âThink carefully before you answer,â Jarrod warned sternly.
Startled, Alec whispered, âMr.
Schultz, Iâ¦â
âYou have thirty seconds to clear this up, and donât omit a single detail,â Jarrod demanded, his face stormy and imposing.
Alec, now frantic, confessed, âDerek didnât leave town after taking the money.
Heâs been flaunting it in Ardlens.
I found out Miss Lawrence was investigating Derek.
When Derek called for advice, Iâ¦â
Jarrod, his patience wearing thin, pressed on, âAnd then what?â
With a gulp, Alec admitted, âThen I directed Derek to run her over.
â
At Alecâs words, the atmosphere in the car turned icy, as if plunged into a deep freeze.
Alec dared not utter another word.
He understood Nicoleâs significance to Jarrod.
His actions stemmed from frustration with Nicoleâs constant schemes against Jarrod.
Especially since Nicole had just lost a legal battle, Alec assumed taking Austin away from her would keep her subdued for a while.
But to his dismay, she lost in court in the morning and by the afternoon, she was already snooping around the forensic lab.
Finding nothing, yet undeterred, she even secured a job there to unearth clues.
Nicoleâs unwavering resilience exasperated Alec, making her seem invincible.
Frankly, her tenacity frightened him, always leaving a nagging fear that she would be the ruin of Jarrod.
So when Derek called him in a panic, he impulsively issued that fateful order.
Alec wasnât afraid of Jarrodâs retaliation.
He did what he deemed necessary.
Even if it failed, he had no regrets.
He couldnât stand idly by and watch Nicole harm Jarrod.
Even if it meant paying the price, he was willing to do it.
After hearing this, Jarrod asked emotionlessly, his countenance inscrutable, âDid you act alone, or were you paid?â
Alecâs heart sank, not anticipating Jarrod to hold him in such low regard.
Jarrod had once saved his life, and he prided himself on his loyalty.
How could he possibly be bribed?
âMr.
Schultz, I would rather die thanâ¦â Alec began, but Jarrod had lost interest.
âWhere?â Jarrod asked abruptly.
Alec hastily replied, knowing Jarrod inquired about Derek, âIâm not sure.
He called me a while ago and then vanished.
When I tried calling back, his phone was offâ¦â
âSend me the location he was last seen and the recording,â Jarrod commanded.
Alecâs phone was specially designed to record calls and messages with a single button and could be wiped clean just as swiftly in an emergency, ensuring no evidence fell into the wrong hands.
Alec sent Jarrod the recent recording and the location.
Jarrodâs voice turned cold as ice.
âGet out of the car.
â
Alecâs heart raced as panic gripped him.
âMr.
Schultz, itâs too risky for you to go alone.
Please, let me accompany you.
I wonât make another mistakeâ¦â
âDo I need to repeat myself?â Jarrodâs gaze froze Alec to the core.
With a heavy heart, Alec reluctantly exited the car, but his resolve remained unyielding as he clung to the window.
âMr.
Schultz, please, let me come with you.
I promise to follow your orders.
Let me protect you, pleaseâ¦â
Alec wasnât concerned about Derek, who stood no chance against Jarrod.