You Looked Down on Me Once Now You Look Up (Patricia and Oliver) novel Chapter 552

“We’ve been working the Emerson case for weeks, but there’s something about it that just doesn’t add up. Wilma stayed quiet all these years—why would she suddenly step forward now and accuse Emerson? Who’s really pulling the strings behind all this?”

Brandon’s partner leaned back in his chair at the station, eyeing him over the stacks of paperwork. “Don’t you think the way everything’s played out is weird? Every time we make progress, it’s like some new danger pops up out of nowhere, and then, bam, the suspect practically walks right up to us.”

“Feels like the universe is spoon-feeding us clues,” he joked.

Brandon paused, his hands hovering over the keyboard, lost in thought. That question—who’s behind all this—kept echoing in his mind. Patricia’s face flashed before his eyes.

He let the silence hang before he finally said, “We’ll find out soon enough.”

His partner kept going, clearly hooked on the drama. “I’ve been following the Emerson case pretty closely. I heard from someone at Martin Group that Emerson’s thinking of stepping down and giving the company to his wife. Do you think this is all some big husband-and-wife power struggle?”

Brandon just shrugged. “No clue.”

His partner nudged him. “Come on, take a guess. Emerson’s always been in charge. Tina’s just the chairman’s wife—never really held the reins herself. If this whole mess ends up with her in control, who else stands to gain more?”

“Oh, and get this—the whole thing supposedly started because Emerson cheated. He’s seeing some girl way younger than his own daughter. She’s pregnant, too.”

Brandon’s mug lid slipped from his hand and hit the floor with a loud clatter.

He slid his chair back and reached down to pick it up. “Where’d you even hear that?”

“My cousin works at Martin Group. Everybody there knows by now. Apparently, even Emerson’s mom is still on his side.”

“So, if you think about it, maybe Tina’s behind all of this?” his partner suggested.

Brandon didn’t answer. He just let his partner ramble, his mind drifting back to that morning at the bakery. Patricia was about to leave when he’d quietly asked her, “You’ve planned all of this. Aren’t you worried it’ll blow up in your face?”

Patricia had just laughed, cold and sharp. “Worried? That fire won’t touch me.”

It was the hottest part of July, but the glass of water in his hand felt ice-cold.

Night had fallen outside. Police cars kept coming and going in the lot, red and blue lights flashing. Brandon sat at his desk, flipping through case files, glancing out the window every so often at the street below—packed and buzzing, not a parking spot in sight.

“Brandon, what’s going on with you? Your phone’s been ringing forever.”

His coworker finally kicked him under the desk to get his attention.

He snapped out of it, grabbed his phone, and walked out into the hall.

“Mr. Lantz, do you have time to meet?” Patricia’s voice was calm and gentle on the other end.

Brandon’s grip tightened around his phone. “No, I don’t.”