Chapter 234 Ms. Kelly's Secrets
Sophia deleted the half-typed message she was composing and sent a confused emoji instead.
Jake: "Just don't kick me out next time I swing by for a meal at your place."
Sophia laughed: "Absolutely not!"
Just offering meals didn't seem enough for Sophia; she knew Jake seldom cooked and probably relied on takeout too often, which wasn't nutritious.
She decided to invite Jake over for dinner more often.
It was hard to believe that Jake, who typically came off as a fresh college grad, was actually such a tough guy. Taking on three vicious thugs single-handedly was no problem for him.
That night, Emma indeed had a nightmare. Ethan fared somewhat better, murmuring a few words in his sleep. It was unclear if Sam had any bad dreams.
Early the next morning, Sophia called Gabriel.
Sam, who had slept alongside Gabriel, hadn't had any nightmares. In contrast, Mrs. Lancaster was so frantic that she almost collapsed again, but thankfully, the family doctor arrived in time to stabilize the lady's condition.
In the end, the police failed to catch the escaped kidnapper. Of the other three, two were critically injured. However, since Sophia and Jake were acting in self-defense, they were just brought in to the station to give their statements before being released.
One of the slightly injured criminals had already confessed everything.
They were all fugitives who had committed crimes elsewhere and ran to B city at the end of their rope. Someone phoned them with a lucrative offer to kidnap three kids and carry out a harsh plan. Tempted by the high price, they impulsively took the job.
The contact was made over the phone and the payment was in cash, left in a designated spot for them to collect. Half was paid upfront, with the remainder to be paid upon completion of the job, along with arrangements for them to flee the country.
Even the site for the hypothetical murder and disposal of bodies was chosen by the employer.
Since the perpetrator chose lives over money, it was evidently a case of revenge.
Gabriel, as the town's wealthiest man, had made quite a few enemies in his business endeavors, yet most wouldn't dare to go to such extremes with his son.
Gabriel had a few suspects in mind, whom he shared with the police. The officers investigated but found nothing suspicious about those individuals.
As for whether Sophia was the target, she believed she had rarely made enemies, except perhaps Tiffany.
The police brought Tiffany in for questioning but discovered nothing.
The number used by the perpetrators was a virtual internet number, and even with sophisticated cyber-investigation, it was only traced back to an internet cafe's address.
The case was complicated, demanding considerable time and effort to pursue.
As for the other two kidnapped children, the criminals insisted they hadn't harmed them, and had no idea why they had disappeared.
Eventually, Jake informed the police that the two kids, frightened and disoriented, had run off when he pursued the criminals, and he had made sure they got home safely.
Florian Connor sat in his office, watching a video recording and spoke slowly, "This Ms. Kelly seems to be hiding something."
They were professionals when it came to investigating and could usually tell when someone was lying.
Jake was strong-willed and emotionally stable, making it hard to read him. Sophia, however, seemed to be concealing something.
Gabriel took a sip of his coffee.
"As long as everyone's safe, that's what matters."
Florian Connor simply nodded in agreement.
...
In the Blue End neighborhood, Jake was in the midst of changing his bandages when the door's keypad chirped, signaling someone entering the code from outside. His assistant walked in and caught sight of the vicious wound streaking across Jake's muscular arm, his mouth opening in an exaggerated gape.
"Holy smokes, did you get into a fight or something?"
Without even looking up, Jake poured antiseptic on the gash, which hissed upon contact, seemingly unaffected by the pain; not even a furrow crossed his brow.
"Just a little incident. Find out who was behind the kidnapping of Sophia’s child for me, will you?"
"Got it."
The assistant dropped a stack of documents onto the desk.
"You need to get these signed by today," he said, sneaking another glance at Jake's arm. "Can you even write with that hand?"
"It's functional. Just leave it there."
At that moment, Jake exuded none of the sunny warmth he showed Sophia. Instead, he radiated the daunting presence of someone who had weathered many a storm.
His handsome face was expressionless, his eyes devoid of warmth. He shot a cold glance at his assistant.
"Anything else?"
"I don't get it. What's so special about Ms. Kelly that you’d give up everything back home to be here? When she needed a lawyer, you handed over your go-to firm for her to use, ensuring they represented her under the Drake Law Firm banner."
"And for her sake, you're living in this dump, now injured. Jake, after all you've done for her, what have you gained?"
Jake picked up his phone and a slow, pleased smile curved his lips.
"Isn't it obvious?"
The assistant jolted, wondering what he had seen.
'The normally reserved and ruthless Hughes actually smiling? Wow, he looked good smiling. If the women back home saw this, they'd lose their minds.' The assistant thought.
Seeing that the assistant was still rooted to the spot, Jake put his phone away and fixed him with a piercing stare.
"You still here?"
'Don't hold me up. I've got dinner to catch at Sophia’s place!'
Feeling dismissed, the assistant walked out without a word. Ever since Jake returned stateside to pursue the woman of his dreams, he had increasingly defied expectations.
Approaching the hallway, something occurred to the assistant.
"Hey, remember we put the squeeze on Lancaster Group last time? Worked like a charm. Should we mess with their chip launch this time?"
Jake responded without hesitation, "Not this time."
The last move had put Gabriel on guard. Jake wasn’t ready to reveal his hand just yet; let them have a moment of peace for now.
Jake hurriedly bandaged his wound and stepped into the cloakroom, opting for a more casual outfit. The loose sleeves perfectly concealed the bandage on his arm.
Arriving at Sophia’s place, he found her bustling in the kitchen.
“Uncle Jake!”
At the sight of Jake, the two little ones circled around him with glee.
Over the meal, Sophia casually mentioned, “You seem to know the South Ridge Hills quite well.”
He had guided her to find the three children, then helped Ethan and Emma avoid Detective Gabriel and the police. Such ease suggested a deep familiarity with the terrain.
Jake's warm smile reached his eyes. “I grew up around there. My buddies and I used to hike up Ridge all the time. I could navigate those paths blindfolded.”
That explained it. Sophia had wondered how Jake, who was raised in the M Country, knew the area so well, often taking shortcuts when driving.
Turns out, he had lived there too.
Sophia urged Jake to eat more, mentioning she had made a special soup to help his wound heal.
Indeed, Jake had lived in the South Suburbs, but his home was up on Ridge, spending his days in a cave like a wild child.
Savoring the delicious meal, he felt a contented warmth inside, setting aside the harsh memories of the past.
At the old Lancaster house, Madam Lancaster was worried as she observed Sam zoned out for over an hour. She fretted over the possibility of the event causing Sam to become even more withdrawn.
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