Chapter184 A Familiar Face
The Chief blinked, then realized what he meant. He waved over a duty officer.
"Check the Lancaster case."
Two minutes later, the officer returned. "Sir, it’s Christian, the President of Lancaster Group. He’s suspected of stealing trade secrets and embezzlement. He was just brought in for questioning. His sister, Miranda, was just here to see him."
The Chief dismissed the officer and looked at Clifton with a teasing smile. "You know Christian?"
"Do you need me to..."
The Chief didn't finish the sentence, but the implication was clear.
Clifton met his gaze. His eyes were as calm as still water. "No."
"Just follow the standard procedure."
The Chief raised an eyebrow, looking surprised.
But Clifton knew better.
When he first married Miranda, he had done a background check on her family.
Christian was a man of high integrity. He wasn't the type to steal trade secrets. This was likely a misunderstanding. If it was a misunderstanding, he didn't need to interfere.
Thinking of this, Clifton paused. The image of Miranda’s lonely figure leaving the building flashed in his mind.
He stood up and straightened his sleeves. He gave one last casual instruction.
"However, you could speed up the investigation. The sooner it's cleared up, the sooner the case can be closed."
...
Meanwhile, in the police station parking lot.
Miranda sat in her car, hands gripping the steering wheel.
Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.
Her phone on the passenger seat vibrated wildly.
The name "Father" flashed on the screen. The frantic rhythm of the calls showed exactly how angry and desperate the caller was.
Just as she thought.
Exactly as her brother predicted.
As soon as her brother was arrested, the "negotiation" call arrived.
Miranda looked at the flashing name. A cold, sarcastic smile touched her lips.
This was her father.
In his eyes, a son wasn't a son; he was just a bargaining chip to force a daughter into submission. A daughter wasn't a daughter; she was just a tool to be tamed.
With bloodshot eyes, Miranda reached out and held the power button down.
The screen went black.
She threw the phone into her bag and drove toward the Lancaster villa.
She wasn't sure if her mother knew about the arrest yet. She had to go back.
The car rolled through the ornate iron gates and stopped by the fountain in front of the main house.
Miranda didn't get out immediately. She looked at her face in the mirror.
She pulled out her compact and lipstick.
A few minutes later, she looked a bit more alive.
She practiced a small smile in the mirror before stepping out of the car.
As she entered the living room, the faint scent of flowers hit her.
Her mother was standing at a table. A vase of fresh flowers sat beside her as she carefully arranged them.
Miranda breathed a sigh of relief. Thank God, her mother didn't know.
The arrest happened at the office. The news hadn't reached the house yet.
"Mom."
Miranda changed into her slippers and walked over. She hugged Arabella’s arm and rested her head on her mother’s shoulder.
Arabella paused. When she saw it was her daughter, a gentle smile lit up her face.
"Miranda? Why are you back at this hour?"
Arabella put down her flowers and touched her daughter’s cheek. "Why do you look so thin? Your chin is so sharp. Have you been working too hard lately?"
Worry flashed in Arabella’s eyes.
"Mom, I’m fine." Miranda leaned into her mother’s hand, soaking up the warmth. "The company has been busy. We just won that award, so there are a lot of deals to sign. Being busy is a good thing. It means the company is growing."
"That’s good then." Arabella nodded, but she still looked concerned. "Even if you’re busy, take care of yourself. You’ve always been so stubborn and driven. Don't push yourself too hard."
"I know, Mom."
Miranda pushed down the urge to cry. she looked up and spoke casually. "Oh, by the way, Castillo mentioned her mother has some theater tickets. That troupe you like is in town for a tour."
"It’s in the next city over, tomorrow night. Her mother wants to go, but she doesn't want to go alone. She was wondering if you’d like to go with her to relax."
Arabella hesitated and shook her head. "I don't think I should go. Your father has been in a bad mood lately. If I’m not here, the servants might not take care of him right, and he’ll lose his temper again."
The mention of "your father" made Miranda’s eyes turn cold.
"Mom, you should go." Miranda teased her mother's arm playfully. "You haven't been out in so long. The doctor said you need to get out more. If you’re happy, your health will be better."
"The tickets are already bought. It would be a waste."
Arabella was always soft-hearted, especially when her daughter acted cute.
She looked at Miranda’s hopeful face and finally nodded. "Alright. Since Castillo’s mother invited me, I’ll go for a couple of days."
A huge weight lifted off Miranda’s heart.
She couldn't guarantee that her father wouldn't try to use her mother to threaten her once he realized he couldn't reach her by phone.
If she sent her mother away, her father would have no one to use against her.
"I’ll help you pack. I’ll drive you to the airport to meet them."
Miranda led her mother upstairs.
Arabella laughed helplessly. "What’s the rush? The show isn't until tomorrow."
"Oh, go early! You can shop or get a spa treatment."
In the bedroom, Arabella went into the walk-in closet to pick out clothes.
Miranda glanced at the phone on the nightstand.
It was her mother’s phone.
She checked the closet to make sure her mother was busy, then grabbed the phone.
She unlocked it, scrolled through the contacts, and found "Dominic."
Miranda tapped the screen and blocked him.
Then, she deleted all the recent call logs.
Once she was done, she put the phone back exactly where she found it.
At 5:00 PM, at the airport terminal.
Miranda helped her mother check her luggage and walked her to security.
Watching the flights take off through the floor-to-ceiling windows, she let out a long breath.
"Let's go. Time to head back."
Miranda turned to leave with Castillo.
Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a familiar face in the crowd.
Miranda chased after the figure for a few steps.
However, the airport was packed. The person disappeared into the sea of people like a drop of water in the ocean.
Miranda stood in the middle of the crowd, looking around, but the familiar face was gone.
Castillo caught up, looking confused. "What’s wrong?"
"Nothing." Miranda turned back and shook her head. She looked exhausted. "I think I was just seeing things."