ZIENNA'S POV:
Santiago took a seat in front of me as gestured.
"Mister, I'd rather cut to the chase. Are you involved in the abduction and murder of Bianca and Mina?" I asked him obviously knowing he was going to deny everything.
"Ugh what do you mean, for the hundredth time?! It's been days; you guys have been asking me the same thing!
I. Don't. Know. Anything!" he emphasized on the phrase.
"Do you happen to know a San Constructions?" I asked him.
"Yeah, mine."
"Why was Bianca tied up there?"
"You should ask her that."
The answers I hear from this guy makes my bloody blood boil. "Oh, we are planning on it!" I snapped when he began to snort hearing that.
"Yeah right! In hell?" he chuckled harder.
"No, in the hospital." I replied shortly knowing that would beat his shit out of him. His playful expressions began to wear out into what seemed like bafflement, astonishment and bullshit like I care. "W-What do you mean?" he stammered. Oh was I happy!
"What do you mean by what do you mean?" I provoked his emotions more, "she needs to take a nice rest after all of those abduction and survival mission, don't you think?"
Although I knew this was a lie, it's still a part of the truth that she didn't die that day in this guy's hands.
"She didn't die?! You're telling me that she's alive? No way!" he gasped.
I could hear the officers swearing at me. I heard the microphone turn on, and yeah it was for me. "What do you think you're doing Miss Bretten?! Why would you reveal something like that to him? Have you gone nuts?" They don't seem to stop and I didn't seem to bother.
Seeing their yells won't stop for a while, I broke the silence to them, "Hey, you guys asked me to interrogate. I don't even feel the need to interrogate someone unrelated to my own case, yet here I am. If you still want to know the truth, and want me to continue, please don't stir up. I know what I'm doing."
That zipped them up.
"Look, Mister Santiago, you're not unaware of the allegations placed against you. The evidences as well. It's better for you to confess than having the department reveal all of what had happened. At least the court might consider your confession at the sentencing. There's just no way you could escape this; wouldn't it be good for you to do you better and act accordingly?" I filled him in with the obvious state and he has to choose further.
"Evidence? What's it?" his brows shrunk.
I can't believe this guy! "Of all the things I said to you, is that the only thing that caught you?"
"Yeah, I know you don't have one." He placed his cuffed hands on the table, resting his chin on the back of his fingers. "I didn't even say anything." He whispered to me, his expressions showing a fake sympathy at the end of the sentence.
"That shouldn't be a problem." I heard a familiar voice state abruptly as he entered. "You did confess, you don't remember?"
Jayden continued, "To me and to the other guy," He turned to the door, muttering, "Where's this guy? He came here before I did. I bet he's munching on something!"
That was when Cole entered the room with a chocolate roll in his mouth. He realized our death glares at him and his rolls; he said, "Sorry, I was hungry," he said sheepishly, raising his hands. When he noticed Jayden's right brow raise like 'Oh?' he added, "and this was delicious."
Jayden placed one of his hands on his forehead and sighed as if that said, Cool down, Jayden. Yeah, him, munching on a chocolate roll at a time like this isn't a thing, let's forget it with a heavy sigh. This is funny, "Haha…" And then everyone turned to me like, wtf, is she haha-ing?
Um, oops. I cleared my throat, "What is it? Did he confess?"
"Not exactly, but he did say something."
"What? When?" Santiago panicked.
"Remember that time when we got the forensic reports that matched his fingerprints on the victim's glasses?" Jayden asked.
"The power was off! You couldn't record the interrogation! Is that the time?" Santiago is about to explode.
FLASHBACK:
Jayden joined Cole to the interrogation room. As he was about to take the seat, the power went off.
"Ugh! So annoying," Jay said.
"Where are the others? How do we record the enquiry if there's no power?" Cole asked in an irritated tone.
"They're on break. I know, right? They know our station's facilities revolve around electricity, shouldn't they at least upgrade UPS or stuff like that?" Jayden raged with annoyance.
"Ugh! I guess we have no other option than to wait for the power." Cole said.
"Whatever! It's not like he's gonna confess anyways!"
MORE:
They went to the room. Jayden told him about the forensic reports. He was astonished, unable to handle the sudden, unexpected discovery. He started to sweat.
"T-That's ridiculous. You can't acquire clear fingerprints from wet products. The glasses were wet, the samples should be washed off." He stammered.
"Well, what you didn't know was that the hinge of the glasses are sensitive and the sample is preserved in the metal, which can be acquired easily." Jayden stated.
END OF FLASHBACK~
"Right!" Jayden exclaimed.
Santiago's eyes widened, "It I-it, p-power i- th-"
"Geez!" Cole exclaimed with annoyance, "You really are a fool. I thought psychopaths were intelligent. You know the scene in that crime novel-"
"Cole!" we cried in unison when he bounced his brows and concentrated on the last piece of his chocolate roll.
"So yo-you guys switched the main board off? The power wasn't out?" Santiago might burst now.
"Yeah? But you've got it all wrong! Even if there was a power cut, what on earth has it got to do anything with the interrogation, I wonder?" Jayden added.
"You said it was electronic. No way. No. no," Santiago buried his face with his hands and started mumbling, which was barely audible.
Cole began, "To be clear, say I'm recording you with my mobile phone. Even if the power goes off, I'd still continue recording you, yeah? Nothing different to be bothered."
He paused and resumed in a minute, "Maybe there is a difference. Right."
He said in a serious tone, his head tilted slightly as he was thinking.
Santiago looked at him with a glimpse of hope in his despair; Jayden sighed and chuckled very lightly at the same time, like he knew what Cole was going to say.
"Difference?"
"Yeah. The lighting! Your face might not look bright and handsome. But I can still edit it."
Sure enough, Santiago was not in a mood to be made fun of.
I was let to continue the interrogation. But that was the last time I saw Jayden in the station. He was gone for the whole noon.
And finally he came back after hours. But his mood didn't seem to have gotten any better. Precisely, it was worse.
He entered the station and began, "What happened with Santiago? Did he say anything?"
"He came to know about Bianca's death. But he was surprised and told that it was not like his master. He kept saying, "No, master would never do that! It's so not like master." But we couldn't get in depth with him."
He remained in silence for a moment and began, "He's right though."
"What do you mean?"
"Bianca is dead, but neither Santiago, nor his master are involved this time."
"WHAT?!"
"It's the impostor murderer we've been looking for since square one."
***
What's the mystery of the continuous murders?
Is everything related?
Is there a reason?
And now who's the master?
How will the revelation go?
Long way to go!