If the value of the stolen items reached five hundred thousand dollars, the thief would result in a sentence of at least ten years or even life imprisonment.
Desmond had a criminal record, so he knew very well the consequences of stealing a Rolex worth a hundred thousand dollars.
Although he knew he was being wronged, facing Darnell’s accusations and Judith’s targeted suppression made it nearly impossible for Desmond to prove his innocence.
If it were just Darnell framing him, he could have defended himself, but with Judith’s shamelessness and the failure of the surveillance camera, he had no choice but to back down.
He realized that if he didn’t quickly show weakness to Judith, he might end up serving a long sentence, so he tearfully admitted his mistake for bringing trouble to Spectrum Pharmaceuticals.
Judith decisively had them record statements and then called the police to take the group back to the station.
As Desmond wiped away his tears and got into the car, he couldn’t understand how that Rolex ended up on him until he left the Vertex.
“Judith, thank you.”
In the general manager’s office, Areli made a cup of coffee for Judith and then embraced her tightly, showing their close friendship. “If it weren’t for you today, I wouldn’t know how to handle this.”
Judith took off her police hat, revealing her spirited face, though her tone held a hint of reproach as she said, “We’re best friends, after all, but you should have called me sooner, and I could have taken care of Nick too, letting him rot in jail.”
Areli invited Judith to sit on the sofa. “I initially thought it would be better to avoid conflict, and I figured Darnell would easily dismantle their setup. I didn’t expect them to take such action.”
“I really have been quite busy,” Judith sighed. “But as long as you call, I’ll come, no matter how busy I am. We’ve been friends for ten years.”
“Isn’t that why you’re here now?”
Areli leaned forward slightly. “You handled today’s situation exceptionally well. I doubt the Apex will dare to stir up trouble again.”
“Being able to take them all down today also owes some credit to that bastard.”
Judith raised an eyebrow. “If it weren’t for him framing Desmond with the Rolex, I might have had to exert a lot more effort to get to the bald guy.”
At this, she huffed, “But seeing his skills, he must have quite a history. He’s not a good person.”
Areli giggled, “Aren’t you using the same tactics? It’s the pot calling the kettle black.”
Judith huffed, “That’s different! I’m punishing evil and eliminating the wicked. He’s framing and setting people up. If it weren’t for you, I would’ve arrested him too.”
“That guy is greedy and lecherous, slick and underhanded. If we don’t catch him, he’ll only cause more trouble for the people and for you.”
Thinking about the tattoo incident, the kiss in the hospital, and Darnell’s mysterious facade, especially the promise of soaking in hot springs, Judith felt a strong resentment toward Darnell.
“Areli, you’d better fire him.”
Seeing her friend’s angry expression, Areli smiled sweetly, “That guy really isn’t a good person, but he does have his merits.”
She thought Judith was still upset about the misunderstanding during her bath the other day. “He’s helped me out with a lot of recent troubles, and he even signed a deal worth 2. 5 billion for me. For now, he’s harmless to me. If anything happens, I can always come to you later.”
“Oh, so that bastard has made such a big contribution? Didn’t see that coming.”
Hearing about Darnell’s contribution to Areli softened Judith’s expression somewhat as she took a sip of coffee.
“For your sake, I’ll let him off the hook for now. But you need to be cautious. You’ve got more than one bad apple around you.”
“Roberto isn’t a good person either.”
Areli didn’t hide her situation at the company. “I know he’s no easy character. I just didn’t expect him to stir up trouble with thugs. Luckily, I have you, my powerful friend.”
“Don’t worry. He won’t be around for long either.”
Areli laughed teasingly, “What surprises me is that your fiery personality hasn’t calmed down. If anything, it’s gotten more intense.”
“You need to tone it down. Otherwise, how will you get married in the future?”
At Areli’s comment, Judith burst into laughter, her curves drawing attention. “Marriage? That’s never crossed my mind, and I don’t have time to think about it. My father doesn’t care what I do, so I’m not under any pressure. If I meet the right person in the future, maybe I’ll consider it.”
“If I don’t meet the right man, I won’t just settle for anyone to marry.”
Judith smiled sweetly. “Living alone can be just as exciting.” Then she changed the subject. “What about you? Do you have a prince charming?”
“As the general manager of Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, and looking as good as you do, with all that talent, you must have a lot of suitors, right?”
Areli took a sip of tea. “There are many men, but not a single one is suitable…”
When she said the last few words, her tone noticeably paused. For some reason, she thought of that bastard.
“Forget about men. Let’s talk about us instead. Areli, don’t wait until you have something to find me. You can call me anytime.”
Judith spoke softly, “You know my address. I’m always home when I’m not working.”
“I really want you to come over and relive our wonderful memories from back in the day.”
Areli’s expression softened. “I’d love to go back to how things used to be, watching movies, shopping, and dining together.”
“But this time, I’m back in Whiteville not just to be a manager. I have a more important task to accomplish.”
“In the past six months, I’ve hardly had any rest. When I first came to Whiteville, I tried to visit you, but I was told you were still in training.”
Judith unbuttoned one of her police uniform buttons to breathe a bit easier. “I stirred up too much trouble and even injured a high-ranking official’s son.”
“At that time, the chief received complaints every day, and it drove him close to a heart attack, so he found an excuse to send me off for training in Goldkeep. I was gone for three months, and it felt like a prison sentence.”
Her eyes glimmered with a hint of excitement. “But thankfully, those three months were quite fruitful.”
Areli smiled. “I didn’t know when you’d be back, so I didn’t reach out until you showed up at my house to check on the car.”
“Too bad you were so tired. We barely talked before you fell asleep. I didn’t want to disturb you.”
“The next day, you and Darnell got into misunderstandings, so we didn’t get a chance to catch up properly.”
Areli gave her friend a light smile. “Once the New Year comes and I have some free time, I’ll definitely come to see you and also visit your father at the Meech family.”
Ding!
Just as Judith was about to tease again, a news brief popped up on her phone. After scanning it, she looked up at Areli and said, “Desmond’s group is indeed from the Apex. It’s Nick’s revenge for the trouble he caused this morning, but there’s no evidence proving that Roberto had any connection to them.”
“But don’t worry. I’ll keep an eye on them, so this won’t happen again.”
“Just be careful when you go out. It’s best to have a few bodyguards with you.”
“Even though you’re the general manager and have the support of Spectrum Pharmaceuticals and the Matson family, it’s always better to be cautious.”
Areli nodded. “Okay, I’ll be careful.”
“Nick always bullies others, and he even dared to do something like this today. I should have just broken his legs from the start.”
Judith looked regretful.
“This is also partly Darnell’s fault. If it weren’t for him, Nick would have at least spent three months in jail.”
“Areli, get that bastard in here. I need to give him a piece of my mind.”
Areli paused for a moment before picking up the phone on the desk. “Lillian, have Darnell come in.”
“Miss Fanshaw, Darnell just finished giving his statement and told me to pass along that he’s out meeting clients,” Lillian quickly responded. “He said he doesn’t have much time and needs to complete his performance soon.”
“Did he leave?”
Areli sneered, “That bastard really does run away fast.”
Judith looked frustrated. “I should have dragged him in here to give him a beating earlier.”
Just then, Judith’s phone rang. She put on her earbuds, and a panicked voice quickly came through. “Captain Meech, it’s not good.”
“Miss Cornish has returned to Whiteville from Goldkeep.”
Judith shot up, her brows furrowing. “What’s she back for? Is she looking for trouble?”