novelraw Chapter 165: Head On The Chopping Block
Chapter 165: Head On The Chopping Block
Chapter 165: Head On The Chopping Block
Brett angrily paced the length of his study, his agitation growing with each passing moment. The news that Levi had been released from police custody had sent a wave of fury crashing through him. He had been so certain that Levi was responsible for Sutton’s death, who else would want to kill her? The timing of the phone call, the abrupt destruction of the camera at the hidden entrance to her apartment, all of it pointed towards him.
Now, to discover that the police had let him go was infuriating. He could not understand it, he had even paid for something more incriminating to be found. Had they not seen the obvious? Had they not connected the dots? Or were they simply incompetent?
He stopped pacing, his gaze fixed on the city skyline visible through the large window. The twinkling lights seemed to mock him, a stark contrast to the darkness that had settled in his heart. He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. He would not let Levi get away with this. He would not let him escape justice.
A chilling thought crept into his mind. What if Levi was trying to frame him? What if he had seen him leave the apartment and was trying to shift the blame onto him, to make him the scapegoat for Sutton’s murder? The thought sent a shiver down his spine. He could not rule out the possibility. Levi was cunning, resourceful. Who really knew what he was capable of.
He had to protect himself. He had to gather evidence, to prove his own innocence, and to expose Levi’s guilt. He obviously could not rely on the police to do their job, so that meant that he would have to take matters into his own hands.
He immediately contacted Damien, his most trusted associate. "Damien," he said, his voice urgent, "I need you to do something for me. I need you to trace Levi’s movements on the day of Sutton’s death. I want to know where he was, who he spoke to, everything you can find."
"Of course, Boss," Damien replied, his voice professional and efficient. "I will get right on it."
"I need more than just his alibi," Brett continued, his voice hardening. "I need concrete evidence. I need to know if he took any route that would have led him to Sutton’s apartment."
"I understand, Mr. Thorne," Damien said. "I will check traffic cameras, GPS records, anything that can provide a clear picture of his movements."
Brett hung up the phone, his mind still racing. He could not shake the feeling that he was running out of time. He needed to find something, anything, that would tie Levi to Sutton’s murder.
He spent the next few hours reviewing the information Damien had already gathered. The phone records, the police reports, the security footage from Sutton’s building. He scrutinized every detail, searching for any inconsistency, any clue that might have been overlooked.
But there was nothing to be found. The evidence against Levi was purely circumstantial, based on the phone call and his knowledge of the hidden entrance. There was no concrete proof that he had been at Sutton’s apartment on the day of her death.
Brett grew increasingly frustrated. He knew that circumstantial evidence was not enough to convict Levi. He needed something more, something tangible, something that would irrefutably link him to the crime. If not, it would be his own neck on the chopping block.
He paced the floor of his study, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts. He had to find a way to prove Levi’s guilt, somewhere in the recesses of his mind he believed Levi was the culprit. He had to protect himself from being framed. He wouldn’t let Levi win.
In the early hours of the morning, Damien contacted him with the information he had requested. The news was both unsettling and infuriating.
"Mr. Thorne," Damien said, his voice serious, "I have traced Levi’s movements on the day of Sutton’s death. He took a route that would have taken him directly past Sutton’s apartment building."
Brett’s heart pounded in his chest. This was it. This was the evidence he needed.
"Did he stop at the building?" he asked, his voice urgent.
"I couldn’t confirm that directly as that location has a blind spot." Damien replied. "There are no traffic cameras that capture the specific entrance to Sutton’s building. But his route took him within a few blocks of her apartment."
Brett felt a surge of triumph. This was enough. This was the evidence he needed to implicate Levi.
"Excellent work, Damien," he said, his voice laced with satisfaction. "This is exactly what I needed from you."
"There is one more thing, Boss," Damien added, his voice hesitant.
"What is it?" Brett asked, his brow furrowing.
"I also checked your own movements on the day of Sutton’s death," Damien said. "And your route also took you past her building, there is a clear picture."
Brett froze, his mind reeling. He had completely forgotten about that little piece of information. He had been so focused on finding evidence against Levi that he had overlooked his own potential implication.
