Temptation

Jack and Roy entered the NYPD, and George Stacy and Phil Coulson prepared to question them separately. Each man was accompanied by a lawyer as they entered the interrogation rooms.

"Roy, may I call you that?" George Stacy asked, his tone not a harsh roar but rather quite gentle.

"Yes, Sheriff!" Roy nodded.

"You can call me George!" George Stacy had reviewed Roy's file and perceived him as timid and easily scared, believing a gentle approach would earn his favor. However, he was unaware that Roy's personality had undergone a transformation. After Jerry's death, Roy had been overwhelmed by extreme fear, which had fundamentally altered his disposition, compounded by prior familial and work-related stressors.

"Alright, George, I'm here today to cooperate with your investigation and fulfill my civic duty," Roy stated.

"That's excellent, Roy. Can you tell me about the day you went abroad?" George Stacy inquired.

"Of course. After we gathered in the morning, we had breakfast, and then we departed for the airport. That's it!" Roy's account was remarkably brief, causing George Stacy to frown.

"Why did you decide to open a company in the Cayman Islands?"

"We heard the taxes there are very low. We're just workers, three unemployed workers on the verge of bankruptcy. We do our best to save every cent. My wife needs medical treatment. I can only thank God that her condition is stable; I don't know what would happen if it worsened. And now I'm unemployed, I don't know how I'll afford her medication!" Roy's eyes began to redden.

The lawyer beside him spoke, "Mr. Roy, can you continue?"

"Yes, I can. I've already gotten through the hardest times; nothing can defeat me now!" Roy choked back a sob, composing himself before continuing, "Jack's wife left him, and his eldest daughter is going to college. She's very bright, and we all believe she can get into a prestigious university. She's in Los Angeles now, and we're all happy for Jack."

"Jerry loved racing cars and never saved money. I never expected him to die in a car crash!"

"Roy, we believe Jerry was murdered!" George Stacy attempted to prompt Roy.

"I don't think so. He just bought a Mustang. Knowing his personality, he wouldn't drive it slowly if he could go fast. We warned him about it many times, but that's just how he is. Now he's paid the price with his life. It's truly sad. We've succeeded."

"Alright, let's move on from that topic and discuss your entrepreneurial experience!"

"Certainly. We didn't know what to do. We heard that people on Wall Street sometimes get rich overnight, so we decided to try our luck. We borrowed quite a bit of money and managed to scrape together one hundred thousand dollars."

"Who did you borrow the money from?" George Stacy asked urgently.

"From colleagues, of course. A few hundred here, a thousand there. Plus our savings and some things we sold. Fortunately, we succeeded." Roy and the others had indeed borrowed money, but not as much as a hundred thousand, more like ten to twenty thousand. However, this was impossible to quantify or investigate, as there were no IOUs; they had borrowed based on their relationships.

With over twenty years of friendship, and borrowing small amounts like a few hundred or a thousand dollars, this method made it difficult for the police to track. They had also sold some items, leaving no records whatsoever.

"Okay, but how did you manage your investments? You made so much money in just a few days!"

"We don't understand these things, so we just followed along, buying and selling. After arriving in the Cayman Islands, we hired a proxy company to register everything, which was very convenient. Then we opened accounts. I asked Jack, 'What do we do?'"

"He said to just watch the news and see what's happening. So, we saw that Bear Stearns Wall Street Bank had been robbed. Then Jack said, 'Their stock will probably drop, right?' Jerry and I thought so too!"

"So, we bought and sold. Maybe it was luck, but we succeeded!" Even Roy's lawyer didn't believe his words, but Roy appeared very sincere.

Furthermore, according to the account records of Ghost Investment Company, they had done exactly that: buy low and sell high. Bear Stearns' stock fluctuated due to external interference, and if one timed it correctly, they could indeed make money. However, the three were laborers who had never been involved in such activities before. Logically, they should have lost everything, yet they had earned over four million dollars, with one million two hundred thousand deposited into a bearer account that remained untouched.

"Roy, did you really just buy and sell yourselves?" George Stacy's expression began to darken.

"Of course. Who else would help us? Like that Wall Street bank, we entrusted them with handling the aftermath compensation for our factory, but months have passed, and they haven't given us a single penny. Many people are facing bankruptcy. Sheriff, do you handle such matters?" Roy asked, looking at George Stacy.

George Stacy fell silent. He was also furious about this matter. He was a police officer with a sense of justice, but he was powerless.

Meanwhile, Phil Coulson was facing Jack directly. Jack appeared nonchalant. "Excuse me, are you a police officer?" Jack asked.

"Then, Mr. Jack Jenkins, do you believe I am not a police officer?" Phil Coulson asked with a smile.

"I don't know. But shouldn't you introduce yourself before questioning? And you're not wearing any identification. Mr. Lawyer, can I question his identity?" Jack turned to his lawyer.

"Of course, sir. You have every reason to question the other party's identity. Furthermore, the current party is violating the interrogation procedure. We can leave immediately and file a lawsuit against the NYPD." The lawyer stared at Phil Coulson, his tone filled with threats.

However, it was all in vain. Phil Coulson completely ignored him. "Jack, tell the truth. It will be beneficial for you." He then produced an ID and placed it on the table in front of Jack and the lawyer. "I am from the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division. I am an Agent, not a police officer."

The lawyer frowned. "I'm sorry, I haven't heard of this department."

"It's alright if you haven't heard of it. The fact that I can conduct this interrogation here proves I have the authority. Jack, your issues are actually not that significant. As long as you tell the truth, I can guarantee a reduced sentence, or even no jail time. Additionally, I can help you obtain supplementary funds to resolve your concerns. Our target is not you, but the technical talent behind you. How about it?" Phil Coulson adopted a persuasive approach this time.