The Unlucky Turn by Mark Twain 293
“Hello? Leilani? Why are you calling me this late? Did something happen?”
Leilani let out a scoff, getting straight to the point. “The pushing incident downtown-you did it, didn’t you?”
The other end of the line went noticeably silent. A few seconds later, Tamara spoke, feigning shock. “Pushing incident downtown? Leilani, what are you talking about? I don’t understand. Are you out drinking? Do you need me to call Josiah to pick you up?”
Leilani’s gaze darkened, her tone turning grim. “Don’t understand? Do you need a reminder? Man in black, baseball cap, scar on the web of his right thumb.”
As Leilani listed the man’s features one by one, Tamara’s breath hitched, her voice growing tight.
“Stop talking nonsense! What man in black? What are you talking about? I don’t understand any of this. If you don’t have anything important to say, I’m hanging up. It’s late, and I’ve been busy with the wedding preparations with Milford. I need to get some rest.”
Leilani sneered. “Guilty conscience?”
Tamara’s voice suddenly spiked in volume. “I am not! Leilani, stop making things up without evidence. If you keep slandering me, I’m really going to get angry!”
Leilani knew Tamara. If she hadn’t done it, that wouldn’t be her reaction. Her desperate attempt to clear her name only solidified Leilani’s conviction. Tamara was definitely involved.
Leilani’s eyes were cold as she delivered a slow, deliberate warning. “Tamara, Yvonne was knocked unconscious on the street today because of that push. You better pray this has nothing to do with you. Otherwise…”
She paused, her voice low and dangerous. “When I find the evidence, I will personally put you behind
bars!”
On the other end, Tamara’s breathing became erratic. She forced a laugh. “Oh, really? Well, take your time looking. Don’t embarrass yourself when you find absolutely nothing!”
With that, she quickly hung up.
Tamara gripped her phone. Although she had tried to sound calm, her fingertips were trembling.
She took a deep breath and immediately dialed another number.
“You useless idiots! Did you clean up the mess from today? Why did Leilani call me? Did you expose yourselves?”
A man’s gloomy voice came from the other end, clearly surprised as well. “What? Leilani called you? Ms. Sloan, I haven’t even asked if the leak came from your side, and you’re blaming us? Relax. We’ve been in this business for years. I’ll find a fall guy. I guarantee it won’t trace back to you.”
Only then did Tamara let out a breath and hang up. Her heart was still pounding wildly. She stared blankly at the bedside lamp.
How did Leilani know so much? Or did she know nothing and was just bluffing?
17:48
That guy was incompetent! Three attempts and he still couldn’t take out one woman! If he had just eliminated Leilani, none of this would be happening.
Tamara gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with malice. Her wedding with Milford was in a few days.
No one was going to ruin her wedding.
17:48
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