BLOODY LOVE'S
Episodes 174

Death has a scent that some people can smell. Robert could recognize him, he considered his abilities as part of the police instinct. But the scent of death that he smelled mostly came not from potential victims but the perpetrators.

When Jacob came to his house that morning, the smell of death was strong. Even the man's friendly smile could not hide his black eyes that shone coldly like ice.

This man, thought Robert wary, wanted to kill.

"Olivia?" Jacob turned to his wife as soon as he was welcome to sit in the living room. "Take Mrs Dawson for a walk, I'd like to talk to Mr. Dawson."

Robert gritted his teeth in annoyance because Jacob carelessly decided when he was the host. But he kept nodding to his wife. "Show our beehives in the yard," he said, deliberately choosing the place because it looks from the living room.

Their living room was just a small room adjacent to the reading room and leading to the hallway leading to the front door. A giant glass wall was on the side that led to the yard, the curtains were deliberately left open so that the sun could enter.

"You didn't come to be friendly" said Robert, offering a cigarette. In front of the low table that blocked them were two cups of hot tea.

"No," Jacob agreed. He received one stick and slipped it on his lips, igniting it with a lighter. "I came to make a complaint."

"You mean threat?" Robert laughed hoarsely, bored at Argent's way of solving the problem. "You know your sister did that at the police station yesterday? You must be proud of him, he's really exactly like Marco," his tone mocked, judgmental, "cruel, cold, heartless. He even threatened to harass Wayne's daughters!"

Jacob opened his mouth casually, releasing a puff of white smoke in small circles. "He must have had a reason to do it. If he wanted to sleep with Wayne's ugly daughters, I wouldn't comment. But I didn't come here to talk about Jose," he said, then stopped to think, "what did I come here for? You made me forget. Oh yes, a complaint. Look, good Mr. Dawson. You must've heard the commotion in front of Argent's house last night. There were many people from Jorm coming to stone our house! Wow, dead bodies everywhere, blood everywhere, my family getting hurt, you can't imagine that. My mom even—"

"Omong empty! No one was hurt!" robert was angry. "Don't make up a lie! They came but were detained by Clearwater who, cursed them, came without permission! Then you and Marco drove out Jorm's men! You think I don't know?"

Jacob lowered his gaze at the carpet, smacking his cigarette smoke into it.

"You think there's something I can hide from you in this Bjork?" robert, feeling victorious. The cigarette is still tucked in between the fingers, not yet turned on. He pointed at Jacob with that thing.

Jacob raised his face, pulled the cigarette from Robert's finger, and threw it into the tea cup in front of the man. He himself turned off his cigarette by dipping his butt into his tea cup, making the smell of cigarette smoke float wet in the air. The mocking smile that rose on Jacob's lips made Robert realize he had missteps, he was trapped.

"Right, Mr. Dawson," Jacob softly whispered. "Nothing can be hidden from you. You know exactly what happened last night. Then why wasn't there a single police patrol that night? You're taking issue with Clearwater's unlicensed people, but what about the Jorms coming in droves?"

Robert opened his mouth, ready to launch a defense. But the look in Jacob's eyes showed that the man would not accept any reason.

He raised his head to the side, towards the clear glass wall that led to the grounds. Robert followed the designated direction.

Olivia and Mrs Dawson were outside, embracing each other and joking around so intimately. This was the first time Robert had seen his wife laugh afterwards, and felt a pity for not being able to hear her clearly. Feeling noticed, Mrs Dawson raised her face and smiled as she looked into Robert's eyes. Olivia blinked one eye at Jacob, and the man lowered his head slowly once.

Robert understood what Jacob's arrival meant when after seeing the nod, Olivia took Mrs Dawson spinning in different directions so that she turned her back on them in the living room.

Olivia's hand looked like it was embracing Lady Dawson, but on her slender fingers was a small thin blade. The knife was stuck to Mrs Dawson's back. The end leads to the woman's neck.

Robert felt his heart being soaked in the burning ice. He even stopped breathing.

"You are so brave, sir," said Jacob slowly, turning the handle of his tea cup that had turned into an ashtray. "You act like you don't care about your own life, making me wonder where you put your life? Is it not in your own body? People think life is something that sticks to a person's physical body, but to me it's not. A man's life can be on things, on pets, on children, on wives."

Robert's whole body was trembling. He can't even get up. Olivia occasionally turned her head towards them, like waiting for a sign.

"You ..." Robert whispered softly, desperate. "Devil."

"Thank you for the compliment" Jacob said. "Since you believe we are demons, rest assured that we can drag you to the bottom of hell." He got up and corrected the position of his coat, now saying in a casual tone, "The matter at Bjork will soon be settled by the Argent Family, you don't have to do anything other than be quiet as a guard dog. I don't want my uncle or sister to have any more trouble because of you. If you promise to calm down, our wives might be friends. No one gets hurt, everyone is happy. Easy, right? Just stop acting like a hero, 'cause you're gonna make it all messy."

Robert didn't even have time to feel ashamed of being defeated like that. His head was misty, busy worrying about his wife, who was still threatened with the tip of Olivia's knife. He's mistaken. He thought Jacob had come to harm him, so he took his wife away with a woman who was just as demonic. He forgot that Olivia was already an Argent.

Jacob waved at Olivia. The woman deftly hid her knife back into the sleeves of the dress. Robert was not relieved.

"Uncle asked me not to interfere in this business," continued Jacob as he walked away. He stopped at the threshold of the living room opening and turned his head over his shoulder. "Therefore we have never met today. And you heard nothing from me. You weren't asked by me to resign once Bjork's problems were over."

Robert gulped, only to understand why Jacob called him Mr. Dawson instead of Inspector Robert from the beginning. Jacob didn't even ask what really happened in Bjork or try to understand first what mysteries made everyone go berserk like this. Jacob immediately slashed every thread that appeared indiscriminately, making Robert almost feel Marco more compassionate as a leader. At least Marco will make a decision after weighing so many options and possibilities.

But there is no point in comparing them. All of them are Argent. Robert drowned his back in his chair, strangled alone. He will prepare his resignation from now on. Anyway, he's tired. Real tired.

***