Chapter 98 I’ll Shoot You
“Mr. Garza, are you seriously suggesting that I should bow to Ms. Carter for her sake?” Orlando’s voice dropped, his tone thick with suspicion.
Before Derek could respond, Orlando pressed on. “Mr. Garza, may I inquire? Are you a distant relative of the Garza family from Stotta? As far as I know, the Garza family has
two sons–one in his forties and the other overseas for health reasons. So, that must
make you a distant relative, correct?”
Orlando’s implication hung heavily in the air: Derek was no one of significance, just a distant member of the Garza family with no authority to demand anything from him.
Derek raised an eyebrow, unfazed. “Oh? Why can’t I be the younger son?” he countered, his voice casual but sharp.
Orlando scoffed, dismissing the notion. “That’s impossible. The younger son was sent abroad for medical treatment years ago and has never returned. You must be
wondering how I know all this, Mr. Garza.”
With a smug smile curling on his lips, Orlando continued, “Do you know Bruno Diaz? He’s my godfather.”
Bruno Diaz was a powerful man in Stotta, a businessman with ties that reached deep into both legitimate and shady dealings. Even the Garza family treated him with
respect.
By mentioning Bruno, Orlando was making it clear that he would not be intimidated
into bowing his head to a woman, no matter how much Derek or his family demanded
- it.
As Orlando’s words settled, firm and unyielding, the rapid sound of footsteps interrupted the tension.
Four soldiers in camouflage uniforms rushed toward the group, their presence imposing and swift. At the forefront was a man who immediately headed for Renee. “Ms. Carter.” he greeted her respectfully.
Renee looked at him, her eyebrows furrowing in surprise. “Why are you guys here?”
“We were ordered by Captain Chadwick. The alarm on Felix’s device was triggered. We came as soon as we received the signal,” the soldier explained.
Renee scanned the area, her gaze falling to a pile of broken parts on the ground. It was Felix’s smart watch, now shattered and discarded.
Her fury ignited like wildfire, her body stiffening as she glared at Orlando with searing anger.
Orlando shuddered, his body instinctively taking a step back as his voice faltered. “What… alarm? We didn’t know… It was just a regular smart watch, right? How could we have known… it was an alarm device…”
The lead soldier’s gaze hardened, his tone cold as ice. “You broke it?”
Orlando felt his knees weaken under the intense scrutiny. The weight of the soldier’s commanding presence made his head spin. He had never imagined his day would unfold like this–provoking such formidable figures.
The soldier stepped closer, his voice laced with deadly intent. “This is a state–of–the–art military–grade locator. You’ve got guts breaking it. I could shoot you right now.”
The soldier’s words were laced with menace, and the unmistakable click of his service pistol being drawn heightened the tension, transforming the threat into something all too real.
Orlando, the Chief Inspector, was no stranger to commanding authority, but nothing had prepared him for the chilling experience of being threatened at gunpoint. In that moment, all his power seemed to evaporate, leaving him exposed and helpless.
His legs gave way, and he slumped to the ground.
It was even more humbling than merely bowing his head.
Beside him, his wife also collapsed, her panic evident as tears streamed down her face.
“Sir, please spare us! We didn’t mean to… We’re sorry! We’re so sorry!” Her voice trembled as she pleaded.
She had forgotten that Orlando, despite his position, was a mere police officer, while these men were elite special forces operatives, trained in real combat. They weren’t the kind of people who would tolerate threats–let alone break the law and get away with
- it.
“Yes, yes, she’s right. We apologize. We’ll cover the cost of the locator!” Orlando’s voice
was shaky, stripped of its usual authority.
He had lost all the bravado that once made him so fearsome. The weight of the situation had reduced him to nothing more than a frightened man begging for
