I stared at one of the main suspects in Samantha Young's homicide case, hand gripping an opened file that contained printed images from the CCTV footage we collected from the opposite house at the crime scene. This case was just 2 weeks old and even though we had 4 males and 1 female under our custody, none of them wanted to open their mouths, yet.
That was because we got DNA found in Samantha's vagina matched with 3 out of 4 men we arrested, which made it fell under rape charges so far.
They really played it smoothly and denied everything to do with slicing her vagina, shoving the young girl inside a garbage bag and placing her inside a freezer. Our team never found the knife that was used in the murder anyway, so these suspects were away from murder charges and they kept it that way.
Except for this girl who was sitting in front of me, she and her boyfriend were released without any charges since they claimed they left the party held by Samantha earlier than they should be. The CCTV footage we had also proved that they told truth. They left the crime scene through the front door an hour before the other 3 men exited the house.
And they also testified that Samantha was just fine, having a great time when they left the party.
But I was just being the Lisa Isaac I was known for; a skeptic who was always suspicious and questioned everything I could argue about.
"Miss Lewis," I called, turning the file in my grip for her eyes to see. "I'm sure you already saw these images of you and your-" I paused when her anxious face stopped me from continuing the interrogation. "Are you alright?"
She nodded. "Y-yes"
I hummed, straightening both of my hands on the table as I kept my sharp stare at her.
"Are you scared?" I smiled a little.
"No" She answered after she swallowed her throat, avoiding eye contact with me, which was definitely a good sign.
She just opened a door for me to come in.
"Am I making you uncomfortable?"
"Not really, I just-"
"Didn't expect to see me?"
I cut her sentence as one of my tactics in injecting fear into my suspects. For me, the key element in interrogation was to establish power. Anyone who was in this room with me had to feel that I was in charged.
My suspects must not felt that I needed information from them. That would definitely give the power in their hands, which was not my style at all. Instead, I made them felt like they were the ones who needed to tell me something in order to save themselves.
"Yes," She continued. "I thought I was going to meet Detective Baxter"
I smiled again.
"You were right" I spoke. "I don't really do interrogation. I prefer processing and analysing reports" I pulled away, resting my back against the chair I was sitting on. "But do you know when I would involve myself in interrogation, Miss Lewis?"
The young girl shook her head under uncertainty.
"It's when I found something odd in the previous interrogation that other detectives didn't"
I started to hear foot tapping on the floor that wasn't coming from any of my shoes.
Sighing, I asked again. "Your lawyer have warned you about me, didn't he?"
"Yes"
"Well, you should listen to him" I chuckled. "Can we continue?"
The girl nodded.
"I watched the video of your session with Detective Baxter. Correct me if I'm wrong, you said you and your boyfriend left Vanessa's house early because you had headache and nausea?"
"That's correct" She responded.
"So," I leaned closer to the table again, touching the images on the flat surface at the same time. "In the CCTV footage, it shows that you and your boyfriend were running out from the crime scene" I explained my point. "Why did you run, Miss Lewis?"
She didn't answer, trying to copy the look I had on her with her eyes immediately. I knew exactly what kind of response was that; defensive behaviour.
This girl was trying to intimidate me.
"You and your boyfriend look terrified, running away-"
"I will speak to my lawyer"
It was her who cut me off this time.
My smile went wider. "Smart girl"
I collected those images back and pushed them aside after I put them safe inside the file.
"Also," I continued, grabbing another file on the table that remained closed ever since I got in the room. "I got these from another CCTV when you guys were running towards Marble Arch Underground Station," I paused, taking out images from the file and placing every single piece of them in front of a 21 year old girl, Vanessa Lewis.
Her eyes darted at those hard copies, looking at her crying self, hugging her boyfriend in the footage.
"You didn't have headache or nausea" I let out my theories. "Something bad already happened to Samantha at that time, am I right, Miss Lewis?" I breathed out. "That's why you and your boyfriend left the place"
The girl brought her eyes up, meeting with mine as they began to water.
"No. Samantha was fine when we left," She repeated what she already said in the previous interrogation she had with Nick. "I didn't see anything suspicious whatsoever" Vanessa Lewis still stood for the same statement.
"Your eyes are swollen" I stated. "Do you have trouble sleeping lately?" I inserted my hand into the file one more time, feeling a piece of paper in between my two fingers but I didn't pull it out just yet. "Or have you been crying?"
Slightly yelling, she answered me with defensive manner that was worse than before. "I was in the list of the main suspects for a murder I know nothing about! Of course I have been crying!"
"Miss Lewis, you are still in the list for me" I corrected her, smiling.
I was certain that this young girl must knew something. She and her boyfriend had the important piece of information but they didn't want to testify anything just to stay out from trouble, as advised by their lawyers I assumed.
