In an alley near the square, a Ford Transit was parked.

The deputy and Maquire Hary sat facing each other.

"Creak..." The car door opened.

Susan also entered the car and sat opposite Maquire Hary.

Maquire Hary spread his hands, "Captain Susan, what is the meaning of this?"

"We need to have a good talk."

"Talk about what?"

"Why are you here? What are you doing at the square?"

"I've already talked to the deputy."

"Now I'm asking you again, do you understand?"

"OK, I came here for some private matter, it's none of your police business."

Susan pressed on, "Since the police are involved, that makes it our business. What private matter?"

Maquire Hary sighed heavily, feeling helpless, "Someone has blackmailed me, and I was here to pay the ransom."

"Who is extorting you?"

"I don't know, the person left a letter at my front door, telling me to come here to pay the ransom."

"What threats did they use against you?"

Maquire Hary thought for a moment, shook his head, "Some private matters, it's inconvenient to disclose. Do I need to call a lawyer?"

"No, then let's talk about something that isn't private," Susan changed the topic with a swift turn, "Do you know Badman Pole?"

"Of course, he is my sister's driver."

"What's your relationship like with him?"

Maquire Hary smiled, "He's my sister's driver, not mine. We have no relationship, you think we look like people who would have something in common?"

"You've had no private interactions with him?"

"None."

Susan took out several photos, which were of Maquire Hary at the driver Badman Pole's front door.

Seeing these photos made Maquire Hary's expression turn unsightly, "Where did you get these photos?"

Instead of answering, Susan countered, "Did you have someone beat up Badman Pole?"

Maquire Hary was silent for a moment, "Yes, we've had some minor disputes, but they're all in the past. That doesn't prove anything, does it?"

"Perhaps it didn't before, but now it's different. Badman Pole is dead!"

"Are you serious?"

"I never joke." Susan's stern face made it easy to believe her.

"Even if he's dead, that doesn't mean it has anything to do with me."

"You have a motive for the crime, a history of harming him, I have no reason not to investigate you."

"Do I need to call a lawyer?"

"That would only prove that you're feeling guilty, besides, a lawyer can't solve the case of your sister's murder."

"Huh..." Maquire Hary sighed deeply, "OK, I indeed don't like that guy, but I didn't have to kill him. Don't waste your time on me, his death has nothing to do with me."

The deputy interjected, "Your suspicion isn't just for killing Badman Pole."

Maquire Hary glared at the deputy, "What do you mean by that?"

"Your sister's only direct relative is you. If anything happens to her, you stand to benefit the most. Whether you acknowledge it or not, that's a motive."

"Good god... You actually suspect me of killing my own sister. I've said it before; she's my only family, I couldn't possibly kill her. Furthermore, your damn motive doesn't hold up. My sister didn't have much property to her name, what was truly valuable were her connections and resources. Her being alive was the greatest help to me. A large part of my success is thanks to her. Whether from the perspective of kinship or self-interest, I am the person in this world who most wants her alive."

The deputy flipped through his notebook, changing the subject, "When did these people start extorting you?"

"I received the extortion letter yesterday afternoon."

"Have you received any ransom demands before that?"

"No."

"Then let me ask you," on March 30th, you withdrew three hundred thousand US dollars from your bank account, what did you use it for?"

Maquire Hary spread his hands, dissatisfied, "You guys are really something, focusing all your investigative efforts on me, no wonder the case hasn't been solved."

The deputy team countered, "That's because you've always been hiding something, not telling the police the truth. Like the whereabouts of that money, if you refuse to speak, the police will investigate on their own."

"That money was requested by my sister, I had gone to give it to her that afternoon."

"Withdraw money for what?"

"I asked, but she wouldn't say."

"The last time the police took your statement, why didn't you tell them about such an important clue?"

"My sister instructed not to tell anyone about this matter, I was just respecting her wishes."

The deputy team couldn't understand, "Your sister probably died because of that money, and you still keep talking about keeping it a secret for her, are you really such a good and obedient brother?"

"My sister wasn't an ordinary person; some things can't be measured by ordinary standards. Since she said not to tell anyone, it means the consequences of this might be something neither she nor I could bear.

She is dead, but I am still alive."

After pondering for a moment, the deputy team speculated, "The money you gave to your sister on March 30th, could it be related to today's blackmail?"

"I don't know."

The deputy team continued analyzing, "Have you ever considered that your sister might have also been blackmailed, which is why she asked you for money. And the people blackmailing her could very well be the same group here today. They might even be the killers who murdered your sister!"

Hearing this, Maquire Hary's face changed repeatedly, "Do you have evidence?"

"The things you're hiding could be key evidence the police need. If you continue to withhold information, it's very likely that your sister's killer will escape legal punishment, is that what you want to see?"

Seeing Maquire Hary visibly moved, the deputy team struck while the iron was hot, "Tell me, why were you being blackmailed by that group?"

Maquire Hary hesitated for a long moment, "Video."

"What video?"

"A video of my sister and Badman Pole playing poker."

"The two of them..." The deputy team hadn't expected this possibility; the two had a huge gap in status, and there was also an age difference of over a decade.

"Yeah, I was shocked when I found out, and strongly opposed it." Maquire Hary propped his chin with his hand, "I don't object to my sister dating or even getting married.

But... I can't accept that guy; he's not suitable for my sister at all, and he's already married, with a wife and kids.

The last time I had someone beat him up was because of this reason."

Maquire Hary became angrier as he spoke, "If it wasn't for that guy, my sister might not have died, and I wouldn't have been threatened. He deserves to die!"

Having learned the relationship between the two victims, the deputy team felt suddenly enlightened, and many of their doubts were resolved. They continued asking, "In early January, your sister's house was shot at, were you aware of this?"

"I know, the attackers were members of a militia organization; he was against gun control, his name is Bowen Cano."

"Did this incident affect your sister much?"

"Not much, my sister was a very determined person. The more others threatened her, the braver she became.

Take the shooting incident, for example.

It didn't scare my sister; instead, it made her more famous and gained her even more supporters.

A bad thing turned out to be a good thing."

Susan looked at her notebook and continued, "We've checked your account, and on January 2nd, you withdrew three hundred thousand US dollars from the bank. What did you use it for?"

Maquire Hary recalled for a moment, "I gave it to my sister."

"What did she use the money for?"

"I didn't ask."

"Why not? That's not a small sum."

"No reason, it's the understanding between us as siblings; I trust her, and she wouldn't harm me, that's enough. Knowing too much isn't necessarily a good thing."

After finishing the statement.

Susan got out of the car with the deputy team, speaking in low tones.

The deputy team nodded towards the car, "Do you believe him?"

"From what we've seen so far, he has no reason to lie."

The deputy team continued, "If what he says is true, then the shooting incident at Layli Harry's home in early January might very well have been staged by Layli Harry herself.

Her brother financed it, while the driver coordinated with the gunmen.

The goal was to play a victim game, to gain fame and sympathy, and it seems the result wasn't bad."

Susan thought it over, "I remember the gunman Bowen Cano was paid only two hundred thousand dollars, but Maquire Hary gave three hundred thousand dollars. Where did the extra hundred thousand dollars go?"