Chapter 8: An Encounter with Human Traffickers

Wesley worked in the funeral business, which was pretty unique.

At first, everyone thought Wesley was just a victim, so no one suspected him. But if Russell hired hitmen to take him out, there had to be some bad blood. What kind of beef did Russell have with him?

Olivia decided to head to Harmony City and asked Henry for permission.

"Mr. Phillips, please let me go!" Olivia asked.

Henry drummed his fingers on the desk, his eyes locking onto Olivia's bright ones. Her eyes were stunning, especially when she smiled.

Henry snapped out of it, wondering what the heck he was thinking. After a few moments of changing expressions, he finally said, "You can go as part of the task force. This time, I'll lead the team!"

"Really? Thank you, Mr. Phillips!" Olivia shouted, running out happily. Watching her leave, Henry couldn't help but smile too.

The crew set off for Harmony City in the afternoon. It was just a two to three-hour drive from Emerald City, and they took the highway, so Olivia didn't have to worry about a bumpy ride.

Henry was driving, William was in the back seat, and Olivia was in the passenger seat.

Olivia had hoped to sit with William, but the back seat was crammed with gear, leaving only one spot. William, not wanting to sit up front with Henry, nudged Olivia to take that seat instead.

"Olivia, do me a solid. I'll treat you to dinner when we get back, okay?" William begged.

Olivia laughed. "He's not a monster!"

Actually, after spending more time with Henry, Olivia realized he was a pretty decent guy, despite his odd temper and intimidating gaze.

But William couldn't handle it. Since joining the Detective Units, he had been scared of Henry. Sitting next to Henry for the whole trip would drive him nuts!

Seeing William's pleading look, Olivia finally nodded.

"Olivia, I owe you a meal. When we get to Harmony City, I'll treat you to some local food!" William promised.

Olivia nodded in agreement.

William happily sat in the back seat, and Olivia opened the passenger door.

Henry was already inside. Seeing Olivia get in, Henry put out his cigarette and silently started the car.

Once on the highway, William dozed off. Olivia stayed awake, watching the scenery outside.

Suddenly, Henry glanced at her and noticed her slender neck. Because of the short distance, he could even see the fine hairs on Olivia's ears.

Henry rubbed his fingers. Realizing what he was doing, he quickly turned back, almost losing control of the steering wheel.

Olivia didn't notice any of this. When she turned back, she saw Henry driving seriously.

"Where do you plan to start with the investigation of Wesley?" Henry suddenly asked.

Olivia thought for a moment and turned to look at Henry.

"Through his job and his wife!" Olivia replied.

Henry turned to meet Olivia's gaze, a slight smile indicating he agreed with her plan.

"Why?" Henry asked.

Olivia replied, "There are many reasons someone might kill, but the most common are revenge or a crime of passion."

Revenge would mean Russell had a grudge against Wesley; otherwise, Russell wouldn't have hired Terry and Nash to kill Wesley. But such a grudge wouldn't be enough for Wesley to kill in return, unless it was...

"A crime of passion!" Henry concluded.

She looked up and shared a smile with Henry. This was probably the most chill moment they'd had in the past three months.

Olivia took a good look at Henry. He was all about seriousness—his clothes, his talk, everything. But she figured that behind every serious guy, there was a thoughtful heart.

Over an hour later, Henry pulled into a service area. Olivia hopped out to use the restroom, and Henry went to grab some water, leaving William snoozing in the car.

When Olivia came out of the restroom, she saw a woman with a headscarf rushing out with something tucked under her arm.

But then, there was a commotion inside the restroom.

"Joe, Joe, where are you?" a woman's voice called out.

Olivia quickly turned and rushed back in.

"Is your child missing?" Olivia asked.

Hearing her, the woman panicked, searching the restroom and then breaking down in tears.

Olivia thought of the woman who had hurried out and immediately chased after her.

She ran around the parking lot. Since it was a service area, the woman must have come by car. The highway was fenced off, so it was tough for outsiders to get in.

With that in mind, Olivia started checking each car.

"Police officer, please open your trunk!" Olivia said, flashing her badge. There was no time to inform Henry.

Henry heard the crying from the restroom and came over. After learning that a child was missing, he immediately rushed out.

Seeing Olivia checking vehicles, Henry headed to the other side where several trucks were parked. He showed his badge, and the truck drivers quickly got out.

"Sir, we're just transporting goods. We're law-abiding citizens, not doing anything wrong!" one of the truck drivers said.

"I'm not saying you did anything wrong. A child is missing in the service area, and we think the kid might be hidden in the parking lot. So, all vehicles need to be searched," Henry explained.

When Henry showed his badge, the truck drivers immediately cooperated. Hearing that a child was missing, they also got anxious and quickly helped search.

Olivia had checked several cars without any luck and hadn't seen the woman with the headscarf. She started to feel anxious.

If they were dealing with human traffickers, finding the kid ASAP was crucial. Once the optimal time passed, the child could be moved or never found.

At that moment, Olivia approached a van with tinted windows, making it impossible to see inside. Olivia showed her badge and knocked on the window. "Police, we need to conduct an inspection. Please cooperate with us."

Olivia called out twice, but there was no response from inside. She could see shadows inside but no one spoke. Olivia's expression changed, and she slowly reached for her gun.

She was almost certain the missing child, Joe Watson, was in this van. In the next moment, a warm hand covered her hand on the gun.

"Clear the area!" Henry whispered in Olivia's ear.

Olivia turned, her cheek brushing against Henry's stubbly chin. But she couldn't worry about that now.

"Henry, be careful!" Olivia warned.