut." He made an agitated motion.

"Yeah, anyway, I will go see if I can find something useful."

"Okay."

She moved past the seats towards the refreshment table where a couple of ladies were talking about some shopping destinations. Boring. Mallory thought. Moving forward towards a bunch of men and women talking about expensive trips. For five minutes, she lurked around the groups of men and women talking gibberish and laughing unnecessary. When finally she came across a trio of women with some useful conversation.

"Did you hear about Antonio?" A forty something woman said.

"Antonio from TB?" Her partner, who looked in her late thirties said.

"Of course. Who else!"

"Yes, what about him." The third said.

"You haven't heard?" The first women said, her voice full of glee and juicy gossip.

Mallory's ears perked up at the mention of the familiar name and immediately she jumped up to be a part of the conversation.

"Oh my god! What a pretty dress! Isn't it the one that was on the cover of 'Cosmopolitan' this month?" She told the forty-something lady, with fake enthusiasm.

The woman grinned like a Cheshire cat, her lips touching the ears. "Was it? Ah, now I remember the designer did mention something like that."

Yes, of course he did. Mallory smiled.

"But, really, mam it's beautiful. And so  are you. I mean look at you. So, pretty. I wish I were half as beautiful as you are..." And she went on and on, worshipping the woman.

"Oh, stop it!" The woman blushed, clearly flattered.

The other two women just passed a couple of "Yes!" and "Indeed.", looked at the lady expectantly. It was clear that they didn't really like the evident change of the topic and they wanted to resume their little gossip session.

"Oh, am I disturbing something?" Mallory said with fake-disappointment. "I think I should go."

No, I shouldn't. Stop me. She pleaded.

"No, not at all dear. In fact, why don't you join us?"

Bingo.

"Well, I wouldn't want to intrude..."

"Intrude? Not at all, sweetheart. What's your name?"

"Mal -- Er...Victoria, Victoria Sage."

"Nice to meet you." She said. "I am Samantha. And this is Elizabeth." She pointed towards the thirty-something woman. "And this is Jenna." She looked at the third woman.

"Nice to make your acquaintance." She smiled at all three. "So, were you people talking about something before I disturbed you?"

"Yes, we were actually." Jenna said, loathing clear in her voice.

Samantha, who didn't pay any attention to his friend continued. "Yeah, I was telling them about Antonio."

"Antonio, from 'The Beasts'? You couldn't possibly know him?" Mallory faked amazement.

Samantha raised her chin with superiority. "The very same."

"What about him?"

"Well, I have this really shocking piece of information about him and I am willing to share, but you all have to promise me not the share it with anyone else." Samantha said discreetly, leaning in closer.

"Of course! You know we are not like other ladies, we don't gossip." Elizabeth said.

Of course you don't. Mallory scoffed inwardly.

"You said something, dear?" Samantha looked at her.

Mallory shook her head.

"What do you know, Samantha?" It was Jenna this time.

"Um...I really can't." Samantha protested. "I mean I wouldn't want to ruin anyone's reputation."

Mallory suppressed her grin.

"Neither would we. Right?" Elizabeth looked at Jenna and me and we nodded.

"Well...alright, if you promise not to repeat anything."

Just spit it out, lady.

"It is just a rumor, mind you. I do not have any proof whatsoever." She gloried in the eager anticipation of her friends.

"Does this have anything to do with his break from the business?" Jenna guessed

"Break from business?" Mallory said, dumbfounded.

"Don't you know? How he went out of business a couple of years ago and decided to go on a break. No one has seen him in a while. From what I have heard, someone from his family is taking care of the company." Elizabeth said haughtily.

"Oh."

"Well, Lizzy, dear...from what I have heard, he didn't go on a vacation!"

The two ladies looked at her with eyes widened.

"My sources tell me that, the entire time he was..." She leaned in and lowered her voice till it was just a whisper. "...he was in the prison."

There were collective gasps.

"God, no."

"Unbelievable!"

Mallory's shoulders slumped. That was the 'shocking piece of information'.

"There's more..." The lady whispered.

"No, no, Samantha, dear. Say no more! Say no more!"

"You haven't heard the worse of it!"

"What could be worse than that?" Jenna exclaimed.

And her next words, shook Mallory's world.

With a hushed whisper Samantha said, "He was supposed to serve a lot more years, but he is coming out early, illegally."

• • •

Andrew, who couldn't sit down for anymore time, stood up and lurked around, through groups of men and women chattering and laughing unnecessarily. All the party atmosphere was giving him a headache.

