My Case Files: A Collection of Mystery & Crime Short Stories

CASE NO. 1: The Case of the Mistaken (pt. 1)

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: I changed the main character's name from Anderson McSteve to Aaron Morales because that original name was in the prompt I originally wrote this for so the use of that name name was required... but not anymore!

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Aaron Morales was seated in the dim interrogation room. Still confused as to what had happened, thinking about the absurdity of the situation he had found himself in. It sure did look like what everyone would think, but he was sure that it was not at all that it seemed.

The detective finally entered, and Morales' head snapped towards her direction. "I'm Detective Louise, and I'm just going to ask you some questions. You are not obliged to say anything, but anything you do say may be used in evidence, you got that?"

Morales took a deep breath and nodded as she sat down across him.

"Alright then, do you have any idea what you're here for? This is serious. This is no misdemeanor."

"N- no, detective, I told you... I swear I didn't do it. I wouldn't... I couldn't kill, I..." he almost muttered to himself.

"Right, look. First off, we're just trying to get some clarity here, okay? Let's start off with this... do you know the identity of the victim?" She slides a picture of the victim towards Morales and his eyes fall on it.

"I-- I don't know the... victim— the other victim," he responded at which the detective's eyes narrowed.

"Okay, and you say that you don't remember a thing related to the crime, yeah?"

"Yes, I have no idea how I got into this situation. I really don't. Murder, it's... I--"

"Okay, let's not focus on that for now, okay, Mr. Morales? Just know for now that you have taken tests prior to this, and you are positive for drugs and alcohol. So let me ask you, do you take drugs and alcohol regularly?" she asked as she placed her clasped hands on the table and leaned closer to him.

"Sure, I drink, occasionally, but I definitely don't do drugs," Morales assured her, but the detective's brows raised in doubt.

"What explains the pounds of cannabis found in your bag then?" she asked, followed by an ugly pause. Despite his lack of response, she asked further, "Where did you immediately go after you arrived at the airport that day?"

"I went to my sister's place. About the cannabis, I-- "

"Which reminds me, know that we've also talked to your sister, so you better keep your story straight," she said like it was a warning, leaning back in her seat and continued, "Anyway, where did you head afterwards?"

"I, uh... " He furrowed his brows in thought, momentarily struggling to put his curiosity about whatever his sister's statement could have been to the back of his mind to accommodate the detective's current question. "I went straight back home." He felt the urge to tell he'd missed home, but he knew that that would be unnecessary.

"You live alone, am I right?"

"Yes." He nodded.

"I'd just like to know, where were you the night of the crime? Where were you before you woke up at the crime scene."

"I, uhh, was at the bar... alone," he answered, instinctively adding what he predicted she would need to know.

"You do not recognise this man... at all?" She pointed at the professional portrait of the victim. "Not a familiar face?" she pressed.

Morales squinted at the photograph. "I don't recognize this man at all. I have never seen him in my life... I don't think..."

"Right, so what is the last thing you remember?"