Chapter 416: Major Breakthrough

Chapter 416: Chapter 416: Major Breakthrough

Eliza Lynch looked at Zoe Sawyer, grabbing her arm anxiously as she tried to defend herself.

"I really never intended to harm their family! After Kai Thorne reversed Marcus Thompson’s attempt to swap the babies, I just told him to cut ties and stop associating with those people! That’s all!"

"I really didn’t do anything else! You have to believe me!" Fearing she would be blamed for everything, Eliza Lynch explained in a panic.

’Kai Thorne has been arrested. He killed someone, but I haven’t done anything wrong!’

’Besides, my daughter has suffered enough. She already has a criminal for a father. I absolutely can’t get into trouble, too!’

"Don’t worry," Zoe Sawyer quickly reassured the overwrought Eliza Lynch. "As long as you didn’t do anything, you have nothing to fear. The police will get to the bottom of it."

Soothed by Zoe Sawyer’s gentle voice, Eliza Lynch gradually calmed down.

Meanwhile, the decision had been made to let Kai Thorne stew for a while, and two officers soon came to escort him away.

Kai Thorne, already on edge from the earlier conversation, was terrified to see officers coming for him. He struggled violently, shouting that he was innocent, that he hadn’t committed any crime, and that the police couldn’t take him away.

But the officers were far stronger than Kai Thorne; he had no chance of breaking free.

Over the next few days, Eliza Lynch and Catherine Miller rented a room nearby, each with her child, to wait for news from the police.

Using the names and times she got from Eliza Lynch, Zoe Sawyer tried to use the Door to learn what this Mr. Gary looked like and whether he was connected to the casino.

For the first two days, Zoe Sawyer found nothing. The group’s conversations all sounded normal, and she worried they might be communicating through other, more private channels.

But time was short. She couldn’t afford to review every single moment, so she pinned her hopes on the later flashbacks, praying for a break in the case.

Soon enough, during the flashback from the third day, Zoe Sawyer noticed someone: a short, quiet man.

He was always trailing behind Kai Thorne and the man called Mr. Gary.

When the group dinner was over and only he, Kai Thorne, and Mr. Gary remained in the private room, he sidled up to them deferentially.

"Don’t say I don’t look out for you. I followed your instructions and roped him in the last two times. What’s next? You can tell him directly."

"This is my most capable man. He’ll definitely get the guy sorted out, no problem." Mr. Gary patted the short man’s shoulder, his tone tinged with smug satisfaction.

’To think that Kai Thorne, who used to act so high and mighty in front of me, would one day come begging for my help.’

’The memory of Kai’s initial, bootlicking demeanor was incredibly satisfying.’

"Excellent! I’ll need you, my friend, to start ’taking good care’ of that Marcus Thompson for me tomorrow. I want his family utterly destroyed!"

"Here’s some spending money. Once this is all over, I’ll give you a much bigger reward." Kai Thorne naturally noticed the flicker of smugness in Mr. Gary’s eyes and seethed inwardly, but he kept his expression neutral.

’Now isn’t the time to burn bridges,’ he thought. ’I still need this old classmate to take care of the rest.’

"Of course, of course. You’re Gary’s friend, and this is just a little thing. Nothing to it. Don’t you worry about it, Kai." The short man nodded obsequiously. His words were humble, but his hands moved quickly to accept the cash.

After pocketing the money, the short man looked at Kai Thorne. "So, Kai," he asked, "do you have any specific ideas for this?"

Kai Thorne thought for a moment, a cold smirk playing on his lips. "Since he’s already trapped, let’s make sure his wife and kids leave him, saddle him with a mountain of debt, and then, when he gets desperate... he’ll have no choice but to pimp out his own wife and children."

He didn’t say it outright, but the other two men in the room understood Kai Thorne’s meaning perfectly.

The expressions on Mr. Gary and the short man’s faces flickered. At first, they had assumed Kai Thorne just wanted to saddle Marcus Thompson with debt; they never imagined he would harbor such a twisted idea.

But as a beneficiary of the scheme, Mr. Gary’s initial shock quickly gave way to a grin. He clapped Kai Thorne on the shoulder and promised to take care of everything.

The three of them discussed the details for a while longer before going their separate ways.

After Kai Thorne was gone, the short man returned to the private room. Inside, surprisingly, sat Mr. Gary, who had supposedly just left.

"Gary, that guy is seriously ruthless. To do something like this to his own twin brother..." The short man sidled up to Mr. Gary, clicking his tongue in morbid wonder.

When he first got the assignment and looked up Marcus Thompson’s file, he saw a face identical to Kai Thorne’s and thought he’d made a mistake.

He had to contact Mr. Gary immediately to triple-check that it wasn’t a mistake before he dared to make a move.

And as the ideas got more and more vicious, the short man began to wonder if Marcus Thompson had slept with Kai Thorne’s wife. Why else would he be targeted so viciously?

"Who cares why?" Mr. Gary licked his lips impatiently. "I remember Marcus Thompson’s two little ones are quite a catch. Remember to have someone drop a hint to him when the time is right."

He could help an old classmate get revenge and satisfy his own peculiar tastes at the same time.

’What a bargain!’

"You got it. I understand. Just wait for my good news, Gary!" The short man, clearly aware of Mr. Gary’s proclivities, nodded eagerly.

As his words faded, the flashback from the Door came to an end.

Having seen the entire exchange, Zoe Sawyer’s expression turned grim.

The case had escalated from what looked like self-defense to premeditated murder, and now, they’d uncovered a deviant like Mr. Gary.

The entire nature of the case had changed completely.

"What’s wrong? Did you find a lead?" Heath Hale, just back in the office after helping Evan Keller interrogate a suspect, saw Zoe Sawyer walking toward Beau with a dark expression.

"Yes, I’ve found something. Once Beau finishes the sketches, we can start the investigation and make the arrests." Zoe Sawyer replied. She walked over to Beau, who was already prepared, and described the short man and Mr. Gary so he could draw their portraits.

Holding the two new sketches, Zoe Sawyer pointed to the one of the short man. "This is the one who lured Marcus Thompson into gambling. He’s likely a regular in that area, so have our colleagues there use this sketch to track him down. It should be much easier."

"And this," she said, indicating the other sketch, "is Mr. Gary. He’s the boss behind it all. He’s also the one who had inappropriate designs on Chloe Thompson and her sister."

"I recommend a thorough investigation. A man like that, once he has a little power, will absolutely take advantage of it in secret."

Understanding the implication in Zoe Sawyer’s words, the expressions of Heath Hale, Evan Keller, and the others who had gathered around changed.

Evan Keller, who had been lounging just a moment before, instantly straightened up. His gaze on Zoe Sawyer turned grave.

"Are you sure?"