chapter1126

"I'm here to see Frank." Lydia slipped her hands into the pockets of her trench coat, her eyes fixed on the cold iron bars lining the hallway of the detention center.

Byron made a clicking noise with his tongue as he flipped through the logbook. "Frank? He's a regular here. Just two days ago, he stirred up a mess with his crew, had the whole place in chaos."

"I just need to ask him a couple of questions."

"Alright, I'll take you over."

Byron led Lydia toward the cells. As the heavy gate groaned open, a wave of sweat and disinfectant hit them.

Inside Frank's cell, a group of tattooed guys sat together, heads close in

conversation. When Lydia walked in, their eyes lit up with a mix of excitement and something hungrier.

One of them, seeing Byron right behind her, grinned. "What's this, we got a new roommate?"

It was clear none of them expected a girl as young as Lydia, to show up in a place like this.

One guy licked his lips, a sleazy smile spreading across his face as he nudged his friend. "Fellas, check this out. Where'd this little beauty come from? Did the universe finally decide to cut us a break?"

A guy with a mohawk chimed in, "Byron, you bringing us someone this pretty... man, we must be living right."

Their laughter bounced off the cramped walls, their words hanging in the air like something rotten.

Byron's expression hardened. He stepped forward and slammed his foot into the metal bunk, the bang echoing through the cell. The room went dead silent.

"Enough. Not another word." Byron's voice was sharp and loud, making everyone flinch. "She's one of us. She's here for an investigation. If I hear one more word, you'll be spending every day locked up alone, understand?"

The guys shifted in their seats, surprised Lydia was actually a cop. They kept their head down, too scared to say anything else.

Lydia stayed calm, her eyes moving past them until they landed on Frank.

Frank was slouched in the corner, a hint of a cold smirk on his lips, like he didn't care at all about the drama.

Lydia walked over, stopping right in front of him. "Frank, who told you to drug my grandfather?"

Frank's eyes fliekered, but he just shrugged, putting on a show of indifference. "Lydia, I already told you everything I did it on my own I figured score some points with the Norwood family. No one put me up to it."

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Lydia caught the flash of guilt in his eyes.

Kon

So her guess was right. There really was someone pulling the strings.

She held his gaze. "Lucinda's done with you. She's never going to give you another cent. And Sandy? She's got her own problems now Murder charges When you get out, who

kind of life do you think you're going to have?"

Frank's greatest fear had always been running out of gambling money. He could live with bad food, cheap clothes, even a rough bed, but take away his gambling... that was like taking away his life.

Still, he just couldn't believe Lydia.

Lucinda was his daughter. No way she'd turn her back on him.

And he was in jail for her. She wouldn't just leave him to rot.

He still counted on Lucinda to take care of him when this was all over.

His gaze wavered for a second, but he quickly pulled himself together. "I've told you the truth. No one told me what to do. It was my idea. for Lucinda. don't blame her for not wanting anything to do with me. It's all my fault."