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Chapter 1207: This Man Should Have Died Over Twenty Years Ago
Richard Shaw stayed in the ward for a while, seeing Leah fall into a deep sleep after taking her medication. Her mind had been significantly affected, leaving him both worried and slightly relieved.
The side effects of the hypnosis hadn’t fully manifested yet, and no one knew if she would suddenly regain her memory. The man would rather she remain in a stupor every day, allowing him time to deal with those behind the hypnosis incident.
Swongzi gently knocked on the door, and the man stepped out, spotting Griffith Squire’s trusted aide, Cornelius Turner, standing guard outside. Even if Cornelius went to rest, he would switch out with someone else to maintain the watch.
Richard Shaw accepted this laissez-faire approach, though it might anger Griffith, leading him to forcibly take Leah away to the Imperial City, causing trouble.
Richard Shaw noticed Swongzi hesitating to speak and gestured for him to step into the adjacent rest area for a conversation.
"We’ve dug into Dr. Rafael’s background. On the surface, he was adopted by an American couple and taken to the United States to live, but in truth, this couple wasn’t wealthy at all. Over the years, his life has been unnaturally smooth. Whether it’s the growth of his assets or his reputation, it seems beyond an individual’s strength, almost as if he’s been cheating. Like when he returned from the U.S. with several patents and rapidly became the most renowned psychiatrist in the Imperial City within a few years, it’s almost impossible to achieve such a status without financial backing." Swongzi laid out the suspicious points uncovered in their investigation.
The Imperial City is unlike other cities; gaining fame here isn’t hard. What’s difficult is standing out and surpassing everyone else in a short period.
Richard Shaw lowered his eyes, shadows from his long lashes casting over his brown pupils, remaining silent.
"We’ve discovered unusually large fund transfers in one of his accounts over the years. Tracing this, we found a person named Easton Lawrence. His background is complex; he frequents the black market and is an international broker. Easton is elusive, but we’ve already pinpointed his location."
"Find and interrogate this Easton, then organize a search of Dr. Rafael’s residence and investigate any vacant houses within view." The man narrowed his eyes, speaking in a low, cold voice. Like a crafty rabbit with multiple dens, while Dr. Rafael is trapped in the hospital, his property would be secured. If there are valuables, he wouldn’t have had time to move them. If things go as expected, there must be a secondary hideout from which he can observe his own house. If they’re lucky, catching a related person or two isn’t out of the question.
Originally, Richard Shaw hadn’t focused on Dr. Rafael, but the doctor’s rather overly eager interest in Leah went beyond a normal doctor’s concern for a patient.
Swongzi nodded and swiftly led a team to execute the orders. By evening, not only had they captured Easton, but during the search of the vacant units within view of Dr. Rafael’s apartment, they apprehended two individuals. They weren’t just equipped with surveillance tools, but also firearms, essentially caught in the act.
Thus, Dr. Rafael’s dubious identity was definitively confirmed.
"Major General, the individuals have been detained and brought back to the Military District. After a brief interrogation, the information we’ve gathered is astounding; you should come and see for yourself." Swongzi said urgently.
The hospital had too many people around, making it unsuitable for their personnel to appear and risk causing panic.
Seeing their progress, Richard Shaw showed no hint of a smile, calmly nodding and instructing them to bring Dr. Rafael back to the Military District, then returned to Leah’s ward.
Leah had awoken once briefly, but after only half an hour, she fell back asleep.
Fortunately, the consensus among several doctors was that her current sleep was highly beneficial for her mental recovery. There were also calming agents in the IV, making drowsiness normal. This condition should last three to four days, with the patient likely to recuperate significantly by then.
Even though Richard Shaw knew this, his heart was still somewhat uneasy.
The man stood resolutely by the bed, gently touching her small face. His handsome, stern features revealed a hint of unease. He looked at her for almost half an hour before reluctantly heading to the Military District for the interrogation.
In the airtight interrogation room, Dr. Rafael had been left without food for an entire day, and hadn’t slept for a day and night, with bloodshot eyes.
The situation was just as he had suspected. Richard Shaw, known for his ruthless methods during his early years in the Southwest Military Zone, had only grown more formidable with time. This kind of person is cautious and overconfident. Any doubt in their mind, and they investigate thoroughly. He had been a bit careless; simply giving Leah an early hypnosis had garnered Richard’s undue attention.
This man was simply insane.
Dr. Rafael adjusted his glasses, exuding a sense of nervousness and unease. He knew about the Military District’s methods, and although he excelled in hypnosis with a strong mental fortitude and meticulous logic, being stationed here wasn’t a good thing.
As Dr. Rafael contemplated his options, the interrogation room door opened, and a man with shoulder badges stepped inside, his demeanor stern. Sitting across from Rafael, he coldly asked, "Is Rafael your real name?"
Richard Shaw had watched the interrogation processes in the other rooms before arriving. He threw a thick file onto the table, his brown eyes as sharp as a sword, peering down at Dr. Rafael before him.
Coming from a noble family, with a prestigious background, famed from a young age and having risen steadily to become a Major General, Richard Shaw had the credibility to scrutinize any peer with a haughty air.
"Yes, it’s my real name. I’m just a clear, innocent doctor. How long do you intend to keep me here? I demand to see a lawyer. Does your Military District not respect law and human rights?"
Dr. Rafael said angrily. His voice lacked force due to a day’s hunger and lack of sleep, and Richard Shaw outright ignored his demand.
The man curled his lips into a cold smile, having enough time today for this game.
"Dr. Rafael, you’re in the interrogation room of the Military District, yet you think you’re innocent?" Richard Shaw said coldly. "I’m afraid a lawyer won’t be much help for you. The crimes you’re involved in equate to treason."
Dr. Rafael’s pupils contracted abruptly, his expression growing colder, while a storm rose within him. How could this be? Could his identity have been exposed? That’s impossible. The explosion eight years ago, he hadn’t participated. He was the one most deeply hidden, and all his records were genuine. How could Richard Shaw possibly discover his identity?
"You were only ten years old when it happened back then." The man, unusually, desired a cigarette today. He lowered his gaze, lit one, took a drag, and through a haze of smoke, murmured with indifference, "Thanks to you, I was eight that year, and lost both my parents."
Richard Shaw hadn’t come today to interrogate; this man should have died over twenty years ago. Changing his identity and fleeing to the United States only to return, he was no more than a fool trying to stop a chariot with his arm.