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Dexter didn't cut the crap. He went straight to the point and laid out exactly what he wanted to achieve.
"The kid was kidnapped by Debbie Gallagher. The other three were just trying to help cover it up and protect her."
"I want you to negotiate with them. Have Debbie plead guilty, and have the other three claim they knew nothing."
"Fiona and Philip are Debbie's older siblings. They'll probably want to take the rap for her. You need to scare them, from a legal standpoint. Make them abandon that stupid attempt."
"See any problems with that?"
Lawyer William understood clearly. "Debbie Gallagher pleads guilty, the other three walk free. Correct?"
Dexter nodded. "Correct."
"That won't be easy to maneuver," William smiled. "It'll cost extra."
Dexter smiled too and extended his hand. "Deal."
"Pleasure doing business," William shook Dexter hand, then asked with a knowing look, "Personal grudge?"
Dexter smiled but didn't answer.
William didn't pry further. He turned and walked toward the interrogation room.
Dexter couldn't go in, so he moved to the waiting area.
Inside the Interrogation Room.
As soon as William walked in, he efficiently told the police officers guarding the four to get lost. Then, he sat down in front of the still-terrified group and introduced himself. "Hello, I'm your lawyer. My name is..."
Introduction over.
William opened the file he got from the police and started flipping through it.
Fiona: Currently on parole.
Lip: A pile of priors.
Debbie: Clean record until today.
Steve...
Steve's file only had basic info like his name. Nothing else. And the police had marked it: [Identity Pending Verification].
William's eyebrows twitched. He looked at Steve and spoke up. "Steve, what's going on with your identity?"
Hearing this.
Steve trembled slightly. He knew the thing he was worried about had inevitably arrived. He hesitated, mouth moving but unsure of what to say.
William had been in the business for years. He knew this look all too well. Seeing Steve's reaction, he cut to the chase. "Steve isn't your real name. Tell me your real identity immediately, or your situation will become extremely tricky."
As soon as these words came out.
Fiona, Lip, and Debbie all jolted. They turned their heads, eyes wide with disbelief, staring at Steve.
Naturally, Fiona had the most intense reaction.
Driven by shock, she couldn't hold back and immediately demanded, "Steve is a fake name???"
Steve was helpless. To have this exposed in such a situation...
There was truly nothing to say. Fxxk.
Steve took a deep, silent breath and gave Fiona a bitter smile. "It's complicated. I'll explain when we get out."
Clear anger was already visible in Fiona's eyes. She felt deeply deceived. Her instinct was to curse him out.
This was a very interesting situation.
Fiona couldn't tolerate men lying to her, yet she lied almost constantly herself.
Double standards much?
Steve saw the anger in Fiona's eyes. The bitterness and helplessness on his face deepened. He looked away, choosing avoidance. He took another deep breath and answered William. "Jimmy Lishman. That's my real name."
William remained calm. He pulled a pen from his breast pocket, wrote down the name, and showed it to Steve to confirm the spelling.
"Good. Let's get to business," William said. "My fee is two thousand dollars an hour. While I'd be happy to chat and make more money, it would affect my reputation and hurt Mr. Dexter wallet."
"So, let's keep this simple and resolve it quickly."
"This case is heinous, and the impact is huge. Dragging it out won't do you any good."
"Now, as far as I know, Debbie Gallagher kidnapped Davis Brown, correct?"
Two thousand dollars an hour...
For the three Gallaghers (Fiona, Lip, Debbie), that number was terrifying.
Fiona was stunned.
Debbie was bewildered.
Lip felt incredibly conflicted. He had an urge to tell William to get lost and refuse Dexter's help.
After a moment of shock.
The three Gallaghers exchanged a tacit look.
Lip took a deep breath and spoke first. "No. I kidnapped Davis Brown."
Hearing this.
Debbie, who was truly terrified, instantly breathed a sigh of relief.
Fiona's brows knitted together tightly. She cried out, "Lip, you..."
Lip looked resolute. He didn't let Fiona finish. He shook his head and interrupted, "Fiona, stop talking."
Fiona's heart was twisting in knots. She wanted to take the blame herself, but the thought of going back to prison terrified her. She was torn, biting her lip, unsure of what to do.
Seeing the three Gallaghers fall silent for the moment, William spoke again, his voice calm. "I said earlier, let's keep this simple."
"You clearly didn't understand what I meant."
"Philip, I must remind you. If you take the fall for Debbie, considering the severity of child kidnapping and the fact that you were in juvie not long ago for breaking and entering..."
"This time, your status as a minor won't protect you. The District Attorney will very likely try you as an adult."
