Chapter 64 Personal Loyalty?
Quinley refused the items, but Lucas didn't take them back either.
Leaving the police station, he reported back to Zachary, who remained at the hospital where Sylvia lay unconscious. The doctors said the falling planter had damaged her nerves—she might become a vegetative patient.
"Ms. Elikin seems to still be angry with you. Her attitude was very firm—she refused everything."
Zachary's expression darkened as he rubbed his temples. Quinley was usually gentle-natured, but when she got stubborn, she was more difficult than a mule. He'd handed her over to the police in front of everyone—of course she was angry. But he'd done it to protect her.
"You can go," Zachary dismissed him.
Lucas couldn't help asking, "Mr. Jennings, when will you release Ms. Elikin? Keeping her locked up indefinitely isn't a solution."
Zachary sighed deeply. "We'll see."
He hung up first. The most dangerous place was often the safest—that was his firm belief. He'd personally sent Quinley to the police station because he feared someone might target her again.
But Quinley remained unaware of his reasoning.
On the seventh day, Quinley finally regained her freedom. The same two officers who'd brought her in escorted her out.
"Ms. Elikin, you're free to go."
Free to go? Free from what? Quinley didn't ask. She just wanted to get to the hospital as quickly as possible.
That's when Lucas appeared before her, pulling up in Zachary's Maybach and opening the door.
"Where to? I'll give you a ride."
He pretended it was coincidence, but he'd come specifically to pick her up.
"No thanks." Quinley refused and started walking, not caring if she was going the right direction.
"You're going the wrong way," Lucas pointed out.
Out of spite, Quinley continued in her chosen direction despite knowing it was wrong. She walked ahead while Lucas followed alongside in the car at a leisurely pace.
"We found the little girl. Would you like to meet her?"
He dangled the bait, and Quinley paused slightly. She could refuse all of Zachary's kindness, but she couldn't resist her desire to know the truth.
"Where is she?"
Quinley stopped walking. Lucas pushed open the car door. "Get in. It's quite far—I'll take you there."
This time, Quinley didn't refuse. She opened the passenger door and got in. Zachary's familiar scent hit her immediately, making her chest feel tight. She rolled down the window, letting wind rush in from all directions.
After about thirty minutes, Lucas parked outside an orphanage.
"She's here?" Quinley had never visited such a place in her life. If not for Lucas bringing her today, she wouldn't have even known Rosewood City had an orphanage.
"Yes, she's an orphan," Lucas replied quietly.
They registered at the entrance and went inside. The orphanage didn't house many children, and they varied in age. Despite their harsh conditions and unfortunate circumstances, they still played happily.
Quinley waited outside while Lucas found the director. Soon, she met the little girl in an empty classroom.
She looked no older than ten, short and extremely thin. Recognizing Quinley immediately, she quickly hid behind the director.
Director Agnes was an elderly woman with graying hair, slightly plump, with a kind smile. "Iris, don't hide. The nice lady and gentleman came to see you."
Agnes tried to bring Iris forward, but the girl refused.
"Agnes, let me talk to her," Quinley said, crouching down and pulling a lollipop from her bag. "We know each other, don't we? This candy is for you."
Iris's timid eyes peered out from behind the director, fixed on the candy.
"Iris, don't you love lollipops? Go ahead and take it," Agnes encouraged patiently.
No child could resist candy, including Iris. She snatched it from Quinley's hand and tried to shove it in her mouth without removing the wrapper.
"Eat slowly, no one's competing with you," Agnes said, helping her unwrap it properly.
Holding her lollipop, Iris finally smiled.
"Does it taste good?" Quinley asked.
Iris nodded. Quinley opened her bag, revealing colorful candies inside. Iris's eyes went wide.
"I have a few questions for you. If you tell me the truth, I'll give you all these candies."
It was a trade. Iris hesitated, torn between conflicting loyalties, but her willpower seemed weak.
"Someone told me to steal your phone," she said, smart enough to know what Quinley wanted to ask.
Quinley handed her a handful of candies as encouragement. "Do you remember who that person was?"
Iris thought for a long time, then shook her head. "Aunt June met her, but I didn't."
Agnes quickly explained, "This Aunt June was basically a human trafficker. She pretended to adopt Iris but actually used this poor child to scam people on the streets, treating her like a money tree."
The director couldn't continue, sighing and shaking her head.
Quinley's heart ached. She stroked Iris's hair gently. "Good girl, Iris. All these candies are yours. I'll come visit you and bring more candy next time, okay?"
"Really?" Iris's eyes sparkled with joy.
Quinley held out her pinky finger. "Let's pinky promise."
Iris solemnly linked pinkies with Quinley.
"Do you know where Aunt June is?" she asked again.
Only Aunt June would know the full truth behind this incident. Quinley knew she had to find her.
"Aunt June is dead," Iris said, her eyelids drooping.
Quinley's heart jumped. Dead? How suddenly?
"When did this happen?"
"Five days ago," Agnes answered. "She was out scamming people with Iris again when someone caught on. While they were running away, she got hit by a truck and killed. She got what she deserved—doing so many evil things, she had it coming."
Agnes spoke with righteous indignation.
Quinley's mind raced, her heart unsettled. She had a gut feeling that Aunt June had been silenced permanently. After all, dead people kept the best secrets.
So someone had killed Aunt June, making it impossible for Quinley to uncover the truth. Without finding the real culprit, she remained the prime suspect.
This frame-up job was expertly executed.
Leaving the orphanage, Lucas drove Quinley back to the hospital. She leaned back in her seat, looking deeply troubled.
"Don't worry. Mr. Jennings is investigating—he'll clear your name," Lucas said out of nowhere.
Quinley couldn't tell if these were Lucas's own words or if Zachary had told him to say this.
She instinctively rejected the offer. "Please tell Mr. Jennings it's not necessary."
Her distant attitude was remarkably similar to Zachary's own defensive mechanisms.
Lucas couldn't help defending his boss. "Ms. Elikin, I think you've really misunderstood Mr. Jennings. It's not that he doesn't believe you—he was afraid you'd be wronged, so he—"
So he chose duty over personal loyalty? But what kind of "personal" relationship did she even have with him?
For her own good? Afraid she'd be wronged, so he sent her to jail? Why didn't he just send her straight to prison?
The fire in Quinley's chest began blazing again.
"I appreciate your kind intentions, but I really don't need them."