Beckett’s Obsession (Second Bonus Update, Please Subscribe!!!)

Lake had investigated Beckett’s mother’s case long ago. He even knew where the crucial evidence was. Likewise, he knew who the murderer was.

But…

Just like when Lake had been at the precinct before, Beckett had cared deeply about her mother’s case back then. As her friends, all Lake and George could do was respect her.

And now?

The time had come.

First, Cassel and Beckett had fallen in love, and Beckett had once again been suspended because of this case.

Second, who could blame him? Braken had provoked him during that interview a month ago.

As for the reporter from the Bugle Daily, Lake had taken care of him when he found the time a few days ago. As for the one remaining, it wasn’t that Lake hadn’t acted. Rather, if he did, Beckett probably wouldn’t be able to vent her anger.

Settling old scores was written deep in Lake’s memory. Although it was still June, if one didn’t get too particular about it, June could count as autumn’s aftermath too.

So it was time to settle the score.

Cassel froze when he heard what Lake said. "You know that Beckett and I…"

Right.

Cassel had thought their investigation was still a secret.

Lake chuckled and downed the bourbon in his glass. "Please. Who do you think I am?"

A Federal executive.

As the Department of Homeland Security’s director for New York State, Lake could, without exaggeration, shut down New York State’s land, sea, and air transportation with a single order if he wanted to, regardless of whether he had any evidence of an impending terrorist attack.

Just then.

Beckett, her blonde hair shining, came downstairs.

At first.

Beckett’s expression was somewhat bashful. After all, being caught by a friend in such an embarrassing situation was awkward. But when Beckett saw the look in Cassel’s eyes, her expression changed as well.

"What’s wrong?"

"…"

Cassel glanced at Lake, who was casually sipping his bourbon. He opened his mouth, then turned back to Beckett. "Lake said he has evidence."

Beckett froze. Then she immediately understood what Cassel meant. With a whoosh, her gaze shot straight toward Lake.

Lake shrugged.

Beckett hurried over, just as incredulous as Cassel. "How could that be?"

Lake looked at Beckett. "Do you remember when George and I secretly investigated behind your back, only for you to find out and drag us both to the training yard to beat us senseless?"

Beckett shook her head. "I wouldn’t call it beating you senseless."

Lake shrugged. "Actually, George and I had already reached a crucial point in our investigation back then. After you taught us a lesson, George and I both said we respected your choice and gave up on the case. But…"

He paused.

Lake let out a helpless laugh. "I have to confess something. After George and I agreed to abandon the case, I still conducted one final investigation."

"That file," Beckett said solemnly.

Lake thought for a moment. "I wouldn’t call it a file. In fact, I knew it might be evidence, but I never looked at it. Like I said, I respected you."

With that.

Lake stood and walked outside. "I respect you just as much now. But I can tell you this: Cassel already knows about this clue."

Beckett immediately turned toward Cassel. He froze and looked at Lake, who had reached the door. "When did you tell me?"

"How Agent Derek Storm discovered the key clue in his first case."

"…"

With a bang.

After mentioning the Derek Storm series that Cassel had created using him as its inspiration, Lake walked straight out and thoughtfully closed the door behind him.

Inside the room.

Beckett came back to herself and looked at Cassel. "I remember that Agent Derek Storm’s first case involved investigating the cause of his sister’s death. It was also because of her death that Derek Storm returned from the battlefield."

After all, Beckett was Cassel’s devoted fan. She had read not only his bestselling crime novels, but even his unsuccessful ones.

Cassel nodded as he recalled the events of the Derek Storm novels. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. "That’s right. I remember consulting Lake about it at the time. I wrote the key clue exactly as Lake described it because what he said was so dramatic. The key evidence in the murder of his sister was hidden in a keepsake she had left Derek Storm."

Beckett’s eyes lit up.

There was no other reason.

Beckett suddenly remembered that during those years at the NYPD, whenever Lake chatted with her, he would bring up a gift her mother had left her. He would ask, seemingly casually, how much it was worth, and even ask whether it would be bad if she broke or lost it.

After thinking it over.

Beckett looked at Cassel. "The precinct. My office!"

Cassel seemed to have thought of something too. Seeing Beckett already heading toward the door, he hurriedly said, "Wait for me."

Upstairs.

When Lake returned home, the two hungover girls were already sitting on the bar stools, each holding a glass of cold water. Lake walked over, smiled, and looked at the two of them. "How are you feeling?"

Alexis looked up. "My head hurts."

"It’s still spinning."

