The figure of Dexter gradually faded into the distance. Calvin was frantic on the shore. He made a beeline for Wayne, only to be stopped by the bodyguards. âCanât you control him, Mr. Dalton?â he demanded, his voice laced with desperation. âDonât be so full of yourself. If something happens to Dexter, youâre going down with him!â
Witnessing all that unfold, Wayne hadnât expected Arnold to be so audacious. He let out a muffled chuckle. âYour name is Calvin, right? Youâre as naive as Dexter. Well, after watching all that unfold for a night, Iâm beat. Itâs time for me to leave.â
Wayne raised his hand, signaling for the team to disband.
His group was heading back when they saw a car driving against the traffic. It was unmistakably Mallory. She didnât even properly park before she jumped out of the car, quickly running to Calvinâs side, brushing past Wayne as she did.
She said something, and the tension in Calvin eased somewhat. Only then did she turn around, narrowing her eyes at the retreating figure. âIs that Mr. Dalton? Heâs nothing but a shady sewer rat!â
The large ship sped across the ocean, swiftly leaving the territorial waters of Wavery behind. Arnold holstered his gun, and the two men sat together on the deck, gazing out at the boundless sea.
âWas it worth it? The money wasnât retrieved,â questioned Dexter.
âWhat I detested most was your demeanor, acting as if you had everything under control. Even when the woman you loved died, you remained utterly indifferent.â
âShe, dead?â Dexter took out a pack of cigarettes, offering one to Arnold. âI donât think so.â
Arnold narrowed his eyes, a sense of unease creeping in. âWhat are you implying?â he asked.
âYouâve said a lot of foolish things, but you got one thing right, and that is, I love her.â
At that moment, the sea breeze stirred the loose strands of hair on Dexterâs forehead. He didnât appear lost like a prisoner, but rather, he exuded the contentment of a man who had just won a great victory.
Arnold didnât take the offered cigarette, his entire body tense. âYou rescued Josie? Itâs impossible! The water dungeon was sealed from all sides. No one else could open it!â
âWe share a common trait. Weâre both rather self-assured,â Dexter said, a slow smile spreading across his face. He lit a cigarette and took a drag. âIn truth, Josie didnât die, which was a good thing for you. Otherwise, you wonât escape so easily. However, I believe you wouldnât have let her die, right? There were mechanisms in the water dungeon, werenât there? You were so decisive, but it was all to provoke me, to provoke Mr. Zabinski and the others. I have to admit, you succeeded.â
Dexter spoke slowly, his every word and sentence delivered with precision. He gazed into the distance where a fleet of ships was approaching head-on. âYouâve deceived Mr. Zabinski, and youâve fooled Mark. Heâs probably wishing he could kill you. Donât you think so?â
Arnoldâs eyes widened as he saw the fleet of ships approaching head-on, swiftly encircling his vessel. On the largest of those ships, there stood a remarkably spry elderly man, Mark.
âHow could he be here? He clearly knows nothing! Josie wouldnât let him find out either!â To a certain extent, Arnold truly understood Josie.
He had a grasp on her psyche and could accomplish half of what he set out to do. However, he fundamentally didnât understand Dexter.
Markâs stern voice echoed through the loudspeaker, âArnold, you are surrounded by water on all sides. If I were to kill you here, no one would ever know. If you have any sense, youâll abandon ship yourself.â
Though he was old, his voice still resonated with authority. It was laced with a mix of anger and sorrow that he struggled mightily to suppress.
It took Arnold a moment to regain his composure, and then it hit him. Back at the dock, Dexter had repeatedly said that Josie was dead. He was trying to convey a message.