Free Web NovelChapter 239: Chapter 242: The Intelligence from Renee Sinclair
"Renee Sinclair?" Felix Preston opened his eyes and looked up at Evan Yates.
Evan Yates held up his phone, showing him the caller ID. "Renee Sinclair."
Felix Preston sat up slightly. "Answer it. See what she wants from you."
"Oh." Evan Yates nodded, immediately answered the call, and put it on speakerphone.
"Hello?"
"Evan Yates."
Renee Sinclair’s voice came clearly through the speakerphone.
Evan Yates looked at Felix Preston and said, "Why are you calling me all of a sudden? Is something up?"
Renee Sinclair said, "Do you know where Felix Preston is? His phone seems to be off. I’ve called him a bunch of times, but he isn’t picking up."
Evan Yates replied, "Preston’s phone died. Do you need him for something?"
"..." Renee Sinclair was silent for a few seconds on the other end of the line. Then, she suddenly asked, "Is Felix Preston right there with you?"
"Uh..." Evan Yates frantically shot a look at Felix Preston, who gave a resigned nod.
"Yeah, Preston is right here next to me."
Renee Sinclair said, "I found something related to Willow Quincy. Felix Preston might find it useful."
"What is it?" Felix Preston sat bolt upright in bed, his sleepy eyes instantly sharp and clear.
Renee Sinclair replied, "It’s hard to explain over the phone. Give me an address, and I’ll come find you."
Felix Preston said, "I’m at home with Sandy. Just come straight here."
Renee Sinclair said, "...You seem to have two homes. Which one should I go to?"
"Mmm..." The noise seemed to disturb Sandy, who frowned unhappily and rolled over.
Felix Preston quickly lowered his voice. Patting the little one’s hand, he said, "I’m at the Shaw family home."
Renee Sinclair replied, "I’m heading over now. I should be there in about twenty minutes."
"Okay," Felix Preston said.
"Is that everything?" Evan Yates asked tentatively before hanging up.
"That’s it. You can hang up," Renee Sinclair said.
With that, she immediately hung up.
"Renee Sinclair found something on Willow Quincy?" Evan Yates put his phone away, clearly skeptical of her words. "Is she really that nice? She knows we’re trying to find one of Willow Quincy’s weaknesses, so she rushes over to hand-deliver information? I bet she has ulterior motives."
Felix Preston’s brow was furrowed. His expression had visibly soured after having his sleep interrupted.
"Renee Sinclair seems to have changed a lot. Even Charlotte has started to see her as a friend. I don’t think she has any ill intent."
"You trust her that easily?" Evan Yates sneered. "Preston, surely you haven’t forgotten everything she’s done to you and Charlotte, have you?"
"I haven’t forgotten," Felix Preston said. "I remember what she did to Charlotte and me, but I also remember that she saved Charlotte and Sandy more than once. The good doesn’t cancel out the bad, but since Charlotte is willing to be her friend, there’s no need for me to keep going after her. That would just make things difficult for Charlotte."
"...Fine." Evan Yates raised an eyebrow and didn’t say anything else bad about Renee Sinclair. He just added, "Renee Sinclair has definitely changed a lot, but that doesn’t mean I’m not still prejudiced against her. I don’t trust her, so I’m going to keep an eye on her."
"Fine." Felix Preston had no objection.
Renee Sinclair wouldn’t arrive for another twenty minutes, so Felix Preston took the opportunity to catch a quick nap.
’Host, are you all right?’
Renee Sinclair had just driven out of the parking lot when the mechanical female voice spoke mockingly in her mind.
"What now?" Renee Sinclair asked impatiently.
The mechanical female voice sounded exasperated. ’You went into debt for six favorability points to get this information, and after all that trouble to get one useful lead, you’re just handing it over to Felix Preston so easily? Are you afraid he *won’t* find Charlotte Shaw?’
Renee Sinclair rolled her eyes hard. "You don’t know a damn thing! This is a strategic retreat."
’And where’s the advance in that?’
Renee Sinclair shot back, "Charlotte Shaw just went missing! Felix Preston’s mind is completely occupied with her right now. If I want to earn any favorability points, my only option is to trade information about her!"
’Why?’
"Why do you think?" Renee Sinclair retorted. "Felix Preston just lost his wife. You think I should run up to him and offer to introduce him to someone new instead of giving him some hope of finding her? Do you think he’d give me favorability points, or just beat me to death?"
’...’ The mechanical female voice had nothing to say.
Renee Sinclair rolled her eyes at it again. "Could you try using your brain? The last time I listened to you, my favorability points went into the negatives. How have you not learned from that at all?"
’Host, a system is not a human brain,’ the voice said. ’Please do not hold me to such exacting standards.’
"..." Renee Sinclair couldn’t be bothered to argue with it.
But it just had to ask again, ’Host, by telling Felix Preston this information, aren’t you worried he’ll follow the lead and actually find Charlotte Shaw?’
Renee Sinclair kept her eyes on the road, concentrating on her driving. "The information I got is just an unconfirmed tip. If Felix Preston can find Charlotte Shaw with this, then good for him. Even if I lose, I’ll accept my defeat gracefully."
’Hmph...’ The mechanical voice suddenly laughed.
"What are you laughing at?" Renee Sinclair asked.
’I’m laughing at how magnanimous you’re being, Host.’
Renee Sinclair frowned. "Cut the passive-aggressive act. I’m doing this to make Felix Preston lower his guard around me. Willow Quincy has hidden Charlotte Shaw away; the chances of finding her are minuscule. My only job is to play the part of the helpful friend. Whether or not he can actually find Charlotte Shaw with this information is another story."
’Hmm... That does sound somewhat reasonable.’
For the third time, Renee Sinclair rolled her eyes at it. "You think I’m you?"
’...Host, even though I reside in your brain, I can still see you rolling your eyes all the time.’
"..." Renee Sinclair pretended she hadn’t heard.
It hadn’t snowed for the past two days, and the weather today was quite nice, so the snow on the roads had been mostly cleared. The road conditions for Renee Sinclair’s drive were excellent, so she arrived at the Shaw family home in only fifteen minutes.
Felix Preston was already waiting for her in the living room. The moment she stepped inside, he asked impatiently, "What did you find?"
She sat down across from Felix Preston, unwrapping her scarf as she asked, "Do you have any water? Let me get a drink before I say anything."
Felix Preston gestured with his chin toward the coffee table. "It’s freshly brewed hot tea. Help yourself."
Renee Sinclair picked up the teacup in front of her and downed the contents in one go. After she finished, she spoke slowly and deliberately. "I found something out from a friend of mine."
"Six months ago, Willow Quincy bought a house in a mountain resort in Kyloria."
"...Kyloria?" Felix Preston had never heard of the place.
Renee Sinclair looked at him. "Kyloria is in Rivengard, about 180 kilometers from Aethelburg. It’s just south of the city."
"For Willow Quincy to kidnap Charlotte, she would definitely need a secluded place to hide her. I thought about it, and Kyloria seems like a perfect fit."
