CHAPTER FOURTY-EIGHT

Julian sat in his small apartment, slurping noodles from a takeout container. He had been living off deliveries, always looking over his shoulder.

Although he hadn't killed David with his own hands, Julian had orchestrated the murder. He had hired a hitman, emptying his bank account to ensure the job was done. Julian knew David would seize the CEO position in his absence.

Now, Julian's life was in shambles. His face was plastered on wanted posters, and his reputation was ruined. He couldn't find a job, no matter how hard he tried.

In desperation, Julian turned to scamming, swindling people out of their money. He hoped to accumulate enough to flee the country and start anew.

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Ava sat at her desk, pouring over files for a new case. Beside her stood Nicole, a slender and sharp-minded young agent. Nicole had joined the team over the years, initially as a junior under Ava's guidance.

As the department head, Ava had mentored Nicole, who had quickly proven herself to be a valuable asset. Now, they worked together, tackling the latest challenge to come across their desks.

The detectives investigated the gruesome murder of a young woman in her early twenties. The victim's body, found on the street, bore deep slashes on her hands, face, stomach, and legs. Evidence suggested she had been assaulted and killed.

The police had been tracking a serial stalker targeting young girls, molesting, and then killing them. The government urged women to stay indoors after 6 pm until the stalker was caught.

ava secured the CCTV footage, revealing the stalker's face. However, tracking him proved challenging.

At the station, the team brainstormed strategies to catch the stalker. ava suggested using herself as bait, pretending to walk alone, to lure the stalker out.

Nicole asked, "Where do you think the stalker will commit his next crime?"

Ava replied, "Exactly! We'll need to figure that out."

However, the team disagreed, citing concerns for Hava's safety. "You can't put yourself in danger," they said.

Ava reassured them, "I know what I'm doing"

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As Ava was talking, her phone rang, interrupting their conversation. She checked the caller ID and smiled, excusing herself to answer the call.

"Hey babe, what's up?" ava said

"I'm missing you," Jerome cracked voice came up.

"Why does your voice sound like that?" Alva asked, noticing the sleepiness in Jerome's tone.

"Did you sleep or what?" she teased.

Jerome chuckled. "Yes, I just woke up."

Alva laughed. "So..What are you doing now?"

Jerome yawned. "Nothing, just calling to talk to you."

Alva smiled, feeling happy to hear from Jerome.

Jerome's tone turned serious. "Okay, so what are you doing now?"

Alva's expression turned solemn. "We're working on a case. A stalker has been targeting young girls,and end up killing them, we need to catch him."

Jerome's voice turned concerned. "Okay, fine. I'll let you focus on your work."

Alva smiled, feeling grateful for Jerome's understanding. "Thanks, babe."

She hung up the phone and returned to work, her mind refocused on the case at hand.

*******************

Julian's fingers flew across the keyboard of his mini laptop as he responded to the messages from the old rich man. The old man was interested in buying a mansion, and Julian was happy to "show" him some pictures.

"Check out this beautiful mansion," Julian typed, attaching a picture of a luxurious house. "It's got everything you need - spacious rooms, a private pool, and breathtaking views."

The old man responded, "Is this house real? I don't want to fall victim to a scam."

Julian chuckled to himself as he typed, "Of course, it's real! I can send you more pictures and even arrange a viewing if you're interested."

The old man seemed hesitant, but Julian could tell he was hooked. He continued to exchange messages with the old man, showing him more pictures and making false promises about the mansion.

As the conversation went on, Julian's excitement grew. He couldn't believe how easy it was to scam people online. He had been doing this for weeks.

But Julian's luck was about to run out. The old man was not as naive as he seemed, and he had a few tricks up his sleeve...

The old man's next message made Julian's heart skip a beat. "I've done some research, and I think I've found the exact same house listed on another website... for half the price you're asking."

Julian's eyes widened as he realized he had been caught. He quickly typed out a response, trying to come up with an excuse. "That's just a mistake on their part. This is a rare opportunity to own a luxury mansion at a discounted price."

But the old man was not buying it. "I don't think so," he typed. "I think you're trying to scam me. And I'm not going to let you get away with it."

Julian's face turned pale as he realized the old man had turned the tables on him. He had been outsmarted, and now he was in danger of being exposed.

Julian's mind was racing as he tried to come up with a plan to salvage the situation. He knew he couldn't let the old man expose him, or he would be in serious trouble.

He decided to try and bluff his way out of it. "You're just being paranoid," he typed. "I assure you, this is a legitimate deal. If you're not interested, then maybe we're not meant to do business."

Julian's eyes widened in frustration as he realized the old man had blocked him. He slammed his hand on the table, feeling a surge of anger and disappointment.

"This can't be happening!" Julian muttered to himself. He had been running his scam for months, and it had been working like a charm. He had made a living off of swindling people out of small amounts of money.

But Julian had grown greedy. He wanted more. That's why he had decided to move on to bigger-ticket items, like houses. He had thought it would be easy, that he could just charm his way into getting what he wanted.

But now, it seemed like his luck had finally run out. Julian couldn't believe that he had been outsmarted by an old man. He felt like he had been punched in the gut.

Julian slumped back in his chair, feeling defeated. He wondered how he was going to get out of this mess. He knew he couldn't keep running his scam forever. Eventually, someone was going to catch up with him.

But Julian pushed those thoughts aside. He wasn't ready to give up yet. He was determined to find a way to get back on top, no matter what it took.