?


    "Bullshit!"


    Podrick pointed at Frank as he bellowed, "Then exin the blood on your hands!"


    Frank quickly looked down, but there were some bloodstains since he was using his bare hands to examine Geon''s corpse.


    Even he had to admit that it would easily cause a misunderstanding.


    "Also!"


    Podrick continued, "It was just you and themissioner in the study! You''re strong, and you had a fight with themissioner before. That''s a motive if I ever see one, and who else could it be?!"


    Hearing Podrick''s verdict, the guards all raised their rifles and took aim at Frank


    Nheless, Frank continued to do his best to reason. "Calm down! There''s something strange about this. Someone''s trying to set me up!"


    "Calm down?! I was the captain of themissioner''s guard, and he''s dead right before my eyes!"


    Podrick roared in righteous indignation, "If you''re not the murderer as you im, then surrender yourself! Don''t try to avoid arrest with your martial arts or your connections! Once we investigate the truth, you will be freed!"


    "Fine. Have it your way."


    Frank raised his hands, sighing. "But for the record, if I''d wanted Geon dead, I would''ve done it earlier instead of waiting until tonight."


    "Nothing you say means a thing!"


    Podrick strode up, ready to cuff Frank.


    That was when a familiar voice snapped, "Wait!"


    Frank twitched at the voice, his eyes shing coldly. "You!"N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    "Indeed it is, Mr. Lawrence. Long time no see."


    Naturally, it was none other than Stanley Durban, the mayor of Zamri who had given him that dagger before.


    As the crowd parted to make way for him, he looked especially soft spoken with his sses and tailored suit.


    Adjusting his sses, he spoke with


    160


    a quiet voice, "Mr. Lawrence, you''vemitted a grievous crime and in front of so many witnesses... you''re really going to have trouble talking your way out of this one."


    "You can stop pretending, Stanley."


    Frank glowered and demanded icily, "Who set you after me?! The Lionhearts?!"


    "Hehe... I don''t know what you''re talking about, Mr. Lawrence."


    Stanley shook his head in dramatic disappointment. "Commissioner Kramer was a good friend of mine, taking over my duties while I was away... to think that I had to see this


    as I returned."


    "I''m afraid that despite having made your acquaintance, Mr. Lawrence, I can''t bail you out—not when you''ve murdered an important official of this country."


    "Quit running your mouth!"


    Frank growled through his teeth, "The way I see it, you nned to kill Geon yourself, including with this dagger-"


    "Yes? And what about it?"


    Stanley leaned his head to the side, smiling at the exquisitely crafted dagger Frank was holding and chuckled. "That''s the murder weapon you used, no?"


    "Which you''d given to me!" Frank snapped, glowering.


    et


    "Really?" Stanley shrugged. "Then who can prove that I did? And how can you prove that it wasn''t the murder weapon? Here you stand, trying to nder me and shift the me... You really disappointme, Frank."


    Even as Stanley argued, he maintained a mild-mannered appearance.


    In Frank''s eyes, he had already proven to be more despicable than Geon and was nothing less than a wolf in sheep''s clothing!