Page 66 of Sixty Meters Under

“Not yet, but we’re positive we’ll solve this case soon.”

“Then why are you wasting your time here?” Richard asked, still facing the wall.

Lennart pursed his lips. “I came to talk to you about last night.”

“I told you everything, I have nothing to add,” Richard said and continued to lay in the same position.

“Are you sure?”

Richard remained quiet. Lennart waited, but soon realized there was no point, he turned and left.

Chapter 19

The red-haired woman walked past him, turned and held out her hand. A bright smile adorned her face, but Ryosuke didn’t smile back at her, nor was he eager to take her hand. He noticed she wasn’t his fiancé as he first thought. This woman was a little bit taller, her hair a darker shade of red, reminding him of blood. He stood his ground and stared back at the woman while she waited with her hand still outstretched towards him.

“Ryosuke, follow me,” the woman spoke up.

Where’s Ayame!?Ryosuke asked himself and looked around.

The red-haired woman grabbed his hand and tried to pull him along with her. Ryosuke felt a rush of panic and made his greatest effort to free his hand from her grip.

“No! Scarlett!” he screamed but no voice came out of his mouth.

The red-haired woman giggled and pulled him closer.

“Let go of my hand!” Ryosuke shouted, still trying to free himself. He found himself dragged by her, so he tried even louder, “Let me go!” But the woman didn’t listen to his order.

“Are you scared, my love?” the red-haired woman asked, and as she turned to him once more, he saw Ayame’s face.

“You’re bleeding!” He gasped out the words, shocked to see his fiancé with traces of blood on her face.

“What are you talking about?” The woman tilted her head and smiled sweetly. She continued to walk forward unconcerned.

“I don’t want to go with you!” Ryosuke tugged his arm away but still couldn’t get it free. His breathing quickened, and he felt weaker with every passing second.

“Come with me. Love.”

“No! Let me go!” Ryosuke cried out again, and pulled with all his might, but Ayame’s hold was stronger. Just when he thought that there wasn’t any hope left for him, he felt arms wrap around his torso from behind.

“You’re free now.” Ryosuke heard a familiar male voice behind his ear, and he was pulled away from the woman. He saw how his hands were free again and noticed how the red-haired woman was lost in the distance. Instant relief washed over him as he let himself be pulled in the opposite direction.

Ryosuke opened his eyes with a gasp. He pushed himself into a sitting position while he struggled to calm his rapid breathing.

His world continued to spin but his mind managed to catch on clues between a dream and reality.It was a dream. It was just a dream.

Ryosuke ran his hands over his face while his thoughts were still flooded with the remnants of his dream. He closed his eyes shut again when the realization hit him–It was Lennart!Ryosuke opened his eyes wide when he remembered the person who pulled him to safety. Confusion swirled in his head while the warmth spread through his body. Ryosuke felt his face becoming heated and he pressed his palms to his eyes even though there was no one to hide from; his fiancé was still fast asleep.

It was just a dream. A dream.Ryosuke repeated to himself.

When he had calmed down a little bit, he checked the digital watch; 5:50. Ryosuke realized that there was still a lot of time for him to get more sleep, so he put his head back on the pillow and turned to the side. A few minutes passed, but he was still having trouble falling back to sleep.

?

Lennart placed his tray on the table and slumped in the chair. Anna looked up, she was already sitting at the table and waiting for him to join her.

“How’s the case going?” she asked.

“At a snail’s pace.” Lennart sighed and took a bite from his pastry. “The problem is we don’t have cameras in private rooms and in the restrooms. In this case we have no witnesses.”