Missing Property in Custody

Henry's unpleasant expression was a sufficient signal. Even if the senior lawyer inwardly despised this suddenly promoted, penniless young man, he wouldn't actually show it. He still demonstrated the proper professionalism expected of a lawyer.

Recalling the figures he had seen earlier, the senior lawyer said, "Director Davis, you should know that losing evidence is a very serious dereliction of duty."

"Mr. Brown is not a suspect, so those items are simply items in safekeeping. But even so, we do bear some responsibility for the loss of the items, which is why we are willing to offer compensation. I think this is a reasonable and justifiable solution."

Owen Davis's subtle yet forceful counterattack was certainly not something a top lawyer would take seriously.

But Henry thought more deeply. Valuation, aside from things with clearly defined prices and depreciation standards, is mostly a matter of subjective judgment. Those who need it will offer a high price, while those who don't might not accept it even if they were paid to do so.

The equipment that they made themselves by hand had no commercial pricing, no patents, and no precedent for sale.

If someone treats it as scrap metal, should we explain to them how much technology is involved? Or should we prepare a technical document and ask an industry expert for guidance?

The item fell into their hands, and the authorities insisted it was worthless; it was useless even if it wasn't.

As for where the items went? Henry didn't need to think too much to know they must have ended up in the pockets of someone who "needed" them. He simply couldn't believe that so many, such large items could simply disappear!

The FBI's actions were meaningless and without any legal basis; they wouldn't have acted What If...? no one was pulling strings behind the scenes. Once they did act,

Can the food still stay in the pot?

So he had to accept it. Throwing it away was fine; Henry wasn't heartbroken. He had more pressing issues to deal with, so he asked, "What about my pet? And my car? When can I get them back? I hope they're not lost too?"

"Mr. Brown, your car is in the LAPD storage facility and you can pick it up anytime. As for the pet—"

Thinking of the Tiger, Owen Davis felt a headache coming on again. "It should be at the temporary shelter. We can pick it up anytime."

"Okay, I understand." Those things are gone, but if Kitty gets abused and develops bad habits, that would be a huge loss. Henry took the documents and picked up his pen.

He didn't rush to sign his name, but instead asked the lawyer beside him, "This document doesn't have any legal problems, does it, sir?"

"No. What If...? you agree to the compensation amount, once you sign this document, the items on the list will be considered lost and unrelated to you. However, the FBI is still responsible for recovering the lost items, but it's uncertain when they will be found."

"Okay, that's fine then." Just as he was about to sign, the pen stopped in mid-air. Henry asked, "Director Davis, although the item wasn't on your lost and found list, I have a portable phone registered in my name on it."

"Was it taken with you? Could it be mixed in with those other things? Have you tried calling? Maybe it was just put somewhere and the person who received it forgot about it. You could find out by hearing the phone ring."

Owen Davis said, "I understand what Mr. Brown means. I'll have my men check again."

"Thank you for your help." Henry finished speaking and conveniently signed his name. Immediately, an FBI Agent handed him the prepared check and receipt for the signed document.

Henry accepted the receipt and the check, and without caring whether the amount on it, which was no different from giving money to a beggar, was correct or not, he got up to leave.

He said to the lawyer beside him, "Sir, could you give me a ride? I need to get my car from the storage facility first."

The renowned lawyer didn't think much of it. Although it wasn't within his area of expertise, he nodded and said, "Sure, I'm heading in that direction anyway. But Mr. Brown, aren't you going to pick up your pet first?"

Do you dare?

Henry's rhetorical question reminded the lawyer of his client's "pet": a fully grown Tiger! He didn't even need to worry about getting his leather seats dirty; he should first consider whether he dared to ride in a car with a Tiger.

The lawyer chuckled awkwardly twice and said, "Mr. Brown, please come with me. My car is parked in the parking lot; yours will be towed to the LAPD's storage facility. I know that place well; I'll take you there."

"Oh, a lawyer as prestigious as you would handle a car being towed?" Henry asked in surprise.

"No, actually it's because of business needs. Some customers aren't very patient and can wait for me to find a parking space. So I often deal with people from tow truck yards."

"Ha, a nobody with a little bit of power, just loves to make things difficult for others to assert his presence."

While he couldn't agree more with his client's statement, he felt it was important for lawyers to remain objective. He smiled and said, "It's their job, and it's all they can do."

"Yes." Henry was certainly aware of the lawyer's disdainful attitude. But he acted as if he didn't know, chatting and laughing politely with him.

With those two troublemakers gone, Owen Davis finally breathed a sigh of relief. This was almost the best-case scenario he had envisioned; there was no unnecessary negotiation, no additional hassle, and the matter was resolved perfectly.

Before leaving the interrogation room, Owen Davis patted the agent who had followed him in and said earnestly, "Be more careful next time. You got lucky today, but will you be lucky tomorrow?"

Owen Davis certainly knew how those things had been "lost," which is why he was issuing this warning, albeit in a measured tone.

"Yes, sir."

The agent who followed his superior away didn't return to his desk, but instead found a quiet place and made a phone call.

The person on the other end of the phone answered immediately and asked, "You haven't forgotten what you were owed, have you? Why are you calling again?"

"Damn it, watch your words on the phone, don't say anything you shouldn't. I'm telling you, there's nothing wrong with that person, he's been released. His belongings are now lost and found, there was a phone in them, figure out how to get rid of them."

"You can pursue people over the phone?"

"I won't admit to anything like that. Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask." With that, the FBI Agent hung up the extremely risky call because he noticed footsteps.

He quickly took out a cigarette and lit it, as if he had come to this place just to have a smoke.

A colleague who walked by, unsuspecting, lit a cigarette next to him, and the two chatted about the cases they had been working on recently, exchanging experiences and opinions.

Meanwhile, in a research lab, the person taking a break to answer the phone pondered the implications of the call. After all, the other party wouldn't have called unless it was important.