Some questions are destined to remain unanswered. Rachel's antisocial personality disorder likely stems not from her family or her surroundings, but is most likely congenital, as her mother, Valerie, is a professional psychiatrist.
Faced with this heartbroken husband and father, Jack chose silence.
When faced with such a question, discussing whether human nature is inherently evil or good is completely meaningless. As for so-called treatment, if a lifetime in a mental hospital can be considered treatment, then perhaps it is.
Jack had initially worried that Jiejie and Clay, the more emotional members of the team, might have difficulty adjusting.
Fortunately, everyone had experienced more. That evening, Jubal found a bar, drank lemonade himself, and bought everyone the first round of drinks.
After some emotional conversation, everyone quickly adjusted and stopped discussing the previous case.
After all, they were all professional detectives, trained in basic skills and aware of the dangers of projecting their emotions into a case.
Everyone started discussing what to do to relax after returning home, whether it was a dinner party or even having Aubrey organize a yacht party.
Jane Banner kept harassing Jack with resentful glances, but with Hannah and Jiejie guarding him, it was all she could do.
Feeling his friends' teasing and gossiping glances, Jack felt awkward yet secretly delighted.
After all, despite their different cultural backgrounds, being favored by so many beautiful women was a testament to his own charm.
Feeling a vibration in his pocket, Jack pulled out his phone and turned it on, only to be surprised to discover it was a call from a certain senator.
Although Zoe seemed to be the least present of his lovers, as the first woman he had met since crossing over, the senator had always held the deepest bond with him.
This bond wasn't just emotional; it encompassed many other aspects. Even from the most mundane perspective, their interests were closely intertwined.
Therefore, Zoe always maintained a superior position among Jack's lovers. While not quite the "maiden" position, even Jiejie wouldn't show any jealousy in front of her. Of course, privately, it was another matter.
As a clever woman, Zoe always maintained a certain presence among Jack and his closest friends.
When Clay's son was born, Stella, still lying in bed, received a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a card.
Old rookie John was framed for offending the union president and exiled to Detroit. If Jack hadn't happened to accompany him on the way, he would have been in trouble.
Soon after, Chairman Landon Briggs was impeached without even a chance for a dignified exit. He was then embroiled in endless lawsuits, and faced the prospect of losing even his pension.
As for Jack, her contact with him was almost daily. Besides the sweet talk on the phone, even the daily text messages to greet the senator were indispensable, no matter how busy she was.
Jack, knowing full well how serious Zoe is about their relationship, treats her with equal care, determined to live up to her affections.
Although he genuinely has no interest in politics, he patiently listens to Zoe complain on the phone about the idiocy of a committee chair who's doing nothing but sitting on the job, and interjects his own insights whenever appropriate.
Thanks to his past life's education under the Red Flag, and the political gene ingrained in some Seres men, Jack didn't have to worry about lacking common ground with Zoe.
Their relationship naturally took on a kind of old-married dynamic. Jack knew Zoe's daily whereabouts intimately, and accordingly, she knew exactly where Jack was working on his latest case.
Normally, though, Zoe wouldn't call him while he was working on a case; after all, a gentle older sister was always so understanding.
So, he was a bit surprised to receive this call.
After greeting the already tipsy crowd at the bar, Jack walked outside and answered the phone. "Sweetheart, what's up?"
"Jack, is the Richmond case over? Interested in going to Dallas?"
Hearing Zoe address him, Jack knew it was serious business, and he quickly coughed to straighten his manner. "At your service, Ms. Anderson."
Zoe's chuckle echoed from the other end of the line, clearly a joke.
"Okay, honey, here's the thing: the Texas Attorney General asked me for help with a case that might require professional assistance, and I thought of you."
"What case? The Richmond case is closed, and my team and I are ready to go." Jack walked to a corner away from the crowd and lit a cigar.
"Prosecutor Patrick Jackson will call you later. He'd like you to go to Dallas alone to review the details before making a decision. The case is a bit complicated and involves some high-ranking local figures, but that's all I know for now." Zoe
added, seemingly concerned that Jack might have concerns, "But don't worry about any political considerations. I'll handle all the issues. Just focus on the case."
This was the first time his beautiful senator had asked him for help with a specific case since entering politics, and Jack naturally couldn't refuse.
After some sweet talk, the two ended the call. After returning to the bar and informing everyone, the others naturally had nothing to say. After all, this wasn't the first time someone had taken on a task alone.
Jane Banner's eyes lit up, a faint blush of excitement spreading across her pretty face. "I'm going back to Austin, too."
Austin
, the capital of Texas, is nearly 300 kilometers from Dallas, and Jane's "dropping in" somewhat annoyed Hannah and Jiejie.
But Jack was, after all, on a mission for Zoe, so naturally, they couldn't say anything. With a playful eye roll
, the matter passed. Jack booked a red-eye flight to Dallas overnight. After a rest, he put Jane, who had successfully "cheated," on a flight to Austin. That evening, at the Kotler Hotel, he met Patrick Jackson, a stocky, cowboy-like figure who looked more like an attorney general.
After a brief introduction, though somewhat surprised by the FBI agent's youth, Attorney General Jackson took the initiative to lead the way.
"Nice to meet you, Agent Tavoler. Does the name Hoyt Asift
ring a bell?" No more spoilers; many veterans will likely be familiar with this episode.
(End of this chapter)