Chapter 258: Who Do You Think You Are? Batman?
After the press conference,
Chuck had Chandler accompany Tim and Shelly home, while he and the detective in charge of the case began investigating the possibility of Jamie being kidnapped by the most dangerous black market supply chain.
"Garcia, how's it going?"
Chuck, sitting in the passenger seat, gestured for the detective to drive to visit the local gang, while he himself dialed Garcia, a BAU technical analyst.
Anna was more capable than Garcia, but a proper cover was necessary for handling the case.
"I've checked all the households in that area as you instructed, and combined that with their credit card usage, there's nothing unusual."
On the other end of the phone, Garcia quickly operated the computer: "There are no records of unusual purchases of baby products, nor any sudden increase in the amount of baby products purchased."
"This means either it was purchased in cash, with no credit card transaction record, or it means they already had enough baby products for 13 days."
Reid's voice suddenly interrupted on the other end of the phone: "Whether it was purchased in cash or they had stockpiled enough baby products beforehand, the most likely culprit is a criminal.
Or the person who kidnapped Jamie is quite clever, thoughtful, and prepared in advance, anticipating the possibility of being traced through credit card shopping records."
"He heard your request for help and volunteered to participate."
Garcia awkwardly reminded him: "It wasn't me who volunteered him."
"It's alright."
Chuck said calmly: "Assisting local law enforcement in handling cases is the responsibility of your BAU. Spencer has the capacity to assist with this case in addition to his other cases, which is very good, very commendable!"
He contacted the BAU on his way to Pittsburgh after taking on this case.
Compared to the FBI, local police departments have far too limited resources.
Rescuing two-year-old Jamie after a 13-day delay requires utilizing the most abundant resources in the shortest time to maximize the success rate to 95%!
However, after calling, they learned that Reid and his team had also taken on a new case and were flying elsewhere, unable to help directly.
Therefore, Chuck only asked Garcia, who was temporarily free, to use her FBI access to check credit card usage.
Reid, clearly knowing Chuck had a case to handle, couldn't resist the urge to participate and used his superior intelligence to multitask.
"Gideon and the others all agreed,"
Reid said somewhat embarrassedly, then continued, "Chuck, usually, serious child abduction cases target four-year-olds. Jamie is only two, so the probability is lower."
"I know,"
Chuck reminded him, "but don't forget the trend of victims getting younger and younger."
"That's true,"
Reid nodded.
According to FBI statistics, most serious child abduction cases across the United States involve children around four years old.
The term "serious trafficking" here doesn't refer to families lacking children attempting to have more through this method, but rather to the uniquely American, interconnected, and predatory form of trafficking.
At four years old, children have a certain level of self-care ability, requiring less care from traffickers or dealers, and are at their most vulnerable yet malleable age.
This is incredibly tempting to those predators.
Chuck's description of the irreversible extreme situation for Tim and Shelly represents the most extreme and terrifying aspect.
While the age may be too young, this possibility certainly exists.
Because the threshold for these crimes is constantly being pushed, becoming more extreme over time, and the acceptable age becomes increasingly younger.
This disturbing trend is not just theoretical.
Behind it lies a series of predatory cases that shatter ordinary people's worldviews!
Even professionals become desensitized from hearing about it, let alone the actual predators, who will inevitably push further to reach their desensitized threshold.
"I've already contacted the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children for you,"
Reid said. "In the US, thousands of images of child exploitation are uploaded every week, with new victims constantly appearing.
These criminals specialize in kidnapping children, creating content, or directly selling them to predators.
The NCMEC specifically tracks this; they conduct undercover investigations in the dark web. If Jamie shows up, they will notify us immediately."
"Are any of the IPs they're tracking from near Pittsburgh?"
Chuck wasn't surprised by the shocking reality, but he asked the crucial question.
In the US, which supposedly has strong protections for children, the numbers continue to rise with the development of the internet.
And this is just one form of child crime.
It's not even the most common form of crime.
It's terrifying to think about!
