Chapter 33
Chapter 33
"Why'd you decide to do it yourself?"
Lyle looked at Jerry like he was an idiot. "Officer, dealing drugs and making drugs both get you heavy sentences. Since both are heavy, I went for the one with higher profits."
Jerry was momentarily speechless.
For the next while, Lyle spilled everything he knew.
One thing was undeniable, their appearance opened a new world for Jerry.
He had been in the narcotics division for a long time and heard countless reasons for drug dealing.
But Lyle's reason was a first.
"Because I couldn't afford drugs, I started dealing."
Could that even be considered a reason?
Jerry dragged his tired body out of the interrogation room.
Terry, holding the records, came out of the room, chuckling.
Seeing Jerry not far away, Terry called out, "Jerry!"
Jerry nodded. "Organize the records and send them to my office."
"Yes, sir!"
...
Meanwhile, on the other side of town.
Travis sat on his living room couch.
The ashtray was overflowing with cigarette butts, and the air was thick with a pungent smell.
His eyes were fixed on the closed door.
Unbeknownst to him, Elaine was standing at the door, looking at it but lacking the courage to knock.
Elaine took a deep breath and was about to knock when the door opened.
Travis stood there with a trash bag, a cigarette dangling from his mouth.
He wore slippers and oversized beach shorts.
A very casual outfit.
Seeing Elaine at the door, Travis was a bit surprised.
"Cap... Captain Smith..." Elaine, usually sharp-tongued, was now stuttering.
"Want me to take that out for you?"
Under Elaine's gaze, Travis placed the trash at the door.
He pointed to his living room, the meaning clear.
Elaine awkwardly walked into the room.
She had been here a few times, but never felt this tense.
Travis, wearing a gray tank top, took two drinks from the fridge. "You weren't this nervous last time you came."
Elaine chuckled awkwardly. "That was unexpected." Her mind was a mess.
All the prepared words were forgotten.
Travis went to his study, took out a dusty file, and placed it on the coffee table.
Elaine looked curiously, her pupils dilating!
It was here!
The same file she saw in Jerry's office.
Inside was a name—George!
Travis sat on the couch, observing Elaine's subtle changes.
Years of police experience made him keenly aware of the momentary shift.
He didn't point it out, casually asking, "Jerry said you looked into this case. Any thoughts?"
Elaine tried to stay calm, taking a deep breath. "I just feel there are too many suspicious points in this case."
Travis took a sip of water, eyes fixed on Elaine, speaking in a deep voice, "Especially regarding George?"
Hearing the name, Elaine's hand behind her back turned white from gripping.
She kept telling herself, 'Elaine, stay in control!'
She recalled all the details from the file.
"George has many suspicious points, and his name appears frequently."
"Almost everything is related to George."
Travis lit a cigarette, didn't speak, and leaned back on the couch, watching Elaine.
"Who is this George?"
Travis looked at Elaine with interest. "You don't know?"
"Jerry didn't tell me."
"Because our positions don't allow us to access the core of the case, it's not that he didn't tell you, but we also don't know George's background."
Travis opened the case file, revealing a photo.
The gray photo showed a unique emblem.
A bronze badge with a fish-like creature engraved on it.
The fish encircled the entire badge.
Seeing the badge, Elaine's face changed.
Travis stood up, his expression serious. "Give me that thing."
Elaine's expression froze, her hand covering the pocket at her waist. Travis saw her move and reached forward.
He lifted her small frame effortlessly.
"Clink."
A bronze badge fell to the ground.
Travis put Elaine down, picked up the badge.
Holding the badge, he stared at Elaine, questioning, "What do you know?"
As they faced off, the phone on the couch rang.
Travis glanced at it, then answered in front of Elaine.
Elaine heard clearly, "Captain Smith, Hayes found Roy and Eugene, but..."
"But what?"
"Captain Smith, you should come see for yourself."
Travis hung up, tossed the phone on the couch.
He looked at Elaine, grabbed his coat from the rack, and said sternly before leaving, "Wait for me."
The tone sounded like a husband leaving home with a caring remark.
Elaine sat on the couch, dazed.
Her eyes fixed on the file on the table.
She knew every word in that file by heart.
Because it was her father's case.
...
Travis arrived at the criminal investigation department with a heavy heart.
Kelvin stood nervously at the door.
Seeing Travis's car, he immediately approached. "Captain Smith, Roy and Eugene are dead."
"What happened?"
They jogged to the forensic center.
Two bodies lay on the beds.
Kian, wearing a mask, was recording.
"Hayes used some methods to find Roy and Eugene. According to Hayes, they had been dead for an unknown number of days when found."
"Discovered under a bridge in the neighboring city."
Soon, the autopsy was complete.
Travis immediately took the report.
According to the autopsy, they drowned.
No external injuries.
Travis rubbed his forehead. Given the situation, even finding Roy and Eugene couldn't lead to a conviction.
This case was getting tricky.
At that moment, someone pushed the office door open, looking panicked.
Hayes, usually calm, now appeared as a desperate father.
A father willing to do anything for his son.