Chapter 186: Receiving Praise
Chloe York spoke clearly and methodically. During this time, a few more police officers arrived.
The victimized girl nearby had gradually overcome her fear. She nodded quickly in agreement. "Officers, everything she said is true. He kept groping me earlier, and I don’t know him at all. I kept trying to avoid him, but he wouldn’t let me go. If this lady hadn’t stepped in, I’m afraid..."
She trailed off, but her meaning was clear.
Wendy Winters, Evan Shaw, and Ethan Prescott also stepped forward to testify, confirming that everything Chloe had stated was true.
"We can all vouch for her," Evan added. "The bar has security cameras, so you can easily pull the footage to verify it."
The officer on duty jotted down the statement quickly while keeping an eye on the man’s changing expressions. Seeing him go from flustered to unable to hide his nervousness, the officer was already certain of the truth.
After hearing their statements, the officer immediately arranged for his colleagues to take the man into an interrogation room for isolation. "Please wait here for a moment and provide a detailed statement. We will verify this man’s identity right away, pull the relevant security footage, and look into the hidden recordings and repeat offenses you mentioned."
With that, a few officers escorted the man into the interrogation room.
At the same time, they contacted the lounge to coordinate the retrieval of the security footage from the time of the incident, launching a two-pronged investigation.
After being brought into the interrogation room, the man initially put up a stubborn resistance. He adamantly refused to admit to his indecent assault, flatly denied the crimes of secretly recording and threatening victims, and insisted he was being framed.
However, the officers had long sensed his guilty conscience. They questioned him step by step, using the clues Chloe provided to throw targeted questions at him, gradually breaking down his psychological defenses.
Before long, the background check results from their internal system came back. The screen clearly displayed the man’s multiple prior offenses. Over the past year, several women had anonymously reported similar acts of assault and secret recordings. Although there hadn’t been direct evidence to lock down a suspect at the time, the system had retained the reports. The modus operandi and physical descriptions perfectly matched the man sitting before them.
More importantly, when the police examined his personal belongings, they found a hidden folder on his phone containing a large number of intimate videos of women, as well as multiple chat logs threatening and intimidating his victims. The evidence was irrefutable.
Faced with this mountain of ironclad evidence, the man could no longer talk his way out of it. He slumped into his chair, looking utterly defeated and lifeless.
He obediently confessed to his entire history of assaulting, secretly filming, and threatening victims, and admitted to his actions at the lounge without any hesitation.
The investigating officer returned to the duty room with the results and statements, unable to hold back his praise. "Miss, thank you so much! We’ve verified everything, and your claims are completely accurate. This man is indeed a serial offender who had managed to evade capture. We never expected you to take him down single-handedly and bring him straight to the station. You’ve helped us crack multiple cold cases and prevented more women from being harmed."
Another officer nodded along and added with a smile, "That’s right. Not only were you brave and decisive in stopping a crime and protecting the victim, but you also secured crucial clues that helped us quickly verify the case. Excellent work!"
"You don’t need to worry about any retaliation from him. We will deal with him severely in accordance with the law. This evidence is more than enough to make him face legal consequences," the officer who had taken their statements earlier said, patting Chloe on the shoulder reassuringly. "We might need your cooperation later to finalize the paperwork. What you did today was a true act of heroism, and we really owe you our thanks."
The officers hadn’t expected a young woman like Chloe to solve such a massive case.
It was all thanks to her. Otherwise, if this had been allowed to continue, the situation would have snowballed until it exploded into a major disaster.
Hearing the officers’ continuous praise, Chloe felt a bit embarrassed. "It was the right thing to do. No one would just stand by and watch a crime take place. I only did my part. Knowing he’s been brought to justice and won’t be able to hurt anyone else is reward enough."
Watching Chloe being praised, Wendy’s eyes filled with pride. She thought, "I really hit the jackpot befriending someone so capable and kindhearted. Not to mention, it gives me major bragging rights!"
The officers’ admiration grew as they looked at the calm, composed, and humble young woman before them.
Most people would have become smug or overjoyed upon hearing such praise from the police. For her to remain so grounded and modest was truly a rare sight.
By the time they finished their statements and walked out of the police station, it was already late into the night. A slightly chilly evening breeze brushed past them, and the warm yellow glow of the streetlights stretched their shadows across the pavement.
The frightened girl who had been staying close by their side had finally calmed down completely. She hurried over to Chloe, her eyes slightly red and her hands gripping the hem of her shirt tightly, and gave her a deep bow.
"Thank you so much," she said. "If it weren’t for you, I really wouldn’t have known what to do today. I might have ended up suffering something far worse. You saved my life, and I’ll never forget this favor for as long as I live."
Chloe quickly shook her head and gently guided the girl to stand up straight. "You don’t need to be so formal. I just did what anyone else would have done. I couldn’t just watch you in danger and do nothing. Please don’t worry about it. Just be careful when you go out in the future. Try to stick with your friends—protecting yourself is the most important thing."
The girl nodded vigorously. Her eyes were still red, but she couldn’t stop thanking her. "I know, I’ll definitely be careful from now on. Not only did you save me, but you also sent that awful man to the police station so he can’t hurt anyone else. You’re so brave and amazing."
Being praised like this made Chloe feel a little bashful. If it weren’t for the system, she wouldn’t have been nearly this brave. "You’re giving me far too much credit," she replied.
"Could I get your contact info? I want to properly thank you later—whether it’s treating you to a meal or getting you a gift. Please say yes."
Faced with the girl’s persistence, Chloe found it hard to refuse. They exchanged contact information, and Chloe reminded her to hurry home and stay safe on the way.
Watching Chloe Lynch walk away, Wendy could no longer contain her excitement and pride. She grabbed Chloe’s arm. "Chloe, you were so cool just now! From stopping that scumbag to giving such a clear statement at the police station, you were brave and calm the whole time. You were absolutely badass! I’m practically falling in love with you—you’re way too charming!"