Chapter 132

"You won't believe it, but Ronald's actually super insecure and shy."

George took the water Bob handed him, sipped it, and winced a bit. His wound must still hurt. I was about to say something, but George smiled and shook his head, letting me know he was okay.

"He's got the smarts, the strategy, and the resources of a natural-born schemer."

I quickly shared my thoughts on Ronald.

George's wrinkled face, framed by silver hair, had eyes that sparkled as he looked at me. He nodded and smiled approvingly.

"You're right on the money. Alan's got a good eye, and that makes me happy. But any extreme personality is shaped by their environment and experiences. Behavioral psychology suggests that environment is key in shaping one's personality."

I was surprised. Behavioral psychology, a theory proposed by psychologists like John Watson in the last century, was familiar to those in law or criminal investigation. But George, from what I knew, was just a steel mill worker. How could he know this?

Seeing my expression, George chuckled. "Bob mentioned you've been investigating this case. You've tracked it from Sand Village all the way here. That's no small feat. You've met Ronald, so you probably know a bit about me from him. Yeah, I've read some psychology books and even thought about becoming a cop or helping the police. Ronald always thought I was naive and ridiculous."

I remembered Ronald mentioning that when George was young, the foreman of the old steel mill's production team asked if he could become a cop. There was a hint of mockery in his words, or maybe he found it naive and laughable. I didn't say anything. That burning sense of justice and pursuit of ideals, embodied in the police profession, is noble, not something to be ridiculed.

"Let me think."

George looked up, blinking, with a smile on his face, as if genuinely reminiscing about an old friend. He didn't seem to mind that he was in the hospital because of Ronald, who had come to kill him.

"I actually met Ronald in '97, but he probably got to know me around '99. We drank together many times. Oh, and Howard, your boss, the founder of the Silverlight City Legal Journal."

At this, George smiled and gave me a deep look.

I smiled slightly.

George seemed surprised. "You figured it out?"

"Yeah, from the moment Zoey came to Shadow City, I had a hunch. Howard and Erica had their reasons. They had many ways to keep Zoey in check. Her coming here meant Howard and Erica knew about Ronald. I figured they had no choice but to send Zoey to stop him. Plus, the detailed records of the Sand Village demolition brawl in our Silverlight City Journal archives and the relationship between Howard and Frank suggested some connection between you three. But I didn't expect it to go back so far."

"Very good, very impressive. Alan's judgment is spot on. My Alan found a good wife." George looked at me with admiration, nodding in approval.

"I met Ronald when I went to the Sand Village police station to handle employee residency paperwork. I happened to see him at a phone booth, crying while talking to his family. He said the company people bullied him for being from the countryside. His girlfriend wanted to get married, but he had no money. When he visited her family last week, they didn't treat him well."

George laughed, habitually reaching into his pocket for a cigarette, then remembered he was in a hospital and a patient. He pursed his lips and continued.

"Young people should get married around that time. The pressure of work and marriage isn't just on today's youth; it was the same for us. In the old phone booth, everyone could hear the conversation. I happened to overhear Ronald's father mentioned they were poor and couldn't match up to the wealthier city folks. He told Ronald to come back to the village and be a teacher after graduation, emphasizing that their family couldn't afford to buy him a house in the city. He questioned why Ronald insisted on making a name for himself in the city, wondering if that was truly where he belonged. Something like that."

I was silent. Ronald had such an experience.

"I've seen this many times. Most young people who couldn't make it in the city went back to the village to get married. But Ronald he would make a mark in the city and prove himself to Erica's parents. After hanging up, he wiped his tears and angrily returned to the police station."

That determination marked a turning point for Ronald. It was the impulsive words of someone born into humble beginnings, but it sealed his fate. His distorted views would inevitably lead him into the abyss.

"Those two years, I often saw Ronald patrolling around Sand Village. He embraced his role as a cop. He was passionate and dedicated. I really thought he was a good young man, full of enthusiasm, with a loud voice, standing tall and straight in his spotless uniform. That was probably the best time of his life. Then came the old steel mill incident. There's something you might not know. I don't think Ronald would have told you, and Howard never mentioned it either."

George interrupted his reminiscence suddenly.

"What is it?" I asked.

George frowned, a look of sorrow flowing through his wrinkled face. He sighed deeply, glanced at Bob and me, then at Zoey, seeming hesitant.

"Mr. Thompson, please go ahead. Whatever my father did, there should be a conclusion. As his daughter, I won't be biased. You don't need to consider my feelings. I... I really want to know what happened back then." Zoey said resolutely, though a hint of sadness flashed in her eyes.

"Alright." George nodded, hesitated for a moment, then slowly said, "Actually... the old steel mill case was already solved back then."