Owen nced up from his phone as he opened a message, catching Johnny''s eye. "What''s the rush?"


    Johnny stopped midway, hesitated, then doubled back to close the office door. "I just heard from a buddy at the prosecutor''s office-Lawyer Zach got threatened at the courthouse yesterday."


    Owen had just finished a message from Mirabe and was momentarily taken aback. "Seriously?"


    Johnny nodded. "Yeah, they said it hit his shoulder but didn''t do any serious damage, so it''s not too bad. Plus, he was having dinner with youst night, right? He seemed okay then."


    Thinking back, Owen recalled that Zach had seemed perfectly fine. That gave him a bit of relief.


    Then a thought crossed Owen''s mind, and he set his phone down. "Any idea who''s behind it?"


    Johnny shook his head. "Not yet, but it smells like an inside job. This is Riverdale we''re talking about, not some backwater town."


    In a ce like Riverdale, especially within the legal system, such threats usually meant Zach had stepped on some powerful toes. Otherwise, who would dare to pull something like this in the courthouse?


    It''d be like asking for trouble.


    Owen pondered quietly, understanding why Zach had suddenly asked him to keep an eye on his sister. He then instructed, "Johnny, get someone to dig into this quietly."


    Given what Mirabe had done for him-curing his illness and helping his mentor -he couldn''t just turn a blind eye.


    Johnny looked at Owen. "Are you getting involved?" He frowned, then seemed to reconsider and nodded. "Got it."


    Owen shot him a look. "You don''t always have to weigh the benefits. Some things are about more than just calctions."


    Johnny lowered his gaze, his expression unchanged. "But sometimes there are boundaries you just can''t ignore. You''vee this far, and if you don''t y the game, others will outmaneuver you."


    Owen pressed his temples, not wanting to delve into that conversation. He replied to Mirabe''s message, then stood up.


    He grabbed his suit jacket. "Come on, let''s go see the teacher tonight."


    "Sure thing." Johnny nodded respectfully and followed Owen out.


    About half an hourter, they arrived at Mason''s ce.


    Frank''s wife opened the door. "Owen, Johnny, have you had dinner?" Her warm smile invited them in.


    Owen smiled back, saying they hadn''t eaten yet. "Is the teacher home?"


    Behind him, Johnny carried in the health supplements they picked up on the way.


    "You''re always so thoughtful when you visit." Ana led them to the living room. "Your teacher''s here, but we''ve got a guest today."


    Owen paused briefly.


    Ana turned to him. "Don''t worry, it''s just a friend of Mason''s. Not a political type." Owen nodded softly and followed her in.


    Despite being Frank''s protégé, not many knew about their connection. Frank lived a life of integrity, and Owen was careful to avoid any hint of favoritism.