The real life of an American police officer: Winning over others with virtue

Chapter 302 I found you and killed you.

The front door of the quiet room was pushed open.

Amanda, who was leading the way, was still calm and excitedly rushed in, but Kimmy's eyes lit up instantly. The slight unease and disappointment she felt at the airport and downstairs were instantly dispelled by the sight before her.

"OMG! This place is amazing!" Jinmi exclaimed sincerely as she dragged her suitcase inside.

The foyer isn't particularly spacious, but it exudes just the right amount of warmth. The warm beige walls complement the gleaming dark herringbone wood flooring.

Sunlight streamed in through a huge floor-to-ceiling window, casting dappled shadows on the wooden floor. Several potted plants stood by the window, exuding vitality.

Although her home is more luxurious and larger, the combination is truly eye-catching, exuding a strong Parisian vibe.

Amanda had already dropped her luggage, hurried through the foyer, and pushed open the door to the living room:
"Come and see! The living room is even better!"

Jinmi followed and exclaimed, looking at the high ceilings of the living room, "Wow!"

“I knew my cousin had amazing taste!” Amanda declared proudly.

"That's the bedroom over there, there are two! We'll each have our own! The kitchen is small, but it's fully equipped!"

Kimmy looked in the direction Amanda pointed, and couldn't help but smile.

This was completely beyond her expectations.

But looking at the empty house, Kim put down her luggage and looked at Amanda, who was already lying on the big sofa.

"So your cousin isn't here?"

“Not here.” Amanda rolled over in the soft sofa that she could sink into, her tone as casual as if she were talking about the weather.

"Their family is in Madrid right now and won't be back for a few days. Great, this place is ours for the next few days! A truly free and independent trip!"

Jinmi's upturned smile froze instantly, and her heart skipped a beat.

"Just the two of us?" Jinmi asked hesitantly.

“Yeah, isn’t that cool?” Amanda, failing to catch Kim’s subtle emotional change, jumped up excitedly.

"How perfect! I can come back whenever I want, eat whatever I want, and not worry about disturbing others."

"Come on, let's pack our bags first, then head out to explore this new world."

Jinmi took a deep breath, trying to suppress the inexplicable unease. She didn't know why she was so sensitive.

“You should have told me that your cousin’s family isn’t here,” Jinmi said, looking at Amanda who was packing her luggage.

"What does it have to do with anything?" Amanda turned to look at Kimmy and asked helplessly.

"It's safe here, honey. I don't know why you've been like this the whole time. Aren't we here for vacation?"

Jinmi said, "I told my dad they were there."

“You even told your dad you were going to the museum,” Amanda shook her head, looking a little impatient.

"Hey Kimmy, relax. We're adults now, or at least almost adults! From the moment we stepped onto this plane, this is our own adventure, isn't it?"

“This is different, Amanda!” Kimmy’s tone unconsciously hardened.

"The museum is the plan, but safety is the bottom line. My dad and Eric both specifically warned me that Paris isn't as harmless as it seems."

If we had known there were no adults here, we would have been more vigilant and planned more thoroughly!

"Eric again?" Amanda crossed her arms, raised an eyebrow, and spoke with a hint of teasing and confusion.

"Just because he acted cool and reliable at the airport, does that mean everything he says is gospel? Please, Kimmy, we're here to live for a few days, not kids who need guardianship."

"It has nothing to do with who he is!" Jinmi's face flushed slightly, half from anger and half from embarrassment at having her secret exposed.

"That's common sense! A strange city, two girls living alone—that in itself implies risk. And what about Alexander, who was bothering you at the airport? What if..."

“There’s no chance!” Amanda interrupted her, raising her voice. “Alexander was just an insignificant passerby; we’ve already shaken him off.”

You can't turn all of Paris into a crime scene just because of one isolated incident, OMG! Can't you stop acting like a frightened rabbit and just enjoy your freedom for a moment?

