Chapter 384: Chapter 384: Nobody Gets Away
The schoolgirl who was forced by Daniel Lynch to jump off a building recently was, to him, the pinnacle of beauty.
The one he encountered today opened his eyes even further.
She’s not just a great beauty, is she?
She’s practically a rare gem.
And, she’s a naturally stunning beauty, even without makeup.
How could he easily let such a rare resource slip away?
But just as Daniel Lynch began to speak, Julian Hathaway shot him a glare.
"Shut your mouth!"
Daniel Lynch felt uneasy but could only keep his mouth shut.
Julian Hathaway turned away, showing a smile as he looked towards Ashley Shaw and her friends.
"I’m really sorry, my cousin lost his parents early, and my parents spoiled him. He has a wild nature, so he’s a troublemaker. Please forgive him. But I assure you, he means well, he just comes off as unreliable."
Ashley Shaw spoke expressionlessly, "I’ve heard a saying, ’Steal a needle as a child, steal gold as an adult.’ Some mistakes start small but become bigger over time. When real trouble occurs, will Chief Hathaway cover for him or punish him?"
Julian Hathaway’s expression changed slightly.
It was his first time being lectured in such a tone by a child.
But for someone in his position, his patience was not to be underestimated.
In an instant, he restored the smile on his face.
"Young lady, I understand what you mean. I will make sure to discipline him well for his parents, and I’ll ensure he’ll be more restrained in the future."
"I..." Daniel Lynch wanted to say something, but Julian Hathaway’s glance made him swallow his words.
Julian Hathaway continued, "This incident today, it’s my immature cousin who caused you trouble. How about this? How many days are you planning to stay at this hotel? Let him cover your room charges, and let’s call it even as friends."
As soon as he heard "friends," Daniel Lynch’s discontent vanished instantly.
He nodded repeatedly, saying, "How many nights will you stay? I’ll go extend your reservation right away."
"No need," Ashley Shaw said faintly. "Just don’t appear before us again, and ensure you don’t deceive others in the future, and we’ll let this pass."
Daniel Lynch’s face darkened.
"When have I ever deceived anyone?"
"Say less!"
Julian Hathaway glared at Daniel Lynch again, saying, "Rest assured, I’ll keep an eye on him. If he behaves like this again, I won’t tolerate it."
Jensen Hayes, who hadn’t spoken until now, said, "So, Chief Hathaway, you’re aware of him using model cards for deceit?"
Julian Hathaway realized his previous statement was flawed.
He kept his composure and said to Jensen Hayes, "When did I say he deceived anyone? Our family may not be wealthy, but we’re an honest family. He was raised by my parents and would never resort to such crooked paths, nor does our family need deceit to earn money."
His confident demeanor was a hair’s breadth away from telling Jensen Hayes, "Don’t falsely accuse good people."
"Exactly," Daniel Lynch said. "My company is legitimate; you can check for yourself! All licenses and registrations are displayed in the lobby, issued by the Bureau of Industry and Commerce!"
Ariana Grant mumbled, "Who knows if your company is selling dog meat under the guise of lamb, colluding with officials to do shady business."
The words "colluding with officials" struck a nerve with Julian Hathaway.
He never mentioned Daniel Lynch was his cousin outside to avoid such whispers behind his back.
Now, these kids dared to say it to his face; how could he not be angry?
But the angrier he got, the more Julian Hathaway’s smile seemed serene.
"You truly misunderstand. Their company is legitimate, and they are decent people. If you don’t trust him, you can trust me. If you still don’t believe it, tell me when you’re free, and I can call the Bureau of Industry and Commerce to join you for a company audit."
Listening to him so confidently, Ashley Shaw was unsure whether to believe him.
She instinctively looked at Jensen Hayes.
Because Jensen Hayes knew more about the model card business.
Jensen Hayes fixed his gaze on Julian Hathaway and asked, "Chief Hathaway, are you certain your cousin isn’t involved with the recent case of the schoolgirl jumping off a building?"
Even Julian Hathaway froze for a moment at this question.
"Are you from the police academy?"
"Exactly."
"I see." Julian Hathaway regained his smile and said, "So that’s why you won’t let this go; you suspect it’s related to him."
"Isn’t it?"
"Of course not. The criminal investigation team is already on it, and they have found some leads. They say it involves an outsider, unrelated to Daniel."
Daniel Lynch feigned ignorance, "Jumping off a building? What are you talking about? I don’t understand."
"If you didn’t know, you wouldn’t understand."
Julian Hathaway then said to Jensen Hayes, "I understand the incident might have left you with some trauma, but rest assured, this matter has absolutely nothing to do with Daniel. See, he doesn’t even know about it."
Jensen Hayes’s face remained expressionless.
"Is it that you’re ensuring it has nothing to do with him, or you don’t believe it’s unrelated? There’s a big difference, so please clarify, Chief Hathaway."
Julian Hathaway realized he was facing a tough opponent.
"You’re indeed suited to be a cop, but as I said, it’s neither of those. I’m stating this based on factual grounds."
Jensen Hayes said, "Speaking of facts, the only fact I know is that your cousin used the model card as an excuse to try to take my two friends. Such a clear connection to the case, isn’t Chief Hathaway planning to take this person in for investigation?"
After a lengthy back-and-forth, Julian Hathaway had completely lost his patience.
Had he not maintained his smile as a habit, these kids wouldn’t have gotten a warm reception in the first place.
But at this moment, Julian Hathaway’s smile was gone.
"Since you don’t believe us, I’ll take him in for investigation then. However, if we’re investigating, please join us as well. It’s only fair to hear both sides, considering I wasn’t present earlier."
With that, he waved a hand and said, "Take all four of them in."
Once inside, whether they could leave would depend on him.
If he wasn’t willing, he promised they wouldn’t be going anywhere for quite some time.
Julian Hathaway brought two people along. The two officers originally dispatched were also present.
Four people, each overseeing one of them; no one had a chance to escape.
Daniel Lynch never intended to run; he knew these people had thoroughly angered Julian Hathaway.
He surely wouldn’t be in trouble, but those three...
Haha.