"If that happens, you're looking at a minimum sentence of ten years. You'll be sent to prison, not juvie. More importantly, with a record like this, you will never live a normal life again. You'll be stuck doing the lowest, most menial jobs forever."
"Also, do you know how inmates treat child kidnappers in prison?"
"You'll likely die inside within a year or two."
"Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Lip understood, of course.
And because he understood, Lip was genuinely terrified. His body started shaking. The resolve from moments ago vanished. His arrogance crumbled completely...
Lip was scared. Panicked. His lips trembled uncontrollably. He couldn't utter another word.
Fiona's reaction wasn't much better.
Minimum ten years?
Likely die in prison?
Oh my God.
The next second.
"Lawyer, I... I... I kidnapped the kid..." Driven by her love for Lip, even though she was terrified out of her mind, pale as a ghost, and about to wet herself, Fiona still found courage from somewhere. Purely on instinct, she spoke with a trembling voice.
Look at that.
Such precious familial love!
William smiled.
Not out of admiration, but out of pity.
Socially, William had reputation, status, and wealth. He was upper class.
Seeing these three bottom-rung Gallaghers display this futile familial loyalty...
Heh.
Touching my ass.
"Fiona, let me be clear," William said, having zero interest in this melodrama. "You are currently a parolee."
"If you take the blame for this kidnapping, not only will you be sent back to prison immediately, but you'll rot there. You won't see daylight for decades."
"Think before you speak. Don't be emotional."
Fiona: "..."
Steve listened with a complicated expression. He understood. He looked at Debbie—whom he now found utterly repulsive—and asked William as calmly as possible, "What if it's Debbie? How serious would it be?"
William replied, "Debbie is eleven years old with no prior record. If she pleads guilty, I can argue for psychiatric evaluation. As long as Debbie cooperates, the chances are high."
"There's a high probability Debbie will go to juvenile detention for a year, receive some psychological treatment, and that's it."
"For all of you, this is the best outcome."
Hearing this.
Debbie couldn't handle it. Her mouth crumpled, tears streamed down her face, and she shook her head frantically at Fiona and Lip. "I don't want to! I don't want to go to juvie! I'm not crazy..."
Looking at Debbie...
Fiona and Lip were heartbroken.
But...
Neither Fiona nor Lip could say a word. Their mouths opened, but no sound came out.
What could they say?
Take the blame for Debbie?
They couldn't.
If they did, their lives were truly over!
Seeing Fiona and Lip stay silent, Debbie understood. She cried even harder.
William really hated scenes like this. He had to be patient and wait in silence.
Steve, on the other hand, quite enjoyed this scene. He felt Debbie going to juvie was a great outcome. She deserved it.
Time ticked by slowly.
The Gallagher family drama finally paused.
Fiona and Lip comforted Debbie intensely, but only comforted her. They didn't mention taking the blame again.
Thus, Debbie Gallagher pleading guilty was essentially settled.
"Good. Next item," William spoke again. "Fiona, Philip, Jimmy. You three are in trouble too."
"I am your lawyer, a defender of the law. There are things I cannot say. Do you three understand what I mean?"
Hearing this.
Lip and Steve understood immediately. Fiona's IQ was limited; she didn't get it right away.
Lip took a deep breath and found his voice. He said decisively, "We know nothing. We don't know who Davis Brown is. We don't know about any kidnapping."
Steve immediately backed him up. "Right. I know absolutely nothing."
Fiona finally understood. She shook her head too. "When the police burst into my house, I had just woken up."
William smiled faintly. "I'm glad to hear that. Remember, the more plausible your story, the easier this is to solve."
"So, discuss among yourselves. I need to go make a phone call. I'll be back in five minutes."
With that, William stood up decisively and left the interrogation room.
Inside the Room.
Time was limited. Steve, Fiona, and Lip hurriedly started fabricating their story.
About two or three minutes later.
The three of them, who were experts at lying, had the story straight.
Done. They turned to the still-sobbing Debbie and coached her on how to handle the final piece of the puzzle.
Five minutes flew by.
---
William returned to the interrogation room on time to hear their story.
Of course, as a top-tier lawyer, William spoke very carefully. At least legally, there were no loopholes.
This time, the conversation didn't last long.
After William had clearly explained the stakes earlier, the four provided a brand-new version of the kidnapping events.
William listened quietly. When there were parts that needed tweaking, he offered subtle reminders without leaving any incriminating evidence.
Finally.
The new version was set.
"I'll call the police in. I trust they won't make things too difficult for the three of you," William stood up and said to Fiona, Lip, and Steve.