Looking at the doors and holes I had found for this homicide case, I couldn't let myself exit this room without things I wanted to hear from her mouth.
So I continued the session, still keeping the paper hidden in the file.
"How close are you with Samantha Young?" I gave her another question.
"I don't really know her," She answered with a shaky voice.
"Why did you get invited to her party then?" I argued. "The party looked like a private one to me. Samantha didn't just call strangers into her place"
"We take the same course, so I'm in the same class with her. We are all in the same class with her"
"That's it?"
"Yes, that's it"
She lowered her head as her tapping shoe noise had became louder.
Nodding, I finally took the last chance I got, my last hope for this case, out from the file and placed it on top of the other printed images.
Vanessa Lewis reacted to my gesture, eyes looking at an instant picture I just revealed to her and I was sure her vision had turned blurry as soon as she saw it.
That was because those tears in her eyes were already heavy and they finally fell, running down her face.
Lowering my voice, I spoke again after seconds of silence. "Miss Lewis, I would love to remind you that this case is filed under a third degree murder charges,"
I started to hear her sobs as her body was shaking.
"Give me everything you know, everything you heard, everything you saw at the crime scene" I presented my offer to her softly. "And we'll see what I can do for you" I continued. "I can fight for you harder than your lawyer ever could"
She finally burst out crying after a long amount of time restraining herself not to, which for sure felt like a torture. And that was my perfect shot to try again and again.
"Trust me, Vanessa. I will fight for you" I assured her. "Because I never fight for money, for client, for reputation" I continued with firmness in my tone that was well balanced with the calm she needed.
She continued her cries.
"Because I'm fighting for your best friend who was brutally tortured and murdered,"
She continued her sobs.
"I'm fighting for someone I believe was so loving" I spoke. "Someone who had pictures with her best friend on the wall of her bedroom"
Vanessa Lewis cupped her face with both of her hands this time, trying to brush off the wetness on her skin as her cheeks were hollowed.
"When was this?"
I changed the topic all of the sudden to pull her out from the emotional trap I placed in front of her that she had fallen for; a Polaroid picture I took as an evidence 2 weeks ago.
The girl took her time to respond, sniffling her nose that had became runny ever since her eyes welled in tears before.
"Last year. Our trip to-" She squeezed her eyes shut as her breath hitched. "...Venice. She always wanted to go there"
Sighing, I pulled the picture back. "I don't know much about you and Samantha. That's out from my expertise unless you let me know about it" I said. "But I certainly know one thing" I took a pause, staring at a young girl who had so much regret in the way she was looking at me. "Samantha must've loved you, very much"
Vanessa breathed out heavy, fingers wiping her tears that looked like she had gathered her strength again after crying.
"I was having sex upstairs." She said with a sudden bravery that I could sense in her tone of voice. "My boyfriend and I didn't hear anything until we went downstairs," She continued as my ears were catching every single word she was projecting. "We saw Adam, Lucas, and Sean doing that thing to Samantha" She sniffled. "Her bottom was naked and the floor was a mess, with blood"
Vanessa just confirmed to me about the victim's condition when she saw Samantha that night. It matched with how the police and CSI team found the body; only with a t-shirt on with no pants whatsoever.
"You saw the three of them doing what?" I asked for more specific statements to take note about.
"Inserting a knife into her vagina"
"A knife?" I asked to confirm again when she just mentioned about a murder weapon that we didn't recover from the crime scene.
She nodded.
"My boyfriend and I were just scared-" She coughed a little. "So we ran out from the place"
"What was her condition? You said you didn't hear anything from upstairs?"
"She was moving but she didn't yell or make loud noises," Vanessa stated. "She was just, uh, groaning?"
I hummed. "That's because she was drugged"
"Yeah, I guess so"
"Did you clearly see the knife? What kind?"
"I recognise it. It's a pocket knife that belongs to Adam. He takes it with him all the time"
I gathered all the files on the table, staking them on top of each other.
"Thank you, Vanessa" I said, ready to end the interrogation when I finally got what I needed to use against the other 3 main suspects. "You have done the right thing"
"I should have called the police" She looked down as her chin trembled. "I should have helped her-"
"We all make choices we think were right at that point of time, Miss Lewis" I commented, smiling when one of the things I learned from Chae Richards popped up in my brain. "You should start making decisions about what you can do afterwards"
I got up from the chair, gripping the files in my hands.
"Should I call my lawyer?" Vanessa asked while her swollen, reddish eyes were looking at me.
"Yes, you should" I nodded. "But you still have my word" The assured smile I was giving to her kind of helped to make her felt better. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"
The young girl ran her eyes away in an instant, looking at the files I carried with me.
"Can I please have the Polaroid picture?"
