Encore of the Avenging Muse (Sylvia and Rupert) novel Chapter 101

“Ms. Lloyd, we're in trouble. The private dining room is empty, and the staff said the party left two hours ago.”

“Who organized this meet-up?” Sylvia asked in a panic.

“It was… Mrs. Simpson, Bridget Simpson's mother. She said it was to introduce a big client as a way of making amends to you.”

“Making amends to me without me there? How does that even make sense!” Sylvia barely registered the throbbing pain in her foot, standing up immediately. “Go find the manager now. Ask them to secure the CCTV footage. And do we still have a good connection with the chauffeur from the Garcia family?”

“Yes, we do.”

“Please have him drive me over.”

“No problem, Ms. Lloyd.”

After hanging up, Sylvia wrapped herself in her coat, limping quickly out to the manor’s driveway.

The chauffeur was already waiting. As soon as she got into the car, they sped off towards the restaurant.

Orson, who was just leaving the Garcia Manor, saw Sylvia's figure getting into the car and quickly called Rupert.

Rupert was in the middle of changing, his shirt unbuttoned as he answered the call.

“What’s up?”

“Ms. Lloyd just rushed off in a car.”

“I’m on my way.”

…

At the restaurant.

With Henry’s help, Sylvia approached the manager. The manager glanced at her briefly before adopting a tone filled with insincere apologies.

“Ms. Lloyd, I’m sorry, but our restaurant policy prohibits us from sharing surveillance footage. I must ask you to leave.”

Sylvia knew what he was implying. She was too insignificant for him to bother with.

She scoffed. “Fine. I’ll leave. But the moment I step out that door, I’ll call the police and notify the Garcia family. You better pray there’s nothing off in the footage. Otherwise, your days as a manager are numbered.”

The manager’s lips tightened as he clenched his hands in front of him.

“Around nine.”

“Are you sure?” Sylvia fixed him with a steady gaze.

He corrected himself, “My mistake, it was after ten.”

“Certain?”

“Absolutely,” the manager nodded.

Sylvia didn’t press further and left the surveillance room with Henry.

Henry, worried, asked, “If they dispersed after ten, where could Edwin and Naomi have gone?”

Sylvia looked up at a sign with determination. “They’re still in the restaurant!”

The manager’s reluctance to show the entrance and exit footage was a clear sign. He feared she would discover that Naomi and Edwin hadn’t left at all. His constant stalling and assurances that they’d return by morning only confirmed that he knew exactly where they were.

They had to be in the restaurant!