?Chapter 978:


    Joanne’s expression remained unchanged as she approached and rapped on the bathroom door.


    “Who’s there?” The water’s flow softened, and Dustin’s voice came through, slightly muffled.


    Joanne replied evenly, “Dolores Davidson is on the phone for you. She mentioned…”


    Before she could finish, the water cut off entirely, followed by a rustle from inside. The bathroom door flew open. Dustin, already dressed, fixed his gaze on the phone in Joanne’s hand.


    “Who said you could touch my phone?” he demanded, his voice sharp with anger as he snatched it from her without waiting for a response. Joanne flinched, her wrist stinging, and looked up to see Dustin ring at the phone, his face taut with tension.


    Joanne widened her eyes in disbelief. She let out a soft scoff. “You left your phone downstairs after your swim. It was ringing, so I brought it up. And this is how you thank me? That’s awfully harsh.”


    Dustin’s irritation red every time Joanne spoke. “Get out,” he snapped.


    Those who knew Dustin understood how rare it was for him to lose his cool. He usually carried himself with aid-back, almost yful air. Around women, he was effortlessly charming, disarming them with a quick wit and a few well-chosen words. This was the first time he had ever shown such raw anger toward a woman.


    Joanne was clearly offended, but since the call involved Linsey, she forced herself to stay calm.


    “Be careful. Mrs. Wade might show up any second, and you won’t have time to react,” Joanne warned before walking out. She mmed the door behind her, the loud bang echoing through the hallway.


    As she walked away, her irritation grew. Dustin’s attitude reyed in her head like an annoying tune she couldn’t shake off. Kase had imed Dustin was easygoing and pleasant. Clearly, Kase had it all wrong.


    Find your imagination at galn  ovels ; con


    What was so special about this hot-headed, spoiled man that made him worth trying to impress?


    Joanne bit her lip, anger simmering inside her. Jeffery, who was gentle and calm, was way out of Dustin’s league. Her gaze dropped as she remembered what Dolores had said about Linsey over the phone. Linsey looked so much like Jeffery. Maybe it was just a gut feeling, but Joanne strongly believed there was a blood connection between the two.


    Otherwise, how could two strangers look so much alike?


    She had hoped to use Linsey to get closer to Jeffery. But Linsey had already seen her at the Walton family’s estate. That n was now useless.


    Linsey seemed to believe she was close to Haven. That meant she would be on guard around her.


    Joanne sighed softly, the sting of being driven out by Dustin already fading from her mind.


    Just then, the door behind her swung open again. She turned to see Dustin throwing on his coat, his expression tense and focused. His eyes showed urgency—something was clearly wrong. Dolores had just called him, so why did he still look so troubled?


    This was different from the usual anger he carried around.


    Joanne sensed something wasn’t right. She quickly stepped in front of him. “Where are you going?”


    Dustin had just learned that Linsey and Collin were missing. He didn’t have time for anything else. Throwing on his jacket, he headed straight out. He also knew that Gorman’s parents had arrived in Grester.


    He hadn’t considered the Greens a threat. But with Linsey and Collin out of touch for over three hours—and without any security—it was impossible not to worry.


    .


    .


    .