“A frightened little rabbit?” Kimmy repeated the word, feeling as if she had been doused with cold water. She looked at Amanda’s cheeks, which were flushed with excitement, and suddenly felt a sense of powerlessness.

Arguing is pointless.

Jinmi took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the grievances and anger in her heart, walked over, silently opened her suitcase, and began to pack her clothes:
"Okay, you're right, we're here for an adventure."

She paused, then added, "But we have to be smart, Amanda. I just don't want anything bad to happen to us."

"Okay, okay, let's think about something happy," Amanda said helplessly.

-----

At this moment.

Eric looked at the red light ahead, slowly stopped the car, took out his phone, and dialed Bill's number.

“Hello, Eric.” Bill’s voice came through the receiver, the background noise was relatively quiet.

“Bill, I knew you weren’t asleep yet,” Eric laughed.

"The people have been delivered; we just brought them and their luggage inside."

Bill asked, "How's the situation?"

"It's alright, there shouldn't be any problems," Eric said, picking out the useful information.

"The apartment itself looks nice, it's in a middle-class neighborhood, and the environment isn't too chaotic. However, this neighborhood is very old, with many alleys and complicated side streets."

Most importantly, the number of public surveillance cameras is very small and can be ignored.

Bill paused for two seconds on the other end of the phone, seemingly assessing the information in his mind.

"That's how it is in old neighborhoods; as long as an adult is around to keep an eye on things, it's fine."

After Bill finished speaking, he smiled and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Eric. I'm sorry to have troubled you this time."

“It’s nothing, just a small favor,” Eric replied. The light turned green, and he slowly moved forward with the flow of traffic.

"Anyway, I've been spending these past few days with Tifa. She's in meetings, and I'm just killing time."

"Ha, at least you're still somewhat useful," Bill joked on the other end of the line, a rare occurrence for him.

"Once those two girls are settled and you have some free time in a few days, how about we have a meal together? It'll be on me as a thank you for being our temporary driver."

“Sure,” Eric said with a slight smile, unsurprised that Bill was coming to Paris.

"You decide the location, but don't get your hopes up too high; Parisian food is just so-so."

“Heh, Paris, I know it much better than you do,” Bill chuckled.

"There will still be good places to eat."

Eric raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "Then I'll have to rely on you, old Ma, to lead the way. I'll introduce you to my girlfriend then."
That's all for now. I'm driving. Contact me if needed.

Bill said, "Okay."

The click of the phone being hung up was exceptionally clear in the room.

The relaxed demeanor Bill maintained for the sake of conversation with friends vanished instantly. He then got up from the sofa, walked to the window, and silently looked at the darkening sky.

He kept glancing down at his silent phone. After a moment's thought, he couldn't resist finding Jinmi's number and dialing it.

However, for some reason, Jinmi didn't answer.

Bill frowned, listened to the unanswered message, and pulled out his ex-wife Lenore's number again to dial.

"Hey?"

Upon hearing his ex-wife Lenore's words, Bill said, "It's me. Did Kimmy call you?"

The phone rang with a helpless tone from Leno: "Bill, she's seventeen years old, not a child. Please, give her some space."

Seemingly sensing Bill's mood, she paused for a moment and said again, "Since Kimmy has already agreed to your request, she will definitely call you. Take a sleeping pill, have some wine or something, and get some sleep. Good night."

"Good night."

Bill stared at the silent phone, paused for a moment, recalled Eric's words, sighed, and sat back down on the sofa.

The next second, he dialed Jinmi's number a second time, but still received no response.

"Please, Kimmy," Bill thought helplessly.

---

Inside an apartment in the Marais district of Paris.

“Let’s go, Kimmy! Don’t waste this precious time!” Amanda urged impatiently from the foyer.

Jinmi looked at the bright sunlight outside the window, but a strange hesitation lingered in her heart. Perhaps it was the circumstances, such as her cousin's family not being there, or perhaps it was her unease, that made her hesitate to immediately venture into the unfamiliar streets.

