Chapter 36

Lally was definitely packing up her stuff, with bags all lined up on the floor, ready to go.

The apartment was a simple one-bedroom, around 550 square feet, with a living room, bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom. It was cozy but not cramped.

Even though it was small, it was super clean. The floor had some cracks, but it was spotless, no dirt anywhere. The metal-framed windows were rusty, but the glass was clear, no rain streaks at all.

It was obvious Lally cleaned regularly and was very thorough.

"Are you moving already, so soon?" I asked. Just out of the hospital and already planning to move?

"Yeah, but I haven't found a new place yet. Just thought I'd start packing to avoid a last-minute rush," Lally said, quickly inviting me to sit down and rushing to the kitchen to get some water.

"Lally, don't worry about it. I brought breakfast."

I stopped her and walked over to put the breakfast on the dining table.

That was when I noticed a pot of purple flowers on the table. It was late autumn, and not many flowers were blooming this time of year. The flowers were spike-shaped, kind of like wheat but fuller, with a purple that wasn't too flashy. The buds were black at the top and white at the base, giving them a unique and deep look.

"Lally, what's the name of this flower? I've never seen it before. It's really pretty," I asked, trying to lighten the mood. It was clear Lally had a good eye for life's little details.

"This flower is called heather. It's not rare, very cheap and easy to take care of. It can bloom in winter, just needs some water and sunlight. I've had it for years, and Duke likes it too."

When she mentioned Duke, she went quiet and ate without saying a word.

"Lally, there's something I want to ask you." I figured it was best to be direct.

"Nancy, go ahead."

"I've been looking into the True Love Entertainment Club arson and murder case for a column. I heard you were a witness and wanted to know more about what happened."

Thinking back to Lally's testimony in court, she seemed different from the Lally in front of me. In court, she was sharp and decisive, even harsh towards Laura. But from yesterday to today, and from what colleagues said, Lally was gentle, kind, and caring.

As expected, Lally's face showed discomfort when I brought it up.

"That incident... Nancy, I don't really want to talk about it," Lally said hesitantly.

"What's wrong? It's okay if you didn't say everything or missed something. I can help you," I added, trying to signal that even if she had lied, I could help her fix it.

To my disappointment, Lally shook her head and repeated what she had said in court.

I didn't push it. If she wouldn't talk about Tony, asking might just make things worse.

After breakfast, I helped her pack. There wasn't much, and we quickly finished except for the bedroom.

The bedroom was small, with photos covering the walls, mostly of Lally and Duke. Lally took them down one by one, saying, "Nancy, I thought about it last night. When he gets out, we'll leave Silverlight City and go somewhere else."

"Okay," I replied.

I wanted to mention that rehab wasn't a walk in the park and Duke's release was still up in the air, but looking at their photos, showing their love and happiness, I just couldn't do it.

Then, Lally handed me a photo that really caught my eye.

It was a picture of three kids, around ten years old, with a familiar backdrop of a single-story house. The boy in the middle was grinning ear to ear, flashing a 'V' sign with his hands. The girl looked shy, with her hands behind her back, smiling but looking away. In the corner, a boy was squatting, staring at the girl.

The two looking at each other were Lally and Duke.

The boy making the 'V' sign looked familiar. Suddenly, it hit me-it was Tony!

Remembering Lally saying they moved every few years after leaving the orphanage, they had lived in Sand Village!

The small house in the background was Tony's house. I had been there, and the newer part was added later.

The unknown man James mentioned at Digital Leap Technologies Company wasn't a stranger. They had known each other for a long time!

Tammy definitely knew Lally, and they weren't just colleagues!

Who took the photo?

There couldn't be such coincidences in the world.

"Lally, is this Tony?" I asked suddenly.

"Nancy, how did you know?" Lally was surprised. It seemed Tony hadn't told her I was investigating.

"What a coincidence! My colleague recently took a case from Sand Village about a dispute a few years ago. Tony was the victim but didn't get proper compensation. His mother was very worried. The newspaper wanted to write an article to draw attention. I happened to see it and thought the boy looked like Tony."

I couldn't tell Lally about my visit to Tammy's house, or it would all be exposed.

"What a coincidence, really. Good people get good rewards." Lally was delighted and said, "Tony is a good person. Duke and I lived there for two years, and his family took good care of me. Nancy, can Tony get his compensation?"

She didn't know Tony and Zack used the compensation to buy insurance.

"It might be difficult. We're just a newspaper, we can only raise awareness, not enforce anything. We'll do our best," I said lightly.

"By the way, I heard Tony has a brother who's doing well. He handled the demolition, and Tony's injury might be related to him. Is that true? It sounds like a rumor." I sensed something and cautiously probed.

"No, that's not possible. Don't listen to village gossip. Zack wouldn't do that. Tony's family was so good to him. Zack wouldn't do such a thing. It would be too outrageous."

"Tony's family was good to him... They're not biological brothers?" I sensed a key point.

"No, we went to Sand Village because Zack invited us. Zack is also from the orphanage, but he was lucky to be adopted by Tony's family."

Zack was adopted!