Chapter 97 Sent to Prison
Finally, Henry understood: "So you deliberately set a trap for me — you wanted to get me arrested? Joanna, I'm your father! What do you possibly gain from turning me in?"
Joanna shot back: "I just did what I thought was right. If you'd only taken some money, I could have helped you. But you got people killed. Can I bring those people back to their parents?"
That's exactly why Joanna and Sandra had felt so lost and torn at the beginning — because they couldn't.
Henry's face darkened, but he quickly started dodging responsibility.
"Sir, this is all a misunderstanding. Jones Corp has been running this project the whole time, and my daughter is the actual controlling shareholder. It's her company. I wasn't the one who signed the contracts — I only signed on her behalf. I had no idea what was going on!"
Joanna knew he'd say something like that. She turned to her assistant and asked, "Did you get all of that on camera?"
The assistant nodded and pulled out the phone to show the video to the police.
In the video, after his initial nervousness, Henry started negotiating terms. First he pushed for a higher price — on top of the ransom, he wanted a large sum of money, enough to disappear for a few years.
The assistant had agreed to everything and casually slipped in a question: "Are you sure you can make this call on your own? I heard you're no longer with Jones Corp. If we don't receive the medication, Smith Group's legal team isn't going to let this slide."
Henry was smug about it. "Don't worry. Whether I'm with the company or not, I run this project. Joanna's my daughter — she does what I say. Besides, the last few batches all sold without any problems. Cheaper than the licensed manufacturers and just as effective. My daughter's a doctor herself, as you probably know. She wouldn't put her career on the line to cheat anyone."
Watching this, Joanna was relieved that Henry only knew she was a doctor — not that she was Dr. J, the brilliant orthopedic surgeon. Otherwise, he would have used even more outrageous claims to reel people in.
At the end of the video, the name Henry signed wasn't a man's name. The assistant had asked about it: "This doesn't look like your name. Wouldn't that make it legally invalid?"
Henry patted his chest confidently. "Relax. I just put down someone to take the fall. That's just how business works — everyone knows that. And I'm her husband, so I can sign on her behalf."
That's where the video ended.
It was more than enough to prove that the entire operation was Henry's idea from start to finish.
Joanna also handed over a prepared hospital certificate. "Sir, my mother has brain cancer. She's only been conscious for very short periods over the past few years. The hospital records prove she had no involvement in this project. As for the company being transferred to me — that only happened a few months ago. Henry's project started last year. I had absolutely no knowledge of it. I hope you'll handle this fairly."
The officer was no fool. He quickly understood exactly what had happened today.
He took everyone back to the station.
Using the evidence Joanna had provided, he sent officers to verify the details, and once everything checked out, he let Joanna go.
"Ms. Jones, thank you for stepping forward and doing the right thing — for not helping your father cover up his crimes. You've saved us a great deal of trouble. For now, you and your mother are no longer under suspicion, but until your father's case is handed over to the court, we'll need you to stay available for questioning and remain in Austin City."
Joanna nodded. "I'll cooperate fully."
Walking out of the station, Joanna finally let out a long breath. This was over.
But the harm caused to the victims' families by the counterfeit drug operation couldn't be undone. She still needed to work out a compensation plan with Lyle.
Angelo said, "The compensation won't be a small amount. If Jones Corp's cash flow can't cover it, you can reach out to Smith Group's investment department."
"No, no, no!" Joanna quickly waved it off. "That's not right. Angelo, you've already helped me so much. I can't keep asking for more."
"Smith Group has been involved in charitable work for years. You don't have to turn it down so fast." Angelo smiled. "I've got a lot going on at the company. Think it over — I'll head out now."
He knew she needed some space right now.
After all, it was her father who had just been taken away.
Angelo's quiet consideration meant a lot to Joanna. She knew she should thank him properly, but she couldn't find the right words for it just yet.
She watched him leave, then headed to the office to work through the compensation plan with Lyle.
By the time everything was sorted out, it was very late.
On her way home, Joanna picked up a few bottles of wine. She wanted to drink a little — just enough to numb things and let herself relax for a bit.
She thought about how cold Henry had been toward her. She thought about all the unhappy memories from her childhood.
While she was half drunk, Chad called. His angry shouting startled her so much she dropped her phone.
"Joanna! I can't believe you — you actually sent your own father to prison! Do you have any conscience at all? He's our dad. He raised you. How could you do this?"
Joanna screamed back: "If you think he's such a great father, then go save him yourself! He deliberately transferred the company shares to me so that Mom and I would take the fall for him. He never once cared about me as his child. And you have no right to lecture me. I've given him more than enough money over the years. If the court decides I owe him financial support, I'll pay exactly what I'm required to pay — but don't expect me to just do whatever he says."
She hung up — or threw the phone down — and kept drinking.
At some point she got annoyed by all the noise from her phone, grabbed a blanket, and tossed it on top of it.
Eventually, the call on the other end disconnected on its own.
Joanna drank until dawn. By the next morning, every bit of the bad feeling was gone.
A father like Henry wasn't worth her grief.
With the project situation wrapped up, she threw herself into her hospital work and the charity project designs.
She couldn't leave Austin City anyway — she might as well focus on her designs.
Joanna kept herself busy. Chad called a few more times to make a scene, but she ignored it. Then Dr. Bruce notified her that the new medication from the research institute had arrived at Grace General Hospital.
Sandra's new treatment course could finally begin.