Part 110
Summer's house is accessed via a small path, with no streetlights inside. A few windows glowed with warm yellow light, but looking in from the entrance, there was still a sense of deep, unsettling fear.
The Vault shoved her hands into her pockets and moved a little closer to Julian Grant. But Julian Grant suddenly stopped, asking her to wait at the main road for a moment, then jogged into a nearby convenience store.
The Vault leaned against the tall pole of a streetlamp. After a moment, Julian Grant came out holding two high-powered flashlights.
He handed them over and asked, "Do you want just one, or do you need to hold both to feel safe?"
The Vault blinked, as if seriously considering the question, then said, "I only feel safe when someone else lights the way for me."
Julian Grant laughed, "Alright, I'll respect the lady's wishes."
He flicked on the switches, shining the lights to the left and right, illuminating the path ahead, and walked in front, signaling for The Vault to follow.
The two entered the path. Julian Grant dutifully led the way, checking the house numbers along the roadside. The sounds of TV shows could still be heard nearby, creating a lively atmosphere.
For no particular reason, The Vault inexplicably bumped him with her head.
Julian Grant stumbled and turned back, "What are you doing?"
The Vault said, "Phototaxis."
Julian Grant: "??"
Julian Grant deliberately quickened his pace, but before long, The Vault caught up and bumped him again.
Julian Grant: "......" Is this person afraid of the dark or just childish?
"Do you know why most insects are attracted to light?" The Vault grinned slyly. "Actually, there are many hypotheses, but no definitive answer. In other words, nobody knows."
"...You're really something," Julian Grant said. "Nice excuse."
The Vault shrugged, "Most of the time, that's true."
Julian Grant waved his hand, "Come here."
The Vault approached nonchalantly.
Julian Grant shoved a flashlight into her hand.
The Vault said regretfully, "What about respecting the lady's wishes?"
Julian Grant bent down, "Get on."
A flash of obvious surprise crossed The Vault's eyes, but it only lasted a moment before she returned to normal.
Julian Grant pretended to be impatient, "One..."
The Vault quickly jumped on.
"Damn..." Julian Grant grunted under her weight, caught her, turned around, and directed, "Shine the light ahead."
The Vault lay on his back, sincerely sighing, "Quincy, you're really nice."
Unfortunately, Julian Grant couldn't see her expression and snorted, "If you really want to say I'm nice next time, don't call me Quincy."
The Vault: "Don't you like that name?"
Julian Grant said loudly, "Do you think I would like it?!"
The Vault replied calmly, "Of course."
Julian Grant, both annoyed and embarrassed: "Get down. Now."
The Vault waved the flashlight, tightening her arm around his neck, and said, "We're almost there, look, just ten more numbers to go."
Julian Grant, still fuming, carried her to the entrance of the building before letting her down.
The Vault stood to the side and said politely, "After you."
Julian Grant shot her a glance and strode up the stairs.
Chapter 71: Reprimand
In the screening room, the keyboard clacked rapidly, each keystroke crisp and clear. Other than that, there was only the awkward silence as everyone avoided eye contact.
Henry Harris coughed and asked awkwardly, "Is that your little boss's girlfriend?"
"Uh..."
The employees actually didn't know, but couldn't say for sure that she wasn't. After all, who knows what the future holds.
Henry Harris turned to Quinn Shelby for an answer, but Quinn Shelby shamefully stayed silent. He was surprised to realize just how superficial his friendship with Julian Grant was.
Quinn Foster read the room and exclaimed, "Isn't this mixing business with pleasure a bit too much? Julian Grant is using his position to pick up girls!"
Henry Harris tried to understand, "Young people, you know."
Quinn Foster: "??" So young people can just flaunt their relationships and be forgiven?
·
Inside the instance, Julian Grant stood in front of Summer's house and glanced down.
The lights inside were still on, shining through the gap under the door.
Julian Grant pressed the doorbell, but it was broken, so he knocked hard with his palm instead.
A rough voice called from inside, a middle-aged man shouting, "Who is it!"