Fortunately, Chuck is emotionless in this life and has been specially trained; otherwise, even someone as composed as him would probably struggle to live peacefully in this harsh reality.
"No,"
Reid shook his head. "These addresses all go through encrypted networks and foreign servers, making it very difficult to trace their actual locations."
Chuck talked with Reid and the others for a while longer, then reached for the steering wheel, hung up the phone, and said to the dumbfounded detective, "Watch the road!"
"Shit!"
The detective driving the car only then realized that he had been listening intently at first, then couldn't help but look over, and finally almost caused a car accident because he wasn't paying attention.
Fortunately, Chuck was multitasking, keeping an eye on the road out of the corner of his eye, and calmly reached for the steering wheel, thus avoiding a crash.
After finally recovering from the shock, he couldn't help but complain, "Is this how you usually handle cases? Directly contacting the FBI, or even higher-ups, and having them provide you with all sorts of resources and support? That's incredible!"
As he said this, he vaguely felt that he understood how Detective Chuck operated, and had a rather unrealistic feeling that he could do it too.
"No."
Chuck shook his head. "This situation is special; we need to act quickly, otherwise we wouldn't need them at all."
"That's right, that's right…"
The detective verbally agreed, but his eyes betrayed disbelief; he thought Chuck was just being modest.
If he had the resources, he certainly wouldn't have given up such a convenient opportunity to investigate.
Chuck glanced at him but offered no explanation.
The detective stopped the car in front of a bar, adjusting his gun as he explained to Chuck, "This is the most well-informed place in the local underworld.
It's the most likely place to find out about Jamie, but they're all a bit difficult to deal with.
Follow me, don't say anything rash, and hopefully the $100,000 reward will motivate them."
Chuck didn't speak, got out of the car, and entered the bar, where everyone immediately looked at him.
Clearly, these criminal figures were extremely sensitive to the presence of cops, noticing the detective's arrival instantly.
"Detective, how can I help you?"
a tattooed bartender smiled at the entering detective.
"You've all seen the latest news."
The detective pointed to the wanted poster playing on the TV in the bar and asked, "You can tell me anything directly."
"Of course, I'm a law-abiding citizen."
The bartender said sarcastically, "Wouldn't it be stupid not to take the money? I don't have to worry about not getting the reward if I tell the police, or getting into trouble and being suspected of kidnapping a little girl."
"Regarding this, we've all said we just want Jamie back with her parents, nothing else matters,"
the detective said, glancing at Chuck.
Chuck had already considered this when announcing the reward; not only was the $100,000 deposited directly into a publicly known account, indicating the money was there,
but the police also stated they wouldn't disclose or trace the true source of the information. This was to allay the concerns of well-informed criminals or kidnappers simply looking for the $100,000 and wanting to return the child.
However, this was only a verbal statement; its actual effect remained to be seen.
Because neither criminals nor kidnappers had much trust in police assurances.
"Ah, yes, yes, detective, you're absolutely right,"
a muscular man sneered from the side. "Like we can trust you cops!"
He gave a thumbs-up, but it quickly turned inverted, causing a burst of laughter.
The detective said a few more words, but still showed no sign of swaying these people. He looked helplessly at Chuck and gave him a knowing look, the meaning clear: I told you, these guys won't cooperate!
"Detective, you go out first. I'll have a proper chat with these gentlemen,"
Chuck said calmly.
"Huh?"
The detective was taken aback, looking at Chuck with a strange expression: "Are you sure?"
He certainly guessed what Chuck meant.
But it was precisely because he guessed that he was both amused and exasperated!
He admitted that Chuck's announcement of a $100,000 reward, paid upfront into a verifiable account, was indeed very impressive for underpaid cops like them.
Then he directly contacted high-ranking FBI officials, treating the FBI like his personal resource.
Money and connections—this setup was indeed impressive!
But he still wanted to say: Who do you think you are? Batman?
This rich guy is no longer satisfied with just using money and power to show off; has he finally developed the primal thrill of hand-to-hand combat?
But Batman is just a comic book character. In reality, anyone who dares to act so arrogantly always ends up looking foolish!
