Chapter 1114: Senseless Murder
"Be careful with your words, Mr. Cassel. Reality is not like the novels you wrote. You can't just put your settings on a person as you think."
For a moment, Calderon was like a wounded old lone wolf, showing his sharp fangs to Cassel.
But that was all. After Jack snorted coldly, he still chose to continue to defend himself.
"Yes, I fell in love with Valerie, and she also responded to my love, but we didn't have any quarrels, and I was here that night, in this suite, and didn't go anywhere!"
"Let's not talk about the fact that you have enough money to bribe the hotel staff to make an alibi for you." Beckett took out another photo and put it in front of Calderon.
"We told you before that after Dr. Monroe was killed, his body was sent to the funeral home. This is the surveillance footage that my colleague obtained from an ATM less than a block away from the funeral home.
Does the black Cadillac DeVille look familiar? You often use this car to take Dr. Monroe to the park for a walk, right?
As we speak, the forensic team is extracting the lining in the trunk of this car and comparing it with the gray nylon fiber found on Dr. Monroe. I have a hunch that the results of the comparison will be very unfavorable to you."
Calderon seemed to be in a state of confusion and kept muttering to himself, "No, no, no, I was here that night, I remember it very clearly, I didn't go anywhere, I remember this car."
"Perhaps your dear brother Manuel can help explain what is going on." Jack, who had been watching everything coldly, suddenly spoke.
After speaking, he took two steps forward and blocked the porch leading to the bedroom from the living room.
Although the other party was unlikely to resist, Jack still habitually guarded against some clichés, such as pushing the other person into the bedroom to take out a shotgun when the situation was bad.
"My God." Calderon turned around and looked at his brother with disbelief, "Did you do it? You took the car keys that night, look at me, my brother!"
Manuel's eyes flashed with tears, and he answered with a slightly trembling voice, "You don't understand, brother, I have to do this, it's all for you."
"Manuel! Why!" Calderon roared, and one hand subconsciously covered his chest.
"She is an informant, Caesar." Manuel also roared, "I noticed the man waiting in the restaurant, so I followed him. Do you know who he is?
He is an investigator from the State Attorney's Office. That woman betrayed you."
Cassell and Beckett sighed silently. Although they were sure that Dr. Monroe's death was related to the drug lord, they had imagined various possibilities in terms of motivation before coming.
But the only thing I didn't expect was that this was just a misunderstanding.
"Why didn't you tell me in advance?" Calderon's face was distorted and his expression became extremely ferocious.
"Because you have been blinded by love, brother, I know you too well." Although he was a murderer, Manuel's voice was a little choked.
"When you gave her your mother's bracelet, I knew that only I could stop this and stop Valerie from hurting you."
"What did you do? My dear brother!"
Calderon wanted to reach out and grab Manuel's collar, but his weak body obviously did not support him to make too intense actions in such an excited mood, and the latter held his arm instead.
"He hit her on the back of the head, knocked her unconscious, and then injected air into her neck. I think this is the injection technique your brother learned when he was taking care of you."
Cassel's tone was compassionate, but it was only out of sympathy for the unfortunate experience of the deceased, not the "loving" brothers in front of him.
Beckett continued, "There would be no blood evidence left, and then he stuffed Dr. Monroe's body into another person's coffin, so no one would ever find it."
"I think your brother should have prepared a set of excuses for leaving without saying goodbye, such as Dr. Monroe gave him the bracelet before leaving, and then waited for a suitable opportunity."
Jack even completed the story that had not yet happened, and took out the handcuffs.
"Why did you do this?" Calderon panted, looking at his brother with indescribable complex emotions, and the language was changed to their native Spanish.
"I have always done this, haven't I? Brother, make them disappear, there is no murder without a body, you taught me." Manuel let go of Caesar Calderon's hands and let them hang down helplessly.
Beckett took the handcuffs from Jack and stood behind him. "Manuel Calderon, you are under arrest for the murder of Dr. Valerie Monroe. You have the right to remain silent."
Manuel did not struggle. After all, both he and his aging brother were just ordinary wealthy people in New York who were investors.
Because of their shameful history of making a fortune, they were always watched closely by federal law enforcement agencies and could be regarded as marginalized people to some extent.
"I can't let her hurt you or our family. I hope."
Manuel's heartfelt words were abruptly interrupted by Jack, "In fact, Dr. Monroe can't hurt anyone. She is indeed an informant of the State Attorney's Office, but the investigation is not about you or your brother.
They are not interested in your family. They are only investigating the corruption of the county hospital. Your murder is meaningless."
After hearing this, Caesar Calderon fell back on the sofa, holding his chest, breathing heavily, and looked like he was about to have a heart attack.
However, to Jack's disappointment, this dramatic scene did not happen. Until the three took Manuel out of the hotel suite, the former drug lord was still sitting there, staring at the ceiling with lifeless eyes and saying nothing.
——
"Want to go to my house for a drink?" The case was completed and the rest was the court's business. Cassel seemed in a good mood and had already taken out his mobile phone to search for the flight time to Las Vegas tomorrow.
"No, our work is not done yet." Because Beckett's police car was used to carry prisoners, Jack motioned the great writer to get on his Audi R8.
"What else?" Cassel was a little confused.
"Two things. First, notify the DEA and ask them to keep an eye on the flow of funds of the Calderon family. They have not been able to catch this guy because he has kept most of his funds in secret overseas accounts.
But this time his most important family member, his closest brother, is in prison. He will definitely hire the best lawyer team in New York, which means spending a lot of money, and maybe there will be flaws."
Jack smiled cunningly. He was not obsessed with absolute justice. He had to kill the bad guys to have a perfect ending. Nothing mattered, but if there was a chance, he would still be happy to see the bad guys get into trouble.
"Calderon's brother killed his lover with his own hands. Do you think he would save him at all costs?" Cassel thought Jack's idea was a bit incredible.
"Who knows? After all, before Dr. Monroe appeared, even in the past six months, his brother still took care of him."
Jack believed in his judgment. Besides, there was no loss in trying it. Maybe there would be an unexpected surprise.
"So what's the second thing? Where are we going?" Seeing Jack driving all the way to Central Avenue, Cassel became even more curious.
When he was about to reach Columbus Park, Jack found a random parking space on the side of the road and took out his cell phone to send a message to Irene Reagan, while explaining, "I think maybe we may have a chance to correct a wrongful conviction."