"I want to unpack my luggage first, I'm a little tired," Jinmi said, making up an excuse.

"Why don't you go explore the area first and get familiar with the surroundings? Then you can take me there later."

Amanda spread her hands exaggeratedly, shrugged, and her face was full of indifference, as if to say, "You're so boring."

"Whatever you want, honey. I don't want to waste my precious afternoon unpacking my suitcase."

Amanda picked up her small bag and walked briskly towards the door: "I'll bring you back something delicious, don't regret it!"

The door clicked shut, and the apartment fell silent, leaving Jinmi alone.

She began to pack her luggage in silence, but her mind was wandering.

After a moment, she got up and went to the restroom.

Just then, the phone at the bottom of my bag lit up.

With a buzzing vibration, DADDY was clearly displayed on the screen.

One time, no one answered the phone.

A few minutes later, the second call echoed in vain in the empty living room.

When Jinmi came out of the restroom and took out her phone from her bag to let everyone know she was safe, she saw the two glaring missed calls.

Jinmi's heart tightened, and she immediately called back.

The phone was answered after only one ring, and Bill's voice, though strained, still came through as he tried to remain composed:
"Golden Rice?"

"Dad! I'm sorry, I was in the bathroom and didn't hear the phone," Jinmi explained apologetically.

Hearing his daughter's familiar and unharmed voice, Bill on the other end of the phone instantly breathed a sigh of relief, and the invisible pressure in the background suddenly dissipated.

"It's alright, it's good that you've arrived. Was everything alright? How's your accommodation?"

"Everything went smoothly, Eric got us there safely. My cousin's apartment is beautiful!" Kimmy said, only reporting the good news and subconsciously concealing the fact that her cousin's family wasn't home and the minor disagreement with Amanda.

"We've just settled in."

“Good, very good.” Bill’s voice was noticeably more relaxed.

"Honey, can I say a few words to my cousins? I need to thank them in person for taking you in."

Jinmi was taken aback, quickly glanced at the empty house, and blurted out:

"They accompanied Amanda to the supermarket to buy things, yes, to the supermarket to buy things, so it wasn't very convenient."

The phone went into a brief silence, a silence that made Jinmi hold her breath.

"Downstairs?" Bill's voice rang out again, his tone seemingly unchanged, but the previous relaxation had vanished.
"Okay, then when she gets back, make sure she calls me back."

“Okay, Dad! I’ll definitely tell her!” Kimmy readily agreed.

“Honey,” Bill added solemnly before hanging up.

"Remember, keep your phone on. No matter what happens, if anything seems wrong, call me immediately, understand?"

"I understand, Dad, I love you."

I love you, baby.

After hanging up the phone, Jinmi finally breathed a sigh of relief, as if she had completed an important task, and felt much more relaxed.

She instinctively walked to the window and looked down at the quiet Parisian streets, and the unease in her heart seemed to dissipate.

However, what Jinmi didn't know was that after she started to compose herself and pack her bags...

A black sedan with dark tinted windows was parked quietly on the side of the road, its eyes already on Amanda, who was buying croissants and chocolate bread.

There were four men inside the car.

"Finally found it, it was bound to come here." The man in the driver's seat put down his small binoculars and handed his phone to the man in the passenger seat next to him.
"It's definitely her, just like in the photo."

The man in the passenger seat took the phone; the screen showed a photo of Amanda and Kimmy smiling broadly under a U2 billboard at the airport.

He glanced at the girl outside the window, who was holding a croissant and adjusting her beret in front of the shop window, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"Looks like a little lamb who likes to act alone," the man said, handing his phone to the two men in the back seat.

“So young, she’s got good stuff.” A slightly burly man in the back seat leaned over, his eyes greedily sweeping over Amanda’s figure.
"What about the other one? The one with long hair in the photo didn't show up?"

