"Is that old guy reliable?" Jack still had so doubts about Smitty.
"You're unlikely to get him to arrest anyone, but finding soone shouldn't be a problem. Don't underestimate a patrolman who hasn't fired a shot in almost 20 years; the local scoundrels in his area will help him."
"Okay, I will find him tomorrow then."
The next day, after the briefing, Commander Gery indeed called Jack into his office alone and handed him a photograph. It was of Alejandro sia, using the alias Sacel Ojeda.
"Find this guy. He was last seen near the County Art Museum. Rember to keep a low profile."
Jack asked knowingly, "Can I ask other officers for help?"
Commander Gery nodded. "Sure, but keep it confidential. No questioning after the arrest, no data entry. Just call the IRS directly. Protect him until they co to pick him up."
Jack feigned confusion, left Gery's office, made a copy of a photo, and found Smitty, the old guy, with a box of donuts. Smitty's face showed a knowing look.
"So, kid, do you want the contact information of that new redhead at the dispatch center, or do you want so tickets to a strip club?"
"Uh…" Jack choked for a mont.
"I just need your help to find soone on the street."
"Give half." Smitty gave him a knowing look.
"What?"
Jack was startled. Could this guy be the legendary wolf in sheep's clothing, with so special identity hidden beneath his seemingly lazy exterior? He vaguely rembered Smitty organizing a secret organization, but wasn't that just a codic device by the writers?
He'd only been in contact with the IRS last night; how did this old codger get wind of it? Even if Commander Gery had let it slip, he shouldn't know about the reward. This guy dared to ask for such an exorbitant amount.
"You're doing a side job, aren't you? Have a bounty hunter friend? Catching a bail jumper? I don't care how much the reward is, either half or at least $500."
Okay, it was indeed an exorbitant demand, but not quite what he expected.
Jack breathed a sigh of relief, but his face showed resentnt: "That's impossible. It's just helping a poor woman find her runaway husband. 50 dollars, that's the most I can offer."
Smitty's small eyes darted around, sowhat unwilling: "200 dollars, that's the least I can offer."
"100 dollars plus a homade apple pie. If you don't do it, I'll find soone else."
"Deal! Give the photo."
Jack's hand felt lighter; the box of donuts and the photo had vanished.
The day Angela officially joined the detective division was drawing closer, but today, while patrolling the streets, this woman always wore a gloomy expression.
If it were any other day, Jack would have been eagerly watching under the guise of concern, but today he was sowhat distracted. After all, this reward was a huge sum for him, and Smitty didn't seem like a reliable person.
Just as he was considering whether to ask a few more people to help, or simply try his luck in the vicinity after work that evening, Jack felt his arm being touched. He turned around and saw Angela looking at him with a resentful expression.
Jack was startled. This was all so strange! This woman was usually so outspoken and tough, more so than most male officers, but today she was acting like a submissive wife. What was going on?
Quickly reflecting on whether he'd offended her, Jack cautiously asked, "Wesley?"
"He doesn't want to take to et his mother at all!"
Angela's tears stread down her face, startling Jack half to death. He quickly pulled the police car over to the side of the road and frantically grabbed so wet wipes, handing them to her.
"I'm a bit of a tomboy sotis, I eat a bit too fast, and I don't like cleaning; my room is a complete ss. But I'm trying to change all of that."
"Bang!" Jack slamd his head against the steering wheel, looking like he was in excruciating pain.
He couldn't help it; he was afraid he'd burst out laughing and get riddled with bullets by the enraged Angela.
He'd been in this world for over three years. Aside from the three won he'd been entangled with, Lucy, Angela, and even Nyla Harper and Bishop, who transferred to the ATF — while they all had their own flaws — they shared one thing in common: they were all remarkably independent won. They craved love and marriage, but they would never beco dependent on their partners for money and lose themselves in the process.
This was completely different from the demanding, all-powerful won Jack had encountered before. He hadn't been to the other side of the ocean in his previous life and had no way of knowing if all the beautiful won in that world were like them.
From a rational perspective, it's possible that people try to show what they lack; the distinctive female characters portrayed by Arican TV writers might be just a few exceptions, given the actual social status of won in both countries.
But Jack was very fortunate that the won around him now, regardless of their relationship with him, weren't particularly "dramatic," so Angela's behavior could only be for one reason.
Restarting the police car, Jack turned around and drove towards the central hospital without a word. Angela, in the passenger seat, looked puzzled.
"Where are we going?"
Jack suppressed a laugh, feeling like he was quickly becoming a friend of won.
"Let's go to the hospital, get you a checkup?"
"Don't joke with , I'm already in a terrible mood."
"I'm not joking. I know plenty of girls who are insecure and only bla themselves, but you, Angela, are definitely not one of them. Normally, at this point you should be complaining to that Wesley is a jerk, or go find him, have a huge fight, and then go to a hotel, instead of wallowing in self-pity here."
Seeing her still staring at him with wide eyes, Jack could only offer further hints.
"How long has it been since your period last visited?"
"Oh my God!"
Angela frantically pulled out her phone and started flipping through the calendar.
"I thought it was just because I've been late lately. You know, my timing is always unreliable. Are you saying I might be pregnant?"
Jack quickly waved his hands, issuing a triple denial.
"No, I'm not, I don't know. I know nothing about your health. You should ask Wesley about that. After all, unprotected sex isn't always reliable. I just made the simplest deduction."
Angela suddenly beca shy, her expression sowhat awkward.
"Actually, you just need to stop at a pharmacy and buy a pregnancy test; it doesn't need to be that complicated."
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