Two Hundred and thirty five

CHAPTER 235

Nicholas mumbled for quite a while, before he unveiled his plan in front of Noel. "First, I did ask Peter to make a discreet inquiry into Hendrick's involvement with Ace, but since I suspect he's involved with Kevin as well, I might need your help as well."

But Noel waved his hand in the air. "I refuse."

"Why?"

"Investigating a criminal makes my head explode, now you're asking me to investigate a friend?" Noel immediately expressed her concern. "Let Peter do the job. They're close because they were assigned together. And it'll be easier for Peter to pry out information about Hendrick when they're talking casually about the investigation."

Nicholas hadn't thought of that because he was pressed for time, and Noel's words brought Nicholas to his senses. Nicholas nodded in agreement. "You're right about that. But, Peter is a junior police officer, what if something bad happens to Peter when we don't know about it?"

Noel rolled his eyes lazily. "Alright, alright. I'll join their team just in case. Why is it so hard to get to the point, you're pissing me off just so you know."

Nicholas chuckled amusedly. He pulled the coffee cup on the table and started drinking it again. "If Hendrick is caught playing games with his position on the force, he will be suspended. And if Hendrick is indeed an informant for the criminals out there, we'll be able to prevent the crime from happening again."

Nicholas' words got Noel thinking. The man was also looking for ways to keep their plan from being discovered by Hendrick. Noel muttered, then said, "So far, what has Peter found out about Hendrick? Is there anything suspicious?"

"Peter said that Hendrick met someone. He received a big box during a meeting under the city tunnels."

Noel tried to observe the situation first, before he finally said, "The city tunnel? It's a deserted area and rarely checked by patrol cars. What was he doing there? Did Peter see someone Hendrick met?"

"No, he couldn't see him because it was too dark. It seems like it was a secret deal, Hendrick tried to avoid the CCTV cameras, and the person who gave the box was wearing clothes that made his identity unknown." Nicholas took out his cell phone, then showed the contents of a message from Peter sent a few days ago to Noel so that Noel would trust him more. "Can you identify the face with this photo?"

Noel's brow furrowed. "He's wearing a hat and a mask covering his face, what can we expect from this?" Noel handed the phone back to Nicholas. "What exactly is Hendrick up to? This is starting to make me very curious, Nick."

"Peter says he's only been investigating Hendrick for a day, but Hendrick is already suspicious of him."

"How did that happen?"

"It seems Hendrick is secretly observing his surroundings too, Noel. And Peter's actions may have been too conspicuous."

Noel sighed, realizing the complexity of this situation. "So, we have to be careful. If Hendrick is already suspicious of Peter, we can't afford any more mistakes. We must approach him secretly."

Nicholas nodded, his mind racing with the urgency of the investigation. "Exactly. We can't risk leaking information. I want you to join Peter undercover, keep a low profile, and gather as much information as possible without raising suspicion."

Noel grinned, there was a hint of excitement in her eyes. "You're turning me into a detective spy now, Nick. I hope this won't be a disaster."

"Trust me, Noel, we have to do this. Hendrick may be involved in something bigger than we imagine. We owe it to our duty and the police to find the truth."

As Nicholas and Noel laid out their plan, they couldn't shake the feeling that they were venturing into dangerous territory. The mystery surrounding Hendrick was deepening, and the two prepared to unravel the puzzle while navigating the treacherous waters of deception within their own ranks.

"Hendrick knows a lot of information from our internal meetings. Wouldn't it be very risky if Hendrick continues to be involved in the investigation, and he leaks information to the person who ordered him to commit all these criminal acts?"

"You're right. But removing him from the team would also make Hendrick more suspicious."

"Now we're dealing with a double-edged sword."

Nicholas nodded in agreement, then rubbed his chin like a typical detective. "Speaking of Hendrick and Ace, I just remembered that Peter was talking about something else. Hendrick said he had information on Jason."

"What is it?"

Nicholas shook his head slowly. "Peter said that Hendrick didn't give that information, that Hendrick was still looking for evidence. What clues do you think Hendrick has found about Jason's death, but won't tell us?"

"Should we recheck all the data from Jason's investigation?"

"I'm not sure. Did you find Jason's wife and children?"

Noel shook her head. "I've coordinated with the police in England, but we have to go through a complicated procedural process. We still have to wait."

"If Jason's wife and children aren't at their home in England, that means they're missing, or worse, they're dead."

For a moment, they were trapped in an uncomfortable silence. They were both caught up in their own thoughts regarding the death of Jason, Jill, Alicia's parents.

"If those children died, there should be bodies," Nicholas said.

Nicholas and Noel exchanged glances, recognizing the potential tragedy that had befallen Jason's family.

"We need to find out what Hendrick knows about Jason. If there's any chance he has information that could lead us to his family or explain his death, we can't ignore it," Nicholas stated with determination.

Noel nodded, his mind already racing with possible investigations. "Let's concentrate on Hendrick's relationship with Jason. If we can get close enough to him, maybe we can subtly pry for information without arousing suspicion. But the most important thing now, is how we find the missing children. Where are they? And what about Jason's wife?"

As they were stuck in dead silence, the ringing of the phone on Noel's coat broke their concentration.

"Yes, hello?"