"Fees?" Leo looked visibly confused. At Jean's mention of fees, he was befuddled, as if he'd never heard the word before.
Jean felt something was amiss. So she asked again, this time a little more politely and understandingly," Yes, fees. We need to pay you your fees, don't we?"
She looked at Moore for support, who was just as confused as she was. He gave her a look of confused awe.
Jean was now wondering whether they were speaking to the right guy. Maybe Leo wasn't a detective and they had mixed him up with someone else.
'Why is he acting so strange!' she thought to herself.
But then Leo's face relaxed into a smile," Oh, now I see what you mean!" He finally understood what Jean's explanation was all about and went on to say," The thing is that this is my first case ever. I am new to this business and don't know how things work. So as long as you trust me and we are comfortable with each other, I don't mind working on this case for you, for free."
Jean wasn't sure she heard him right. "For free?" she said. Her confused expression now shone with wonder, as she looked at Moore for validation on what had just transpired.
This time, Moore looked at her too.
They were both suspicious of everything that was happening. And both knew, that they were thinking the exact same thing.
Maybe this was the wrong guy. This couldn't be right.
'He looks like a liar, '
thought Moore. He frowned a little and addressing the new strange man, spoke," Mr. Li?"
"Yes." he nodded. He gave Moore a warm smile and said," Please call me by my name. Mr. Li sounds very awkward. There is no need for formalities."
Jean was getting increasingly worried. "Mr. Li, you said this was your first case. Would you please care to tell us, what it is that you did before taking this profession up?"
"Well, I... I have recently graduated from college, majoring in computers." Leo almost blushed, having been questioned by Jean. "This is my passion. I have watched Detective Conan and Sherlock Homes, over 100 times. I am in this profession out of passion."
Jean, who was drinking coffee, spat her drink out in shock, when she heard Leo speak. She squirted it all over Leo by mistake, as she heard the words Detective Conan and Sherlock Homes.
Hasty and embarrassed, she apologised," I'm so sorry!" She quickly offered a tissue, now flustered by what she had done.
"It is alright. Don't worry about it." Wiping the coffee off his clothes, Leo calmly explain
“Let's go and register our marriage on your birthday!”
Marrying Daniel should have been her best birthday gift, but everything was ruined the moment when she caught him sleeping with another woman on the day before her birthday.
“He’s going to marry that woman! She... was my best friend!"
he sighed, helplessly.
Moore understood and simply said comfortingly," Then let it be. Let's just trust him."
Jean nodded in agreement. "I guess you're right. That's what we should do." The duo walked out, settling the bills before going back to the hospital.
Walking out of the gates, Jean suddenly remembered what Toby had once said to her. Reminiscing his words, she broke into a smile.
Seeing her smile, Moore, who was walking next to her, asked her why she was smiling. "What happened, why are you suddenly smiling?"
Jean faced towards him and said," Do you remember Toby?"
Moore paused for a second and said," Yes, I do. What about him?"
Jean smiled again and simply shook her head. "Before he left, he had specifically asked me to not leave the hospital. But we've left and we're quite safe now. It seems to me that he lied to me. That video was just uploaded to humiliate me.
I don't think he ever meant to kill me."
At a distance, Toby was carefully following the duo. He sighed to himself and mumbled, 'You underestimate your enemy, Mrs. Jean.'
But Moore's sharp ears picked up the words. He frantically looked around but in the bustling crowds, saw no familiar face. Afraid, he held Jean by the hand and ran back into the hospital.
Taken by absolute surprise, Jean looked at him, not knowing what was happening "What's wrong?"
Moore said," Let's first get back into the hospital room. I'll explain everything to you there." Moore just didn't take his eyes off Jean. But he did not dare to halt, lest it would affect them dangerously. His only focus was to get them both to immediate safety into the hospital.