Matthew reviewed the road surveillance footage. A black Volvo cruised past the intersection, driven by Tony Will. The vehicle was heading towards Lawn's community at 2:00 in the afternoon.
David commented, "Sophia got home at 3:20 PM, so the timing seems to fit."
The deputy captain appeared astonished. "It's surprising that Tony Will is still alive and that Lawyer Dave hasn't been deceptive. Just because Tony was in Lawn's neighborhood doesn't necessarily make him the prime suspect in the attack. There's no direct evidence linking him to the incident; it could very well be a coincidence."
Luke recalled, "During Dave's interrogation, he admitted to borrowing a modified Taser from Tony but denied instructing him to purchase it. If Dave's story is accurate, Tony might have intended to use the Taser on Lawn."
The deputy captain shook his head. "The modified Taser Tony bought was handed to Dave long before the attack, so the timeline doesn't add up."
Luke suggested, "Perhaps Tony has more than one Taser."
Marcus pondered, "Earlier, we speculated that Tony might be hiding his identity due to a criminal record. Could his profession be something unsavory, like being a hired killer needing to cover his tracks? Perhaps one of the will's beneficiaries hired him to handle Lawn."
The deputy captain responded, "Marcus, your imagination is quite vivid, but investigations need concrete evidence. Tony's involvement might be worth investigating, but it's not our primary focus right now. We should concentrate on the heirs."
"I agree with the deputy captain," Luke said, changing the topic. "However, it's been 20 days since Lawn was attacked, making it difficult to gather evidence. Some heirs are not cooperating, and if they collude to destroy evidence, the investigation could stall."
The deputy captain smiled. "Competition and conflict are common in organizations, and families are no exception. Since Lauren and Caroline are a blended family, the issues will likely escalate. Feeling threatened by the police investigation, the family might close ranks. The key to breaking this would be disrupting their unity. They've known each other for over a decade, and their internal reporting might become a breakthrough."
Jenny interjected, "Deputy Captain, you mentioned they are family and might have colluded before. Breaking their tacit understanding with just a few words from the police might be challenging."
"This kind of reconstituted family is susceptible to conflicts of interest," the deputy captain replied with a hint of disdain. "Since the contents of the two wills differ, ask Caroline to verify the authenticity of the written will. I believe she'll be eager to assist."
Marcus gave a thumbs up. "Great idea!"
An hour later, Caroline arrived at the detective station. She scanned the room and fixated on Luke. "You have my husband's written will."
Susan introduced herself. "Ms. Caroline, I'm Susan, captain of the first squadron of the Robbery and Murder Division. We need your help to verify Mr. Lawn's handwriting and confirm the authenticity of the written will."
Caroline's dissatisfaction was evident. "My husband is in a coma, not dead. Why the obsession with the will? It makes me uncomfortable."
"Sorry for any distress caused. The discrepancy between the two wills necessitates verification."
"What? The wills differ?"
"Yes. Are you familiar with Mr. Lawn's handwriting?"
"Of course."
"Will you assist us with the identification?"
"Bring it here." Caroline sat down and placed her handbag on the table. Susan handed her a copy of the will.
Caroline put on her black-framed glasses and began reading. Her expression soured, her hands trembled slightly as she muttered, "No, no… This can't be real. It must be fake…"
Luke thought, if it were genuine, she wouldn't be this agitated.
Susan asked, "Ms. Caroline, is this your husband's handwriting?"
Caroline replied, "Where did you get this will?"
"It was given to Lawyer Daisy for safekeeping by Mr. Lawn."
"Why would he do that? We've been married for over ten years. I can't believe it. I've been praying for his recovery, not for this betrayal."
The deputy captain asked, "Have you seen this will before?"
"No, he told me the video and written wills were identical," Caroline said, her voice firm. "This written will must be a forgery."
The deputy captain asked, "Is this Mr. Lawn's handwriting?"
"It resembles his handwriting, but it must be a deliberate imitation. It's fake, I'm sure." Caroline seemed to be convincing herself.
"Who do you think forged it?"
"Daisy must have done it. She had the will, so she must have forged it."
"But Daisy isn't a beneficiary. What's her motive?"
"Sophia is behind it. She must have colluded with the lawyer to create a false will."
Luke interjected, "Do you have any evidence for these claims? Be careful not to make baseless accusations, or you might face legal repercussions."
"I'm not sure about Daisy, but Sophia is definitely involved. Didn't you say Daisy was attacked and unlawfully entered? Maybe Sophia forged a fake will and swapped it out," Caroline's conviction grew stronger.
"That's likely. Sophia knows my husband's handwriting well enough to forge a will."
Luke nodded thoughtfully. "Your theory makes sense, but whether regarding the will swap or Mr. Lawn's attack, too much time has passed. Finding evidence now is challenging, and further investigation into Sophia might be difficult. Once Mr. Lawn passes, the case may close, and Daisy's lawyer will formally read the written will."
Caroline's expression shifted as she crumpled the will in her hand. "I have evidence. Sophia made my son take the fall. She caused him to lose his job and is trying to seize my property. I won't accept this."
"What do you mean? How did Sophia lie?"
Calming herself, Caroline said, "My son Brooke treated Lawn and saw the injuries. He called the police, but Sophia stopped him. Otherwise, things wouldn't have escalated."
Luke asked, "Why did Sophia stop him?"
"I don't know. I wasn't there and only learned about it later from Brooke. It was several days later, and I didn't pursue it further as it might affect Brooke's job. I swear, Sophia orchestrated this, and my son was just following her orders."
Luke noted, "Any other evidence?"
Caroline shook her head, "No, that's all I have."
Luke advised, "If you recall any more information, please contact us. Also, keep this confidential to avoid hindering the investigation."
Caroline left, turning back to say, "This written will is definitely fake. Please ensure a thorough check."
Jenny escorted Caroline out.
Marcus remarked, "Interesting. Do you believe her story?"
"There's some credibility to it," Luke replied thoughtfully. He had considered the possibility that if Brooke had concealed Lawn's injuries, he could have altered the diagnosis report. But he hadn't, indicating he wasn't trying to hide anything. Brooke probably wanted to call the police but was stopped, explaining the conflicting situation.