100 Ways to Solve a Murder-Chapter 100: Aftermath

Levi’s office, Jackson Detectives

Ivan smiled pleasantly impressed with the psychologist’s so-called skills of ’reading’ people. He pulled a pair of glasses from his breast pocket and put it on. Then proceeded to remove the black wig on his head, this earned a surprised look from Levi.

"Wig. Of course." the psychologist commented dryly, annoyed that he did not see that. It was a well-made wig, indeed.

The older blond chuckled on his seat, "My wife wouldn’t approve, she adores my hair." He told the slicked blond.

"And she’s in Germany, actually. Just visiting her parents." Ivan added nonchalantly.

There was a pause, as the two men eyed each other for a few seconds.

Levi broke the eye contact, breaking into his signature grin.

"Tea?" He offered.

"Tea would be lovely, thank you," Ivan said, smiling. The smile reminded Levi of Sam’s, even though the two looked absolutely nothing alike in his opinion.

Sam had red hair while Ivan was blonde, she had green eyes while he had gray.

And he towered at 6’3" tall, while she was at best 5’4" tall.

Levi excused himself as he walked out of his office and walked towards the pantry, and he prepared some tea. Making sure to grab some biscuits as well.

Ivan’s eyes observed his office, and he wasn’t trying to be discreet about it, Levi noticed as he walked back in carrying the tray and placing it on top of his desk.

"Thank you," Ivan said after accepting the cup.

"You’re welcome," Levi replied, 8 scenarios running in his mind. Most of it ended with him being shot in the head.

"You saved my sister, Anna kindly informed me." Ivan broke the silence after taking a sip of his early grey. Hinting on the tracking device injected to her, something even he wouldn’t dare do. For she valued her privacy and freedom more than her safety.

Levi raised a curious brow, "Does Anna inform you regularly?" He asked, earning an amused look from Ivan.

"I appreciate that she looks after my sibling. She’s precious to me, very important, my flesh and blood." The older man explained.

Levi snorted, leaning back on his chair and crossing his legs under the table.

"Obviously. Baxter shot right through the head right after his arrest. Top-notch security system, hiring her P.A as a spy. You’re worse than Anna, and I’ve diagnosed her as borderline paranoid schizophrenic" Levi commented nonchalantly, earning a chuckle from Ivan.

"Top notch security systems, yes. Worse than Anna Jackson, perhaps. Baxter shot on the head? I wouldn’t be involved with such a thing." he denied, but the smile on his face says otherwise.

Ivan looked thoughtful,

"And technically, Ms. Hart was my spy first before she was her PA," he added.

"Of course." The slicked blond said as he reached to his necktie to lose it a bit.

"So, this is the part where you tell me exactly why you’re here," Levi said. Of course, he would never admit being involved in anything illegal.

He’s too smart for that, Levi thought.

Ivan nodded, indeed that was the perfect time to do what he came there for.

"This is the part where I say, thank you for helping save my sister. It has come to my attention that without your assistance, my sister wouldn’t be found in time." He said softly, as he placed his empty cup back in place.

"I respect anyone willing to lie to protect the people they love, I know first hand how difficult it is. Nonetheless, even with gratitude, I see you as a threat." He continued, leaning back and looking Levi straight in the eyes as the slicked blonde listened to his every word.

"I am well aware that you don’t particularly have many ’friends’. However, I would like for you to consider ending any relations you have with her."

His eyes darkened for a second, "I notice that you bring war wherever you go, Mr. Jackson. I would like to avoid my sister being collateral damage at all cost" he said, smiling at him in a manner that was unnerving. But not Levi, oh no, the slicked blond smiled back.

"I appreciate that you came here to personally thank me, not that I did it for you but you are most welcome. Simply because that’s what people say to situations like this." He said, too smug for Ivan’s taste.

Levi leaned forward, elbows on the table.

"And I’d like to inform you that I have considered what you said, and I will NOT cut my ties with her."

He said, careful with his choice of words.

Ivan’s eyes narrowed, and he pressed his lips into a thin line. But Levi knew he wasn’t one to cause him harm, at least not with his own hands.

Ivan sighed after a few seconds,

"Anna did warn me you’d say that." He said, recalling what the platinum blond had told him a few days previous how immature her brother was.

Ivan stood up from his seat, buttoning his suit jacket in place. Clearly planning on leaving soon.

"Well, don’t get her pregnant if you don’t plan on marrying her. I will kill you, personally." Ivan declared, and Levi scowled. Shocked and scandalized at the statement.

Don’t get her pregnant.

