Chapter 32: Father and Daughter Quarrel

Klein's heart tightened the moment he heard Kenneth and Jennifer mention Black Reaper.

He put on a curious look, took half a step forward, and asked, "Are you talking about the Black Reaper from the mercenary world? He's in this city, too?"

Kenneth and Jennifer both turned to look at him.

"Who's this?" Kenneth asked.

Kenneth glanced over at Carol.

Carol immediately stepped forward to explain, "Klein is my assistant and the temporary trainer for our security team. He's really good — he's saved my life twice."

Kenneth and Jennifer didn't doubt it. In their view, anyone working in security would naturally have heard rumors from the underground world.

Jennifer folded her arms and shot Kenneth a defiant look. "Those guys who died at the red brick house were all hardened mercs, and someone wiped them out in one shot. They even wrote Black Reaper's name on the wall — that's pretty bold."

Klein's eyes widened at that. He knew he was overdoing it a little, but he managed to keep his reaction under control. Kenneth and Jennifer just assumed he was shocked by Black Reaper's reputation and didn't think anything of it.

Only Klein knew he hadn't done it.

He cursed silently, "Which bastard is using my name?"

Kenneth's face darkened, and he snapped at Jennifer in a low voice. "Enough. You can't discuss case details in front of civilians."

Jennifer rolled her eyes, clearly unconcerned. As far as she was concerned, Carol had grown up with her, hardly an outsider.

Kenneth could only look at Jennifer's willful attitude with helpless frustration and patiently explain, "This case has been handed over to the FBI's Special Incident Observation and Response Unit. It involves the underground world, and it's outside regular police jurisdiction."

Jennifer looked unhappy, then suddenly froze as if something had just clicked. She turned to Carol in confusion. "Why are you two here? What are you doing at the station?"

Klein's mouth twitched slightly. This female officer was really something — Carol had been standing there for almost ten minutes, and she was only now realizing something was wrong.

Carol briefly described how they'd been chased and shot at by three cars on the road. When Jennifer heard this, her eyes lit up, and she suddenly grew excited.

"Damn it, I should've put it together — your car was the fourth vehicle at that scene. Did you take them out? Carol... wait, no, it was you. You're pretty damn capable if you managed to take out shooters from three cars."

Jennifer looked at Klein with open admiration.

Klein rubbed his nose and shrugged. "I'm really not that good, but I didn't have a choice. If I hadn't fought back, I'd be dead. I think you should go comfort Carol — she's probably more shaken up than I am."

Hearing this, Jennifer quickly walked over to Carol and hugged her, saying softly, "Carol, it's okay, it's over now. I'll take you out for a big meal later, just let me handle things here first."

Then she immediately turned back to Kenneth.

Kenneth's face stayed expressionless as he said bluntly, "You're not getting this case. You're staying in the back. I'll make the arrangements."

"'You'll make the arrangements'?" Jennifer sneered, stepping closer. "Fine, then arrange for me to join the Special Incident Observation and Response Unit."

Kenneth's tone turned cold. "I'm protecting you. You're a police officer. Let the people who specialize in this handle it. Everyone has their role. If you jump in at random, you'll just make things worse."

"Protecting me?" Jennifer shot back as if she'd been slapped. "Did you ever ask if I wanted to be 'protected'? Or is it that once you decide something's dangerous, I'm supposed to sit quietly and do nothing?"

Klein sighed softly and covered his ears.

A second later, Jennifer's shouting filled the room as she and Kenneth got into a full-blown argument, their voices getting louder and louder.

Carol watched father and daughter go at it endlessly, looking helpless. She pulled Klein out of the reception room into the hallway.

Carol quietly explained to Klein, "Jennifer's wanted to be a cop since she was a kid. She wanted to be like her dad, so she went to the police academy. She loves excitement and thrills and always wants to work big cases. She definitely wants in on this cartel hit, but Kenneth won't agree — it's too dangerous."

Klein nodded. If he were a father, he wouldn't want his kid anywhere near this kind of thing either.

They hadn't been standing there long when the reception room door was shoved open. Jennifer stormed out, furious, with Kenneth right behind her, his face like stone.

Kenneth looked at Jennifer, his tone sharp on purpose. "The station just picked up a few mules. Go find out where they're hiding the product. You have three days."

"Mules" were smugglers who moved drugs for cartels, but big shipments were never handed to them. They only got small quantities to sell to street junkies for pocket money.

Obviously, Jennifer had no interest in bottom-feeders like that.

Jennifer flipped Kenneth off, her expression ice-cold. "You really don't think much of me. I can get it out of them in ten minutes."

Then she turned to Carol and Klein, her tone instantly turning proud. "Come on, I'll show you how I crack a case."

Klein was curious and followed Jennifer toward the interrogation room. He thought he'd get to see some textbook interrogation skills, but before long, he saw something that made a cold sweat break out down his back.