Chapter 133
“Ceci, I understand your desire for vengeance. But please, do not act impulsively and jeopardize your safety. You cannot confront the mastermind alone. Do you understand me?”
Cecilia was well aware of the terror her adversary had instilled. “Don’t worry, Evan. I hold my life dear and won’t behave recklessly,” she assured him.
She yearned for vengeance, yet she also craved survival.
It wasn’t just for her sake, but for the five lives she carried on her shoulders.
They had sacrificed themselves to protect her, compelling her to endure and nurture their family.
Evan felt a profound sense of relief, knowing Cecilia was someone who upheld her promises faithfully.
“Ceci, take care of yourself. If there are any developments, contact me immediately. My phone will be available around the clock for you. In case you can’t reach me, please reach out to Aiden.”
“Okay.”
“When you discover the necessary lead, I will request a temporary transfer and come back to the country to handle this alongside you.”
“Okay! Just wait for my good news.”
After ending the call, Cecilia made her way to Christopher’s study.
There, she found Christopher seated at his desk with his eyes fixed on the computer screen and his fingers moving swiftly across the keyboard.
Upon hearing her enter, he didn’t lift his head to acknowledge her. “Ceci, take a seat for a moment. I’ll be done reviewing the
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surveillance footage shortly.”
Cecilia wasn’t one to sit idly. Instead, she inquired, “Is there any way I can assist?”
“That won’t be necessary. I’ve already enlisted the help of a few individuals to review the footage together. You needn’t trouble yourself,” he replied.
Upon hearing Christopher’s response, Cecilia ceased bothering him and retrieved her phone to investigate further.
The reason she had been able to reach the furnace room swiftly earlier was due to the limited blind spots in the hospital. In essence, there were only a handful of routes one could take to evade surveillance cameras entirely.
Through deductive reasoning, she was able to discern a feasible path.
Likewise, the mastermind had limited options for leaving the hospital without detection by the surveillance cameras.
Due to the hospital’s bustling activity, even if the mastermind managed to remain undetected by the surveillance cameras, evading every watchful eye seemed implausible.
Cecilia surmised that locating a witness might provide the lead she needed.
With that idea in mind, Cecilia promptly examined the
potential routes the mastermind could use to exit the hospital.
Her focus centered on the paths that offered easy concealment and direct access to the furnace room.
She was convinced that the mastermind must have been observing her from the shadows!
Soon, she identified the mastermind’s escape route and located a potential witness.
Cecilia promptly reached out to the police and shared half of
the gathered clues.
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“If you desire the complete set of clues, trade them for your investigation results. What are your thoughts on this arrangement?”
Cecilia understood that police interviews with witnesses were not only efficient but also more likely to yield the truth.
After consulting with their superior, the police officer communicating with Cecilia responded, “We accept your terms, but we will provide you with witness testimony only. We won’t disclose the overall progress of the investigation.”
The crucial time frame for solving a crime was within the initial 48 hours after the incident, and every clue held significant value.
Therefore, as long as the case could be resolved, the police were willing to accept a reasonable compromise.
Cecilia promptly agreed upon receiving the expected response. “Deal.”
After the call, she swiftly forwarded to the police the screenshots of the witness captured from the surveillance footage.
Just as she dispatched the images, Christopher made a discovery.
“Ceci, come and have a look.”
He stood up and offered the office chair to Cecilia, making it more convenient for her to view the computer.
Cecilia observed that Christopher had been walking excessively that day, which wasn’t conducive to the recovery of his leg injury. Concerned, she urged him back into the chair.
“Have a seat. I’ll observe from the side.”
Christopher didn’t decline her gesture of kindness.
He meticulously reviewed all of the hospital’s surveillance. footage both before and after Juliana’s incident, examining
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every detail from the moment the emergency doctor was replaced to the time she was transported out of the emergency
room.
Juliana’s entry into the emergency room was an unintended occurrence, just as it was an impromptu decision to pose as an emergency doctor for the mastermind.
The mastermind was dressed in a black shirt and casual black pants, sporting a mask and sunglasses when he entered the hospital.
He kept his head lowered consistently, evading the surveillance cameras and shrouding his identity in mystery.
Following his guise as an emergency doctor and entry into the emergency room, the mastermind mysteriously vanished from the surveillance footage.
As Cecilia gazed at the screenshots from the footage, her eyes clouded with a deep sense of solemnity.
“Given his level of caution and ruthlessness, it undeniably aligns with the mastermind’s modus operandi!”
At the time, despite the elaborate scheme he had orchestrated, he executed everything flawlessly. Therefore, it was hardly surprising that all the current leads would lead to a dead end.
However, Quilton was within their home country, not in a foreign land entangled in intricate situations. Therefore, it would be considerably easier to uncover clues.
She turned toward Christopher and remarked, “The police have already started questioning the witness. Perhaps we can obtain some valuable information.”
But it wasn’t sufficient. She needed Matthias‘ assistance.
“Christopher, could you please approach Mr. Quigley to help locate the mastermind? I am willing to pay any price for his services.”
Christopher glanced at Cecilia, her hostility palpable, and
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gently covered her hand resting on the mouse.
“Matthias is already on it. He will inform me of any updates. Right now, my concern is for your well–being.”
He believed that the mastermind wouldn’t take any drastic actions in Quilton, but the killing of Juliana in such a high–profile manner seemed like a declaration of war.
Observing the mastermind’s apparent lack of fear regarding exposure, Christopher felt that they were either confident in leaving Quilton safely or had a foolproof plan.
If it were the latter, Cecilia would be in immense danger. Cecilia, on the other hand, harbored no concerns about her safety. She was confident because she knew that the mastermind was not intending to kill her.
Besides, revealing her identity as a racer and using herself as bait were calculated moves, all leading to that moment. However, the manner in which the mastermind had revealed themselves was not what she had anticipated.
That unexpected twist was precisely why she urgently sought to harness Matthias‘ power to locate the mastermind as swiftly as possible.
“Christopher, you, Yvette, and the Yancey family are in a more perilous position than I am.”
The mastermind’s intention behind capturing her was to coerce the Shaw family into committing nefarious acts against the country.
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