"She should be at home, right?" the man in the passenger seat replied, watching Amanda start walking towards a street.

"Follow them and confirm their final destination."

Amanda, completely unaware that a car was following her, contentedly carried her small shopping bags, humming a cheerful tune, and turned back onto the relatively quiet street, walking familiarly into the door of the Ottoman-style apartment building.

"She went in," the man in the passenger seat whispered, noting down the apartment number and every detail of the building's exterior.

inside the room.

The front door was pushed open with a bang, and Kimmy peeked out of the bedroom and saw Amanda walk in with a radiant face.

"You're back! How was your trip?" Jinmi greeted her.

"That's awesome!" Amanda threw the shopping bags onto the sofa and danced with excitement.

"Look at the beret I bought, and this croissant. My goodness, it's completely different from what I eat in America. The atmosphere in Paris is so nice."

Seeing her friend so happy, Jinmi shook her head and smiled.

"Oh right, I brought one for you too." Amanda took another croissant out of the paper bag and handed it to Kimmy. Then, as if she remembered something, she quickly walked to a stylish Bluetooth speaker in the corner of the living room, took out her phone, and skillfully connected it.

"It needs some U2 music to be really good."

The next second, a powerful wave of electronic music surged out, instantly filling every corner of the apartment.

Jinmi was startled by the sudden loud noise, her brows furrowing and her eardrums throbbing with pain.

“Amanda, it’s too noisy!” she shouted, raising her voice.

But Amanda was already swaying to the rhythm, completely absorbed in it, and just waved her hand to indicate that it was nothing.

Jinmi had no choice but to pick up her half-empty water glass, point to the bedroom opposite, and say loudly, "I'll go tidy up over there first."

Amanda gave an OK sign without turning her head.

Jinmi fled into the opposite bedroom, closing the door behind her. The heavy solid wood door effectively blocked out most of the noise.

She breathed a sigh of relief, leaned against the door, and smiled helplessly. For some reason, she suddenly felt a little envious of Amanda's carefree and reckless attitude.

Then she couldn't help but think of Eric, and Kimmy went to the window and subconsciously took out her phone.

However, as Kimmy looked at the text messages she had sent, she sighed when she saw Eric's reply. A bittersweet feeling welled up inside her. She didn't know why she was so infatuated with a man she had only met twice.

There was no reason for her to make the call, but after mentally preparing herself, Kimmy still sent Eric a text message.

"Hey Eric, this is Kimmy. Sorry to bother you. Are you free in Paris lately? Amanda's cousin and her family are temporarily not in Paris, so it's just the two of us girls, and we're completely unfamiliar with the area."

So, I was thinking, if you have some free time, could you occasionally lead us around and act as our guide?
Oh, by the way, please don't tell my dad about this. I'm afraid he'll overthink it and get anxious.

The moment Jinmi pressed the send button, her heart inexplicably raced, and she subconsciously looked up at the other side.

Amanda was jumping around, engrossed in the deafening music, with her back to the hallway leading from the living room to the foyer.

Suddenly, Jinmi's pupils contracted sharply, and his breathing stopped.

She watched as two tall men, dressed head to toe in black and wearing suffocating balaclavas, suddenly appeared from the shadows of the foyer behind Amanda like ghosts.

One of them used a black-gloved hand to firmly cover Amanda's mouth, silencing her terrified scream.

The other person deftly grabbed her waist and legs. The two worked together seamlessly and moved very quickly. Before Kimmy could react, they had already forcibly picked up the struggling Amanda, who was far weaker than them, and dragged her towards the door.

Jinmi froze on the spot, her mind blank. The next second, her survival instinct and remaining rationality surged through her numbness like an electric current.

Jinmi suddenly crouched down, using the windowsill as cover, her whole body trembling uncontrollably. Instinctively, with her trembling hands that could barely hold the phone, she frantically tapped and pressed on the screen.

It wasn't a call to the police, nor to Eric, but to his father, who always answered the phone instantly.