"As for you, Debbie... show a better attitude. Cry more. It will help."
With that, William left and called the police.
Quite reasonably, Tony volunteered to enter the interrogation room.
The police began the interrogation and recording.
William sat beside the four. He stayed silent mostly, but when he spoke, he cut straight to the point, correcting the police's questioning.
In a way, William had truly mastered the art of language.
You get what you pay for.
The interrogation lasted a long time.
The police finished the official statement. They didn't release anyone, stating a judge had to decide.
This wasn't bad news, provided Fiona, Steve, and Lip didn't actually stand trial but reached a plea deal with the DA beforehand.
This was William's job. And William was confident he could reach a deal: either full acquittal or some community service hours for the three adults.
After Tony and the other cops left, William explained this to the three. Then he prepared to leave. "I'll be there before court tomorrow. You four behave yourselves. Do not cause trouble. Ideally, don't speak. If anyone approaches you, ignore them."
"If you don't speak, you can't be wrong. Understand?"
The four nodded in unison.
William left and found Dexter, Ian, and the others, explaining the outcome in detail.
"Thanks. See you tomorrow," Dexter was satisfied with the result and thanked him.
Ian and Carl did the same.
Mickey was still acting like a prick and didn't make a sound.
"Alright, Mr. Dexter . See you tomorrow," William said goodbye and walked away briskly to attend to other cases.
At two thousand dollars an hour, wasting a minute meant losing over thirty bucks.
Watching William's retreating back, Dexter smiled. He suddenly felt that maybe, when he had time, he should visit the Illinois Bar Association and sort out his law license. It would be fun to legally practice law in Illinois occasionally.
It would probably be interesting. After all, with him around, the Gallagher family would likely need legal aid plenty of times in the future.
Dexter imagined the scene...
Fiona and Lip, furious but forced to grit their teeth and accept his help.
Haha. How fun.
"Let's go back. We'll go to court tomorrow," Dexter chuckled to himself for a moment, then called Ian, Carl, and the others to leave.
In the car.
How should I put this?
Liam Gallagher was innocent. No need to drag him down.
So, Dexter spoke to Ian. "Ian, the Gallagher family is famous now. DCFS might already be watching you. You need to find Frank ASAP. Get him to sober up for a bit. Otherwise, you and Liam might get sent to foster care."
Thinking of foster care, Ian felt pained. He nodded hurriedly. "Okay. Can you drop me at the Alibi? Frank should be there."
"Sure," Dexter agreed readily, acting like a stand-up guy.
Watching Dexter act like this, Mickey felt something was off.
Carl didn't have the IQ to see through it; he genuinely thought Dexter was great.
Time flew.
Dexter dropped Mickey and Carl back at Mickey's car parked in front of his house.
Mickey and Carl got out.
Knowing Fiona and Lip would be home soon, and that Debbie—that bitch—would be locked up in juvie for a year, Carl wasn't sad at all. In fact, he was in high spirits. "Dexter , bye! I'll make Fiona pay you back for the lawyer."
Dexter smiled. Comrade Carl was truly awesome. "Fiona already owes me over twenty thousand dollars."
"Yeah, I remember. I'll make her pay that too!" Carl said seriously.
Dexter gave Carl a thumbs up. "No rush. I'm off."
Soon, Dexter drove Ian and Liam toward the Alibi Room.
In front of Dexter's house.
Mickey patted Carl on the shoulder, friendly but bossy. "Get in. I'm buying you food."
Carl really wasn't upset anymore. He was happy. "Okay! I want ice cream."
"Kid, you really don't act like a Gallagher..." Mickey sighed with emotion.
Carl looked confused.
---
The Alibi Room.
Even though a couple of hours had passed, the kidnapping of Davis Brown and the arrest of the four Gallaghers was still the main topic of conversation among the drunks.
These drunks included Frank and Peg.
Frank had been here early. Like everyone else, he saw the footage of the four being shoved into police cars on TV immediately.
But that was it.
As a man who—to put it nicely—lived for the moment, free as a bird; or—to put it bluntly—was extremely selfish and didn't care who he hurt... Frank did nothing. He didn't even think much about it. He just kept drinking and chattering with Kermit and the others.
Peg had gone for a walk in the morning, even visiting the park, enjoying her pain-free body. She had only arrived at the Alibi a short while ago.
She heard about the arrests and was a little worried.
After all, Debbie, Fiona, and Lip were family.
But the worry was minimal.
The reason was simple.
After the events of the past few days, especially Fiona and Debbie's terrible attitudes...
Heh.
Worrying too much would just be asking for abuse, wouldn't it?
