Chapter 820
Joe raised his eyebrows. “Anything else?” he mused, then added, “No, I’m leaving now.” He was already heading for the door as he spoke. His hand reached the handle when Denton said, “Wait, Joe. Don’t you want to discuss Vera with me?”
Joe stopped and turned. “What’s there to discuss? Mr. Ruell, you need to rest. Focus on your recovery.” Without waiting for a reply, he opened the door and left, leaving Denton astonished.
Denton wondered if Joe had only returned to discuss the so-called negative items. Joe was a good young man, but Alexander’s influence was undeniable. The fire at the Ruell residence had been ruled accidental by the police; he didn’t believe it connected to any cursed objects. Furthermore, Joe was incredibly inscrutable. His true feelings for Vera and his intentions remained completely opaque. This enigmatic nature had secured his position with the Martin family and propelled him to prominence. His elusiveness made him an admired, if distant, figure for many young people.
Despite Joe's skill at concealment, Denton felt he was overly reserved about Vera. Pondering this gave Denton a headache—a return of the pain he'd been free of for days, likely triggered by the mention of the so-called negative items. Although he didn't believe in such things, they remained an annoyance.
About twenty minutes later, Vera returned to Denton’s ward. Joe had already left. “What did Joe discuss with you, Grandpa?” she asked.
Still suffering from his headache, Denton replied irritably, “What could he have discussed? He’s playing mind games, raising our expectations. He claimed our recent troubles stem from those so-called negative items. He must have heard it from Mr. Gardner Senior and now believes it himself.”
“Is that really why he came, Grandpa?” Vera felt uneasy, suspecting Skylar's influence. She wondered if Joe truly believed Skylar. Still, the recent family incidents had been strange, and doubt crept in.
“Yes, I asked him directly, but he said nothing else. He’s so deep, so inscrutable. I’ve seen many people, but few escape my scrutiny—yet he does. Anyway, I have a headache. You should go.” Denton waved dismissively, ending the conversation.
Vera left with a heavy heart. Joe hadn't been there to discuss her; he'd been concerned about the series of accidents affecting their family. She wondered if those two antiques were truly the cause.
No, it couldn’t be!
Skylar had first visited the Yancey residence to check on Janine. Then, she took the subway to meet a college friend, Charlene Dickens. After graduation, they’d gone their separate ways. Learning of Skylar’s current work, Charlene asked for help authenticating a family heirloom. Worried about being scammed if she sought appraisal elsewhere, Charlene, lacking family expertise on the matter, had reached out to Skylar.
They arranged to meet at a café with a good view. After pleasantries, Charlene produced the heirloom—an emerald pendant.
“This emerald pendant belonged to my great-grandfather. Before he died, he said it was passed down through generations and told us to keep it safe. He also mentioned we could sell it if our family ever needed money,” Charlene explained.