Julian Grant said, "Open the door."
Man: "Who?!"
Julian Grant's voice dropped a little, "Neighborhood committee."
The man peeked out suspiciously, using his body to block the doorway and prevent them from seeing inside.
He looked very distant. "What do you want?"
Julian Grant took out his badge for him to see. "Criminal police."
The middle-aged man's voice softened and he became much less aggressive.
Julian Grant pulled a piece of paper from his pocket, pretending to compare the face on it. "It's you. You know Xavier Daniels, right? We have some questions for you."
"Why ask me about him?" the man said warily. "He didn't call the police, did he?"
Julian Grant sneered, "If you didn't do anything, why are you afraid of him calling the police? Feeling guilty?"
The man said anxiously, "He agreed to it! And anyway, their family should have paid up. I raised my daughter all these years just for them to ruin her—do you know how hard that is for me?"
Julian Grant said, "But according to our investigation, your relationship with your daughter doesn't seem very good, does it?"
"I'm her father, how could I hurt her! We're family, what do you mean not a good relationship?" the man retorted without thinking. "You can't believe what people say outside! They just gossip, what do they know!"
Julian Grant: "Do you think you're a qualified parent?"
Middle-aged man: "Of course!"
Julian Grant didn't want to argue further. "Step aside, we want to talk to Summer."
The man glanced inside, hesitating, but didn't move an inch.
Julian Grant chuckled, "What, do you want us to stand at the door and talk about your daughter's pregnancy?"
The man snapped back, "What does my daughter's pregnancy have to do with the police? Aren't you overstepping?"
"Extortion and murder are our business."
"What do you mean?"
"Xavier Daniels's father is dead," Julian Grant said. "Don't you watch the news?"
The man's expression changed. His dark, sallow skin made it hard to see, but the sudden dullness in his eyes and the trembling of his lips betrayed his true feelings.
"This... this has nothing to do with us," the man hurried to distance himself. "When did he die? We've been at home this whole time, we..."
His voice was still shaking when a heavy thud sounded behind him. The loud crash echoed several times, growing more distant, as if something was tumbling down the stairs and hitting the ground. In the quiet night, it was especially jarring, almost deafening. The man's body shuddered in time with the noise.
The Vault's figure had been hidden in the darkness. Hearing the commotion, she moved her feet, then quickly ran downstairs.
Julian Grant glanced back but didn't catch sight of The Vault, so he followed the middle-aged man into the house.
As soon as he entered, he paused for a second, thrown off by the chaos in the living room.
From the living room to the bedroom, a thick, long rope stretched across the floor. The middle section had been frayed and snapped, the two ends lying on the ground. The living room window was wide open, the curtains billowing in the wind.
"Ah—ah!"
The middle-aged man leaned out the window, desperately craning his body downward, letting out meaningless screams. Hearing those piercing cries, Julian Grant finally understood, and a chill ran down his spine. He immediately turned and ran downstairs to check.
The sound of hurried footsteps, mixed with the neighbors' frantic discussions, made the air feel scorching and suffocating.
Julian Grant didn't have time to think. He only knew that Summer had jumped.
When he reached the ground below the living room window, someone was already crouched beside the injured person. A light shone from her hand as she dialed for emergency services.
Julian Grant stopped beside her and asked, "How is she?"
The Vault nodded, speaking into the phone, "Address: XX... A female, fell from the fourth floor. Luckily, several awnings and clotheslines broke her fall. Preliminary check shows no fatal head injuries. But she's pregnant, there's some vaginal bleeding, breathing is weak, can't determine fractures or internal bleeding. No medical professionals nearby, so we haven't moved her."
Her calmness spread to those around her.
The person on the other end said, "Don't move her, wait for the doctors. Is the patient still conscious?"
The Vault replied coolly, "Conscious."
Summer's eyes were open, misty with tears, her pupils darting between the starry sky and the faces around her. With a blink, large teardrops rolled down.
The Vault held her hand, her thumb gently stroking the back of it, receiving a faint response.
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