"Harvey kicked us all out in the dead of night..."


    The girl''s voice was timid as she continued, "He gave each of us a severance check and then just told us to leave. The Velvet Haven is no more. Beyond that, we don''t know anything else..."


    Thaddeus''s eyes narrowed, a chill sweat soaking his back in an instant. Rather than saying they were caught off guard, it seemed Avery had already abandoned everything in Elmsworth, fleeing thisnd of trouble, trying to escape scot-free!


    "Where''s Elsie? Where is she?!" Elvis bellowed, his eyes bloodshot.


    The two girls huddled together in panic. "We don''t know... we don''t know... Elsie... she left yesterday."


    "Where did she go?!" Elvis roared at the top of his lungs.


    "We really don''t know where Elsie went! But that night, I overheard... Harvey telling his guys that he proposed to Elsie, and she agreed to marry him. Maybe... they''ve gone abroad to get married."


    Thaddeus was stunned, "Married?!"


    In an instant, Elvis''s world turned upside down, his blood pooling in his chest, alternately feeling cold and hot, rampaging through his insides! Tonight, Elsie''s farewell was actually to marry another.


    "Impossible... impossible! How could Elsie marry that monster?!" Elvis''s fists, hard as iron, mmed into the wall, again and again, until his knuckles were swollen and bloody!


    "Elvis, stop it!" Thaddeus rushed to restrain him, his heart also aching.


    At that moment, Aaron arrived with colleagues in tow. Seeing Elvis, usually unppable even if the sky were falling, so emotionally shattered, Aaron looked anxiously at Thaddeus, his face full of concern.


    "Aaron, these two girls were left behind at The Velvet Haven, working under Harvey. We need to take them in for questioning; they might have valuable information."


    Thaddeus, with an arm around Elvis, gently patted his back. "But, I think they''re victims too. Please, Aaron, make sure they''re treated well and not unduly harassed."


    Aaron nodded vigorously, "Of course!"


    "Besides, we need to monitor all transportation hubs across the city now. If Avery


    is spotted, he must be detained. We cannot let him leave Elmsworth!"


    "Thaddeus, it''s toote!"


    Aaron, frustrated, also punched the wall. "I thought of that too. Beforeing here, I had my team check, and Avery had already left Elmsworth on a private jet three hours ago. By now, he''s probably left the country!"


    Thaddeus felt a tightness in his chest. "Can we track his flight path?!"


    "I''m just a cop, that''s way beyond my capabilities. And even if I could, it wouldn''t be proper procedure. Right now, we have evidence against Harvey, but not enough to issue a warrant for Avery. Just Wayne''s testimony isn''t enough!"


    The situation was at a stalemate once more. It was like finally breaking through a tough spot in a chess game, about to checkmate, when suddenly a knight blocks your path.


    Lost in thought, Thaddeus''s phone suddenly rang.