American comic book: I, with my abundant martial virtue, love to do good to others.

Chapter 244 Obvious Tendencies Towards Violence

"Martha," Lynn said softly, "we know what you've been through, but if you're not willing to come forward, his behavior will only escalate. We need you to tell us the truth."

Martha's lips trembled slightly. She hesitated for a moment, then finally whispered, "He—he's very smart."

He wouldn't strike when others were listening, and he wouldn't leave any obvious wounds. He always made me feel that I wasn't good enough, that I had angered him—"

Hearing this, Lynn felt a chill run down his spine. He had seen many such cases where victims were psychologically manipulated and even began to doubt their own worth, while the perpetrators always managed to escape unscathed.

"Martha, we believe you," Lynn said firmly, "but we need proof. If you'd like..."

We can help you set up recording equipment to record his words and actions. This will be very strong evidence.

Martha hesitated for a moment, then nodded gently: "Okay, but you must be careful, he can get angry very easily."

"We will protect you." Lynn's gaze was firm. "From now on, you are not alone."

Back in the car, Mark couldn't help but say, "Detective, this case is really tricky. He's a typical psychological manipulator, not only oppressing Martha but also making everyone around him think he's a model husband."

Lynn gripped the steering wheel, his gaze cold: "This only proves he's more dangerous than the average abuser. But the more dangerous he is, the less we can let him escape."

That night, Lynn and Mark's monitor screens suddenly went dark; the previously clear images instantly lost signal. They exchanged a glance and realized something was wrong.

"John has found the equipment," Mark said in a low voice, a hint of tension in his tone. "He's more perceptive than we thought."

Lynn's expression grew even more serious. He immediately stood up, grabbed his coat, and said, "We can't wait any longer. Let's go to Martha's house."

The two rushed to Martha's apartment. The hallway was dimly lit, and a heavy atmosphere hung in the air. When they knocked on Martha's door, it opened quickly, and John stood there instead.

"Detective, Mark, good evening." John gave a polite smile, his tone devoid of any displeasure. "What is it?"

Lynn's gaze swept quickly over John, then passed over him and looked into the room. Martha sat at the dining table, quietly eating her dinner. Two steaming dishes sat on the table, and the atmosphere in the room seemed unsettlingly calm.

"We want to talk to Martha," Lynn said calmly.

John showed no sign of panic; he stepped aside to let the doorway open. "Of course, please come in. Martha is eating."

But she'd definitely be happy to talk to you.

Lynn and Mark entered the room. Martha looked up and saw them, a fleeting hint of nervousness crossing her face.

But they quickly regained their composure: "Detective, Mr. Mark, what brings you here?"

"There was a problem with our surveillance equipment just now, let's check the situation." Lynn's gaze fell on Martha, trying to catch any information from her expression.

"Oh, that might be a signal issue," John smiled, looking relaxed. "The Wi-Fi here has always been a bit unstable, which might be affecting your equipment."

Mark's eyes quickly scanned the room, but he found no signs of any equipment being damaged or discarded.

He lowered his voice and said, "Detective, there seems to be nothing unusual in the room."

Lynn didn't respond, but looked at Martha: "Martha, are you alright?"

Martha glanced down at John, then nodded. "I'm fine, there's nothing wrong."

John interjected at the opportune moment: "Detective, I think you might be worrying too much about what's going on between Martha and me. Actually, there's nothing seriously wrong between us, just normal everyday friction. You see,"

Isn't she quite calm now?

Lynn's eyes sharpened instantly. He didn't respond directly, but slowly said, "If you don't have any questions, then why did you turn off our surveillance equipment?"

John's smile stiffened slightly, but he quickly recovered: "Shut down the device? I don't quite understand what you mean. I went home and just checked the device you installed, and found it wasn't working, so I didn't touch it. After all, this is your area of ​​expertise, and I'm not entirely sure about it either."

