At this point, only Ronald could handle things over in Hull.


    Yvonne didn''t waste any time-she grabbed her phone and called him up.


    Ronald had actually been having a pretty easy timetely, ever since he told Hull to keep an eye on Xander. After that, Hull hadn''t shown up at the Quinn estate at all.


    So when Ronald saw Yvonne''s name pop up on his phone, he was caught off guard. "What, she''s surfaced already?"


    Thest time, when Ste got taken, it had taken well over a month for her to show her face again. Susanna hadn''t even been gone for twenty days.


    He''d figured it''d be at least another week or two before he heard anything.


    Yvonne''s voice came urgently down the line. "Ronnie, we''ve got a problem. A big one."


    Ronald frowned. "..."


    Across the room, Ste was arranging flowers, carefully trimming thorns off a bunch of roses. The moment she overheard the call, her hand slipped, and a sharp thorn pricked her finger.


    She winced, letting out a tiny gasp. The scissors ttered to the table as she tried to see how bad it was-only for Ronald''s broad hand to close gently around her wrist.


    His eyes narrowed when he saw the tiny bead of blood welling up on her fingertip.


    He switched the phone to speaker, set it aside, and shot a look at the butler across the room.


    The butler got the message right away and hurried off for the first aid kit.


    Ronald kept his attention on Ste''s cut, but his tone with Yvonne grew serious. "What''s the big deal?"


    "It''s Susanna."


    Ronald''s face darkened. Even Ste froze up a bit, her hand stiff in his.


    She was clearly rattled.


    Ronald squeezed her palm, trying to reassure her just as the butler arrived with the first aid kit.


    He carefully disinfected Ste''s finger, his voice sharper now. "What happened to her?"


    "She was taken, Ronnie. I don''t know how to say this-it''s bad. I have no idea how I''m supposed to face Hull after this. If he finds out, he''llkill me. Seriously."


    Yvonne knew exactly what Hull was like. Sure, he''d worked for Ronald all these years; but everyone knew Hull was a snake-dangerous, calcting, with no real loyalties except to himself. The only reason he''d stayed this long was because Ronald always gave him what he wanted.


    But Susanna? She was different. She was Hull''s one soft spot, the one thing he actually cared about.


    And now, something had happened to her while she was in Yvonne''s care...


    Yvonne could practically feel her scalp tingling with panic.


    Ste''s voice trembled. "H-how bad is it?"


    Even over the speakerphone, Yvonne could hear how shaky Ste sounded.


    "Star?"


    "What exactly happened? Tell me."


    "I-" Yvonne hesitated. The truth was almost too awful to say out loud: Susanna might have already been hurt-maybe even worse-by Dan''s guys.


    Ste and Susanna were practically sisters. Yvonne didn''t want to hit her with that possibility, not if she could help it.


    "Just say it, Yvonne!"


    "I" Yvonne''s throat felt dry.


    Ronald nced at Ste; she looked


    back at him, eyes wide with feare


    She gripped his hand tight.onne If didn''t just spit it out, it would only


    eat at Ste more.


    Ronald''s voice went cold. "Say it."


    Yvonne flinched at his tone. "Dan''s people might have... might have hurt her. Bad.


    Ronnie, I think I think she might be dead. Or worse."


    The room fell silent.


    A chill swept over Ronald. "She was with you. And now you''re saying Dan''s guys... did that?"


    "Yvonne, this better be some kind of sick joke."


    "I—I wish it was. But, honestly, that''s the worst I can imagine. Maybe it''s not that


    bad, but... with Dan, is anything ever good?"


    Her voice trailed off, leaving only the sound of Ste''s shaky breaths and Ronald''s icy silence.