The Shadow Tycoon
Copyright© 2026 by CaffeinatedTales
Chapter 61
“Now you have two choices...”
Director Johnson stood before the bookcase in Michael’s study, looking at the books there, many of them showing traces of having been handled. For the first time, his impression of Michael improved a little.
He had always assumed Michael did not read, but it seemed quite a few of the books here had indeed been read.
He let out a silent sigh, then turned to look at Michael. “The first choice is this. Young Michael broke into William’s house and stole his ring. You wanted William to withdraw the complaint, so you framed him and tried, in your own way, to force him into compromise and retraction.”
This was “William’s version.” William said that in the end Michael’s conduct amounted to attempted murder. Director Johnson had not accepted that. He knew perfectly well that once attempted murder was established, added to everything said before, Michael might well be facing a charge of first-degree murder.
Although William had not actually died in the end, given the current uproar in public opinion and the vile social impact, a jury would almost certainly find Michael guilty, and the judge would likely sentence heavily to calm public anger.
If it really came to that, then it would no longer be a question of three or five years in prison. He could very well die behind bars, twenty years at the very least, thirty or fifty at most. Knowing the law and breaking it anyway was always an excellent aggravating factor, and no matter how much extra time it added, people would not think it excessive.
Michael’s breathing grew heavy. He raised his head and glared viciously at Director Johnson, who ignored both the expression and the gaze.
“This has nothing to do with my child. My child was framed by William too, that’s why he was sent in...”
Director Johnson glanced back at him. To this day, no one had been able to figure out exactly what had happened with Young Michael. He had fully confessed to the facts of his crime while refusing all communication with Michael. What hidden story lay inside that, no one knew.
Perhaps, as Michael claimed, William really had framed him and gotten him sent in. But the judge would not see it that way.
“The second choice is this. You had a private grudge against William. You felt he had shown you too little respect, that he had wounded your pride, so you repeatedly harassed him, wanting him to understand the difference between you and him, and to show you proper respect.”
This was Director Johnson’s version. If they overemphasized the criminal conduct of Michael and his son, it would make society worry whether other low-level law enforcement personnel might be the same.
It was better to soften the crime itself and base everything on the conflict between the two men. Put simply, it meant worsening the problem of Michael’s personal character.
Michael’s situation fit the second explanation very well. In fact, later on there would not even be any need for them to write a script. So long as reporters interviewed people who had dealt with Michael, or his colleagues, they would reach the necessary conclusion.
Michael’s personal image in the public eye would become more concrete, and more vile as well. But the advantage was that the Sabine City IRS would detach itself from the whole affair, and the issue of law enforcement abuse would be detached with it.
Michael tugged at his hair. His mouth was clamped shut, his lips squeezed colorless by the force of his jaws. His eyes looked deeply hurt, with despair in them too. He knew perfectly well that he had to choose one.
The first choice was impossible. It would drag his son into the media spotlight as well. People would not only condemn him, they would condemn his son too, and even his wife and household would be unable to escape the public gaze.
So he could only choose the second.
When Michael made his choice, Director Johnson felt something he could not quite put into words. Before leaving, he had even joked with Michael that there was no need for them to “coordinate stories.” Michael only needed to act naturally, and people would believe that this choice was the truth.
All of this seemed cruel, making a man choose how he would bear one of the most terrible things in the world. But there was no help for it.
Because the effort that would follow, from all directions, to reverse public opinion, required Michael’s and William’s cooperation in itself. If those reporters with their “professional ethics” could not “dig out” more “inside truths” from them, then the truth would never appear before the public.
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