Chapter 26: Another Layer of the Case

Apart from whether the case-breaking process complies with the regulations and whether the evidence for admitting guilt is sufficient, which are easily picked apart by the media spotlight, many people express sympathy for the murderer, followed by a rush of individuals eager to argue the murderer's case.

Regardless of what crime the murderer committed or how many people were killed.

Lawyers argue the murderer's case to earn their living, which is understandable.

But as to why the ordinary people would sympathize with the murderer... it can only be said that America has its own national conditions.

"Don't worry, Mr. Darren."

At the critical moment, Luo An stepped forward.

Having calmed Darren down into the conference room, asking him to wait for a moment, Luo An stepped out of the conference room and said to Augustus with a serious expression:

"It definitely wasn't someone from our team who leaked the case."

Upon hearing this, Augustus's expression gradually improved, and the expressions of the agents in the office area also eased.

"Then who leaked it?"

Augustus asked, "Only your team and the forensic agents were at the scene, could it be the forensics... No!"

In mid-sentence, Augustus suddenly remembered something, and his face darkened:

"You said earlier that you went to the crime scene with Reesi and a New York Police Department patrol officer, so you're saying the NYPD leaked the case details?"

Reesi's face suddenly turned ugly.

Luo An still shook his head and said:

"Besides us, there was also a freelance journalist, Joseph."

"Who?"

Augustus frowned tightly.

Luo An, accompanied by Mona, moved to the computer, and had her input the information from Joseph's driver's license that she had seen earlier. Soon, Joseph's identity, profession, and other information were displayed before everyone:

"Joseph Smith, 33 years old, a 'Nightwalker', captures footage of conflicts, fires, murders, and other criminal activities every night, then sells the footage to news conglomerates for profit."

Reesi's face turned even more unsightly as she had not paid attention when Luo An made the phone call and had simply chased Joseph away.

She had overlooked the existence of Joseph.

"Fu-k!"

Augustus slammed the table forcefully as Luo An explained:

"It seems this bloodhound sniffed out the scent of big news from us and then somehow got hold of the general details of the case."

The reason he said 'general' was that the TV host only mentioned the rough details of the case and did not disclose key information.

"I'll take care of this bloodhound."

Joseph's behavior was a bit over the line this time. Augustus decided to teach him a lesson later, like finding a charge to lock him up for a while.

The news coverage of the case showed that the situation had spiraled out of Augustus's control. Usually, when things go beyond the control of the chief, the higher-ups will start to question and assign blame.

As expected, Augustus's phone immediately rang, and seeing the contact, it was the team supervisor, Virene.

Augustus: "..."

One year is too short, let's make it three years then!

He waved his hand to signal the agents to get back to work. Everyone's overtime on account of the female tycoon's kidnapping case was a rare occurrence.

Taking Luo An with him into the team leader's office, Augustus took a deep breath and pressed the answer button.

"Augustus, I've already seen the news."

The team supervisor Virene spoke without any idle chatter, her voice crisp and cool:

"What are you going to do now? Are you confident in solving this case?"

Augustus didn't know what to say. Could Virene not know if he had the capability to solve the case?

So, without hesitation, he handed the phone to Luo An.

Luo An: "???"

Staring at the phone in his hand, Luo An was utterly baffled.

Isn't this your superior?

It wasn't until the impatient tone of Virene on the other end of the call began to surface that Luo An cursed Augustus for being dark-hearted and quickly answered the phone:

"Hello, Chief, this is Luo An Greenwood."

A sudden silence came from the other end of the phone; after a while, Virene's voice emerged again, cold and emotionless:

"Why are you answering the phone? Where's Augustus?"

"He..."

Looking at Augustus, who was sitting behind his desk, frantically waving his hand, Luo An immediately replied:

"He's gesturing at me not to give him the phone."

Augustus: "..."

"Hmph."

On the other end of the phone, Virene let out a cold snort, knowing full well what Augustus was like, and without mincing words, she asked directly:

"This case has hit the news. I've been ordered by the higher-ups to hold a press conference tomorrow morning. Once the press conference starts, we have 24 hours to solve the case. So the case must be solved within 24 hours, and the killer must be caught. Can you do it?"

After a few seconds of silence, Luo An asked, "Is there a reward if I manage to solve the case within 24 hours?"

Virene replied harshly from the other end of the phone:

"The case was originally yours, and it's because you didn't protect the details that it got leaked to the news. Not only did I not penalize your Investigative Team Five, but now you're asking for a reward?"

Without waiting for Luo An to respond, Virene continued:

"If the case can't be solved, tell me now, and I'll immediately hand it over to someone else. If you think you can solve it, yet fail to do so within 24 hours, your resignation will be effective once the time is up."

Even for the sake of the reward from rescuing the female tycoon, Luo An couldn't possibly bow out.

Just as Luo An, who had some ideas about the case, was ready to agree, Augustus suddenly walked over and snatched the phone from him.

Luo An: "?"

Snatching the phone, Augustus's expression was extremely grave:

"Chief, has Broson returned from Washington Headquarters?"

Hearing Augustus's voice, Virene initially wanted to mock him a few words, but as she heard the content of his words, the other end of the phone suddenly went quiet.

She understood the implication in Augustus's words.

The call was abruptly hung up.

Luo An looked at Augustus with a puzzled expression, noticing Augustus's face as unpleasant as unsweetened black coffee, and connecting this with what he had just said, Luo An seemed to grasp something.

A moment later, the ringtone of Augustus's phone sounded, and after pressing the answer button, Virene's voice came immediately:

"One hour before the TV news aired, Broson was promoted to team leader at the headquarters. Broson will officially take office in twenty-four hours."

Her tone was so chilling it gave one shivers; Augustus's face showed a look of "Just as I thought."

Luo An stood by, nodding thoughtfully.

The thirteen investigative teams of the New York Branch had long been divvied up by Virene and the other three team leaders, leaving no team for the newly promoted team leader, Broson.

Broson obviously knew what he would be up against in the future, and in order to ensure he wouldn't be just a figurehead without practical support, he decided to make the first move, directing his aim at the team leader with no less than five investigative teams under her command: Virene.

The kidnapping case that got upgraded to a serial murder case now seemed very likely to have been leaked to the media by Broson.

The 'Nightwalker' Joseph was just a pawn.

Luo An had some doubts before; a street-roaming reporter like Joseph would surely know the consequences of offending the FBI.

Was leaking the case to the media really all about money, to the point of risking his own life?

Now, seeing Broson hidden behind the scenes, everything finally started to make sense.