Skye spoke listlessly. Then she looked at Lake, who had turned around to take a bottle from the liquor cabinet, and asked in confusion, "Why is it that every time you come home, you drink until you go to sleep, but you never seem to feel anything?"

Lake chuckled. "Want to know?"

Skye nodded.

Lake stroked his chin. Pointing at the bottle of bourbon that still had more than half left, he looked at Skye. "Do you remember when I bought this bottle?"

Skye covered her forehead and thought. "It should have been half a month ago, when we went to the supermarket together. I remember. This was the ninety-nine-yuan bourbon. It was really expensive. You used to drink the forty-nine-yuan kind."

Lake’s mouth twitched. "That’s not important. What matters is that I’ve been drinking it for half a month, and there’s still half left. Have you figured it out?"

Who said he had only drunk cheap liquor before? He was simply used to it and hadn’t found a high-priced replacement yet.

Skye thought about it, then looked at Lake with growing suspicion. "You drink every day, but after half a month, you’ve only finished half the bottle?"

Lake smiled and nodded.

"How is that possible? Every time I see you, you have a glass of liquor in your hand."

"Correct. But I never said I downed it. Sometimes I pick up the glass without even drinking. I just pretend that I did."

"…Why?"

"Drinking isn’t about the liquor itself, you know?"

Lake’s eyes grew somewhat profound as he savored the ninety-nine-yuan bourbon near his nose. He looked at Skye and Alexis. "Drinking is about an attitude, not anything else. Understand?"

As he spoke.

Lake directly circulated the Force around the two girls. Once the healing Force withdrew, they immediately felt that they weren’t suffering quite as much.

"Huh?"

"Wha?"

Skye and Alexis felt the changes in their bodies and looked at each other. Somehow, it seemed as if they weren’t in as much pain anymore.

Lake downed the bourbon in his glass, then poured himself a full one. He walked toward the spiral staircase. "Skye, the water in the outdoor pool needs changing."

The joy that had appeared on Skye’s face after recovering from her hangover vanished without a trace at those words. She called out an "Okay" to Lake as he headed up the stairs.

Alexis looked at Skye. "It’s fine. I’ll help you."

Skye felt a little better after hearing that.

Eevee jumped out and called toward Skye, seemingly indicating that she would help Skye too.

In the study.

Lake sat down in his chair.

He had said that he wouldn’t ground Skye just because she drank before turning twenty-one. But he never said he wouldn’t punish her.

When Lake had been thirteen, Karen had caught him drinking after a hangover. She had punished him by making him clean the backyard pool while still nursing his hangover, just as Lake was punishing Skye now.

Skye had gotten off much more lightly than Lake had.

After all, back then Lake had cleaned the pool in a daze, his head feeling as if it were about to explode from the hangover. Betty, who was five years younger than him, had helped him from the side.

At the time, Betty had been only eight and didn’t have much strength.

Many of Lake’s educational principles had been taught to him by Karen through her words and actions. This was a kind of inheritance too. Of course, educating his only rebellious child was the exception.

As for that rebellious child, treating him like a transparent person was already Lake exercising great restraint.

Martha didn’t stop Alexis from helping Skye. After all, this was a punishment for Skye, but it could also serve as a punishment for Alexis.

In the end, the two girls had indeed done something wrong.

Admitting one’s mistakes was the most basic matter of integrity.

However…

By the afternoon, after the two girls had finished cleaning the pool and replacing the water, they put on their swimsuits and jumped into it. It seemed that all their fatigue from the afternoon had vanished, and they had returned to their youthful, boundless energy.

As for Cassel and Beckett.

When Beckett and Cassel arrived at the precinct, Beckett had, without question, also received the order canceling her suspension. Although Lake wasn’t very familiar with the current NYPD leadership, he knew senior officials in the district attorney’s office. After making a phone call, they stopped investigating the case. If the district attorney’s office wasn’t investigating, what could the NYPD possibly investigate?

Afterward, Beckett saw the keepsake her mother had left her sitting on the desk.

The next second.

With a bang, the keepsake fell to the floor and shattered. Then, a cassette tape appeared before them. After that, everything unfolded naturally.

That evening.

Lake sat on the sofa, watching the evening New York news on television.

"At around four this afternoon, according to sources within the NYPD, the district attorney’s office officially issued an arrest warrant for Councilman Braken. According to reliable sources, Councilman Braken has been accused of conspiracy to commit fraud and of murdering Joanna Beckett. He has been arrested by Kate Beckett of the NYPD. It is worth noting that Kate Beckett is Joanna Beckett’s daughter…"

"…"