Chapter 51

"Alright, no rush. Take your time to think about it. No need to be all formal. Lally mentioned that Alan grew up in Sand Village. Your family treated him very well, and you were like brothers. I'm his wife, so let's skip the pleasantries," I said.

Just then, the waiter brought over our freshly brewed coffee. I handed him a cup and said, "Let's cut the small talk and get straight to the point."

"Ask me anything, I'm an open book." Tony held the coffee cup with both hands, trying to warm up. He looked pretty cold.

"So, why are you working here? With your background, even if the new media industry is struggling, being a waiter seems like a waste of your talent," I asked.

"I guess you've already been to Digital Leap Technologies, and they probably filled you in about Anna," Tony said with a straightforward smile. "It's not a big deal. Anna was part of it, but it wasn't about pride. That job just felt meaningless to me."

He continued, "A job should either pay well or make you happy. Unfortunately, I got neither. I was writing the same stuff every day, and it drained me. I love writing, but I never wanted to gain anything from it. I wanted to give something to others through my words. Ads, scripts, headlines... I got sick of them. I stuck it out for a while for Anna, but eventually, I had to quit."

"I don't know why, but I couldn't sleep at night, like there was a weight on my chest. I wanted to be around people, where everyone was chatting. People are most relaxed when they're eating. I love seeing their smiles. When they're happy, I feel better too." With that, he forced a smile.

Thinking back to what folks at Digital Leap Technologies said about Tony having an artistic vibe, it seemed true. He reminded me a bit of Alan, probably because of his upbringing, always idealistic.

At the same time, I realized Tony wasn't as introverted, dull, or unintelligent as people said. He had a rich inner world.

"This morning, I was driving behind you. You knew that, right?"

Tony nodded.

"How did you recognize me?"

That was my first question. At noon in Stardust Diner, he walked straight over without hesitation, like he knew I'd be there.

"The first time you came to my house, I saw you at the alley entrance, but I was wearing a helmet, so you didn't notice me."

He continued, "I know everyone in the village. You're a stranger. When I passed the fruit stand, the owner called me over, saying my mom had a pretty niece visiting her. My mom is an only child, so I knew something was off. I thought it was someone from the Entertainment Club trying to mess with my mom."

"After I got home, my mom said a reporter visited today, asking about the Entertainment Club and wanting to help with the Sand Village demolition a few years ago."

Tony took a sip of coffee and said, "I still didn't figure it out then."

"Until Anna showed you my business card, saying I was going to introduce you to a job that you realized, right? Even though you hadn't met me, Alan must have mentioned my name to you," I said calmly.

"Mrs. Smith, no wonder you were a prosecutor and now the chief editor of a legal journal," Tony nodded and smiled. "When I saw the business card, I had a rough idea, but I had no strong feelings. Instead, I was happy for Toby, I mean Alan. If you were indifferent to such a big event, that would be unusual."

"That night, Anna hesitantly told me what happened that day. When she was messaging on the bed, I saw it too. I kind of figured you might be suspicious of my mom's or Lally's testimony."

"Go on with your guess," I said, not giving anything away.

At this point, I had a whole new impression of Tony. He was too perceptive, piecing together everything from just a few bits of information and accurately guessing my suspicions. I was starting to think this guy wasn't simple, maybe even a bit dangerous.

"Before I continue, I want to ask, is my guess correct?" Tony asked.

"I don't think that's important. It's not why you've been avoiding me," I replied directly. "I tried to contact you by phone or interview, but you kept dodging me, which made me suspicious of you and everyone else..."

"Ms. Martinez and Lally's testimonies have issues, but I always felt they weren't directly involved in the case. Only you, I couldn't figure out. You went to the Entertainment Club that day and had the opportunity to be there, but no witnesses mentioned you. Ms. Martinez didn't mention you either, even hiding the fact that you took her to the Entertainment Club. Your return home time didn't match up, but what were you doing during that nearly one hour? Could it be related to the case? Shouldn't I investigate you?"

Hearing my words, Tony sighed and said slowly, "Anna is too soft-hearted and can't keep things to herself. I think she was worried my mom gave false testimony and implicated me. My mom and Lally are honest people, inexperienced, and would be nervous in court, afraid of not explaining clearly. So... they dictated, I organized it, and they memorized it to say it exactly in court, ensuring no key evidence was missed."

"That's just one aspect, Tony," I stared at him coldly. "This way, no evidence would be missed. Think carefully before telling me. Don't let this case involve you. All the evidence now shows it has nothing to do with Laura. I believe you and Alan were like brothers. I believe Alan's death has nothing to do with you, but... don't let Alan down."

I had anticipated his explanation.

"There's nothing else; that's the truth," Tony slowly shook his head.

"When Lally called me a few days ago, saying she met a very enthusiastic reporter, I knew you had found Lally. Lally is a good girl, kind, gentle, and wholeheartedly good to others. Unfortunately, Duke is unreliable, got addicted to drugs, and his personality changed. This year, he even started hitting her. That night, my mom's legs were indeed not convenient, so I took her to Lally's. I was worried Duke would cause trouble, so I waited for a while. Lally told me to go back first, and I couldn't refuse her, so I left."

It was a flawless response. I kept observing his demeanor-calm, composed, and sincere. When he mentioned Lally, the anger and sadness in his eyes were evident. It seemed he knew about Lally's recent troubles.

But there was one detail. When I mentioned that all evidence showed Laura had little to do with the case, his left eye twitched slightly.

This subconscious, subtle expression made the seemingly gentle, humble, and sincere Tony appear... sinister for a moment!

I thought of the typical second male lead in novels Lally mentioned, "In these kinds of novels... comparatively, the male second lead's fate is always tragic. Betrayed by lovers, abandoned by friends, left alone, with a bad ending-either turning evil or committing suicide."

I had a vague guess in my mind.