The call connected instantly. "Jinmi?" Bill's familiar voice came through, tinged with a hint of doubt.

Jinmi's voice, strained and shrill with fear, trembled and choked with uncontrollable sobs as she hoarsely spoke into the microphone:
"Dad! They...they've taken Amanda! They've taken her! Right in front of me! Two masked men came through the door! Dad! Help us! They're coming in!"

At the same time, Bill abruptly stood up from the sofa, his face darkening:

"What? What are you talking about, Kimmy?"

"Dad! Someone has captured Amanda!" Kimmy exclaimed, panting heavily.

Bill's eyes narrowed: "Listen to me, Kimmy! Calm down! Where are you? In the apartment?"

"Yes, yes! I was in the bedroom. They dragged Amanda out of the living room." Kimmy huddled under the windowsill, covering her mouth tightly, afraid that she would make a sound that the kidnappers, who hadn't gone far, would hear.

Bill said in a deep voice, "Did they see you?"

"I don't know, maybe not. I'm hiding under the window," Jinmi said.

“Very good, listen, Kimmy, listen carefully!” Bill’s voice became deep and powerful, each word like a hammer blow to Kimmy’s chaotic nerves, forcing her to concentrate.

"Right now, lock the door to your room! Is there anything that can block the door? A chair, or something heavy?"

Jinmi glanced around the room, then scrambled to the bedroom door, her hands trembling as she turned the small knob lock. With all her might, she dragged a heavy solid wood chair over and braced it against the doorknob.

"I...I locked it, I propped it up with a chair..." she reported, her voice trembling with tears, as she slid down the door to the floor, as if only by doing so could she gain a pitiful sense of security.

“Well done, baby, very well done.” Bill’s deliberately steady tone carried a strange soothing power as he spoke, quickly walking to the small room next door and swiftly finding the recording equipment.

Did you encounter anyone on the plane?

"No!" But Kimmy suddenly remembered Alexander and hurriedly changed her mind.

"No! Yes, a man named Alexander struck up a conversation with us and even took pictures of us."

"An American?" Bill quickly operated the recording device, connected the phone, and then played it out, continuing to ask.

“No, that’s not it,” Jinmi said.

"Did he specifically ask for your address?" Bill took a deep breath.

“I didn’t ask intentionally, but Amanda revealed the Marais district. He didn’t know our exact address.” Kimmy huddled in the shadows behind the door, watching the figure outside the window disappear. She hugged her knees tightly, a wave of immense fear washing over her like a cold tide.

"Dad! They've disappeared and they're coming for me! Help me! I'm so scared!"

“I know, focus, Kimmy, don’t get distracted. I know you can do it. Dad knows you’ve always been a brave child.” Bill’s face grew increasingly serious as he stared at his phone.

"Tell me, how many of them are there? Did you get a good look at them? Any distinguishing features!"

“Two. No, maybe more. They were wearing hats that covered their entire faces, and all black clothes. Very tall. They moved very quickly.” Kimmy tried to recall, her teeth chattering with fear.

"Where are the weapons? Have you seen a gun or a knife?"

"No, I didn't see it clearly."

“Okay, listen, Kimmy, I need you to be absolutely quiet.”

"Hide under the bed, don't hang up the phone, put your phone on silent mode, and keep it next to you so you can hear me, understand?"

"Understood." Jinmi crawled onto the bed on all fours, the narrow space under the bed filled with dust.

But she felt nothing at that moment, only an instinct to seek shelter. She curled up in the deepest shadow, pressing her silent phone tightly to her ear.

"I'm hiding, Dad!"

“Good, you’re still safe. They won’t be able to get in anytime soon,” Bill said, sitting down slowly and staring at his phone.

"So what's coming next is very important, they're going to take you away, Kimmy."

Jinmi couldn't stop crying, and her breathing became heavy.

