“No, the person responsible has covered their tracks well, and I couldn’t uncover anything during the investigation,” Vincent replied. “I did review the file on the car accident. According to the file, the two damaged Land Rover cars were initially taken to an eastern city parking lot. However, there are no records of them entering or leaving the lot, and the individuals who brought them there didn’t register their names.”
“Understood,” Cristofer nodded. “So, after the car accident, the two cars were first placed in that parking lot instead of a junkyard, and later, someone secretly moved them to the junkyard where we eventually found them, right?”
“Yes, that’s the case. That’s why we couldn’t find the cars earlier. Someone deliberately hid them and prevented you from finding them. Mr. Hans, the person responsible, must have considerable influence. It couldn’t have been Gretchen. She wouldn’t have had the means to do something like that.”
Cristofer clenched his lips, deep in thought for a moment, and then said, “Vincent, do you have any idea who in Hadale could have hidden those two cars without me finding out?”
“I probably shouldn’t answer that,” Vincent replied, rubbing his nose in embarrassment. “Mr. Hans, you already have a suspect in mind, don’t you?”
“Yes, but I lack concrete evidence,” Cristofer admitted.
“Their people left no discernible traces. It’s challenging to find evidence.”
Cristofer fixed his gaze with determination and said firmly, “Keep investigating. There must be some traces of their actions. It’s been many years, and they may have tampered with surveillance videos. Try to locate any witnesses. Additionally, they might have transported the two cars using a tractor or a large truck. Start the investigation from that angle. But be cautious not to let anyone discover what you’re doing.”
“Understood,” Vincent nodded. “Mr. Hans, what will you do if it turns out that Mr. Lopez is behind this?”
With a cold expression, Cristofer responded in a low voice, “I’ll do what needs to be done.”
Hearing this, Vincent understood his intent and broke into a cold sweat.
“By the way, cancel the afternoon meeting. I have some matters to attend to and need to go out,” Cristofer instructed.
“Alright. Are you going to see Mrs. Hans?” Vincent asked.
“No, I’m heading to Mount Cloud,” Cristofer replied.
****
Cristofer was born and raised in Hadale but hadn’t visited Mount Cloud often. When he did, it was usually because of Estelle.
Instead of driving, he rode his motorcycle there. Despite his injured left arm, he managed to control the motorcycle with one hand, speeding along.
Upon reaching the mountain’s base, he parked his motorcycle, lit a cigarette, and leaned against it, waiting for Geoffrey. He had initially planned to ask Justin to drive him tomorrow but decided against it to avoid causing trouble for Justin.
A few minutes later, Geoffrey arrived in a black Lincoln. He rolled down the car window and asked, “Have you made up your mind?”
Ignoring the question, Cristofer took a deep drag from his cigarette, extinguished it, and tossed it into a nearby trash can. Then, he exhaled a cloud of smoke and said, “What preparations do I need to make? Where did you hit me three years ago? What was the weather like that day? What time was it when it happened?”
“Are you sure this is the way you want to regain your memory?” Geoffrey asked.
“Yes.”
“But what’s the point? Haven’t you decided to let her be with someone else?”
Arching his eyebrows, Cristofer replied, “You seem well-informed. Did you or Nelson hire that man to pretend to be Mr. Mysterious and get close to Estelle?”
“Neither of us did,” Geoffrey answered honestly. “Nelson has been quite troubled lately. Your disobedience and the fake Mr. Mysterious’s appearance have complicated the situation. Nelson is in poor health, which has taken a toll on him.”
Cristofer didn’t seem concerned about Nelson’s well-being and calmly remarked, “If that fake Mr. Mysterious isn’t the actor you hired, it means he might truly be my twin brother.”
“Perhaps. If you doubt it, you can do a DNA test with that man,” Geoffrey suggested.
“Forget it,” Cristofer replied with a smile. “There’s no need for that. If he keeps his word, whether he’s my brother doesn’t matter.”
“Wait!” Geoffrey suddenly became anxious, sensing something amiss. “What do you mean? Did you promise him something? Did you agree to give him all your properties in exchange for taking care of Estelle?”
“Relax. I only promised him the properties of the Hans family. I’m still managing the properties Nelson gave me. If I survive today, I’ll honor our previous agreement and hand them over to you.”
Geoffrey breathed a sigh of relief. “You gave me quite a scare.”
“Mr. Field, make sure to control your speed when you hit me. Don’t kill me. If I die, my children will inherit those properties, and you’ll get nothing,” Cristofer cautioned.
With a wry smile, Geoffrey replied, “Mr. Hans, it’s no wonder people in the business world say dealing with you is no easy task. You’re quite demanding. I not only have to help you regain your memory but also ensure I don’t accidentally kill you. It’s quite the challenge.”
“No one gets things from me easily. If you want Nelson’s properties, you’ll have to succeed,” Cristofer stated.
“Alright,” Geoffrey agreed, pointing to the sky. “The last time I hit you, it was pouring rain, and you were on the highway from Mount Cloud to the airport. It was around four in the morning, and no other cars were on the road. There were no witnesses, and the rain washed away any blood.”
“No wonder I couldn’t find any clues about the car accident,” Cristofer remarked in a lighthearted tone. “Mr. Field, you’re quite the skilled driver. If you hadn’t managed your speed so well that day, I’d be six feet under.”
Geoffrey took a deep breath and asked, “What’s the plan now? Shall we wait until tomorrow morning?”
“There’s no need to wait that long,” Cristofer replied as he pulled another cigarette from his pocket and placed it between his lips. He turned to Geoffrey and offered, “Want one?”
“No, thank you. I’ve quit smoking,” Geoffrey declined.
Taking a drag from his cigarette, Cristofer observed the setting sun in the distance. “Winter days have early sunsets. Let’s wait until it’s dark,” he suggested.
“Okay.”
With something on his mind, Cristofer retrieved a folded file from his pocket and handed it to Geoffrey through the car window. “Here, take this.”
Geoffrey accepted the file with a puzzled expression, unfolding it and reading its contents. He was surprised and said, “This is…”
“If hitting me results in my demise, you can use this file with the police. It’s a disclaimer stating that I willingly requested you to hit me, and your actions won’t be held responsible for my death.”
Geoffrey remained speechless, still processing Cristofer’s gesture. “You…”
“I don’t want to be indebted to you. If you end up in jail because of me, I won’t be able to rest in peace,” Cristofer explained.