Chapter 79: George’s Distress
"Dad, I'm fine. Can I see what's going on?"
"Be good, Gwen. This scene's a bit gruesome. Better if you don't look. I've already called for backup—the police should be here soon. We'll be safe."
No matter the time of day, the American police always seem to arrive last. When the sound of sirens finally echoed in the distance, it was clear that traffic had delayed their response. You could imagine how pissed George's superiors would be about the delay.
"Chief, are you okay? We rushed here as fast as we could once we got your call, but Manhattan traffic during rush hour is brutal..."
"Save it. You dared show up late after my request for backup? I don't want to hear another excuse. My daughter almost—"
George didn't even finish his sentence before the silence took over. The other officers knew exactly how much he loved his daughter. Any more explanations would only make things worse.
"Get this body out of here. I don't want Gwen seeing it."
Only then did everyone notice that George had used his coat to cover Gwen almost entirely, shielding her from the gruesome sight of the dead man.
The drug addict's death was horrific. Though the front of his body seemed intact, the back of his head was a mess—a gaping hole where the spine met the brain stem, blown open by the shot.
"Someone like this... a junkie... feeling guilty?" one officer muttered, doubtful. "He had the balls to hold a little girl hostage, then just offed himself? Doesn't add up."
George's expression was grim. "No. He didn't commit suicide."