"Jinmi, concentrate." Hearing the breathing and sobbing, Bill's eyes flashed with extreme killing intent, and the shadow behind him became even heavier.

"Honey, this is crucial. You have five seconds, maybe ten seconds. Time is of the essence."

After they slammed the door, they threw the phone on the floor. "Focus your attention and tell me everything you see—hair color, eye color, height, scars, everything you see, understand?"

Jinmi wanted to answer, but a sudden loud bang made her instinctively cover her mouth with her hand. She watched as the chair behind the door shook violently, making a screeching sound, and the door panel also trembled.

“They’re here. I can hear them,” Bill said in a deep voice.

"Remember, be fully focused."

Just then, an unfamiliar male voice came from the phone, in a language he didn't understand: "."

Bill couldn't understand the words, but based on his experience, he could roughly understand the meaning: "She's inside."

With another loud bang and a cacophony of noise, Bill knew the door had been kicked open. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fist.

The next second, Kimmy screamed, Bill's knuckles turned white from clenching his fist, and the anger in his eyes was suppressed by absolute rationality, turning into an almost cruel calm.

"He had a beard, was six feet tall, and had a tattoo of the moon and stars on his right hand."

After Kimmy shouted those words, there was only deathly silence. Bill stared intently at the phone, which was silent but still connected.

Listening to the sounds, he seemed to be able to tell what the people on the other end were doing. He slowly picked up the phone on the table and put it to his ear.

"I don't know who you are, and I don't know what you want."

Bill slowly rose from his chair, his tense body slightly hunched like a tiger about to attack, his voice radiating a chilling coldness.

“You want ransom? I can tell you I have no money, but I can also tell you I have a very powerful friend who is currently traveling in Paris.”

I also have some special skills and methods, all of which I learned during my long career.

Besides these, I also have some relationships and connections that I've built up.

I swear, this is a nightmare for people like you.

If you spare my daughter, then this matter will end here. I will not tell my friends, I will not look for you, and I will not investigate you.

"If you don't stop now, we will find you, no matter where you are, and kill you!"

The cold voice stopped, and the phone, which hadn't been hung up yet, remained silent. Bill didn't change his posture, simply listening to the faint breathing.

Good luck.

With a slightly mocking tone, the notification sound of the call being disconnected rang out. Bill gripped his phone tightly, as if he wanted to crush it. But Bill didn't forget what he needed to do. He unplugged the cable and swiped the screen with astonishing speed, finding Eric's number.

Rather than investigating, the most important thing to do now is to notify Eric, who is in Paris.

He was in the United States, far out of reach of the authorities.

------

-

On the terrace of a café near the Morris Hotel, Eric sat alone on a white wicker chair, with dark green cast-iron railings beside him, entwined with blooming red geraniums.

He had just taken a sip of the espresso in the small ceramic cup, and the rich bitterness and aroma slowly melted on his tongue.

To be honest, French coffee does seem a bit different from American coffee, though I can't quite explain why.

"Yeah, it tastes okay."

Eric's long, slender fingers rested casually on the rim of his glass, his posture relaxed. Sunlight filtered through the huge sycamore leaves, casting dappled, shimmering light on his dark shirt, carrying a touch of warm, languid charm.

He had his back to the café and faced the street, a position that allowed him to observe the flow of people without being too disturbed.

Eric occasionally glanced at his watch, calculating the end time of the Tifa seminar. He was in a rare state of emptiness, even carrying a sense of peace that he himself was unaware of, a peace that arose from being there.

Eric's gaze drifted lazily across the street before him, the air thick with the aroma of coffee, sweet pastries, and a faint scent of tobacco.

In the distance, the faint sound of an accordion played by a street performer drifted over, melodious yet tinged with sadness.

This leisurely feeling of having nothing to do made Eric feel a little embarrassed when he subconsciously thought of Tifa, who was still in the hotel for a meeting and study.

My girlfriend is studying hard to improve herself.

But he just sits here slacking off, doing nothing, just like a street urchin.