Peg had no interest in being a masochist.
Just then.
Dexter, Ian, and Liam walked into the Alibi.
Ian spotted Frank immediately—drunk and blabbering at the bar. He got a massive headache but braced himself and walked toward Frank.
Dexter watched, amused.
In the original show.
Ian and Frank never had good communication, even before Ian was discovered not to be Frank's biological son.
In fact, their interactions were pitifully few.
Interesting.
Dexter thought with a smile, then walked over to sit with Peg. "If Carl had been there today, he would have been arrested too. He got lucky."
Peg smiled and agreed. "True."
"I just got back from the station. Debbie has to go to juvie," Dexter added.
"So she did kidnap the kid?" Peg asked, not knowing the details.
Dexter nodded. "Debbie kidnapped him. Fiona found out, tried to cover it up and return the kid secretly, but didn't make it in time. They all got caught."
Peg sneered. "What a bunch of geniuses."
"Indeed," Dexter agreed, handing Peg a cigarette and lighting one for himself. "After this, Fiona's life is going to be even harder."
"She chose it. Can't blame anyone else," Peg replied indifferently.
Dexter really liked Peg's attitude. "Frank needs to go back. Even just for show. Otherwise, Ian and Liam will probably be sent to foster care by the state. Can you help?"
Peg looked at Dexter curiously. "Why do you care?"
"I always believe environment has a huge impact on a person, especially a kid," Dexter smiled. "I want Carl to see with his own eyes—and realize—that leaving the Gallagher house was the right, healthy choice."
Peg was old. She lacked education but made up for it with experience. She understood and nodded. "You really care about Carl. Alright, I'll handle Frank."
Peg didn't waste time. She downed her drink, stood up briskly, and walked toward Frank.
Frank was negotiating terms for his return with Ian—demanding money, demanding Ian take care of him...
Peg walked up and, without a word, slapped Frank on the back of the head.
Smack.
It wasn't a light slap. The sound was crisp.
Frank's head buzzed. His instinct was to turn around and curse, but seeing Peg, he instantly wilted. His eyes darted away, he lowered his head, and didn't dare make a sound.
The scene was ridiculously funny.
Kermit and the other drunks, including Kevin, burst out laughing.
Peg, free of pain and full of energy, looked fierce. "From this moment on, you're quitting drinking. Go back and take care of Ian and Liam."
So domineering.
Ian shot Peg a look of pure gratitude.
Frank slumped completely. "Okay."
Moments later.
Peg led a silent, shuffling Frank and Ian (carrying Liam) out of the Alibi toward the Gallagher house.
Dexter didn't follow. He moved to the bar and chatted with Kevin about the kidnapping.
Kevin opened with, "Damn Gallaghers!"
Dexter chuckled. "I've realized something. Ian is a bit better, but Fiona, Debbie, and Lip... mentally, they're probably not normal. And it doesn't have much to do with being poor."
Kevin agreed deeply. "True."
They chatted on.
---
The Police Station.
Statements were done. Court tomorrow.
It didn't take long.
The four were separated into pairs and put on buses to Cook County Jail.
Fiona, looking dark and gloomy, and Debbie, eyes swollen from crying, sat on the bus full of female inmates.
They huddled close together, neither saying a word.
By this time, Lip had calmed down significantly knowing he'd be released tomorrow. He sat on the bus full of male inmates. Beside him sat Steve, who couldn't stop shivering.
Ever since the break-in incident, Lip had looked down on Steve. Now, seeing Steve acting like such a coward...
Feeling superior again, Lip sneered. "Steve... or should I say Jimmy. First time in Cook County?"
Steve was truly terrified. He couldn't imagine spending the night with these inmates. He didn't speak, just nodded.
Lip sneered again. "Then I suggest you calm down fast. Otherwise, acting like this? As soon as you walk in, you'll be targeted. And then you'll get raped."
"You're exactly the type those guys like. By tomorrow morning, your asshole will be blooming like a flower."
Lip was deliberately provoking Steve.
The reason was simple.
Steve lied to Fiona.
Lip was exacting revenge for her.
And honestly, this revenge was working perfectly.
Steve got even more scared. He shook harder, eyes bulging. "Jesus! Stop it! If I wasn't trying to help you guys, I wouldn't be in this mess."
Lip kept sneering, acting like he saw through everything. "Heh. Don't act so noble. You helped because you wanted to keep fking Fiona."
Steve: "..."
That wasn't entirely false.
But fk, could it be understood that simply?
In that moment, Steve was certain: Lip was a psychopath, just like Debbie.
Damn it.
A whole family of psychos!