Besides, he was fairly disappointed in himself. How could he make such a dumb mistake? How could he miss out such an important detail? He had ruined the whole night. Not only, did he fail to procure any important information, but he also endangered getting caught. He had practically spent the entire evening hiding from a certain man.

Suddenly his train of thoughts was disturbed as he collided with someone. "Sorry." He muttered and looked at the man in front of him.

Victor Stone.

"Sorry." He repeated and looking down and moved past him with tremendous speed.

"Excuse me!" Victor called after him.

He cursed and turned around. "Yes." He said calming himself.

"Um...Do I know you?" Victor said, wiping his shirt which now had a stain of red wine.

"I don't think so." He muttered and almost turned back.

"Victor Stone." The man said extending his hand.

"Edward Sage." Andrew shook his hand.

"I haven't quite seen you in any of my parties, Mr. Sage."

"I live overseas, actually." He lied smoothly.

"Where exactly?" Victor enquired.

"France."

"Oh, France. Nice. We do a lot of business there."

"Yeah, I know." Andrew forced a smile.

"Are you sure you don't know me?" He asked again.

"Yes, why? Do I remind you of someone?"

"Actually, yes you do." He replied scrutinising him carefully. "But, no that can't be. No, that's not quite possible. The man in equation has gone somewhere far away."

"Determination has more power than distance, Mr. Stone." Andrew said and smiled.

"Alas, even determination cannot conquer some distances." Victor sighed.

"Now, don't be so sure." He smiled again.

"You are an intriguing young man, Mr. Edward Sage."

"So, have I heard."

The man grinned.

At that moment, Mallory arrived, "I was looking for you ev -- Oh! I am sorry. Didn't realise you have company. I hope I didn't disturb anything."

"Oh, no. Miss." Victor Stone said. "This is your..."

"Wife." Andrew said.

"Wife, of course. Glad, to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Sage."

"The pleasure's all mine, Mr. Stone, I presume."

He smiled. "I need to go for now, but I would like to meeting you again, Mr. Edward Sage."

"Not all wishes come true, Mr. Stone."

"Oh, I assure you. Mine do, definitely come true."

Andrew smiled politely. "We'll see."

"We will." Victor grinned back. "Once again, nice to meet you Mrs. Sage."

And with that he went off.

"That was weird." Mallory said. "I thought you didn't want him to see you."

Andrew shrugged. "Why were you looking around for me?"

"Oh, of course, I almost forgot." She replied, her face growing a little pale. "I don't know if it's true or not, but I think Antonio's coming back."

• • •

The ride home was a silent one. As they left behind the nocturnal air of Sacramento, they were both indulged in their own thoughts. The city line changed into barren land to suburban houses of Delvinshire. But no one spoke a word. There was complete and utter silence.

It was only when Andrew pulled up in his driveway, that he woke up Mallory, who had dozed off.

"Wake up." He said, shaking her.

"Oh, sorry." Mallory said, her voice heavy with sleep. "We are back? What's the time?"

"It's 3:07 AM." Andrew replied. "Should I drop you off or do you want to stay over for the night?"

"If I wasn't so tired I would have made a snide remark about it." Mallory smiled and stretched.

"Right."

"Nah. I think I will drive back. Where's my car?" She asked.

"In the garage." He replied. "Return the gun."

"What gu -- Oh, okay." She reached for her concealed pocked and tossed it over.

"Return the dress by tomorrow, with no tear whatsoever."

"Yeah yeah." She said, irritatedly and moved towards the garage. There was a blip and the garage door opened. Almost, sleepily she dragged her feet towards her car. With tired hands she thrust the keys into the keyhole and twisted it. It wasn't until she had backed away and was at a significant distance from the garage, did she notice it. And when she did, her eyes lost the sleepiness and almost popped off the sockets.

Parked at a one corner of the garage, a few meters away from her was an old Chevy truck.

An old Chevy truck with black eagles and horses on orange background.

The truck she had seen at the graveyard.

The truck that belonged to someone dear to Emily.

It belonged to Emily's brother.

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VOTE. VOTE. VOTE! :D

And hello people,

Looks like I made it this time. Spent two straight hours on this one. By the way, thank you for all the wonderful messages you are sending me. They really make my day!

Back to the chapter, so what do you think? I know many of you already guessed that, but don't just jump to conclusions yet. I might surprise ya people later. Anyway, leave a comment.

Have a nice day, everyone!

-Ridhima☺