After what seemed like an eternity, the distinct sound of glass breaking pierced the air.
Jemma wasted no time and made the call.
The phone rang persistently, stirring fears that Jarrod might not pick up.
Jemma had called Jarrodâs personal number.
Although securing it hadnât been difficult for Jemma, there was always the chance Jarrod might be away from his phone or dismiss calls from unknown numbers.
Likely, he wouldnât recognize her number.
As the phone continued to ring, Jemmaâs patience thinned, and she considered driving over herself.
At last, the Line connected.
âHello, who is this?â The voice on the other end was deep and resonant.
A wave of relief washed over Jemma.
It wasnât the irksome Alec on the line.
It was Jarrod himself.
Thank goodness.
âMr.
Schultz, itâs Jemma Acosta from Kingbel Club,â Jemma introduced herself.
Jarrod responded with a languid tone, clearly relaxed, âYes?â
âIâm sorry to disturb you at this hour, Mr.
Schultz.
Hereâs the situationâ¦â
Jemma hesitated before continuing, âThis evening, Miss Doreen Schultz and Miss Vicki Hampton visited the club.
They were in a chamber, seemed to have quite a few drinks, and it got pretty loud.
I thought it best to call you to check on things.
â
Jarrodâs response was dismissive, his voice deep and unbothered.
âTheyâre just having fun.
Let them be.
â
âButâ¦â Jemma paused again, unsure how to continue.
Impatient, Jarrod urged, âIf thereâs more, say it now.
â
âThey had requested Nicole to serve them.
Itâs been a long time, and she hasnât come out yet,â Jemma added.
There was a pause on the other end of the line.
Jemma couldnât gauge Jarrodâs thoughts, The silence was total.
Jemma pressed on, âUsually, it wouldnât worry me, but with the inspections these past few days, Iâm concerned.
What if Miss Schultz gets too carried away and the inspectors show up? Could that not lead to trouble?â
Still, no response came, not even the sound of breathing.
For a moment, Jemma wondered if Jarrod had hung up.
She ventured cautiously, âMr.
Schultz, should weâ¦â
Yet, the Line went dead.
Jemma stood there, bewildered.
What did this mean? Was Jarrod on his way? She considered calling back but remembered Nicoleâs strict instruction that one call only, regardless of the outcome.
Resisting the urge to dial again, Jemmaâs anxiety mounted.
She decided to wait at the clubâs entrance.
Time dragged on, and as Jemma was about to give herself a twenty-minute ultimatum to intervene, a black stretch Limousine sped toward her, arriving in just ten minutes.