Lynn knew he was lying, but he lacked direct evidence. He turned to Martha: "If there are any problems, you can contact me anytime, now or later."

Martha nodded, but her eyes still revealed an unspeakable sense of repression.

Lynn and Mark left the apartment. As they walked downstairs, Mark couldn't help but whisper, "Detective, this guy's a real actor. He knows we can't catch him red-handed."

Lynn pursed his lips, his gaze cold: "His acting is indeed superb, but the problem is that the more cautious he is, the more it indicates that there is something wrong with him. We cannot act rashly now, otherwise we will put Martha in even greater danger."

Mark sighed. "So what do we do next? He obviously already knows we're watching."

Lynn took a deep breath: "We need to find a different way to expose him. We need to find the point where he loses control of his emotions."

Even the most astute person has flaws.

Lynn and Mark returned to the car, paused for a moment, and began discussing their next strategy. Mark spoke first, his tone urgent: "Detective, John is too cunning. We can't keep waiting. Maybe we can try to make him angry and catch him in a moment of emotional outburst."

Lynn frowned and shook his head. "Inciting him to get angry is one way, but it's too risky. Martha is currently living under his control, and if we provoke him, it could put her in even more danger. We can't take that risk."

Mark sighed softly, "I understand, but if we keep waiting, he might become more cautious."

They might even try to cover it up. That would make it even harder for us to find evidence.

Lynn's gaze was steady and calm as he tapped the steering wheel lightly with his fingers, as if organizing his thoughts: "John is very wary now; he's realized we're watching him. So, the first step is to lower his guard. We need him to think he's out of our sight so he might slip up."

Mark nodded. "You mean, we'll hold off on taking any action for now?"

“That’s right.” Lynn turned to Mark, her tone firm. “Let’s wait and see. We need to give him the illusion that he has the upper hand, so he’ll gradually lower his guard. In the meantime, we’ll continue to monitor Martha’s condition and ensure her safety.”

"But how long will this take?" Mark was clearly a little uneasy.

"I don't know," Lynn answered frankly, "but time isn't an issue for us; Martha's safety is the priority. If we act rashly, we might destroy her only protection."

Mark was silent for a moment, then finally nodded in agreement: "Okay, we'll do it your way. However,

"Detective, if there are any signs that Martha's condition is deteriorating, I hope we can take immediate action."

Lynn nodded, his gaze sharp as a knife: "Of course. Our goal is to get Martha out of this nightmare, not to let her sink deeper into it."

After reaching an agreement, the two drove away from Martha's apartment. They decided to temporarily reduce their presence in John's life, instead continuing to monitor his movements through remote surveillance and other covert means. Meanwhile,

Lynn also began contacting organizations that support victims, hoping to provide Martha with emergency shelter and psychological assistance if needed.

Lynn contacted Martha and cautiously suggested meeting her. His tone was gentle, trying to put Martha at ease: "Martha, I'd like you to meet a friend of mine. She's a very experienced journalist and a good listener. I think a talk between you two might be helpful."

Martha hesitated for a moment on the other end of the phone, then asked in a low voice, "Are you sure—you won't let John know?"

"I assure you," Lynn's voice was firm, "this meeting is for you. You can rest assured, I will not let you be in any danger."

Ultimately, Martha agreed to Lynn's proposal. Two days later, Lynn and Kate waited for each other in a quiet café. Kate was dressed simply, holding a pen and a small notebook, her eyes radiating warmth and professionalism.

Martha appeared somewhat reserved as she entered the café, her hair loosely draped over her shoulders, deliberately concealing her neck with a bib. Lynn stood up and greeted her with a smile: "Martha, thank you for coming. This is Kate; she's a trustworthy person."

Kate smiled and stood up, extending her hand. "Hello, Martha. I've heard about your situation, and I hope we can have a good talk."

Martha hesitated for a moment, then gently squeezed Kate's hand. Lynn nodded and said to the two of them, "You two talk, I'll wait outside."

