The chief called both families.

On Julian’s side, his father was completely stunned when he got the call from Ravenshore Station. At first, he was confused, then furious. “What?” He shot up from his seat, his tone sharp and angry. “They’ve already been sent to Ravenshore?”

The chief was caught off guard by his reaction, not quite sure how to respond. He stammered, “Y–yes… they’ve already been transferred over. They’re currently being held at our station.”

Albert’s eyes flared. “Then why didn’t anyone inform me?”

He’d already sent people to Millford. They were just about to locate the police station over there. And now what? They were back in Ravenshore Station? Albert was seething. What was this supposed to mean? Were they playing games with him? The fire in his chest was impossible to suppress. And to top it off, bringing them back to Ravenshore Station meant the scandal would be right on his doorstep. Now the whole city would know—he’d be a walking joke. Anyone who wanted to laugh at his expense would have a much easier time now. The thought alone made it hard for him to breathe.

The Ravenshore chief shrank back, clearly panicked and unsure how to respond. He felt wronged, too. If he hadn’t reached out, Millford would never have shared the full details. He was the one who ended up getting dragged into this mess, all because of a moment of misplaced sympathy, and he was stuck cleaning it up.

Left with no choice, the chief began explaining the entire sequence of events to Albert. “This wasn’t my fault. I had no idea he was your son to begin with, and he never told me, either.”

At that point, the Ravenshore chief felt even more wronged. It was true. Those two—one unhinged, the other a handful. He couldn’t manage either of them, nor could he afford to offend them.

And Julian? With the way he’d been acting, the man could barely string a sentence together. In the station, they couldn’t get a single useful word out of him. Thinking about it now, the chief could only shake his head in disbelief.

Albert paused at the explanation. He knew full well that he’d need to maintain a good relationship with the chief moving forward. Taking a deep breath, he steadied himself. There was no point in staying angry—not with so much still to handle. “Alright. I know this isn’t your fault.” His tone softened, shifting into polished diplomacy. “You’ve been caught in the middle. I should’ve done a better job raising my son. I’ll be sure to host a dinner for you once this is over.” He chuckled lightly. “I hope you’ll give me that courtesy when the time comes.”

The chief didn’t say much in return, deflecting with calm ease. “You’re too kind, Mr. Hayes. Right now, the important thing is that your son is still in our custody.”

“I’ll need you to come by this afternoon.”

“Of course.” Albert kept his tone warm and pleasant, giving nothing away. He knew better than to push too hard. Back someone into a corner, and even the calmest man will push back. It was best to take things slow.

Once the call ended, the chief finally let out a long breath. One problem handled. Now it was time to contact Walton Corporation. He’d heard their general manager had a good reputation; hopefully this one would be easier to deal with. At least, that’s what he told himself. In truth, he still felt a little uneasy. He never quite knew how to talk to these upper-crust elites. They drained too much time and energy, and they were sharp—every last one of them. They never left him a moment to think.