Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem novel Chapter 1039

After taking a moment to collect himself, Clayton re-entered the deputy's office, the air thick with tension.

Before he could even get a word out, the deputy cut right to the chase, "Look, Clayton, I know you're probably itching to call the cops since we didn't turn that cargo ship around. But let me tell you, if we weren't scared before, we're certainly not scared now. And do you know why that is?"

Clayton glared, his patience wearing thin, "Why?"

"It's because we have something you desperately want to know."

A flicker of concern flashed across Clayton's face, "Irene?!"

The deputy nodded, the hint of a smirk on his face, "Yeah, the big shot behind this contraband knows exactly where Ms. Hawkins is."

Clayton's eyes widened in disbelief, "He knows where Irene is? Is she... is she alright?"

The deputy shrugged, his tone nonchalant, "Can't say for sure. He just told me to pass on the message that once he gets his goods, he'll let you know where your daughter is."

Frowning, Clayton took a moment to regain his composure before asking, "Why wouldn't he just contact me directly?"

"That, I don't know. But make one thing clear – if you even think about calling the cops, you can kiss any chance of hearing about your daughter goodbye. If you don't believe me, feel free to take the risk."

With a cold stare, Clayton locked eyes with the deputy, the silence between them heavy. Finally, he turned and walked away, not uttering another word.

The deputy scoffed, picking up the phone, "It's done. Knew he wouldn't risk it when his daughter's involved. The cargo ship will dock in about twenty days."

Back in his office, Clayton's assistant handed him a glass of water, sensing the tension, "It feels like they're bluffing. If that guy really had information on Miss Hawkins, why wouldn't he come to you directly?"

Clayton shared the sentiment. Everyone knew how much he adored his daughter, having spent over two decades searching for her. If there was even a whisper of her whereabouts, there was no way he wouldn't be approached directly.

Yet, with the contraband now in the hands of the authorities, he needed a plausible reason not to pursue the matter further.

Unable to wait any longer, Larry decided to take matters into his own hands. He needed to ensure Elysia was silenced before Clayton could intervene.

So, after much deliberation, Larry reached out to Elysia, arranging a meeting in a spot away from prying eyes.

Elysia, expecting him, showed up without delay.

As soon as they met, Larry got straight to the point, "Ms. Thorne, let's cut to the chase. You've obviously stumbled upon Pamela's secret. Why haven't you exposed Dr. White and me?"

Elysia's gaze was icy as she retorted, "Why are you mistreating Mrs. Hawkins? From what I've gathered, Mr. Hawkins has been nothing but good to you. He's treated you like a son, and Dr. White like a brother."

Larry scoffed, his disdain palpable, "Treated me like a son? Please, that's what Clayton's fed you? If he really saw me as a son, he wouldn't be obsessively searching for his daughter. He'd focus on grooming me, not wasting my prime years alongside a lunatic, nor would he have stood in the way of my relationship with the Murphy heiress, blocking my path to success. To put it nicely, I was just a pawn in his charity work; to put it bluntly, I was nothing more than a stray dog to him."

Elysia was stunned. She couldn't believe someone could be so delusional. To think that Clayton searching for his own daughter equated to not loving him? The world truly had its share of twisted souls.