"Damn!" he cursed aloud, his voice vibrating from the anger he felt. "That’s... that’s impossible."
"I’m afraid it’s true, Mr. Thorne," Damien said. "Your GPS records confirm it. You drove past Sutton’s building shortly before Levi made his phone call to her."
Brett felt a cold dread settle in his stomach. This was a disaster. He had been trying to frame Levi, but he had inadvertently implicated himself.
He paced the floor of his study, his mind racing. He had to find a way to explain this, to deflect suspicion away from himself. He could not let anyone know that he had been anywhere near Sutton’s apartment on the day of her death.
He realized that he was now in a precarious position. He had been so focused on proving Levi’s guilt that he had overlooked his own vulnerability. Now, he was caught in a web of his own making, a web that threatened to ensnare him just as surely as it did Levi.
He had to be careful, to think strategically, to find a way to extricate himself from this dangerous situation. The stakes had just been raised, and he knew that the game had just become much more complicated. He had to clear his name, and find the real killer before he himself was accused of the crime. And the best way to do that was to find evidence, even if he had to plant it himself.
The next day, Levi returned to the office. The media frenzy surrounding Sutton’s death and his subsequent questioning had reached fever pitch. Paparazzi swarmed the entrance of the building, their cameras flashing, their voices clamoring for a statement.
Levi, his expression resolute, pushed his way through the crowd, ignoring their questions and their intrusive flashes. He entered the building, the familiar cool air of the lobby a welcome respite from the chaos outside.
He immediately sought out Ethan. "Ethan," he said, his voice firm, "I want those paparazzi gone. I don’t want them anywhere near this building."
Ethan nodded, his expression determined. "Of course, Mr. Van Doren," he said. "I’ll take care of it immediately."
He quickly made a few phone calls, coordinating with security and local authorities to disperse the crowd. Levi watched as the situation outside was brought under control, the paparazzi gradually retreating from the building’s entrance.
With the immediate chaos managed, Levi turned his attention to the business at hand. He had a company to run, a company that had been thrown into turmoil by recent events. He needed to reassert his authority, to reassure the shareholders, and to restore order.
He called for an immediate meeting with the shareholders, wanting to address the rumors and speculation head-on. He entered the boardroom, his presence commanding attention. The shareholders, who had been whispering amongst themselves, fell silent as he took his seat at the head of the table.
"I know there have been... concerns," Levi began, his voice calm and steady, "regarding my recent absence and the ongoing investigation. I want to assure you all that I am fully cooperating with the authorities, and I am confident that I will be cleared of any wrongdoing."
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room, meeting the eyes of each shareholder. "I also want to address the matter of my position as CEO," he continued. "I understand that some of you have questioned my ability to lead this company given recent events. I want to ask you directly: do you still have confidence in my leadership?"
A tense silence filled the room. The shareholders exchanged uneasy glances, unsure how to respond. Finally, one of the more senior shareholders, a man named Mr. Henderson, spoke up.
"Mr. Sterling," he said, his voice measured, "we understand that these are difficult times. And we appreciate your transparency. However, the allegations against you are serious. We need to be certain that the company’s reputation is not further damaged."
Levi nodded, his expression firm. "I understand your concerns," he said. "And I respect your position. But I assure you, I am innocent. And I will do everything in my power to clear my name and to protect this company."
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room once again. "So I ask you again," he said, his voice clear and resonant, "do you still have confidence in my leadership?"
After a moment of hesitation, several shareholders nodded in agreement. Others remained silent, their expressions still uncertain. But there was no open dissent, no further calls for his removal. After the unsuccessful coup, they were afraid of upsetting Levi.
Levi took this as a sign of continued support, albeit hesitant support. He knew he had a lot of work to do to fully regain their trust, but this was a start.
The meeting concluded shortly thereafter, with Levi promising to keep the shareholders informed of any developments in the investigation. He left the boardroom, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. He had managed to maintain control, at least for now.
He headed back to his office, wanting to catch up on the work that had piled up during his absence. As he entered his office, his secretary raised her head.
"Mr. Van Doren," she said, "you have a guest. I wasn’t sure if you wanted to be disturbed, but..."
"Who is it?" Levi asked, his brow furrowing.