CHAPTER 89: CHAPTER 85: THE TRUTH, DOUBTS (ADDED FOR THE ALLIANCE MASTER OF THE NIGHT’S BRILLIANCE!)_1

The bright incandescent light was dazzling and disorienting.

"Name."

"Amody Mike," Amody replied, squinting uneasily. "Can you dim the lights a bit? I’m feeling quite uncomfortable."

Dean tapped on the table. "You won’t be uncomfortable for long, Amody. Tell me, why did you electrocute Jerry to death and then frame Dam for it?"

"What?"

Amody’s pupils contracted sharply. "I... how could I possibly kill Jerry? He was my good apprentice, my good friend! I couldn’t possibly kill him!"

"Perhaps."

Dean picked up a report and tossed it in front of Amody. "This is the DNA report for you and Jerry’s daughter. The data shows you are genetically father and daughter."

Amody’s body trembled, his eyes filled with disbelief. He couldn’t even muster the courage to look at the report.

Seeing this, Dean grew more confident.

He tapped rhythmically on the desk, as if rewinding time, and began to unfold a hidden tale:

"More than a decade ago, Dam and your wife were involved, leading to a big fight between you and him. Because of this, you took an interest in your wife’s sister and got her pregnant. Afterwards, you reconciled with your own wife. For the sake of family harmony, you chose to introduce her sister to your apprentice, the then young and naive Jerry. Seven months later, Jerry had a daughter, an infant born with congenital heart disease. Then, by accident, Jerry discovered the secret between his wife—your wife’s sister—and you. It pained him, torn between his respected master and his misguided partner. He chose to numb himself with gambling and avoid his family. During this time, you placated your own wife. So Jerry’s wife divorced him, abandoned their sick daughter, and moved into your house, serving you alongside her sister. You were enjoying the pleasures of two wives, while Jerry was sinking into an abyss. But he was lucky; his dear daughter saved him just as he was about to lose himself. As time passed, Jerry forgave you. But as his daughter grew older, her heart could no longer bear the strain, and she required surgery. Helpless, he came to you for money—after all, she was your flesh and blood. It was then that an evil plan formed in your mind: a plan to take revenge on the hated Dam, eliminate Jerry, reclaim your daughter under the name of Jerry’s ex-wife, and obtain Jerry’s compensation money."

Dean took a sip of water, walked over to Amody, who was desperately trying to control himself, and gazed down at him coldly. "Do I need to continue detailing how you used an iron supplement to murder Jerry and frame Dam?"

"FUCK!"

Amody finally lost control and stood up furiously. "You’re talking nonsense! I didn’t kill Jerry! Dam killed him!"

"Evidence?" Dean spread his hands. "Without evidence, we can only assume you’re the murderer. You won’t get a penny of Jerry’s compensation money, and your daughter, lacking funds for treatment, might leave this beautiful world any day."

Amody closed his eyes in agony.

"I have evidence!" Amody exclaimed. "I don’t know how you found out about my relationship with Jerry’s daughter, but I truly didn’t kill him.

"Five days ago, Jerry came to me, saying his daughter needed surgery. He had no idea she was actually my daughter. I’ve always felt guilty towards Jerry, so I gave him all my savings and told him Dam was anxious about the construction deadline; if he threatened a strike, he might get some money.

"Jerry’s plan worked. I helped him get twenty thousand US dollars. But that wasn’t nearly enough for the surgery, and once the construction was finished, Dam would definitely retaliate against us. Jerry was desperate. Then that bastard Dam! After transferring the money, he didn’t just humiliate me by calling me useless and saying my own wife had been messed with by him while I still worked under him, he also mocked Jerry, saying if he wanted money, why not jump off a building? That way, he’d get an insurance payout."

Amody’s eyes welled with tears. "Jerry was tempted. He said he’d make his death look like an accident and asked me to take care of his daughter. He said if I wanted to retaliate against Dam, I should report it to the police after his death, and we could still get the compensation money.

"You all know what happened after that."

Dean was somewhat surprised. The so-called DNA report and the subsequent theories were, of course, fake, something he had concocted based on the available information to provoke Amody. It was risky, but remarkably effective. The one thing Dean hadn’t expected was that Jerry had actually committed suicide.

"Where’s the evidence?" he asked, staring intently at Amody.

Amody wiped away his tears. "It’s at my house. Dam is a bastard. We were worried he’d try to silence us, so we each brought a voice recorder for self-protection. Everything was recorded.

"When Jerry died, I was torn. I wanted to call the police, to get back at Dam, but I knew that bastard had relatives in the court. I was afraid that if I reported it, Jerry wouldn’t get the insurance money, and there’d be no compensation either, so I chose to remain silent."

Dean nodded. At the construction site, Amody had indeed questioned why Dam hadn’t called the police, yet he had clammed up after arriving at the station. This all fit his statement.

So, Jerry really didn’t find out his daughter wasn’t his own?

「Outside the interrogation room.」

Dam was pacing restlessly. The members of the Fourth Squad were all glaring at him unhappily.

Dam waved his hands awkwardly. "It’s not my fault. Amody’s wife seduced me; I was just saying things in anger at the time. Jerry and I are both victims. It’s all Amody’s fault."

Phoebe’s hand was already on her holster. "Stop talking nonsense. Jerry’s insurance money is definitely gone. Just tell us, will you cover Jerry’s daughter’s surgery costs or not!"

Women are emotional. She had seen Jerry’s daughter: a skinny, frail, but very sensible little girl.

Lawrence was more direct. His jowls quivered as he sneered, "And her ongoing nutritional expenses. If you don’t pay, many people will find out that Judge Jackson has such an outstanding relative as you."

Phoebe reaching for her gun hadn’t scared Dam, but Lawrence’s words struck Dam’s Achilles’ heel.

He nodded, his face pained. "As long as you keep this a secret, I’ll pay."

Seeing this, Phoebe gave Lawrence an appreciative glance.

As expected of a man who’s slept with a psychologist.

「At Amody’s house.」

The moment Dean obtained the voice recorder, a message flashed through his mind: [Suicide Insurance Fraud Case Solved, Experience Points +500.]

This case, solved in less than a day, yielded nearly as many Experience Points as Dean had received back in Texas for the risky feat of gunning down four gunmen. It was an unexpected bonus.

With another 500 Experience Points, he could level up again.

But Dean couldn’t feel happy at all.

Did Jerry even know, before he died, if his daughter was his biological child?

And how did Anthony determine the exact time of Jerry’s suicide?

Dean had a hunch that if he could solve these two mysteries, he would make a major breakthrough in psychological analysis, possibly even developing a new Skill!

With his mind full of questions, Dean finished up his current tasks and called Anthony.

Before he could speak, Anthony’s hoarse voice came from the other end of the line: "I know what you’re wondering about. Come to Maria Hospital. I’ll be waiting for you in Jerry’s daughter’s room."

After hanging up, Dean said a quick goodbye to Lawrence and the others, then hopped into his muscle car and rushed towards Maria Hospital.