Chapter - 277
As Rick finished plating the pancakes, a trickle of maple syrup slipped off the spoon, landing on his pants. "Damn," he muttered, heading toward the washroom to clean up.
Turning on the tap, he began scrubbing the sticky spot, the sound of running water filling the small space. Then, faintly, beneath the rush of water, he thought he heard something else—a soft thud, followed by the creak of a door, and the muffled scuffle of hurried footsteps.
Thud... shuffle... whisper...
Rick paused, straining his ears. The sounds grew louder and sharper, each one seeping through the walls. Alarmed, he yanked on his clean pants and rushed out of the washroom. The sight that greeted him was shocking—a group of men, their faces set in hard, grim lines, had forced their way into the house. His heart raced as he realized they were trying to drag Jemimah away.
