Chapter 501: The Apricot Blossoms_1
Mrs. Foster said, “The last time the ransom note was delivered, I happened to be there too, and I smelled a faint floral scent on the letter… Ah, actually I’m not sure, with such a thing happening, it’s terrifying enough to kill you…”
Mrs. Foster sighed and then gently patted Mrs. Graves’s shoulder, urging, “Shania, you must take care of yourself. The second young master is still waiting for us to save him; you can’t collapse first!”
A nearby police officer said, “It’s unlikely that the kidnapper would deliberately choose paper with a floral scent to write the ransom note. How did the fragrance get on it? Mrs. Foster, are you sure? Could you smell it again and tell us what kind of floral scent it was?”
After hearing this, Mrs. Graves looked toward Mrs. Foster with tear-filled eyes, “Yes, your husband runs a perfume company, doesn’t he? You’re very sensitive to all kinds of scents, maybe this is a clue!”
Bella Foster’s father was a research and development staff member at a perfume company before. Later, he secured an investment and established his own perfume brand, becoming a celebrity.
Being close to red, one turns red; Mrs. Foster’s knowledge of various scents was exceptional.
The ransom note was handed to Mrs. Foster just as it was, and she concentrated and took a sniff, her face showing difficulty, “It’s been three days already, the scent seems to have evaporated quite a bit… I, I can’t quite discern it anymore.”
Mrs. Graves felt that the last sliver of hope was destroyed, and tears suddenly poured, “My son…”
Gavin Graves and the police officer also showed disappointment.
Mrs. Foster then suggested, “What about letting Bella try? She inherited her father’s nose; it’s very sensitive. Now, when her dad develops new products, he always has her smell them first.”
Mrs. Graves said in a flurry, “Where is Bella now? … Quick, quick, go bring Ms. Foster here!” Saying so, she went to find a servant.
Although Gavin had ordered that Bella Foster was not allowed to visit, given the current situation, he naturally wouldn’t ignore his younger brother’s safety; therefore, he immediately sent someone to invite Bella over.
Bella Foster arrived quickly.
Unlike her usual heavy makeup and glamorous dressing, today she appeared with a plain face and without any jewelry, obviously having had no time to dress up.
Upon seeing Bella Foster, Mrs. Graves tightly grabbed her hand, “Good child, your second brother is in trouble, now we’re all counting on you!”
Bella was only two years younger than Gerald Graves. They grew up together, and when she was younger, she would follow Gerald around every day, calling him second brother.
“Auntie, my mom already told me everything. Don’t worry, the second young master will definitely be alright!” Bella Foster said.
Gavin handed her the ransom note, but Bella didn’t rush to take it. Looking down, she said, “Young Master Graves, I’m going to wash my hands.”
Even the faintest body odor or sweat on the hands can affect olfactory judgment.
Bella first soaked her hands in water. After washing, she waited for them to air-dry naturally before picking up the ransom note from the table with extreme caution.
She placed it close to her nose and smelled it gently.
Then she set it down, waited a moment, and picked it up again, sniffs repeatedly.
While Bella was doing all this, everyone else held their breath, not daring to disturb her or come too close.
Mrs. Foster explained to Mrs. Graves, “Scents are the most complex. Even a tiny component can drastically affect the fragrance. If you encounter scents that are easily confused, you must smell them in stages to carefully distinguish the subtle differences.”
Mrs. Graves nodded, not quite understanding but with urgency in her eyes, watching Bella, hoping she could discern something.
Bella did not disappoint; after placing the ransom note down one last time, her face showed a look of relief and she said, “It’s apricot blossom!”
“Apricot blossom?” Mrs. Graves eagerly looked towards Gavin, “Quick, send people to search! Search places with apricot blossom!”