Chapter 606: I Really Like Her
Both men fell silent for a moment before Alaric spoke again. "You had this all planned out, didn't you? You became a cop to protect him. If you ever got exposed, you'd take the fall for him. That's why you left that account. You live frugally and keep a low profile. If nothing happens, no one would look into your finances. But if someone does, it means you've been exposed, and that account would be the evidence against you."
"Yeah, and the tattoo," Tommy explained. "It's not a symbol of the organization. It started with someone wanting to show loyalty to my godfather, so they got a tiger head tattoo. Others followed suit. But those who didn't know the truth thought it was a symbol, at least Stuart did. So I played along and drew the tattoo on myself. I don't have any tattoos, and neither does my godfather."
"You deliberately showed that tattoo to Stuart. If you weren't exposed, you could accuse Stuart instead. But if you were, it would be evidence against you."
Tommy let out a long sigh. "Yeah, because I realized being a cop was more trouble than it was worth. As a cop, I'd be surrounded by other cops, all sharp and observant. I'd have to walk on eggshells every day."
"I thought if I got exposed, taking the fall for him and dying would be a relief for me. My death might even stop him from continuing."
"And then there's Mr. Emberlyn. Someone of his stature came to Arizona City for someone as insignificant as me. When he talked to me, he even praised my undercover work and encouraged me to keep it up after I became a full-fledged cop."
"It felt like a judgment on my conscience. I thought once I became a real cop, I could focus on climbing the ranks. But the reality was different. The moment I put on that uniform, I was exhausted. Every day was mentally draining."
"I've had years of education, and read countless books. I knew I was doing something wrong. Wearing this uniform should mean upholding justice, but I wore it to protect a criminal."
"No matter how many cases I solved, how many criminals I caught, it couldn't make up for the guilt. So I worked hard, hoping it would make me feel better, but it didn't."
"Every day, there was a battle inside me, but it never ended. I filled my home with workout equipment, not because I loved fitness, but to tire myself out. Even then, I couldn't sleep at night. It was torture."
"I volunteered for Marigold's case. I knew Mrs. Stellan Knight was innocent. I wanted to close the case quickly. When I visited her, it was to put pressure on you all to wrap it up."
"Then Mrs. Stellan Knight felt unwell, so I took her to the hospital, and that's where I met Gillian."
He finally smiled, speaking slowly. "When she bumped into me, it felt magical. She was with you, and I guessed she was Mr. Emberlyn's daughter."
"I was grateful to Mr. Emberlyn, and maybe that's why I felt something for her. Maybe it was love at first sight."
"That rainy night, the downpour made me restless. The station needed more patrol officers, so I volunteered. I couldn't sleep at home anyway. While driving around, I found Gillian running from your house."
"She got in my car. I offered to take her to a hotel, but she didn't want to go there or back to your place. So I brought her to my home. It felt amazing."
"Suddenly, this suffocating space had someone else in it, someone completely different from me. She was lively, cheerful, and open-minded."
"I never had a friend or anyone to talk to, but Gillian talked a lot. I listened, and it made me happy. I went from dreading going home to eagerly wanting to see her."
"Having her around was enough for me. I didn't expect her to confess her feelings. I knew I shouldn't accept, and I kept reminding her I might be a bad person."
"But she was determined. I wanted to refuse, but I couldn't. She took the initiative in everything, and I couldn't say no."
As he spoke, Tommy's face held a smile that gradually faded. He looked at Alaric and said, "Alaric, you're sharp. No one else suspected me, but you kept digging."
Alaric had always thought Tommy was complicated, though he was wrong about Tommy being Joe's double agent.
"Your instincts were right. I am a bad person, without principles or limits. You all worried I'd hurt Gillian, but how could I? I like her."
Hearing this, Alaric pressed the end call button on his phone. It had been on the whole time, and the person on the other end was Gillian.
At this point, he knew he couldn't hide it from Gillian anymore, but he didn't know how to tell her. So he let Tommy do it.
The call ended, and Gillian still clutched her phone tightly. At some point, tears had started streaming down her face.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
