Chapter 8: Bluffing is His Skill

Robert had to give it to Sophia for her sharp eye, but the problem was, all her connections were just that—her own thoughts. They couldn't be used as solid proof.

"Now we just gotta see if James has made any headway," Sophia said, standing up and straightening her clothes. "Let's get Cillian into the interrogation room."

Half an hour later, Sophia and Robert were back in the room, facing a very nervous Cillian.

Sophia cut to the chase, "We know about your shady business. No point in denying it."

"Rumors, all of them!" Cillian shouted, clearly pissed. "They just can't stand that Urban Harvest Eatery is doing well. What's wrong with using the names of prostitutes? It's just because those kinds of female characters are popular. I was just trying to cash in on that. Some people have dirty minds and see filth everywhere!"

He clearly had no clue someone had accused him of rape and murder, thinking it was just about the names of the waitresses.

Robert chimed in, "What about the male waiters?"

"I didn't want to show favoritism," Cillian said with a forced smile.

Robert just stared at him coldly, not saying a word, until Cillian started sweating bullets.

Being a former soldier, Robert had that intimidating presence. Just a few looks and Cillian was shaking.

"Yeah, I had some bad ideas," Cillian's voice wavered, almost in tears. "But I just wanted to use the names of prostitutes. I didn't actually want to commit a crime, really, I'm not lying."

That was possible; selling fantasies was a business too.

Sophia suddenly asked, "Did you know Brynn is dead?"

"What?" Cillian looked shocked.

"I didn't know. Brynn was a college student working here. She was talented, so I personally took her to perform for guests in private rooms. Everyone liked her; she was good at singing and dancing. How could she be dead?" Cillian's words tumbled out, clearly terrified.

Robert could tell his reaction was genuine, not an act.

Suddenly, Sophia's phone buzzed. She swiped to see a text from James.

James said he had eaten at Urban Harvest Eatery and even flirted with a waitress, but nothing happened. In fact, he got punched by a male waiter for flirting.

Sophia started to doubt herself. Had she misjudged this time?

Was Brynn really just working at a legit restaurant?

She put away her phone, her expression softening a bit. "Mr. Lockwood, to be honest, we called you here not because your restaurant is suspected of illegal prostitution, but because someone reported you raped Brynn."

"That's nonsense!" Cillian slammed the table in anger. "Bring him here to confront me. I've never done such a thing."

Sophia continued, "They also said you raped Brynn, got her pregnant, and she had to go to an illegal clinic for an abortion."

"Bullshit!" Cillian cursed, furious. "I'm the owner of a high-end restaurant. What kind of woman can't I get? Why would I need to rape?"

That was true. According to the investigation of Cillian's relationships, he had three lovers, all mature women, and no college students. Clearly, his preference wasn't for that type.

Sophia pressed, "So the truth is Brynn got pregnant while entertaining guests and had to get an abortion?"

"I told you, no. My restaurant is a legitimate talent restaurant," Cillian said, raising his voice a bit.

"Then what about the transfer a year ago? Why did you send money to Brynn, and the amount matches the abortion fee at the clinic?" Sophia's expression turned serious, her eyes drilling into Cillian.

Cillian felt like he was being stared down by a venomous snake, extremely uncomfortable. Under Sophia's sharp gaze, he stammered, "No, no such thing."

Hearing his answer, Sophia deflated. Turns out "bluffing" wasn't her strong suit.

Robert suddenly took a phone call. "Okay, I got it."

After hanging up, he looked decisively at Cillian. "Mr. Lockwood, we found a lot of unexplained cash at Brynn's house, and the fingerprints on it are still fresh. Once we match the fingerprints and confirm they're not yours, we'll let you go."

Cillian suddenly became agitated, "I, I occasionally give employees cash. I'm not a big fan of transfers; I always feel more secure with cash in hand..."

Robert's expression was cold and indifferent. He gave a relaxed smile and said slowly, "Looks like I guessed right."

Both Sophia and Cillian were stunned.

Robert glanced at Sophia, signaling her to step outside. She cooperatively pulled out her chair.

Outside, Sophia asked, "Were you bluffing him again?"

Robert nodded. "Cillian and Brynn had private transactions."

Most private transactions were illegal.

Sophia felt frustrated.

Why could Robert do it, but she couldn't?

Sophia's emotions affected Robert. He rubbed his nose and said, "But knowing this doesn't help; we still don't have evidence."

"How is it useless?" Sophia showed a determined smile. "Do you know that bills have serial numbers?"

"Yes."

"I guess the money Brynn used to buy luxury goods mostly came from illegal transactions, so those bags were probably bought with cash. If we find the money Brynn spent at the luxury store, we can trace the people who handled it. This will not only lead us to Cillian but also to the clients."

Robert's eyes lit up with admiration. He hadn't expected Sophia to quickly lock onto a lead just from knowing about the cash transactions between Brynn and Cillian.

Sophia yawned and waved to Robert. "Let's go, hurry up. If we dawdle, we'll be up all night."

Tracing the handlers of the bills was no small task.

Sophia and Robert went to the luxury store. After showing their credentials, everyone at the store was very cooperative. They quickly identified Brynn through the surveillance footage.

As she expected, Brynn used cash to buy the bags in the footage.

Sophia initially planned to check the serial numbers on the bills through the surveillance video, but the luxury store staff brought out the bundle of cash Brynn used that day.

According to the staff, they were prepared for such situations. "Many customers come with male companions. After the men pay, the women often come back with the receipt to return the items. Online returns are easy, but in-person returns require cash. To handle this, our store usually keeps some cash on hand."

Brynn bringing cash saved them a trip to the bank.

Sophia thought, 'This seems like a disguised form of payment for sex services. Looks like these luxury stores need to be investigated as well.'