This was to be expected. This was the Lerman family''s stronghold, and Leonard was no amateur. Still, Harold couldn''t shake his worry.


    Suddenly, he heard hurried footsteps and rushed forward.


    Jake''s face was grim. "Mr. Gardner is injured. Get a surgical team ready. Now."


    Harold''s blood ran cold. Without asking questions, he made the arrangements. It was only after Joshua was wheeled into surgery that he finally spoke. "Jake, what happened? Did the n go wrong?"


    Jake''s expression wasplicated. "The n went perfectly. We found Abby, but she didn''t want to leave just yet, so we didn''t force her."


    In truth, rescuing Abby was a secondary objective. Joshua''s real target was Leonard. He had gone after Leonard alone, sending the rest of them to find Abby. With the explosives he had nted as an insurance policy, it was a risk he was willing to take.


    "If everything went smoothly, why is Mr. Gardner hurt?" Harold asked. "Did you run into other trouble?"


    Jake''s eyes darted away. "Nothing major. We were ambushed passing through a garden."


    "A garden?" Harold repeated, confused.


    "The Lerman family''s gardens are famous in these circles," Jake exined. "Something about the soil and climate there produces exceptionally beautiful flowers. They say a single bloom from that garden can fetch a high price at auction."


    Harold was still lost. Then he saw Jake pull a single, perfect rose from his pocket. It was an unusual varietal, with an enormous bloom and a vibrant, almost glowing color. Under the light, it seemed to shimmer with a dreamlike luminescence.


    Joshua wouldn''t have brought back a flower for no reason. Looking at Jake''s face, Harold pieced it together. Joshua had been injured... while picking this rose. It was exactly the kind of reckless, insane thing he would do.


    "Find a vase," Jake said. "Mr. Gardner went through a lot of trouble for this flower; don''t let it wilt. And have you notified Ste? Give it to her when she arrives. I


    can''t be seen here again, so I''m leaving now."


    Harold understood. "I will," he said quietly.


    The bullet had missed any vital organs. An hourter, it was sessfully removed. Just as the surgery ended, Ste arrived at the hospital.  s


    When she heard Joshua had been shot, the color drained from her face. She


    swayed, and Antoney, who was beside her, had to steady her.


    "Is Joshua... Is he going to be okay?"


    Harold couldn''t meet her eyes.


    "... He''s not in any mortal danger for now." He then remembered his instructions and retrieved a vase


    it


    from a nearby table. In was th


    magnificent rose. ''s


    "Uh... Joshua passed by a garden," Harold said, his voice strained. "He picked


    this... said it was for you, Ms. Cameron."


    Ste stared at it, then took the vase with trembling hands.


    Watching the scene, even Antoney was visibly moved.


    Harold sighed inwardly. Joshua''s ability to manipte people''s hearts was truly in


    a league of its own.


    Three dayster, Foreman appeared


    at the hospital. He had been


    monitoring Ste and knew the


    oue of the operation Ste and


    Antony''s mission had been e<fn45f3> Find the newest release on find{n}ovel</fn45f3>


    belongs to s


    And Leonard''s estate was half-destroyed, while he himself was missing an ear


    and a hand.