After Lynn left, Kate asked the waiter to bring two cups of warm tea, and looked at Martha with gentle eyes: "Don't be nervous, it's safe here. We're just chatting, there's no pressure at all."

Martha nodded and said softly, "I don't know where to begin."

"Just start with what you want to say," Kate said gently. "There's no right or wrong, just chat."

With Kate's guidance, Martha gradually relaxed and began to recount her life with John. Her voice betrayed a deep weariness and helplessness: "He would never lay a hand on me in front of others, but he would threaten me in a terrible tone. If I did anything he didn't like, I would have trouble coming home."

Kate asked softly, "What kind of threats are they usually? Did he actually lay a hand on you?"

Martha nodded, tears welling in her eyes: "He would hit me, but only where my clothes could cover it. He said that way no one would notice. I tried to leave, but he found me, dragged me back, and threatened that if I left again, he would—he would hurt my father."

A flash of anger crossed Kate's eyes, but she tried her best to remain calm: "Martha, I know this is difficult,"

But I need you to believe that you are not alone. We can help you, but we need evidence. Would you let me see those scars?

Martha hesitated for a long time before finally nodding, slowly untying her scarf, and pulling down her sleeves to reveal the bruises and scratches on her arms and neck. Kate felt a pang of pain in her heart as she looked at the shocking wounds, but she showed no panic.

"Are these the most recent?" Kate asked softly.

Martha lowered her head and wiped away her tears, saying softly, "Last week—he was unhappy because I didn't set the table the way he asked."

Kate took a deep breath and carefully took photos of the injuries with her phone: "Martha, these are very important pieces of evidence. We'll use them to help you get out of this mess."

Martha looked up, a hint of fear in her eyes: "But he said if I dared to tell anyone, he would destroy everything. He would take revenge on me, and on my father."

Kate took her hand, her voice firm yet gentle: "Listen to me, Martha. You've been very brave, and you're not alone in this. Lynn and I, along with your father, will do everything we can to protect you. You don't need to be afraid anymore."

Martha's tears finally streamed down her face, but she nodded, as if finding a sliver of strength with Kate's support. Kate took out her business card and handed it to Martha: "This is my number. You can contact me anytime you need help. You can also contact Lynn anytime; we'll both be there."

Lynn waited outside for over an hour until Kate came out and nodded to him: "She's willing to cooperate, but we need to speed things up. John isn't just a control freak; he also has a clear tendency towards violence. If we don't act quickly, she could suffer even greater harm."

Lynn nodded, her eyes resolute: "We won't let her continue to suffer. Kate, thank you."

"Don't thank me," Kate smiled. "It's what I should do. Besides, you should thank Martha; she was the bravest one."

The next day, Martha sat on the sofa in her living room, her hands trembling slightly, but she tried to remain calm. She wore a long-sleeved shirt with a tiny, inconspicuous camera clipped to the collar, which Lynn and Mark were remotely monitoring in real time.

John opened the door and walked in, briefcase in hand. He frowned slightly when he saw Martha sitting on the sofa. "Why didn't you make dinner today? Are you wasting time daydreaming again?"

Martha took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice calm: "John, we need to talk."

John tossed his briefcase onto the table, sat down opposite her, and gave her a cold laugh: "What are you talking about? What trivial thing are you going to complain about now?"

Martha raised her head, looked him straight in the eye, and tried her best to keep her gaze straight ahead: "I want a divorce."

John was taken aback by those words, then his face darkened. He said in a low voice, "Divorce? You must be joking, Martha."

"I'm not joking." Martha's voice remained calm, but her hands were gripping the sofa armrests tightly. "I've had enough of your control and violence. I want to live my own life."

John narrowed his eyes, a dangerous smile playing on his lips. "Martha, you're quite amusing. You think you can leave me? I think you've forgotten that everything you have comes from this family. Where can you go without me?"