Wendy Lynch immediately walked over to an inconspicuous patch of shade in the corner of the crowd, pretending to look down and play on her phone.
In reality, she quickly unlocked it and opened the app connected to her action camera. Slipping on her earbuds, she tapped on the video she had just recorded.
"...I’m getting promoted to P7 at the end of the year, and I’ve already sorted out my transfer application! This has to stop!"
"Stop? Kyler Lowell, you make it sound so easy!"
"...At worst, we go down together! ..."
The latest DJI action camera lived up to its reputation; its audio recording capabilities were incredibly powerful. Even through a wall, every word of their conversation had been captured with crystal clarity!
With this recording in hand, she could finally cast aside all her previous worries and hesitation. Solving this problem was now quite simple—a financial crime was still a crime. All Wendy needed to do was hand this evidence over to the police, and the rest would have nothing to do with her.
Without a hint of hesitation, she turned and walked toward a secluded mountain trail farther away. After walking for about a hundred meters, she made sure no one was around before leaning against a large tree and dialing 911.
"Hello, I need to report a crime."
A formulaic female voice answered from the other end of the line. "Hello, this is the 911 emergency dispatch center. Please state your emergency and your location."
Wendy lowered her voice, speaking extremely fast but with clear logic.
"I have evidence of a major financial crime.
"There are employees within my company who have abused their positions...
"But most importantly, the two suspects have fallen out over an unequal split of the spoils.
"Our company is currently on an outdoor team-building trip, and the way one of them is looking at the other is seriously off."
The operator was clearly taken aback by the sheer amount of information in her statement. After a brief silence, her tone immediately turned serious.
"Ma’am, please do not hang up.
"I will transfer your call to the Municipal Economic Crimes Division right away."
After a short burst of hold music, a deep, steady male voice came through. "Hello, this is the Municipal Economic Crimes Division. I’m Vice Captain Henry Walsh. Could you elaborate on the situation you just reported?"
"Officer Walker, hello." Wendy carefully recounted the situation once more before emphasizing her main concern.
"I have audio evidence of them personally admitting to the crime and their internal conflict.
"However, I am also an employee of this company, and I’m right here at the team-building event with them.
"For the sake of my personal safety and my future career, I require absolute confidentiality regarding my identity as the whistleblower."
Hearing Wendy’s concerns, Officer Walker’s tone immediately grew solemn.
"Rest assured, ma’am.
"Protecting whistleblowers is a protocol we strictly adhere to. Your information will not appear in any public files.
"The situation is urgent. How can you send the evidence to us?"
"Do you have a WhatsApp account? I can send the video file directly."
"Yes, I’ll read the number to you. Take it down."
Wendy quickly noted the number, hung up, and immediately added him on WhatsApp. He accepted the friend request shortly after. Without a second of delay, she sent the video file over.
[File Sent Successfully]
Looking at the notification on her screen, the heavy weight that had been hanging over Wendy’s heart finally lifted.
Meanwhile, inside the office of the Municipal Economic Crimes Division, the atmosphere suddenly grew tense. Officer Walker clicked on the video file, and the conversation between Jared Carter and Kyler Lowell instantly played through the computer speakers.
"...Don’t you know how much money this channel brings us every month?"
...
"...If you dare to unilaterally cut off my cash flow, then we’ll just go down together!
"If I suffer, don’t even think about peacefully getting your P7 promotion!"
The chain of evidence was complete, and the facts of the crime were crystal clear. The internal conflict over the unequal division of the spoils was sharp, and the threat of mutual destruction laid out a direct motive for murder.
After finishing the video, the several police officers in the office immediately began to discuss the case.
"Good lord, over two hundred thousand a month in profit?!"
"I just checked. The annual salary for a P7 level at their company is over a million."
"The likelihood of killing someone to secure a million-dollar salary is definitely high."
"I don’t think it’d go that far, those..."
Officer Walker waved a hand, cutting off the discussion.
"Let’s put aside whether this guy has a motive for murder or not.
"Hundreds of thousands a month means millions a year. This is unquestionably a massive economic crime.
"Furthermore, the suspects have already turned on each other, and a violent incident could break out at any moment. Dispatch a team immediately!"
After hanging up, Wendy pretended that nothing had happened and walked back to the barbecue area. The atmosphere by the lake remained lively, with the aroma of cumin and roasted meat permeating the air.
Seeing her return, Shirley Lowell immediately waved her over.
"Wendy, where did you run off to?
"Come here, come here! The chicken wings are done, and I saved this one especially for you!"
"It’s nothing, I just had to take a call." Wendy smiled and took the wing, her gaze casually sweeping over another grill not far away.
Kyler Lowell and Jared Carter were surrounded by a group of colleagues. Everything looked so harmonious. No one could tell that an invisible net of justice was already quietly descending upon them.
About twenty minutes later, several police cars arrived silently at the Galen Park parking lot, their sirens off. The doors opened, and over a dozen uniformed officers swiftly stepped out.
At the park entrance, Officer Walker had a brief exchange with a park supervisor. Then, using the precise location provided by Wendy, the officers split into two groups and rapidly moved to flank the area around Mirror Lake.
The cheerful chatter and laughter by the lake were first interrupted by a few eagle-eyed colleagues.
"Hey, look, why are there so many cops heading this way?"
"Did something happen in the park?"
"Could a tourist have gone missing?"
"It’s possible. Didn’t two college students go missing a few years ago while night hiking on Mount Galen?"
Everyone’s attention was drawn to the sudden appearance of the police. However, the discussion came to an abrupt halt, as the dozen or so officers quickly surrounded the entire group of company employees who were still enjoying their barbecue.
Officer Walker, leading the charge, swept his piercing gaze across the crowd and accurately locked onto his targets. Leading a few of his men, he strode straight through the dumbstruck colleagues and stopped directly in front of Kyler Lowell and Jared Carter.
A flash of unease crossed Kyler’s heart, but he managed to maintain a polite smile on his face. "Excuse me, but who are you?"
The lead officer didn’t answer his question; instead, he pulled out his badge.
"Kyler Lowell, we are from the Municipal Economic Crimes Division.
"You are suspected of occupational embezzlement and massive economic crimes. You are now being placed under arrest in accordance with the law."
The smile on Kyler’s face instantly froze as his pupils violently contracted. The freshly grilled, still-SIZZLING skewer of chicken wings slipped from his fingers and landed in the grass.