Lust in the line of duty

The man in shadows

"Ugh.. Where am I?" Promise Nelson, who was tied to a wooden post, slowly regained consciousness. Her beautiful eyes opened, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings with a look of confusion. Brooke holstered his gun and quickly walked over to untie her, speaking softly, "Don't be afraid. We're the police. You're safe now."

"Police?"

Promise, still groggy from just waking up, was slow to process what was happening. With Brooke's help, she sat down on a nearby chair. It took her a moment to recall the events at the airport. Her father had mentioned that someone very important was coming to East Sea City and insisted she personally go to pick them up. She had canceled a company meeting and driven to the airport. As soon as she got out of the car, someone had covered her mouth and nose with something from behind, and she had lost consciousness. It was clear now—she had been kidnapped!

"Thank you," Promise said, quickly composing herself. She tidied her disheveled hair, revealing her stunning yet cold face.

"Are you Promise Nelson? It really is you!" Brooke finally got a good look at her and couldn't help but exclaim, his face showing utter disbelief. How could it be her? That jerk's words were true—Promise Nelson, the beautiful CEO of SkyRise Corporation, had indeed been kidnapped!

Promise Nelson smiled kindly and asked, "Officer, when can I leave?"

"Promise, Promise, thank goodness you're awake... it's me, it's me!" At that moment, the young man squatting nearby suddenly lifted his head and shouted excitedly at Promise.

"Berloff Nelson? What are you doing here?" Promise turned towards the voice, a hint of surprise in her beautiful eyes. The young man was Berloff Nelson, the general manager of SkyRise Corporation and also Promise's cousin. Berloff had lost his parents at a young age and was taken in by Magnus Nelson in East Sea City. After graduating, he was placed in the company, starting from the bottom. Due to his outstanding abilities, he was quickly promoted to general manager, assisting Promise. However, Promise had never been particularly fond of her cousin. She always felt that he was too scheming and calculating, which made her uncomfortable...

The officer holding Berloff noticed that the two knew each other and treated Berloff a bit more kindly, but he didn't remove the handcuffs. Berloff being at the crime scene was highly suspicious. Until his innocence was proven, he remained a suspect. Therefore, the three officers were also keen to hear how Berloff would explain himself.

"Oh, that... I was originally at the airport to pick up a friend, but I happened to see you being kidnapped by some men in black at the entrance..."

"Then, I followed the kidnappers in my car, intending to find out where they were taking you before calling the police. But just as I was about to call, I heard some screams from the yard. Worried about your safety, I rushed in without thinking, only to find that the kidnappers were already dead." Berloff explained earnestly.

"Oh? Quite a coincidence, isn't it?" The two male officers were skeptical of Berloff Nelson's explanation. On the surface, Berloff's story seemed flawless and easily verifiable, but it just sounded too convenient. As members of the criminal investigation team who dealt with major cases daily, they never believed in coincidences. Every coincidence had a plan behind it.

Berloff shrugged helplessly, looking innocent. "That's how it happened. If you don't believe me, you can investigate."

"You said you rushed in as soon as you heard the scream, right?" Brooke suddenly walked over and grabbed Berloff by the collar, frowning.

"Uh, yes, yes," Berloff stammered, nodding instinctively.

"Did you see the person who killed the kidnappers?" Brooke stared intently into Berloff's eyes, pressing on.

Berloff quickly shook his head. "No, I didn't. When I came in, I only saw three bodies and Promise. I didn't see anyone else."

"No one?" Brooke released Berloff, her brows furrowing deeper. Berloff had rushed in upon hearing the scream but didn't see the killer. About five minutes later, the officers arrived, and during that time, Brooke hadn't noticed anyone leaving. So, the person who killed the kidnappers was still in the mansion? Where could they be hiding?

The main hall of the house was about a hundred square feet, very empty, with most of the items moved out. The only places to hide were the side rooms on either side. Brooke drew her gun and suddenly rushed toward the left side room. Inside, there was nothing but an old wooden bed, clearly visible, and no one was hiding there.

"Brooke, what's going on? Did you find something?" The two male officers beside her also drew their guns, whispering softly.

"I suspect the person who killed the kidnapper is still on the scene. Cover me," Brooke said in a low voice, slowly moving toward the other side room. The two male officers took deep breaths, their expressions tense, as if facing a formidable enemy. They approached the side room where Wilson Hunt was hiding, one on the left and one on the right, guns raised.