"Just consider it a break for myself," Eric thought to himself, taking another comfortable sip of his bitter coffee.

"After Tifa's visit, perhaps we can take a walk along the Seine together, or find a gallery she likes to look at paintings."

At that moment, the phone screen on the small white round table lit up without warning and vibrated slightly.

Eric glanced at it casually and saw that the sender was none other than Kimmy.

"This timing?" Eric raised an eyebrow, and without much thought, tapped the text message with his index finger.

"Hey Eric, this is Kimmy. Sorry to bother you, are you free in Paris lately?"
"

Eric frowned slightly. His cousin's family wasn't home? For some reason, he suddenly felt that something was off about this change.

Something feels off.

Because this was an unexpected event that he had not considered at all, from beginning to end, he and Bill had assumed that a local adult would be with them.

"Not tell Bill?" Eric shook his head inwardly, put down his coffee cup, and hovered his fingertip above the screen.

"How can this be."

Eric picked up his phone to talk to Bill, but the screen suddenly changed, vibrating and ringing urgently.

Speak of the devil, and he appears; it was Bill's phone call.

Eric had a premonition, and his brows furrowed even more. Had Jimmy just sent a text message not long ago, and Bill was coming soon after?

Past experience told him that something was wrong.

"No way? You're really coming? At this time?" Eric felt a subtle sense of unease instantly intensify, and his thumb quickly swiped across the answer button.

"Bill?"

As it turned out, Eric's premonition was correct. From the moment Bill's cold voice rang out, Eric knew that something had really happened to Kimmy.

“Eric.” Bill’s voice came through the receiver, unusually low and taut like a string that might snap at any moment.

Eric straightened his back almost imperceptibly, focused his gaze, and narrowed his eyes slightly.

"I am listening."

“Something happened to them.” Bill’s words were concise and heavy.

“Just a few minutes ago, someone broke into the apartment and kidnapped Kimmy and Amanda. I was just on the phone with Kimmy when the call was cut off.”

There were at least two kidnappers, possibly more, who broke into the room and took them away.

Eric recalled the text message from Kimmy that her cousin's family wasn't home and asked her to keep it a secret from Bill. His brow furrowed, and without the slightest hesitation, he pulled out far more money than the coffee from his wallet and placed it at the bottom of his cup. He then got up and strode towards where his car was parked.

"I'm on my way now."

As Eric hurried toward the car, Bill relayed more information rapidly yet clearly, ensuring that the two were in sync:

For example, he recorded audio to trace the kidnapper's identity through language, mentioned Alexander, the guy who took photos for girls at the airport, and described the kidnapper's key features: a beard, six feet tall, and a moon and star tattoo on his right hand.
Eric listened intently, his brain absorbing and integrating these fragments like a high-speed processor.

Connecting these clues, he gained a clear understanding of the whole affair. It was a premeditated and targeted kidnapping, likely targeted from the moment Kimmy and her friends stepped into Paris.

“Eric,” Bill paused.

"Before I arrived"

“I know what to do, Bill,” Eric said.

"Keep in touch and notify me immediately if anything happens."

“Okay!” Bill said in a deep voice, “Thank you for your help, Eric.”

After the call ended, Eric walked to the car, opened the door, and got into the driver's seat.

Like a cheetah awakening, the black Audi smoothly and quickly drove away from the roadside, steadily increasing its speed just outside the speed limit.

Eric remained expressionless, maneuvering the car precisely through the traffic as it sped towards the Marais district.

Regardless of whether he was responsible or not, his friendship with Bill alone was enough to warrant his help.

The first step is to confirm the scene, look for any traces that may have been overlooked, and try to follow any fleeting clues before dealing with other matters.

As a patrol officer, he knew all too well that the first few hours after a kidnapping were usually the golden window for determining life or death.

Time is very important.

-

Marley District, 17 Ross Street.

Eric returned to the apartment and looked at the apartment door.

