NOVEL NEXT Chapter 549: [Bonus chapter]Cold case
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«What is it that you want to tell us?» Gabriel Collier asked. David Clayton had promised a scoop in return for money, and Gabriel wanted to ensure he had something before raising his hopes.
Since he didn't want to talk about what had happened with Lara, it likely was related to some other secrets his family had.
«I had an uncle, before,» he said, in fact. «He lived with us until, one day, his past crimes were discovered.»
«Yes?» Gabriel Collier said, suddenly on alert.
«To be precise, my father couldn't bear the thought of his crimes and went to the police. My uncle should be still serving the sentence for embezzlement, tax evasion, and some other things. It's suspected that part of the funds was for terrorists, so the judges had no mercy with the verdict.»
«Terrorism?»
«I believe we can find proof for this,» David said. «It was not made public at the time because it could unsettle public opinion. It was just given to the judges for the trial. To ensure they didn't let him out.»
«What kind of proof is it?»
«Twenty years have passed. I guess it's okay if the world finally knows. I can give you the documents my parents are still keeping safe. What do you think?»
«It would be nice,» Gabriel said. «How much do you want for these?»
«Ten thousand.»
«That's too much! It's a cold case, and it won't sell many copies regardless.»
«You can publish that Lara Clayton's uncle is a terrorist. Isn't that appealing?»
«It's also your uncle. Your whole family will get involved, like this.»
«It won't. No one will pay attention to us, and the scoop will cool down eventually. It's not like we're having a real trial, either way.»
«Ten thousand is too much,» Gabriel repeated. «As I told you, it's a cold case.»
Telling David that he was ready to pay this very moment would only bring more issues. The young man would have tried asking more, even keeping some of the documents for later negotiations. Only if he thought there was no value in those papers would he have given up easily.
That was the chance Gabriel Collier had been waiting for: getting his hands on the papers of the case. If there was something that could help Luther, he would have found it. But only if he managed to snatch them from David.
«Let's make it eight, then?» he replied, trying to give up.
«Two at most. I don't have money to throw away like this.»
«I will sell this to someone else!»
«Please, do.»
David halted, seeming to realise something.
«It will be a hot topic soon. My uncle is getting out of prison soon... Someone will find out and make a scoop out of it. If you're not the first, you might as well not write the article. It wouldn't have been much of a novelty if it wasn't related to Lara. But now, knowing Nate Woods' woman is related to a terrorist...»
«Your parents are more related than Lara,» Gabriel pointed out.
«But my parents put aside their familiar love to call the police. You don't know how my father delivered the documents so that his own brother got what he deserved? Isn't that proof of clear conscience?»
Gabriel Collier sighed. That young man sure was problematic.
«How do you know he's getting out now, though?» he asked.
«I heard my parents discuss him. They're worried he's back for revenge. That would be another story, right? It would make my parents become the heroes of a tale.»
«And you alongside them,» Gabriel pointed out.
David Clayton was not truly dangerous. He was a spoiled kid who grew up with everything served to him. He started betting and lost money on it, even contacting his sister for help. There was nothing he wouldn't do for some money. Nothing.
But, at the same time, he had no idea of how his actions reflected on others. Just like any spoiled kid, he thought he was the only one having it hard. And he couldn't see the hard work of others, blaming luck for giving them what they had.
«Four thousand,» Gabriel said. «It's my final offer.»
He doubted there could be something useful in that dossier, but he couldn't let the chance slip away. If it was just papers, as he expected, he would simply deliver it to Luther.
He didn't think the Clayton couple would keep incriminating evidence with them, after all.
«What about Lara, though?» he continued. «We were interested in her, not in your parents. Do you know something useful?»
«My sister has twins, but you already know it. Oh, she's come to my parents' house the other day. She talked with my father and, when she was off, he was shocked. I've never seen him like that. He kept his head in between his hands chanting the same thing over and over again. Lara must have messed up with his brain...
Just like she did with Nate Woods, I guess.»
«What was he saying?» Gabriel inquired, his sense as a reporter being tickled by those words. «Which were the words?»
«She's not my daughter, she's not my daughter.» David leaned back, shaking his head in disapproval. «I understand she must be angry for what happened, but saying that to a parent... She's heartless, isn't she?»
«Sure,» Gabriel sighed. He turned to his paparazzi friend, and they exchanged a meaningful look.
Steven Clayton thought that Lara was another man's daughter, didn't he? It would explain why he decided to ruin his own brother. However, before reaching any conclusion, they had to talk with Luther about it.
If, by any chance, Lara was his daughter... Likely, it would be a strike of luck for both. For him, who would have someone in the world. And for Lara, who wouldn't be tangled with her biological parents anymore.
«Let's make this exchange, then. I'm sure you're doing the world a favour, young man,» the paparazzi said, his best smirk on the face.