Chapter 77:


    <b>A Scapegoat</b>


    A quarter of an hourter, Aiden and Veronica appeared in the interview room, separated by an iron table from Carm, who had been brought over from solitary confinement.


    "Never thought being in solitary would lead to a something fun. Suddenly calling me to this small room... does the warden wants some excitement?" Carm smirked arrogantly at Aiden, then nced at Veronica. "You even brought along your little secretary too? ying hard, aren''t we?"


    "Watch your mouth, you won''t be able to eat, if all of your teeth break" Veronica coldly retorted, locking eyes with Carm.


    The conversation started with a highly heated atmosphere, but both seemed ustomed to such exchanges.


    Carm, a former mob leader, and Veronica, a cop with a history of shes with the mob, naturally found themselves at odds.


    Aiden, who already ustomed to inmates'' colorful greetings, remained nonchnt and straightforward. "We called you here because we have some questions to ask you..."


    "Can I get a cigarette?" Carm interrupted suddenly.


    "Are you out of your mind?" Aiden remained expressionless.


    Smoking wasn''t entirely prohibited in prison, but there were significant controls over it.


    especially for inmates that have low level treatment and those in solitary confinement. And, Carm seemed to have both.


    "Oh,e on, no need to be so serious. I''m Just kidding..." Carm grinned again, yfully. "You know It''s a torture being in there; a sip of cigarette will fix it. I''ll cooperate Whatever you need!"


    Veronica rolled her eyes. She disliked the maniptive type of seasoned inmates who made investigations tedious.


    However, she wasn''t in charge, and her gaze shifted to her superior sitting nearby.


    Without uttering a word, he took a slender cigarette and matches from his uniform pocket, tossing them over.


    Carm''s face lit up as she eagerly caught them with her shackled hands, expertly lighting up the cigarette.


    Veronica was slightly surprised to find that Aiden, a non-smoker, had a cigarette prepared in his pocketdespite initially refusing Carm''s request, he seemed to have anticipated it and made some preparations.


    Carm took a deep puff, exhaling smoke contentedly. She then frowned while inspecting the cigarette in her hand, "Isn''t this the low-quality stuff they sell in prison?"


    "Did you Expecting me to fetch you a top-notch cigar?" Aiden chuckled coldly. "Now put out the cigarette; you said just one sip, and it''s done."


    "Alright alright, your turf, your rules," Carm retorted with a sharp tone, promptly extinguishing the lit end with her fingers.


    "Today, I called you in for questioning because I received an anonymous letter about your past case..."


    Aiden waved the paper before summarizing the situation for Carm.


    "...So, what''s your take on this?" Aiden stared into Carm''s eyes.


    Carm, showing no change in demeanor, sighed after listening, then raised an eyebrow at Aiden, "Is that it? I thought you brought me here for something big..."


    This reaction surprised Aidenshe seemedpletely unconcerned about the possibility of being framed.


    "So, what''s your stance?" Aiden indicated for her to rify.


    "The letter says so, and that''s probably the deal." Carmi scratched her ears indifferently, "i remember only punching him twice, one in the face and one in the chest. And usually that wouldn''t enough to kill someone.


    "So, it''s really possible that you are Framed ?" Aiden probed.


    "Probably." Carm replied indifferently.


    "But you seem pretty unconcerned."


    Aiden crossed his arms, intrigued by her nonchnt attitude.


    Carm and Veronica, both believing they were wrongly used and imprisoned, had vastly different reactions, with no intention of clearing their names.


    Normally after knowing that she been Framed by His rival gang and imprisoned for so long, she should have been furious, based on His violent and aggresive personality.


    "Yeah, I''ve been thinking I might''ve been set up for a while," Carm shrugged. "These tactics aren''t umon in the underworld."


    "Why not appeal then? If you''re innocent, there might be a chance to turn things around," Aiden questioned.


    "Innocent?" Carm widened her eyes in amusement. "Haha... Mr. Warden, just because I''m falsely used doesn''t mean I''m innocent. Considering my past deeds, even if I rot in this cell for eight years or end up on the gallows, it wouldn''t be surprising."


    She narrowed her eyes, shimmering with a golden glint. "You can Ask your little secretary here; I had a bit of a reputation in the police force before ending up in prison."


    Aiden turned to Veronica, who nodded, "While I haven''t directly handled her cases, I''ve heard about them. Carm had numerous suspicions of intentional injury, robbery, extortion, kidnapping, and uwful detention. If all those cases had solid evidence, it would be a lifelong sentence at least."


    "that''s it; I''m a real scumbag. Don''t You know that, Mr. Warden?" Carmughed shamelessly"


    "That''s true," Aiden nodded lightly, having spent about a year dealing with Carm. Finding someone with apletely clean record in the gang was nearly impossible.


    As a longstanding, highly organized criminal organization, gangs often possessed sophisticated anti-investigation measuresdestroying evidence, bribery, and even framing others. Core members did everything to protect themselves fromw enforcement.


    "But your past crimes probablycked convictable evidence, or else you''d be serving time for them already. Don''t tell me you suddenly wanted to turn over a new leaf and chose to take the fall for this?" Aiden remarked.


    "I didn''t want to, but back then, I didn''t have much of a choice," Carm shrugged. "After all, those cops weren''t all useless."


    Aiden remained perplexed, ready to ask further questions when Veronica interjected, as if a revtion had struck her, "I see. Did you... make a deal with the police?"