Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance
Chapter 866

Molly was just hanging out with her dad, watching a boy band competition on TV. She turned to him and said, "You know, Dad, your beard could use a makeover. How about we dye it pink and give you a trendy new look? Look at those boy band members with their flashy

hair colors. They're rocking it! Since you're bald, we could at least spice up your beard."

Her dad wasn't too thrilled and insisted she was being cheeky. "I'm spending my money to give him a treat, and he's still running to Chad to tattle on me."

Mia plopped down beside them, chuckling, "Why not go all out and make Dad's beard a rainbow? That way, my kid won't need toys anymore, and I'd save a ton of cash!"

For Mia's chubby little boy, his granddad's colorful beard was like his personal playground. She could already picture him snuggling in his grandpa's arms, gazing up at the rainbow-like beard with those big, curious eyes, sparkling with pure delight. Naomi, watching the sisters' antics, chuckled, "Mia, shouldn't you wake up Henry by now?"

Mia suddenly remembered her little guy was still snoozing. She dashed upstairs to wake him up. When he wouldn't budge, she started a livestream for her husband. "Look at your lazy son. I've even picked him up, and he's still out cold. I might just have to spank him awake."

Andre quipped back, "Make sure you take off his diaper first."

Chad always made time to call his wife, "Hey, did Dad ring you?"

"Nope. Did he ask you to come pick me up again?"

Molly laughed, "Yep, you guessed it."

Chad, munching on his lunch, let out a soft chuckle, "Just keep it cool for a couple of days, don't ruffle any feathers, and I'll deal with you when I get back."

Seeing Molly on the phone, her dad Hansen chimed in, "Ask Chad when he's planning to come fetch you."

"Chad, Dad wants to know when you're coming back to pick me up."

Right then, Donnie waved Chad over, signaling some new intel from surveillance.

Chad quickly wrapped up the call, "Not sure yet. Gotta run, Molly. Take care."

After hanging up, Chad headed to the telescope to scope things out. "Boss, this guy's got ties all over the place."

The counterfeit money case had been a tough nut to crack until Easton and Annie tracked down a lead. Chad dove deep into the deceased's connections and surveillance data, pushing Donnie so hard that he resorted to superstitions for luck.

Most of the team was knee-deep in this case, and despite some heat from the higher-ups, Chad knew his team was giving it their all. He kept his work stress from spilling over into family time.

Just after learning he was going to be a dad, Donnie called with a breakthrough, "Boss, we've got three guys and a girl who are suspicious."

Chad felt like his unborn child was his good luck charm. He didn't voice it but hurried to the station, then went to see the melon farmer they'd visited before, with some photos in hand.

In this digital age, cash was rare, especially in large sums, which made Chad suspicious about the fake bills he saw last time.

At the farm, Chad showed the farmer a photo, "Seen this guy before?"

The farmer squinted, then nodded, "Looks familiar."

After running through more photos, "I've seen this woman! She buys melons here, always with fresh bills."

The farmer was curious, and the woman had told him, "I work at a bank, always have new bills."

Chad asked, "You sure?"

"Positive. She wears these short dresses, hard to miss, though I try not to look," the farmer admitted, thinking girls should dress more modestly. He'd chat about it with nearby vendors after she left. "Now that I think about it, those two guys have been here too."

Chad collected the counterfeit bills from the farmer and took them back to the station.

The farmer explained, "She's the one who gave me these new bills."

Chad dispatched an officer to handle the counterfeit money and started digging into the suspects' identities.

"Boss, why target a melon farmer?" Donnie asked as he drove.

Chad, inspecting the fake bills, replied, "Not just him. Older folks are easy targets. Street vendors don't have cameras, unlike stores where frequent visits would raise eyebrows. These folks, dealing in cash with no surveillance, are their prime targets." To avoid tipping them off, Chad led a discreet stakeout in a nearby city.

Between shifts, Chad always made time to call home, offering and receiving comfort in those brief moments.

Through the telescope, he saw a woman mingling with several men, sometimes sitting on one's lap, other times caressing another's face. They seemed to be deep in conversation.

"You guys took out Xiao Zhe. Now the cops are onto us, so we're hiding out here, but it's not my fault," the woman said, lifting a man's chin.

The man, irritated, turned away, "What else could we do? Let him expose us? Why didn't you find a better spot to bury him? Right in front of the factory! No news yet, but we know we're compromised."

Another man chimed in, "You weren't followed, were you? Bringing them here puts us all at risk. We've made enough; it's time to split before we all go down."

The woman perched on the speaker's lap, "Worried we'll lead the cops here? Relax. They won't find us."

"Taylor, ever heard of Chad?" the man holding her asked.

She shook her head, "Who's he, Leopard? A newbie?"

The man, slightly annoyed but smiling, said, "The Blade of Havenbrook, the youngest head of the detective unit. No one slips through his fingers. Cross him, and you're doomed."

The woman tensed, "Leopard, you scared of him?"

"Lack of fear often leads to disaster. Fear makes you cautious," he replied, then suddenly pushed her to the floor, cranking up the tension in the room.