"I'm sure,"
Chuck nodded.
"Alright then, I'll wait for you outside."
Seeing Chuck's insistence, the detective could only nod with a half-smile: "Just call me if you need anything~"
He already had a premonition that the expressionless Chuck would become a beaten-up Chuck.
Chuck watched the detective leave, then turned to the group of local criminals who had also guessed Chuck's intentions. Some were cracking their knuckles, some were grinning maliciously, and some were watching the show with their arms crossed.
"Does anyone have news about Jamie?"
Chuck calmly surveyed the crowd, his gaze finally settling on a man before walking over.
Outside the bar.
After the detective came out, he didn't get into his car but leaned against the wall at the bar entrance. He took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and started smoking leisurely. He glanced at the bar out of the corner of his eye, shaking his head and chuckling.
He was genuinely amused by Chuck's behavior.
Detective Chuck?
More like Joker Chuck!
He wanted to see how Chuck would explain everything after he rescued the disheveled detective.
An accident?
The other party fought dirty?
Whatever the excuse, he was sure it would be very interesting.
But before he could finish his cigarette, the bar door opened. Looking over, he saw Chuck walking out unharmed.
The detective dropped his unfinished cigarette and asked in surprise, "How did you get out... Did you get the information?"
"I got it."
Chuck nodded and walked straight to the police car.
"You really got it?"
The detective quickly followed, looking at Chuck in disbelief.
In such a short time, Chuck was unharmed, and there hadn't been any sounds of a fight from the bar. How did he get the information?
"I got it. Let's go."
Chuck got into the passenger seat and looked at the detective standing by the window: "Time is of the essence."
"Okay!"
The detective glanced at Chuck a few times. Seeing that Chuck was serious, he assumed Chuck had simply paid them off and smiled knowingly: "Whatever you say, we'll go wherever you want."
He already had a guess.
There are only two possibilities now: either Chuck simply pulled out his checkbook, used his money, and wrote an irresistible check to someone inside;
or Chuck didn't get what he wanted at all, but doesn't want to lose face, so he's just pretending to be cool.
In either case, it doesn't give him the initial impression that Chuck was going to imitate Batman and use force to defeat everyone with his fists.
Even though he still envies Chuck's wealth, he now has a reason to be skeptical of Chuck.
Chuck gave him the address.
The detective drove towards the address, glancing at Chuck repeatedly along the way, but receiving no response. Finally, he couldn't help but ask, "How did you find out?"
"Everyone has secrets they don't want others to know,"
Chuck said calmly. "Criminals have even more secrets, especially secrets they can't let others know, and I just happen to know them."
"..."
The detective was stunned, incredulous. "That's it?"
"What else?"
Chuck retorted. "Did I really have to beat them up and walk out amidst their groans? Who do you think I am? Batman?"
"I didn't mean that..."
The detective was embarrassed. Thinking about how Chuck knew other people's secrets, and recalling the rumors he'd read (though he didn't quite believe it) that Detective Chuck could read minds, he immediately looked away, avoiding Chuck's gaze.
He was now somewhat convinced that Chuck had indeed used the criminals' secrets to blackmail them into revealing useful information, although the method wasn't the Batman-like behavior he'd imagined...
Chuck said nothing more.
If he were someone else, he definitely would have done things differently, perhaps even using threats or violence – that would have been one way to get information.
Otherwise, in TV shows and movies, the idea that anyone can get information by simply beating someone up is like Batman – it's too simplistic and doesn't treat criminals realistically.
These people know perfectly well that vigilantes have limits, so how did they manage to survive in the underworld if they're so easily intimidated?
More likely, they'd be like those tough guys from old Westerns, yelling "Go ahead, I ain't telling you nothing!" while being beaten. They won't back down unless they're actually killed!
Chuck isn't a vigilante; to better maintain his reputation and operate within the law, he has to follow proper procedures.
He would never do something like beating someone for information—that's like Batman breaking the law—especially not in a situation that could be traced back to him.
(End of Chapter)
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