The Wolf of Los Angeles-Chapter 454: The Fury Triggered by the Illegitimate Child

[Chapter 454: The Fury Triggered by the Illegitimate Child]

Beverly Hills, Hilltop Mansion.

Hawke, who was sound asleep, was suddenly awakened by the vibration from Erica's pillow. Erica immediately pulled out her phone to check the message. After a moment, she told Hawke, "There's a shooting incident in West Los Angeles. The detective bureau and the western precinct have pinpointed the shooter's location. SWAT is needed to execute a raid."

Hawke asked, "Are you going to the scene?"

Erica tossed her phone aside and lay back down. "No need. This is an internal notice from the Special Operations Bureau. They don't usually call me directly. I don't have to be at the scene, and I'm not on duty tonight."

Hawke glanced at the time -- it was already past midnight -- and said, "Go to sleep, go to sleep."

But being awakened by the phone vibration ruined his sleepiness.

He asked again, "West Los Angeles? There aren't many shootings there, right?"

"It happened outside a gated community," Erica said simply. "A company CEO, who was out for a night run, was shot from behind by the shooter."

Since it was just an internal text, Erica didn't have many details.

Shootings were so common in Los Angeles that several incidents happened each week, even if not every day. After a few more questions, Hawke quickly fell back asleep.

---

Meanwhile, in Culver City.

Outside a motel, a dozen police cars flashed their red and blue lights, with an armored vehicle stationed at the entrance. The regular LAPD cordoned off the area to keep the frenzy of reporters at bay.

A SWAT tactical unit stormed into the motel.

Mills, who lacked any tactical or shooting training, stood no chance against the elite SWAT team. They completed their mission swiftly with just one stun grenade.

Detectives arrived soon after, handcuffed Mills, blindfolded him with a black hood, and dragged him out of the motel. The flashing cameras from reporters captured his every move.

Through the black hood, Mills could sense the flashing lights, though he couldn't see clearly.

During the evacuation, he had sensed something unusual but stayed still. Mills only sought justice and never intended to harm innocents.

That's why when SWAT stormed the room, the revolver had already been dropped on the floor.

Mills guessed the bright flashes were camera flashes from reporters. He wanted to shout out the reason why he shot Thompson, but his mouth was taped shut. He could only make muffled sounds.

When law enforcement doesn't want someone to speak, many methods exist.

Mills was taken to the police car and escorted to the detective bureau.

...

Reporters swarmed around the scene captain.

One shouted, "Officer, who is the shooter? Why did he kill Mr. Thompson?"

The middle-aged officer responded calmly, "That's what we're trying to find out."

A female reporter asked, "When will a briefing be held?"

"Soon," the officer replied and got into his car.

...

The motorcade drove into the detective bureau, and Mills was taken to the interrogation room.

Two experienced detectives immediately began questioning him.

Mills was prepared to confess that he had shot at Art Thompson.

By dawn, the detectives had a clear picture of the case's background and submitted the interrogation report to their superior.

...

West Los Angeles was a major taxpayer area and home to many wealthy donors to the LAPD. The case had been reported to Detective Chief Johnson last night. He had arrived at the bureau early and awaited the results like a hawk.

Technically, the locals paid for protection, but the LAPD, the city's largest gang, failed to deliver.

The reality was hard to sugarcoat.

The robbery-murder unit head sent interrogation results and profiles of the victim and suspect to Johnson's office.

Johnson sat alone flipping through the files until something sensitive caught his eye. "The Los Angeles fire? No insurance payout? Eunice Insurance?"

The current mayor, Brian, had used the Los Angeles fire as a campaign issue to defeat his predecessor Antonio in a recall election. His subsequent handling earned public praise and solidified his support.

Johnson had heard about Eunice Insurance before.

He thought for a moment and called his wife.

"You own a business. Have you heard of Eunice Insurance?" he asked.

His wife laughed lightly. "Yes, but it's bankrupt. Why do you ask?"

Johnson's tone turned serious. "It's related to a murder case."

His wife's smile faded. "You need to watch this closely. One of Eunice Insurance's major shareholders was Maria Shriver, Mrs. Schwarzenegger. They went bankrupt because they insured too many homes in Northern Los Angeles that were destroyed by the fire. If they paid claims..."

