Chapter 23

Tate glared at his son, shaking his head in disappointment.

"Are you serious? How could you fall for something like that?"

Philip muttered, "I was just trying to make some cash."

Tate sighed, "When they ask you anything, just say you don't know, alright?"

"Yeah, got it."

Tate brought Philip to the door. "Sorry to keep you waiting, officers."

"No worries. Philip, come with us."

The cops flanked Philip and led him to the squad car.

Tate's wife was furious. "Tate, you're useless! Philip's been taken by the police. Do something!"

"If you want Philip back, then shut up."

She was too scared to say another word. "What happened?"

Tate's face was grim. "He's mixed up with drug dealers. What do you think happened?"

"So what if he's involved? Philip didn't sell drugs."

Tate didn't bother explaining further. She wouldn't understand the gravity of the situation anyway.

He locked himself in his study, took out his phone from the drawer, and dialed a number.

As soon as the call connected, Tate's demeanor became much more respectful.

"Sorry to bother you, but I need your help with something."

"It's about Philip, isn't it?" The voice on the other end was cold.

Tate sighed. "Yeah, it's about him. The cops just took him away."

"Tate, don't blame me, but I can't help you with this."

Tate was stunned. "What..."

"Ethan's café has been under surveillance for a while. Philip's connection to it is too murky."

"If I help you now, I might get implicated too."

Tate's face turned pale. He gripped the phone tightly, trying to keep his voice steady. "It's fine. I'll figure something out."

After hanging up, Tate sat in his chair, the words "the café is under surveillance" echoing in his mind.

"Tate, what's going on? When are you bringing Philip back?"

His wife barged into the study, cursing. Seeing Tate's dazed look, she asked, "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing."

"If it's nothing, then go get Philip. He'll be uncomfortable in a strange place."

Tate didn't hear a word of her nagging.

If this wasn't handled properly, his position as a city councilman would be at risk.

In the interrogation room, Philip sat defiantly in the chair, glaring at the officers.

"Ask whatever you need to ask. I need to get home."

The officers chuckled. "Philip, you're not going home today."

Philip's anger flared. "What do you mean? Do you know who I am?"

"Do you know who my dad is?"

"Philip, I suggest you cooperate."

"Just tell us what you know."

Philip's voice softened. "I don't know anything."

One of the officers pulled out the café's membership records and the payment history from the café to Philip.

"Then explain this."

"Why did Ethan transfer money to you every month?"

"And for two years?"

Philip sat back. "I have shares in the café. It's just dividends, okay?"

The officers exchanged knowing smiles. "Since you're a shareholder, that makes things easier."

"Ethan used the café to launder drug money."

Philip interrupted, "Don't ask me. I don't know anything about that. I just took my dividends. How would I know where the money came from?"

The officers didn't respond. They stood up and left, leaving Philip confused and shouting after them.

"Hey! What do you mean? Hey!"

No one answered him.

"Captain Smith, what do we do? We can only hold him for twenty-four hours."

Behind the interrogation room's glass, Kian asked Travis for his opinion.

Travis rolled his eyes. "Didn't you hear what he just said?"

Kian looked puzzled.

"He said he's a shareholder."

Kian's eyes lit up. "Right! How could I have forgotten that?"

He immediately went to apply for an arrest warrant. As for when Philip would be released, who could say?

Travis sat in his office, playing with his phone, waiting for a call.

The phone suddenly vibrated.

Seeing the caller ID, Travis smiled. It was time.

He answered, and Tate's angry voice came through. "Travis, what are you trying to do?"

"Mr. Mitchell, what are you talking about? I don't understand." Travis's tone was playful.

Tate sat in his study, his face dark. "When will Philip be released?"

"Mr. Mitchell, I'm afraid that's not possible."

Travis leaned back in his chair. "Philip just admitted he's a shareholder of the café. We can't release him."

"The café was involved in drug trafficking, and Philip is a shareholder. You see the problem..."

The call ended with a dial tone.

Travis casually placed his phone on the desk.

"Captain Smith, we've found something."

Charles entered with a laptop, looking excited. "Captain Smith, look!"

The surveillance footage showed Aurora with a man in the neighborhood before she died.

"Can't it be clearer?"

Charles looked aggrieved. "Captain, be grateful. This is the best we could get from that poor neighborhood."

In the holding cell, Philip lay on the cold bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Philip, someone wants to see you."

The officer brought Tate in.

"Dad... when can I..."

"Shut up!" Tate snapped. "You can't avoid this."

"Tell me the truth. Were you involved in the café's drug trafficking?"

"Dad, I really wasn't. Ethan just offered me dividends for registering my name. That's it."

Tate looked thoughtful.

Philip quickly added, "Dad, when can I go home?"

"You can't. You can't explain that money. Ethan used you."

Philip's face changed. "Dad, no, I have to go home."

"Don't worry. They can't hold you for long. Just say you don't know anything."

Philip nodded obediently, looking outside with a hesitant expression.

Tate sensed something was wrong. "Are you hiding something from me?"

Philip hesitated, then whispered, "About Aurora's death..."

"What do you know?"

"It was Henry Campbell from Campbell Corporation."