Near the latch on the door frame, there are obvious, fresh cracks in the wood, and the lock itself is also slightly deformed.

These are traces left by a violent intrusion, the methods were direct and brutal, and it's clear that these kidnappers are lawless.

Eric's eyes darkened at this brazen attitude. He pushed open the half-closed door and stepped into the dimly lit entrance hall.

Eric looked up and saw that there were no cameras on the porch or entrance, nor inside.

Eric felt helpless. No wonder the kidnappers dared to be so arrogant. If there were cameras, these kidnappers would probably have some reservations.

Eric didn't take the elevator; instead, he went up the stairs covered with an old carpet.

Each floor of this apartment building has one unit.

One floor, two floors, up to the fifth floor.

Eric stopped in front of the door, and the scene before him confirmed his judgment: this was the place.

The joint between the door frame and the door leaf is covered with spiderweb-like cracks, and the wood at the latch position is completely torn apart.

Eric ran his hand over the deep grooves on the door frame, the marks of violence left by tools like crowbars.

He couldn't understand why Kimmy and Amanda couldn't hear the noise of the door being pried open.
Eric shook his head and gently pushed open the front door, which was damaged and could not be locked.

The house matched his initial impression; it was a layout suitable for the middle class and above.

The living room was spacious, but the coffee table in front of the sofa was a mess. A half-eaten croissant lay on its wrapper, next to an overturned glass. Water stains spread across the tabletop, soaking the corners of scattered travel guide pages.

A brand-new beret lay at the foot of the sofa, its tag still attached. Several shopping bags bearing the logos of nearby boutiques lay overturned on the floor, their contents—scarves, postcards, and other small items—scattered everywhere.

From this, Eric could imagine that after he dropped Kimmy and Aman off at the apartment, the two girls went out to play together without any locals to guide them, and were eventually found by the kidnappers.

Therefore, Alexander at the airport is indeed the source.

Eric stood in the foyer, his gaze slowly scanning the entire space, piecing together and reconstructing the scattered evidence in his mind.

Every detail was rapidly linked and analyzed in his mind, piecing together the precise sequence of events, the number of participants, and their behavioral patterns.

Kimmy and Amanda are not in the same place.

Amanda was subdued and taken away by the kidnappers in the living room.

Kimmy eventually found out and called Bill.
Eric looked at the bedroom window across the way. If he wasn't mistaken, Kimmy was in that bedroom across the way.

Eric walked slowly toward the living room, carefully observing the area before finally discovering a broken cell phone lying in the corner between the coffee table and the sofa.

Eric pursed his lips, picked up all the broken phones and put them in his pocket, then slowly walked inside.

The corridor is flanked by a bathroom and a bedroom. The bathroom door was open, but no one was inside. Towels were neatly hung, and there was nothing unusual about it.

Finally, we arrived at the master bedroom, which was in complete disarray.

-

Eric stopped at the window, looked at the living room diagonally opposite, and then turned to observe the entire bedroom.

The profiling revealed that two men broke down the door and kidnapped Jinmi. After struggling violently, Jinmi gave the kidnappers key characteristics.

“That makes a total of four men.” Eric’s gaze lingered on the broken cabinet mirror beside him. He squinted and began to act as a kidnapper, facing the doorway, based on the details of the scene.

He picked up Jinmi.

Kimmy struggled violently, staring intently at the second man in front of him, and loudly reported the key characteristics to Bill.

The man who picked up Jinmi was propelled by Jinmi's strength, and his right hand accidentally bumped into the mirror.

*Slap!* One of the kidnappers had a wound on his right hand.

Eric muttered to himself as he looked at the mirror and saw the remaining bloodstains. He reached out and picked up a small piece of blood-stained glass.

This is a very important clue.

Eric wrapped up the fragments and stored them away like the broken phone, only leaving the room after confirming that he could find no further clues in the master bedroom.

(End of this chapter)