Lake didn't think this was taking advantage.
In fact.
Lake has no use for anything except basic physical examinations throughout the year. If social security is not a must-buy for law enforcement officers, Lake would have wanted to apply for a discount on his social security.
The toll collector would definitely not agree with this operation.
but...
After Martha came over, she talked to the staff at the cashier's office, and then everything was fine.
"Is this true?"
After Martha came out of the cashier's office, she looked at Lake speechlessly and said, "You threatened to arrest them if they didn't pay the bill. Please, they are only in their early twenties."
Lake shrugged and said, "I feel wronged too."
It was impossible to let him pay for it himself. Although Lake felt a little sympathy for this Asian little girl who was also an orphan through speculation, that was not how things worked. They met by chance and had never met each other before, so Lake was not that kind.
unless...
The doctor told him that the little Asian girl's acute appendicitis was caused by the impact.
But this is obviously bullshit.
"That's possible."
About two hours later, the doctor in charge of the operation said to Lake, "There are cases of acute appendicitis induced by impact, but they are rare."
Martha looked at Lake as if to say, Look, your responsibility.
All right.
Lake sighed.
Although he vaguely felt that this statement was nonsense, it was said by a doctor after all, and he was not a professional, so he had no way of distinguishing whether it was true or false.
The surgeon glanced at the Asian girl on the bed with an IV drip and said, "The patient has just finished surgery and needs to be hospitalized for observation. The nurse will give you the admission form later."
Paused.
The surgeon pulled out an old handwritten ID from his pocket and handed it to Lake: "This was found inside the patient's clothes during the surgery."
Lake took it, the surgeon said hello to Martha, and then turned and left the ward.
Martha said to Lake, "I'm on the night shift tonight. Why don't you go back first?"
Lake looked up at Martha from the handwritten identity information, and then his eyes fell on the hospital bed. According to the identity information, the little Asian girl, who was just thirteen years old this year, blinked her eyes.
Skye?
A demon who will break the earth in half in the future?
Is this true or false?
Is it such a coincidence?
the next day.
In the office.
Lector used his connections to contact George from the New York Police Department, and then got information about Skye.
The specific birth information is no longer detailed, only the name and date of birth are recorded. Then, like Lake, he was taken in by his first foster family at the age of five.
but...
Unlike Lake, who was lucky, Skye had changed seven or eight foster families between the ages of five and thirteen, and the most recent one was two years ago.
But Lake was sure that Skye had long been gone from that foster family. As a result, no missing person report was found for that foster family, and Skye was still receiving the $500 monthly foster care allowance as usual.
Many low-income families do this by adopting orphans to receive subsidies, and then leaving the foster children to fend for themselves.
It's cruel, but it's reality.
Lake shook his head, threw the information about Skye aside, and rubbed his eyebrows.
There wasn't much he could do, but he could still do what he could.
"Ding-ling-ling!"
"Hey, Martha, what's up?"
"…"
New Amsterdam Hospital.
When Lake walked into the ward, Skye, who had undergone surgery, had already woken up.
"Hi."
"…I don't have the money to pay the fees."
Lake laughed when he heard Skye's words.
I don't know if it's an illusion.
Knowing that Skye is Skye…
wrong.
When Lake realized that the little Asian girl in front of him was of Eastern descent rather than Korean or island descent, he suddenly had the illusion that it was not unfair even if he paid for it himself yesterday.
After all, Lake was from the East Country in his previous life.
Although Lake would not admit that the East Country here is his hometown, at least, his hometown, the East Country, is a rich and powerful country. The East Country here...it's better not to mention it.
Lex pulled out a chair and sat down: "Don't worry, it's my medical insurance."
Skye said in surprise, "Thank you."
Lake said: "The hospital has already notified your adoptive parents..."
He didn't finish his words.
Skye's eyes widened, and he was about to reach for his IV bottle.
Lake stood up and quickly held Skye down: "What are you doing?"
"I want to be discharged."
"No, you haven't farted yet."
"…"
The scene was very awkward for a while.
Lake coughed, let go of Skye, and signaled the little girl not to move. He then sat down again and said, "You just had an appendectomy. Whether the operation was successful and whether you can be discharged from the hospital depends on whether you can fart, not on yourself."
Lake is not talking nonsense.
The surgeon told me this yesterday, and Martha also told me this when she got off work today.
