"Then why did you send her a threatening email?"
"What threatening email? I don't know what you're talking about?"
"Let me refresh your memory. The content of the letter was, 'Resign from your position as Deputy Mayor immediately, or else, prepare to say goodbye to your daughter.'"
Cesar Gegil's face changed, "No, I have never sent such an email."
Luke had been observing him, sensing that he might not be lying?
Could there be a hidden story.
"The IP address is from your house.
Tell me, if it wasn't you, who could it be?"
Cesar Gegil shook his head, "I don't know. You must have made a mistake. I have never sent such a threatening email."
"What about your wife?"
Cesar Gegil argued, "It's even less likely to be my wife. She doesn't even know who Lee Mei is. Why would she send her a threatening email?
There is no conflict of interest between me and Lee Mei.
Whether she serves as the mayor or not has nothing to do with me. Please, you have to believe me."
Luke continued to probe, "You should be aware that there's a huge difference in sentencing for kidnapping and murder.
If you confess now, we can arrange a favorable plea deal for you.
If your delay results in the victim's death, your crime will become much more serious.
Don't count on luck. The police have traced the evidence to you and will definitely investigate thoroughly."
"Then go ahead and investigate, I don't care, because I have done nothing wrong," Cesar Gegil said confidently and assertively.
"Creak..." The door outside made a noise.
A boy about twelve or thirteen years old walked in, his expression wary, "Who are you? Why are you at my house?"
After seeing this boy, Luke's gaze didn't shift away; from his judgment, the possibility of Cesar Gegil lying seemed small.
So according to his statement, both he and his wife were unlikely suspects.
But what if there was a third person in this house? And moreover, this person was about the same age as the kidnapped Betty.
This made Luke suspicious.
Luke got straight to the point, "What's your name?"
"Do you know Lee Mei?"
"Yes, the Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles, and the only female Asian-American Deputy Mayor of the city."
"Good, have you sent her an email recently?"
York Gejier looked stunned, his face showing signs of nerves.
"Enough!" Cesar Gegil's face showed anger. "You suspected me just now, and now you suspect my son? Is there no end to this?"
Luke warned, "Mr. Gegil, if you don't want to make things more complicated, then shut up."
"Are you threatening me again?"
"No, it's a friendly suggestion. You don't have to listen, you don't have to talk about it here, but then I will have to take you and your family to the station for questioning."
"You can't do this, it will ruin our reputation, how will the neighbors look at us?"
"Then shut up!" Luke left him with those words and looked back at York Gejier, "York, look at me. Did you send Lee Mei an email?"
York showed a fear in his eyes, and nodded, "Yes."
"What was the content of the letter?"
"I don't remember clearly."
"Then let me help you remember. Was it a threatening email that said, 'Resign from your position as Deputy Mayor immediately, or else, prepare to say goodbye to your daughter'?"
York Gejier hung his head, not daring to look at Luke, and gave no answer.
Cesar Gegil also became unsettled, "York, did you really send that email?"
"Why? Why would you do such a thing?" Cesar Gegil asked loudly.
York Gegil shook his head.
Luke urged, "York, this is no longer just about you. If you don't speak up, it will implicate your parents; they will also be taken to the station."
"No, this has nothing to do with my parents."
"Then why did you send that threatening letter to Deputy Mayor Lee Mei?"
"Betty told me to do it."
Luke frowned, "Lee Mei's daughter, Betty?"