Chapter 166

Chapter 166

Night pressed down on Viridis State like thick, dark ink.

Diana pulled her car to a stop.

Dragging her exhausted body, she headed toward her house.

But her mind kept replaying what had happened during the day.

It had been too shocking.

When she reached her front door, Diana pulled out her keys to unlock it, but suddenly sensed someone nearby.

Police instinct kicked in. Her hand froze mid-reach.

In the same instant, she whipped around, her right hand flying to her waist with lightning speed. She drew her service weapon in one fluid motion, the barrel locking precisely onto the heavy shadow beside her.

"Don't move! Hands up!" Her voice was ice-cold and commanding. Despite her body's exhaustion, her eyes were sharp as knives.

The figure in the shadows didn't move.

In the dim hallway sensor light, Diana finally made out who it was.

A man in a dark hoodie, the hood pulled low, most of his face hidden in shadow. Only his tense jawline was visible.

He didn't raise his hands. Instead, he walked toward Diana.

"I said hands up!" Diana barked, her finger moving to the trigger as she flicked off the safety.

"Diana, relax."

A deep, calm voice came from beneath the hood, carrying a hint of amusement.

At that voice, Diana's pupils contracted sharply. Her grip on the gun tightened involuntarily.

She knew that voice too well. So well that every nerve in her body went taut.

The man slowly lifted his head. The hood fell back, revealing a face with sharp, defined features.

In the dim light, his lips curved into an inscrutable smile. His penetrating gaze fixed on Diana's gun barrel as if it weren't a deadly weapon at all, but some trivial toy.

"Put the gun down. I don't like people pointing guns at me."

Jack's tone was casual.

Diana didn't relax her guard despite his composure. The gun remained steady, aimed at the space between his eyes, her expression cold and wary.

"What do you want?"

Diana stared at Jack, her voice flat.

Earlier today, Jack had arrested the Viridis State Police Chief right in front of her.

For a cop, that was nothing short of humiliating.

And Jack had taken her gun before that.

What shocked her even more was how the higher-ups had reacted.

As if nothing had happened.

They'd simply assigned them a new chief.

Which only proved how unfathomably powerful Jack's connections were.

"I heard that you, Diana, are the most beautiful female officer in Viridis State. Great body, stunning face—prettier than most actresses, they say."

As Jack spoke, he moved closer, completely unconcerned about the gun pointed at him.

Far from blushing at Jack's provocative words, Diana's eyes only grew colder. She didn't retreat an inch. Instead, she pushed the barrel forward another inch, nearly pressing it against Jack's chest.

"Mr. Carter, if your late-night visit is just to spout this nonsense, I'll have to invite you to the station for trespassing and disturbing the peace." Diana's voice was cold as ice. "I don't care how deep your connections run. In my jurisdiction, at my front door, I make the rules."

"Ha ha ha..."

Jack suddenly threw his head back and laughed, the sound eerily out of place in the quiet hallway. He stopped walking, now only inches from Diana. They could feel each other's breath.

"Diana, you really are exactly like they say."

"They say besides being beautiful, you're also fiercely righteous, a sworn enemy of crime. Now I believe it."

With that, Jack reached out and gently tapped Diana's gun barrel, shifting it away from his chest.

"Relax."

"I came to ask for your help investigating a case."

Diana was thrown off by Jack's sudden shift. She instinctively stepped back half a pace, her brow furrowed, eyes full of suspicion and wariness.

"Help you investigate a case?" Diana let out a cold laugh, though her gun remained raised, the barrel now angled slightly downward. "Mr. Carter, you're giving me too much credit. You're the big shot who can bypass state government and throw the police chief into an interrogation room. What case could you possibly need help from a lowly cop like me to solve?"

Jack watched her defensive posture, his smile deepening.

He slipped his hands into his hoodie pockets, his tone becoming casual. "Because this case involves Duke Vaughn."

At that name, Diana's pupils contracted sharply. As a Viridis State cop, she certainly knew who Duke Vaughn was.

A major power player in Viridis State.

More influential than the governor.

Word was, he was preparing for a presidential run.

"Duke Vaughn?" Diana's voice rose half an octave. "What about him?"

"Two years ago, he pushed through legislation to build a settlement for refugees and undocumented immigrants. It brought him massive votes and publicity."

"But I've received intelligence that the real purpose of that settlement was to use the people there for human experiments. In his eyes, they're nothing but 'livestock' ready for slaughter."

"That can't be true!"

Diana sucked in a sharp breath, feeling cold dread shoot from her feet to her skull. Her breathing quickened.

"That's impossible!"

Diana's denial was immediate.

Duke had an excellent reputation in Viridis State. Everyone called him a compassionate philanthropist, a politician who truly spoke for the working class.

That's why so many people were willing to vote for him.

They said if he became president, he'd be a great one.

Now Jack was saying he was a murderous monster!

Diana couldn't believe it at first!

After a moment of silence, Diana's chest heaved. Logic told her not to trust this dangerous man, but her cop's instinct and hunger for justice wouldn't let her ignore such an accusation.

"Why should I believe you?" Diana's voice trembled slightly through clenched teeth.

"I'm not asking you to believe me."

"I'm asking you to help me find out the truth." Jack smiled.

Jack had arrested Jeremy in broad daylight. Duke couldn't possibly not know.

He'd be on high alert against Jack now, so Jack couldn't send his own people to investigate.

He needed someone seemingly insignificant.

Diana was perfect.

First, she was capable.

Second, she had a strong sense of justice. Jack didn't have to worry about her giving up halfway or being bought off by Duke.

Third, and most importantly, in Duke's vast web of power, Diana's rank was too low to even register on the radar of that lofty senator.

So all things considered, she was the best person to uncover the truth!