Skye's face flushed a little.
after all...
She was only thirteen years old. Although Lake looked handsome and mature, there was no doubt that at this moment, in Skye's mind, Lake's impression had changed from a middle-aged handsome man to a creepy and weird uncle.
Lake changed the subject: "Why, is this foster family not treating you well?"
Skye looked up at Lake and said, "They are a bunch of beasts."
Lake nodded: "Most of the lower-class white people are beasts."
Skye looked at Lake in surprise.
I doubt whether Lake's skin color was painted on with white paint.
Lake looked at the time on his watch and said to Skye, "We still have time. Tell me, maybe I can help you. Were they spying on you?"
Skye looked at Lake expressionlessly: "Sound incredible?"
Lake shook his head. "No, it's normal. I told you, most of the lower-class white people are worse than animals. It's normal. But, you don't have to leave, right? Can you report it to the Children's Agency? Or will they just ignore it?"
After saying this, Lake also laughed.
Children's Agency?
If the Children's Agency's information was useful, there wouldn't be so many children going missing every year. These are children with families. Orphans like these who go missing are mostly labeled as missing.
really.
Skye said calmly, "They only care about how many children are still in the rescue center and when they can be sent out."
"That's normal."
"What?"
Lake said, "There's no such thing as an orphanage here. However, if you don't want to, I remember you can stay in the rescue center until you're eighteen. They can't kick you out."
Skye laughed, "Do you know how much of a gunman a thirteen-year-old girl, and a mixed-race girl, can be at a rescue center?"
Lake said, "I understand."
The same thing.
Some wealthy people with BT desires only dare to do it privately or overseas, but those trashy lower-class white people have no such scruples.
For this little girl with a beautiful skin color and mixed blood.
Some trash white people who are worse than beasts just like to attack this kind of people.
Thick and greasy, thank you!
Lake's eyes narrowed and he looked at Skye on the bed.
"...So you?"
"Oh, God."
Skye seemed to know what Lake wanted to ask, and she exclaimed and made a disgusted expression: "Of course not, so I want to go out. I can survive on my own."
Once the foster parents come over, Skye will enter the devil's den again.
Lake nodded and once again stopped Skye from getting up: "Don't worry, they can't get through."
Skye blinked and looked at Lake.
Lake thought, "By now, you should have been arrested by the New York Police Department. Sorry, the only charge I can give you is falsely claiming foster care subsidies. I don't think you'd want to testify in court."
Skye opened his mouth wide: "Who are you?"
Lake smiled.
Assistant Tiffany walked in with a bag: "Sir."
Lake stood up, took the bag, and said to Skye on the bed, "Your clothes were cut off during the emergency treatment yesterday. And, frankly speaking, your clothes should have been thrown away long ago."
Said.
Lake introduced Skye and Tiffany to each other, and then said, "Tiffany will be here to watch over you while you are in the hospital. If you need anything, just go to her."
Tiffany nodded, indicating that she had no objection.
She is Lake's assistant. Although this is an extra job, there is not much work to do. What's more, the girl she is taking care of is not a man, but a thirteen-year-old mixed-race little loli.
Skye opened his mouth, somewhat confused about his current situation.
Lake smiled and said, "I bumped into you, remember? Just think of it as what I should do. You're welcome. Let's go."
Skye: "…"
An open-air cafe near the hospital.
Lake and George each ordered a coffee and found a seat.
"How about it?"
"It has been submitted to the district attorney."
"Thank you."
Foster children run away from home, but are not reported missing and continue to receive foster care subsidies. This is not a small matter because foster care subsidies are issued by the federal government.
So this is a federal case.
but...
The FBI doesn't have time to deal with such trivial matters. These prosecution cases are handled by trainee prosecutors in the District Attorney's Office, which is considered to give these young prosecutors more court experience.
George took a sip of coffee, glanced at Lake, and asked curiously, "Why, you don't want to adopt this little girl who has a strong connection with you, do you?"
"puff!"
Lake spat out the coffee he had just drunk and coughed a few times. George was speechless: "Where did you come up with such a completely unfounded speculation? Adoption, me, are you kidding me?"
George's expression didn't seem to be joking: "I don't know, maybe it's your age?"
"I just turned thirty today."
"Thirty-one."
George corrected Lake's age: "When I was thirty-one, Rod was already five."
Lake: "…"
Please give me a monthly ticket!