Chapter 439: We Cannot Escape

Chapter 439: Chapter 439: We Cannot Escape

Brandon hadn’t even processed what was happening before a mountain of blame was dumped on his head.

"No! It wasn’t me!" he cried, terrified they were going to pin everything on him. "This was a group decision! What do you mean I masterminded the whole thing?

Ace, say something! You’re the one who told me you had channels to offload the goods! That’s the only reason I brought you guys here!"

Brandon’s voice was frantic, and his struggles grew more violent. He desperately wanted to rush over and demand why they were saying this, why they were dumping all the blame on him.

"Watch what you’re saying. We have the chat logs to prove you’re the one who started this, the one who called us over." A flicker of guilt crossed Ace’s eyes, but to avoid being branded the mastermind, he stuck to his story.

’Anyway, all that talk about having channels happened here, in person. The only thing in the chat logs is Brandon saying he knew a way to get some money and asking if we wanted in.

Even if these cops check the chat history later, that’s all they’ll see.

As long as everyone else sticks to the story, even if I get sentenced, it won’t be for too long!’

"Can you produce any evidence to prove we’re lying?" Ace demanded, certain that Brandon had nothing.

Brandon thought back to their chat history, and his face instantly turned deathly pale.

He really had no proof. The situation was exactly as they described!

"But! But I’m telling the truth! I just provided the location! Ace arranged everything else, he even decided how to split the money," Brandon said, his expression frantic as he scrambled to defend himself.

Monty Lynch looked at his grandson’s panicked expression and frantic tone, then at the confident, assured looks on the other men’s faces. He understood.

’His foolish grandson had been set up.

He definitely provided the location, no doubt about that, but the rest of it was debatable.

But now, without any evidence, it looked like he would have to take the fall.’

Just as Brandon was anxiously trying to defend himself, Zoe Sawyer, who had been standing in the corner, poked Heath Hale’s arm and said, "Don’t we have evidence?"

Heath Hale nodded, took a step forward, and announced in a clear voice, "That’s enough arguing. We have evidence."

The old man’s gaze shifted to Heath Hale, then slowly away. ’This police department could even get information from inside the tomb chamber. It’s not surprising they’d have evidence, too.’

All eyes on the mountaintop focused on Heath Hale.

Brandon stopped struggling, his eyes fixed on Heath Hale, full of hope. ’He said they have evidence. It has to be true, right?’

Ace and his men didn’t look so good. One by one, they stared nervously at Heath Hale. ’No way. Could this cop really have evidence?

Would what they just said count as interfering with the investigation? Would their sentences be harsher because of it?’

Ace had even more to worry about. He remembered every single word he’d said up here.

’If he implicated the people backing him, who knows what kind of revenge they’d take once he got out of prison!’

Officer Lee had been monitoring the situation through the tracking device. After hearing Heath Hale’s words, he quickly packaged the video file and sent it to his phone.

Heath Hale opened the video, turned up the volume, and held the phone out for everyone to see.

The screen was a little small, but the audio was loud and clear, and Ace’s words echoed across the mountaintop.

Especially the part about knowing someone who could fence the stolen goods.

Ace’s face turned ugly. He started to say something, but Brandon’s voice cut him off. "I told you that’s not what happened!"

At this point, the full story of the case was crystal clear. Monty Lynch knew his grandson had truly committed a crime and said no more, his figure seeming to stoop even lower.

With the suspects in custody, so many people were no longer needed on the mountaintop.

Half of the officers escorted Monty Lynch and the others down the mountain, while the rest took Brandon, Ace, and their crew back to the station for a thorough interrogation.

They especially wanted to break Ace and find out who his "channel" was. If they could follow that lead, they might be able to root out a few more people.

Once that was dealt with, the old man’s team arrived on-site with all sorts of equipment.

For the next two days, Zoe Sawyer stayed on the mountain, watching them work and occasionally helping out. She got her fill of the spectacle.

Early on the third day, Zoe said to Heath Hale, "Anyway, the tomb raiders have been caught, and we’ve seen the site. Why don’t we head back to the station?"

Heath Hale raised an eyebrow. "Tired of the show?"

"No, no, two days was enough to scratch the itch. I can’t just keep watching forever." Zoe waved her hands dismissively. "There’s a pile of work back at the station, and there might be something I can help with."

’A two-day break was about right. I can’t just stay out in the field forever.

More importantly, the ’Big Sis’ case was weighing on her mind, and she wanted to catch the suspect as soon as possible.’

"Alright, then. Let’s pack up and go." Heath Hale didn’t object. After packing their things, the group said goodbye to the old man and the local police chief, then headed back.

Zoe Sawyer had just gotten back to the office, her seat not even warm yet, when Evan Keller rushed over, clutching a stack of files.

His eyes lit up when he saw her. "Zoe, you’re back! Perfect timing. We’re all prepped. I need your help to bring in this Amanda Hawthorne!

And then we can find out where this ’Big Sis’ is!"

Zoe Sawyer took the files from Evan Keller, her own tone turning serious. "Alright. No problem."

Knowing Amanda Hawthorne’s name and appearance, Zoe quickly used the door to pinpoint her location.

Zoe opened the door a crack, her eyes fixed on the room on the other side.

The room’s curtains were drawn tightly, blocking out all light and sound from outside.

The target, Amanda Hawthorne, was huddled in a corner, hugging her knees. Her eyes were fixed on her sister, who was sitting on the sofa. "Sis, let’s run," she said. "Let’s take our chance while she’s not here and get far, far away!

The money we’ve saved up over the years is enough for us to live comfortably for the rest of our lives. We can escape to the other side of the world, somewhere her influence can’t reach. We’ll be safe there."

After speaking, Amanda Hawthorne stared intently at her sister, a sliver of hope in her eyes.

She hoped her sister would agree without a moment’s hesitation, pack their things, and leave this place with her.

’Right now, Big Sis and her assistant are both gone. It’s a rare opportunity! ℴℴ𝘮

If we miss it, who knows how long we’ll have to wait for another chance!’

But things didn’t go as she wished. Meeting Amanda Hawthorne’s expectant gaze, her sister closed the book in her hands, set it aside, and looked at her younger sibling, speaking one deliberate word at a time.

"We can’t escape."