[Chapter 36: Sell Them to Me]
Ding-a-ling... the phone rang.
Daniel picked it up and saw it was an acquaintance -- Sheriff Ford.
'It finally happened.'
Taking the call, Daniel answered. "Hello, Sheriff Ford, good morning."
"Mr. Cross, good morning. Where are you now?" Ford's tone was serious.
"I'm at a friend's place," Daniel said.
Ford asked, "You've been there all night?"
"Yes."
Ford exhaled quietly in relief. "Get back here fast. Something's going down at your shop."
"What happened?"
"You'll see when you get here."
"Okay."
Daniel hung up but didn't get up right away. Instead, he picked up his knife and fork, finished all the breakfast on his plate, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and said, "I have to go. I'm leaving now."
"You didn't drive. Wait a moment, I'll take you."
Amanda finished her breakfast quickly, loaded the dishes into the dishwasher, started it, and went upstairs to change. Then she grabbed her bag and followed Daniel toward the garage.
...
Before reaching Cross Hall, Daniel saw many people gathered in the distance.
The street was jammed with a crowd.
Daniel pushed open the door and stepped outside. "Don't go any further. Just turn around here."
Amanda didn't argue. After Daniel left, she turned the car around and drove off.
Daniel wove through the crowd. Many nearby gave him weird looks.
He ignored them and headed toward the car still parked on the street.
It was the vehicle left by the four gunmen from yesterday -- abandoned haphazardly and blocking most of the roadway. This was why traffic was so backed up.
...
"Mr. Cross, you're finally back," Lara greeted him.
She was still in her police uniform, her chest noticeably prominent, it was she has great ambition.
Daniel looked at the shattered glass door with shock. "Lara, this is..."
Lara said, "Mr. Cross, you're lucky. Four people broke into your shop yesterday, apparently trying to hurt you. You were out, so you escaped. Those four, though -- they all died inside."
"Someone tried to kill me?" Daniel was stunned. "How is that possible?"
"It looks that way."
Daniel asked, "You said they're all dead?"
"Yes."
"How did they die?"
Lara lowered her voice a little. "Judging by the scene, it was an internal fight. But one of their deaths was pretty strange."
"Strange how?"
"You'll see when you get there."
...
They walked into the shop together, where Sheriff Ford came out to meet Daniel.
"Mr. Cross, you're here."
Daniel asked, "Lara said someone wanted to kill me and people died. What's going on?"
Ford said, "Follow me."
He led Daniel toward the back room.
Soon Daniel saw the four corpses. All were gruesome, especially one whose head was half blown off.
But the most unforgettable body was the one lying face-up despite having fallen on his stomuch.
Daniel was visibly shocked.
Afterward, Ford took Daniel outside and asked, "Which friend's house did you stay at last night?"
"Amanda Seyfried's," Daniel answered.
Ford thought for a moment. "Why does that name sound familiar?"
Lara asked, "Is that the Amanda Seyfried from Mean Girls?"
"That's her," Daniel said.
Lara froze briefly. "You two?"
"We're dating," Daniel confirmed.
Lara blinked in surprise.
Ford suddenly recalled. "Amanda Seyfried -- I remember now, I saw her on The Ellen DeGeneres Show recently."
"Did you stay at her place yesterday?" Ford asked, surprised.
Daniel nodded.
Ford hesitated, then said, "Can we ask her to come in and give a statement?"
"Sure, I'll ask for her schedule," Daniel replied.
Calling Amanda in front of Ford and Lara, Daniel quickly arranged it.
After a few words, he hung up and told Ford, "She's shooting a magazine shoot, and will be finished around 11 am. Then she'll go directly to Precinct 17 to give her statement."
"No problem," Ford agreed readily. "Mr. Cross, let Lara take your statement first."
"Okay."
...
After Daniel finished his statement, the forensic team and police completed collecting evidence.
Soon the four bodies, wrapped in body bags, were carried away.
But as before, the crime scene had to stay sealed for a few days.
With the glass door shattered, ordering a replacement would also take time.
"Who the hell keeps killing someone in my shop?" The curse came from a distance.
Daniel didn't need to turn to know it was Neil, his landlord.
He spun around in time to see Neil storming over, hair and beard whipping with rage.
"Daniel, why is it you again? Why are more people dying?"
As soon as he saw Daniel, Neil shouted, demanding an answer.
Daniel raised his hands. "How would I know? I'm the victim."
Neil panted hard. "You're the victim? Four more people died inside my property! I'm the biggest victim here!"
Daniel said, "Neil, I have a proposal that'll keep you from losing anything else. Want to hear it?"
"What kind of proposal?"
"Package these two shops together and sell them to me."
Neil blinked in surprise. "Sell them to you? Did I hear that right?"
"Loud and clear."
Neil sized Daniel up. "You got the cash?"
"How much?"
"I'm serious. You really want to buy them?"
"I'm serious too."
Neil studied Daniel carefully, then looked over toward the two storefronts. One was locked tight -- not rented since Lawrence died. The other was sealed off and cordoned.
Neil frowned deeply. "Back then, I worked hard to get these two shops. If you want them, I'll sell them to you for 1.5 million."
Daniel turned, ready to leave.
"Don't go! Didn't you want to buy them?"
"1.5 million? That's above what the neighboring shops go for. Do I look like a fool?"
Neil said, "But my shops are in the prime spot."
"People died in your shops. Doesn't make them prime."
Neil was rendered speechless.
"Fine. I'll drop the price by 100,000."
Daniel smirked and slowly named a price, making Neil's face fall immediately.
*****
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