Why did I get mixed up with this family?
Steve cursed internally, suddenly feeling grateful he hadn't dumped Estefania.
Now that he thought about it...
Estefania was infinitely better than Fiona!
Steve regretted everything.
Damn Gallaghers! Steve cursed silently.
Seeing Steve stay silent, Lip smiled triumphantly and spoke again. "Hit a nerve, didn't I? You think I can't see right through you?"
"Jimmy, just for lying to Fiona for so long and hurting her... I'll make sure you get raped tonight!" Lip said viciously, confident he could use his street smarts to make that promise a reality.
Steve panicked again. He truly hated Lip. "Lip, I've been good to you guys, haven't I? I bought you food, drinks. When you got locked up, I paid for a nanny."
"What is wrong with you? Why treat me like this?"
"Heh. You did all that just to fk Fiona. You volunteered. We didn't ask you to do it. So don't fking ask for credit!"
"You hurt Fiona. You should pay the price!"
Lip said viciously.
Steve felt his worldview crumbling. There was nothing to say. He fell into a furious silence.
Seeing this.
Lip smirked, feeling very satisfied.
---
Approaching Evening.
Dexter returned to Dex restaurant to prep for dinner service.
Seeing Dexter , Veronica—who naturally knew about the arrests and had heard from Kevin that Dexter hired the lawyer—immediately came over to ask about the outcome.
Dexter gave a brief summary.
Hearing it, Veronica, who used to be fond of Debbie, sighed with emotion. "Debbie... she's going to have a hard time surviving in juvie..."
"Can't be helped. Who told her to do something so extreme?" Dexter replied lightly.
Veronica asked instinctively, "Is the result set in stone? Can't Debbie just do community service? The little boy wasn't hurt, right...?"
Dexter was about to enter the kitchen but stopped. He turned to Veronica with a bright smile. "Veronica, that actually surprises me coming from you."
"I thought after these few months, with more money and a better quality of life, your perspective would improve too."
"Looks like I was wrong."
"Can you still not distinguish right from wrong?"
Although Dexter was smiling, hearing this question scared Veronica. She instinctively realized Dexter was talking about something serious. She froze.
Veronica wasn't a genius, but she wasn't stupid. She guessed Dexter meaning.
Can't distinguish right from wrong...
Means values are off...
Means can't work here?
Veronica couldn't imagine losing this dream job. She panicked and shook her head hurriedly. "I spoke wrong. I'm sorry."
Dexter smiled. "Read more books. Right and wrong are important things. Alright, I'm going to the kitchen."
Seeing Dexter leave, Veronica let out a huge sigh of relief, followed by a wave of lingering fear.
Vivian witnessed the scene and hurried to Veronica's side, whispering, "The boss was angry just now. I've never seen him angry before."
Veronica thought back. Yeah.
Okay.
Understood.
Right and wrong—or values—were a serious matter to Dexter.
Veronica nodded. "I shouldn't have said that."
Vivian agreed.
Nearby, Mandy felt she learned something too.
...
Night fell.
The Gallagher House.
Ian was fixing the door.
Both the front and back doors had been kicked in by the police. Luckily, the damage wasn't severe, mostly just the locks.
Ian didn't know how to fix locks; he was just using brute force to mess with it.
Frank was still in pain, sitting on the sofa watching TV.
As he watched, the pain grew. Frank yelled out, "Ian, go buy me some meds! I can't take it anymore."
With Peg gone, Frank felt bold again.
Ian heard him but ignored him completely.
Faced with Ian's attitude, Frank got annoyed. "Ian! I agreed to come back. If you don't buy me meds, I'm going to the Alibi right now..."
Ian was fed up. He threatened bluntly, "If you dare leave, I'm calling Grandma immediately!"
Hearing that, Frank instantly chickened out.
But he still had to run his mouth.
"Fxxk you..." Frank grumbled.
At that moment.
Mickey drove up and parked on the street in front of the Gallagher house. He glanced at the house, then pulled out his phone and called Ian.
Phone ringing, Ian stopped working. He saw Mickey's name, hesitated, then pressed decline.
In the car.
"????" Mickey flared up. He called again.
Declined again.
"Fxxk!" Mickey cursed, tempted to just drive away.
A few seconds later.
Mickey called Ian a third time.
Still declined.
"Fxxk you, Ian Gallagher! I bought you some fking food and drinks! I left them at the door! Take it or leave it!"
Mickey left an angry voice message. Then, he got out, opened the trunk, grabbed four overflowing paper bags, stomped to the Gallagher front door, dropped them, turned around, got back in his car, and sped off.
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