"We never--" he started.

Ivan looked at the slicked blond’s scandalized expression, and he nearly laughed at his face.

"Oh, I’m well aware of that." Ivan said, knowingly. He knew a lot of things, je was under surveillance after all.

"It’s a warning, if you impregnate her, you will marry her. Do I make myself absolutely clear?" He said, giving Levi a look that reminded him of an older man warning a child.

And silence was Levi’s only reply.

Moving towards the door, Ivan turned to look at the slicked blond in his seat one last time.

"Very well, Mr. Jackson. Thank you for the tea." He said, starting to exit.

Coming back to his senses, Levi stood from his chair and said,

"What about Czar? You said, flesh and blood." He asked.

Ivan paused mid-step, then shifted to look at the slicked blond behind him.

"I did, indeed. My sister versus my cousin? Who do you think will win my favor?" He answered, moving his hand as if weighing his options. And he left the office seconds later.

He got in the passenger seat of a car waiting outside and he pulled his mobile from his pocket dialing a number.

"Anna, you and I might just be in-laws if all things go well," he joked over the phone.

A frustrated sigh on the other line was her only reply.

.....

An hour later, Jackson Detectives

Marco stomped in the office, seeing Levi sitting at his desk.

"Not guilty!" The bearded man yelled in disbelief.

Levi tore his eyes always from the file in his hand and looked at the frustrated man.

"Not guilty! Can you believe it? He stood there smiling at us, as if saying, as Sam said, Insanity is the best defense!" Marco huffed, face turning red.

The lanky man paced in front of Levi, complaining,

"He will be spending his time in an Asylum! I reckon one of those Asylums for the rich!"

Levi shrugged, not surprised with the result.

"It was to be expected," he said, not at the least affected by the information.

Marco narrowed his eyes at the psychologist,

"What I don’t understand is that Sam’s Lawyers, it’s like they didn’t make enough effort to prove him wrong," Marco said.

Levi rolled his eyes, for a smart guy, Marco can be pretty clueless in his opinion.

"I am honestly surprised at how often I overestimate your intelligence, Marco." Levi deadpanned, earning a glare from the bearded man.

"What does that suppose to mean?" Marco dared, of which the psychologist ignored easily.

Levi faced the lanky man completely, giving him his full attention.

"Fredricksen’s are rich. Technically, so are the Murdochs. Speaking of technicality, Sam and her brother are actually Murdoch’s. Their father is Jason Murdoch’s brother. But since their mother is an only child, no one else was to continue the Family name. They had it legally changed to Fredricksen, seeing as the name held more power in Britain, rather than the Murdoch name. Murdoch is but a name made famous by Jason

Murdoch, nothing but Media mogul, considering--" Levi started to rant, it’s been a while.

Marco narrowed his eyes at him impatiently,

"Get to the point Levi," he said bemused by his sudden speech.

Levi sighed, "They wanted to lose the case," he stated simply like it was obvious and earned a skeptical look from Marco.

"They wanted Czar to claim he was insane. They wanted him to win." Levi put in plain words, but his hazel eyes held an underlying meaning. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Marco’s eyes widened in realization,

"Their planning on killing him." He thought out loud.

"Kill him? Please." Levi scoffed, and Marco furrowed his brows confused. Then if not, why? He wondered.

"If they wanted him dead, he’d be dead the second he got arrested like Baxter. It can simply be covered up as a restraining arrest, fought back, killed in the process. It would be under the rug, like what happened to the others involved." Levi said. He reached for his tea on the table. Freshly made.

"They don’t want Czar dead, they want him alive...for a very long time." He explained, sipping his tea.

"Why? Because he’s family?" Marco asked, in disbelief.

"No, you’re forgetting who Czar is basically dealing with. It’s not Sam. Sam knows her brother will do what he likes; with or without her consent. If he wanted him dead, he’d be dead."

Levi’s eyes darkened, "Ivan Fredricksen is not a forgiving man. The Fredricksen’s values family, they’ve run a family business for 6 Generations. But it’s his only sister versus his cousin, one of many cousins."

Levi leaned against his reclining chair, looking up at Marco standing next to his table.

"It won’t be a quick merciful death, Marco. Rest assured, Czar Murdoch will be spending the rest of his long life paying for his crimes." He started confidently.

And to Marco, that was enough.

He stepped forward and took the seat opposite the slicked blond, and his eyes fell upon another empty cup on his table.

"You had company?" He asked curiously.

An amused smile crept on Levi’s chiseled face as he read the file in his hand.

"Client." He simply said.