Brooke had already figured out the killer's identity. Based on the police motorcycle abandoned two miles away and the skills of that shameless bastard, the identity of the killer was becoming clear. Inside the side room, hidden behind some clutter, Wilson Hunt heard the footsteps outside getting closer and couldn't help but smile slightly. He had stayed behind just to ensure Promise Nelson's safety. Now that the police had arrived and Promise was safe, there was no need for him to stay. Before Brooke and the others could burst through the door, Wilson flipped and jumped out of the broken window...

Bang!

"Freeze! Police!" Brooke kicked the door open and rushed inside, shouting as she quickly scanned the room. The room reeked of mold, and aside from a pile of clutter by the window, the space was mostly empty. She immediately dashed to the pile of clutter, but it was empty.

"The killer must have fled a while ago. The windows here are broken, making it easy to escape without drawing attention," one of the two male officers said as they holstered their guns.

Brooke stared at the messy footprints on the floor and the half-handprint on the windowsill, her brows furrowing deeply. That bastard had escaped again. "No matter where you run, I will bring you to justice," Brooke silently vowed, clenching her fists. She was a police officer, and upholding the law was her duty. Even though Wilson Hunt had killed a kidnapper, it was still murder, and he had to be punished.

Woo-wOO-WO0...

The sharp sound of police sirens approached, breaking the silence of the industrial area. "The captain and the team are here," one of the male officers said as they went out to meet them. Brooke took a deep breath, quickly adjusting her emotions. Before leaving, she deliberately wiped the half-handprint off the windowsill with her hand. She also stomped around the clutter, making the already messy footprints even more chaotic, leaving no clear prints behind.

Thud, thud, thud...

A dozen agile detectives, clad in bulletproof vests and armed with guns, rushed in. "What happened here? Someone explain this to me!" A middle-aged man with a square, resolute face and a sturdy build stepped forward from the group of detectives. His hawk-like eyes quickly scanned the bodies and guns on the ground before finally fixing on Brooke and the two others who had just emerged from a side room. His voice was stern and commanding. This man was Captain Hartman of the city's Criminal Investigation Division. As soon as he received the call from his subordinates, he immediately led the team over. A shooting homicide was a major case. Since Brooke had been temporarily reassigned from the division, the two male officers began to report the details of the case...

Emperor Grand Hotel, top floor presidential suite, East Sea City. A young man with delicate features and handsome looks stood naked in front of the massive floor-to-ceiling window, gently swirling a wine glass in his hand. The blood-red wine reflected a mesmerizing, seductive glow. "One day, I will become the king of East Sea City!" The young man gazed down at the bustling city through the enormous window, his eyes gleaming with ambitious light. Beneath him, a woman with fox-like allure and a voluptuous figure was diligently working, her sensual moans occasionally escaping her throat, stirring the blood...

Buzz...

The phone on the nightstand suddenly vibrated. The young man glanced at his phone, raising an eyebrow as he picked it up. "Mr. Finnegan, there's been an incident..." As soon as the call connected, a panicked voice came from the other end.

"Why are you panicking? Speak!" The young man frowned deeply, a hint of irritation on his face.

"Mr. Finnegan, according to the intel, four of the kidnappers who took Promise Nelson are dead. Promise has been rescued by the police..."

"Useless! What did you promise me before? You can't even handle this simple task. What good are you to me?" The young man roared angrily, cutting off the other person mid-sentence.

"Mr. Finnegan, I..."

"Shut up! This failed kidnapping means that old man Magnus Nelson will be on guard now... You're all just a bunch of failures!" The young man was clearly furious, continuing his tirade without giving the other person a chance to speak. The person on the other end remained silent, enduring the young man's wrath.

"You said four are dead? What about the fifth one?" The young man finally asked, getting to the point after venting his anger.

"Their leader wasn't there. He survived, but his whereabouts are currently unknown..."

"Unknown?" The young man's icy voice sent chills down the spine of the person on the other end of the call.

"Mr. Finnegan, give me three days. I promise I'll find out where he is," the voice on the other end quickly assured.

"You have three days to find the kidnappers alive and deal with them. If you fail, you know the consequences!" the young man said before abruptly hanging up the phone.

"Damn it, useless bunch," he muttered angrily. His face twisted in frustration as he tightly gripped his phone. He then grabbed the hair of the beautiful woman next to him, ignoring her screams, and threw her aside.