Hearing this, Laurie was even more angry.
âShe deceived you, but you are actually grateful to her!â
While Laurie cherished her granddaughter, her son held an equally significant place in her heart.
He was the embodiment of her flesh and blood, and she vowed to protect him from harm.
Though Callie internally disagreed with her grandmotherâs assessment, she couldnât fathom her father being capable of such actions either.
Her emotions were in turmoil.
Despite her inner conflict, Callie remained gentle and compliant, unwilling to defy her grandmother.
Consequently, she kept her thoughts to herself.
Laurie, however, remained uneasy and issued a stern warning, âIâm warning you, young lady, you are forbidden from contacting that woman again.
Do you comprehend? Donât wait until she tears apart our family for you to realize your mistake, do you understand?â
Laurie had painted Nicole as a malevolent witch.
While Callie didnât share this sentiment, she was accustomed to avoiding confrontation with her grandmother.
Thus, she simply nodded.
Laurie still wasnât reassured and stated firmly, âYouâre staying home for now.
If you need anything, Iâll arrange for our neighbor from the supermarket to assist.
Just stay at home, understood?â
Callie hadnât anticipated her grandmotherâs restriction on her outings.
Despite her reluctance, she had no alternative but to comply with her grandmotherâs wishes.
Recognizing her grandmotherâs age, Callie hesitated to defy her, fearing it might jeopardize her health and lead to costly hospital visits, further straining her fatherâs already burdened finances.
With her father already grappling with the familyâs needs, Callie couldnât bear to add to his responsibilities.
However, doubts crept into Callieâs mind as she pondered Nicoleâs words, Could her father truly be capable of such actions?
Throughout her childhood, Brett had instilled in Callie the values of honesty and kindness.
But why would he do something that was completely inconsistent with his image?
Back as a child, Callie recalled her father frequently commending Wesson, who often gifted her father with numerous gifts to share with the family.
When it came to hospitalization, Wesson provided significant economic assistance.
Moreover, Brett often expressed profound gratitude to Wesson for the latterâs kindness, a sentiment he believed would endure for life.
How could he, of all people, be Wessonâs murderer? Callie couldnât fathom it.
She truly didnât believe itâ¦
Callie gripped her phone, anticipating her fatherâs call.
At last, in the dead of night, her father called from an undisclosed number.
Upon answering with a tentative âhello,â Callie was met with Brettâs worried inquiry.
âCallie, are you alright? Were you frightened last night?â
Brettâs tone resonated with self-blame as he grappled with the news of his daughterâs recent brush with danger, though the specifics remained elusive.
Upon receiving a text from Callie indicating Nicoleâs search for him, Brett swiftly departed the designated meeting spot without hesitation.
Brett went to the location of the event early this morning to inquire, and he discovered that a rapist had been apprehended the night before.
The rapist, under the disguise of a cab driver, appeared to earn his living but specialized in deceiving young females.
After committing the crime in an isolated location, he would capture private images of the girls and duplicate their entire contact list.
He would then threaten the girls that if they reported the crime, he would spread the private recordings and images to all of their families, friends, and classmates, as well as numerous social networking sitesâ¦
The approach proved effective.
The rapist had committed five or six offenses within a month, yet no one alerted the authorities.
The rapist displayed cunning tactics, abstaining from monetary theft while coercing victims into s@xual acts, and exploiting captured videos for later manipulation.
Numerous girls refrained from voicing their ordeal, fearing the widespread dissemination of their private footage.
This time, law enforcement stumbled upon incriminating photos and videos on the rapistâs phone.
Despite efforts to reach out to the victims individually, reluctance to engage with authorities persisted among many.
Only after repeated assurances from the police regarding confidentiality did a few victims relent and agree to step forward.
This rapist had a history of criminal behavior and a pervert.