Johnson understood. "Don't spread this."

He hung up and thoughtfully dialed Carter Ferguson. "Director, there was a shooting yesterday."

...

Ferguson, just waking, considered for a moment and then called Hawke and Brian.

Though not a politician, Ferguson's instincts were sharp.

He sensed something unusual, ate breakfast quickly, and headed to Parker Center.

...

Back in the Beverly Hills mansion, Hawke was having breakfast when he received the call.

Erica, hearing him relay the call, said, "I don't know what to say about these insurance companies."

After finishing breakfast, Hawke gathered his things and said, "I'll meet with Brian."

Erica nodded. "You should go."

Hawke left and got into the Mercedes driven by Raul. "To the Beverly Business Club."

Before leaving the estate, Hawke called Brian and arranged a meeting at the club.

During the drive, he reviewed several online news reports.

Los Angeles had just been calm for a few days; chaos was about to return.

---

Sacramento, Governor's Mansion.

Maria Shriver had just woken when she got a call from Los Angeles. The CEO of Eunice Insurance, Thompson, had been shot dead on the street.

For some reason, she thought of her eccentric Uncle Kennedy and felt a wave of unease.

Shriver hurried downstairs to find her husband, Schwarzenegger, who was already dressed for work.

An assistant brought the California Independent newspaper and said, "Governor, you need to see this news."

Schwarzenegger knew an assistant wouldn't be so urgent for trivial news.

He took the paper and saw the front-page headline with a photo of himself and Maria linked to the shooting.

Though the California Independent didn't sell as much as the Los Angeles Times or San Francisco Chronicle, it was still among the top ten in California.

...

Schwarzenegger took it seriously and read quickly.

"A shooting in West Los Angeles: 19-year-old white youth Hart Mills shot and killed Art Thompson, CEO of the bankrupt Eunice Insurance...

Exclusive reports reveal Mills was a victim of the Los Angeles fire. His parents' newly mortgaged home burned down. His father died in the ensuing chaos, and his mother committed suicide when Eunice Insurance denied her claim. Mills dropped out of college and sued Eunice, but the company went bankrupt before the fire's end...

Further research into Eunice Insurance revealed that Mrs. Shriver, wife of Governor Schwarzenegger, was among its largest shareholders."

Schwarzenegger didn't need to read further; he knew the press was casting shadows on him.

He threw down the paper and saw Shriver coming down the stairs.

The assistant took the hint and quickly left.

...

Schwarzenegger directly asked, "What's going on with Eunice Insurance?"

Shriver replied, "It was a normal business. Later, it became insolvent and went bankrupt."

Schwarzenegger looked displeased. "Nearly a third of the bankruptcy funds went into your charity foundation. Don't tell me those were voluntary donations!"

Coming from a modest background compared to Shriver, Schwarzenegger felt the weight more. "Your methods give people no hope, no way out. The extremists will pick up weapons!"

Shriver didn't care about the shooter. She came to Schwarzenegger seeking security, reminded of her uncle's fate.

He said, "You need to calm the public turmoil quickly."

"Impossible," Shriver retorted. "Money flowing into my foundation? Those poor souls' lives don't concern me. I earned this money. Why should I give it away?"

Schwarzenegger, annoyed, raised his voice. "Are you crazy?"

"Yes, I am!" Shriver shouted louder. "Do you know why? Because of you! I'm securing my future, leaving capital for myself!"

Schwarzenegger didn't want to argue with an irrational woman.

But Shriver wouldn't let him leave and raised her voice further: "Don't think I'm unaware of your affair with that nanny Patty and who Joseph Baena's real father is. Without my political connections, you'd have divorced me long ago!"

Schwarzenegger's tough-guy face faltered. "Nonsense!"

Shriver coldly said, "The money is a legitimate donation to the foundation. It won't and can't be returned. Reputation? I don't care. The moment you had an affair with Patty and had an illegitimate child, I lost all respect!"

Unable to hold back, Schwarzenegger cursed in German and stormed out of the residence to his office to convene his staff on how to handle the situation.

He knew Shriver well -- appearing soft yet as tough as nails inside.

*****

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