Chapter 169
Chapter 169
"Who was it that bullied Monkey?" Robert's voice rumbled, his gaze fixed on Ada with intensity.
Ada pursed her lips, taking a moment before responding, "It was a little girl and a few of her buddies."
She furrowed her brows, trying to recall, "The girl had these high cheekbones and a straight nose, really stood out."
Robert's heart sank at the description. Dana's face involuntarily came to mind, the woman who met a tragic end.
"And then? What happened to him?" Robert's voice dropped, his eyes still locked on Ada's face, searching for any hint of the truth in her expression.
Ada lowered her head in thought, her brows furrowing slightly, "I had to rent out the shop and move in a rush, didn't get a chance to say goodbye to him."
After a brief pause to gather her thoughts, she continued, "But, a few years later, I ran into his dad."
Robert raised an eyebrow ever so slightly, a glint in his eyes. He didn't interrupt, but leaned back in his chair, waiting patiently for more.
"It was by chance," Ada's voice tinged with sadness, "His dad came up to me, asking why I shut down the shop. I told him about some family stuff that made it hard to keep it running."
Robert squinted, noticing Ada's gaze shifting to the lower left, a sign of recollection, not deceit. Assessing quietly: her story seemed credible.
"How did you know he was Monkey's dad?" Robert's voice was calm, yet sharp.
"He looked a lot like Monkey," Ada affirmed confidently, "And he made it clear he was Monkey's father."
After a moment of silence, Robert connected the dots, sensing a deeper story behind Beckett's father's sudden appearance.
"Did he say anything else?" Robert softened his tone.
Furrowing her brows, Ada struggled to remember, shaking her head after a while, "Can't recall much. He mentioned something about Monkey studying abroad, but the details escape me."
Robert nodded, opting not to push further. His face remained composed, but his mind raced like a tempest.
Exiting the room, Robert spotted Ethan in the hallway, speaking urgently on the phone. Robert caught the name "Sophia" in the conversation.
When he got closer, Ethan had just hung up, his face a picture of confusion.
"What's going on?" Robert grinned teasingly at Ethan, "Didn't our case-solving genius have any answers for you?"
Ethan scratched his head with a wry smile, "She did, but it's a bit tangled. I asked about the case, and she suggested looking into the person who vouched for the truck driver Gary with that forgiveness letter."
Pausing, Ethan added with a hint of frustration, "I get her point, but it's still a bit fuzzy."
Robert's eyebrows shot up, a myriad of possibilities racing through his mind. In that instant, the scattered clues wove together into a coherent thread.
"Got it now?" Ethan peered at Robert, his eyes gleaming with anticipation, "What's the deal?"
Rather than a direct response, Robert posed, "Why did Gary show up here? He had no ties to the folks at the crime scene, yet he turned up. What does that suggest?"
Frowning, Ethan pondered, grasping some insight but missing the crux.
"Gary was settling scores for someone," Robert's voice dropped, sharp as a knife, "And in return, that someone was settling scores for him. They were 'swapping murders.'"
The words hung heavy in the air.
Wide-eyed, Ethan was stunned, "Swapping murders."
He swallowed hard, murmuring, "Gary, the wastrel who blew his compensation on vice, leaving his wife with nothing, trading murders for vengeance with someone else?"
Robert smirked coldly, his words dripping with sarcasm, "There's nothing stronger than blood. Losing a child's pain is unbearable, especially for parents who've suffered such loss."
Pushing the case file towards Ethan, he stated firmly, "No matter the cause, keep digging."
Ethan nodded, opening the file and focusing on a grainy photo.
In the picture, Gary appeared worn and defeated, his scruffy beard and shabby attire painting a picture of failure from society's fringes.
Yet, this unassuming man had traveled from afar to silently end two lives over the years, both linked to Beckett's tragedy.
Albert emerged from another room.
"The PI Dora hired confessed to leading her astray," he informed Robert.
Robert swiftly interrogated the PI and the owner of the bogus number provided.
The PI looked sheepish before the cops, "I thought she was playing detective and didn't pay much, so I gave her a fake number to brush her off."
The number's owner was exasperated, "Officer, this bizarre harassment nearly ended my engagement! I need answers!"
Dora, relieved of guilt, was cleared of any ties to the case. Yet, a new lead hinted at a deeper mystery. If Layla's beau wasn't Dora's informant, then who made that call? And for what purpose?
Before Robert could delve into these musings, Ethan, following Sophia's lead, unearthed a vital detail and handed over the file.
With a somber tone, Ethan revealed, "The bully who took Gary's daughter years ago vanished on Christmas Eve three years back and remains missing to this day."