Francisco, amused by the assumption, raised his brows and let out a hearty laugh.

"Me? No, not at all," he responded, adding a hint of mystery to his words.

"You could say I'm a criminal, and her job is to catch me."

Hazel's expression turned stern, a silent warning to Francisco not to play along with her mother's inquiry.

Doris laughed at Francisco's response, finding his reaction amusing.

"What?"

"This is not a bad joke," she chuckled.

Francisco, ...