▪️▪️▪️
I knocked the already opened door that led to an office room belonged to someone I called 'boss'; Detective Chief Inspector David Cooper.
"Ah, Isaac!" He exclaimed when he took his attention away from the documents he was assessing. "Sit down"
Walking, I entered the room. "You called for me, sir?"
"Yes I did"
He cleaned his office desk, grabbing a piece of paper shortly after as I claimed the white, wooden chair.
"What's the matter?" I asked and placed my hands at the armrest.
DCI Cooper didn't answer me quick enough, fixing his glasses at the bridge of his nose and reading the paper in his grip simultaneously.
"You know about the UK Police Conference in Glasgow, right?"
"Yeah" I nodded.
"I'm planning to send you in for one of the seminars"
"What?" I was surprised. "I thought Hopkins volunteered?!"
"He has emergency family matters"
"Bloody-" I stopped myself, looking away to the window as I controlled my breathing since I realised that I was speaking to my superior. "This is a very short notice!"
"That's why we called it emergency, Isaac"
Straightening my posture, I responded. "I can't go"
The look in his eyes turned into a glare just in a matter of seconds after he heard me.
"Why is that, Isaac?"
"I have so many pending cases to work on. I don't have time for a fucking seminar-"
"Isaac," He warned me with his voice. "Our cases are making good progress, even Samantha Young's is waiting for trials since 3 months ago" Cooper stated. "Leave the rest to your team to handle"
I took a glance at the paper in his hands, noticing the date printed on it.
"This seminar is in 2 days!" I complained.
"But you have no reason not to go"
That was when I felt the vibration in my pocket, knowing that someone was calling me on the phone.
"How do you know that?" I scowled at him, grabbing the device out as fast as I could. "I have personal life too besides my job"
I squinted my eyes when I saw the contact name appeared on the screen, heart racing automatically.
"You-"
"I'm sorry, excuse me for a second" I left the chair without asking for permission first. "I have to take this call"
Running out from the office room, I answered the call that felt like it was at the very last second before it could have ended.
"Baby?" I greeted, making my way to the water dispenser machine at the corner of the corridor. "Hey?"
"Hey, Jag. Am I disturbing you?"
"No, absolutely no" I responded.
"I'm sorry for calling. I texted you earlier"
"I didn't check my phone. Is everything alright, baby?" I asked since I was getting worried of what could possibly be the reason for Chae to call me.
She never called me if I was at work before, ever.
"Yeah. I'm just at the supermarket"
"And?"
"I was thinking of buying cheese to cook for dinner later"
"And?"
"Which one do you prefer, my darling? Cheddar or mozzarella?"
I sighed in relief.
"Just that?"
I heard Chae laughed a little.
"Yeah, I'm sorry. I know it's stupid"
"No, that's alright-"
"I'm about to leave and you still haven't read my text, that's why"
"I'm sorry, baby" I kept my voice low, listening to Chae who kind of sounded like she was nagging at me for being too busy with work. "Did I upset you?"
"Umm, not really"
"Alright then just grab mozzarella for me, please"
"Mozzarella it is"
She laughed again.
"Chae?"
"Yes, love?"
"I have to go for a seminar in Glasgow on Sunday" Chae was silent for a while when I told her that, probably doing some thinking. "Can I go?"
"Lisa!"
Chae laughed louder.
"What?"
"Are you asking my permission about your job?!"
"Of course I am-"
"You shouldn't have, it's your work stuff"
"I feel bad to leave you for 4 days just because a twat withdraws himself last minute"
"I'm fine with it, Lisa. You must go"
"Can you please come with me?" I started to sound desperate, which earned another laugh from my girlfriend.
"I have to work, jag"
"Emergency leave?"
"For 4 days? I don't think so, love"
"Why not?"
"Natalie isn't available for the whole week. She will go for a holiday in Santorini"
I took a moment to process that information, coming out with the most important part of it.
"So you will be home alone for 7 days straight?"
"Yeah, looks like it"
"You must stay at my place then"
Chae laughed at my suggestion.
"What's the difference? I'd still be alone-"
"Well, at least my apartment is secured with guards around"
"That's not necessary, Lisa-"
"Stay at my place or I won't go to the seminar" I gave her only two options to consider. "Barking has high crime rates, baby. You know how worried I am for you to stay in such area"
"Love, that's the only area in London I can afford to pay"
"I have asked you to move in with me so many times-"
"Lisa, don't get mad at me please"
"I'm not-" I stopped my speech immediately, taking a deep breath while my free hand was massaging my temples. I had no idea why this seminar thing pressured me so much until I let it out to Chae. "I'm sorry. I'm just worried about your safety"
I heard her soft, calm voice seconds later.
"That's alright, jag. Go back to work. We can talk later when you are home"
I sighed loudly.
"I love you, Chae"