In the dimly lit room, a single overhead bulb cast a harsh light on Vivian Donovan, whose disheveled appearance contrasted with the cold, metallic surroundings of the police station's interrogation room. Her hands were still cuffed, resting on the cold metal table in front of her. She looked exhausted, her eyes hollow and swollen, but her demeanor remained defiant. The only sound was the ticking of a clock on the wall, echoing the tension in the air.
The iron door creaked open with a groan, and Detective Sarah Blake walked in, her expression grave but professional. She carried a stack of files, the weight of the case visibly pressing on her shoulders. Without a word, she sat down across from Vivian, pressing the recording button beneath the table, the soft beep marking the beginning of the interrogation.
"Ms. Vivian Donovan, I am Detective Sarah Blake, and I'll be leading this investigation. You've been named as a suspect in three murder cases, with strong evidence linking you to one of them. I need you to answer my questions truthfully."
Vivian remained silent, her eyes unwavering. Sarah inhaled deeply, preparing for what she anticipated would be a long and frustrating process.
"How do you know Albert Donovan?"
"I don't know," Vivian replied flatly, her voice devoid of emotion.
"You don't know?" Sarah raised an eyebrow. "We found your business card in his hand at the crime scene, where he was found murdered."
"I don't know," Vivian repeated, her tone unchanged.
Sarah narrowed her eyes. "When was the last time you saw him?"
"I don't know."
"According to witnesses, you were seen arguing with him in the lobby of your company a few days before he was killed. What were you fighting about?"
"I don't know."
Sarah's jaw clenched, the frustration starting to mount. "Witnesses also saw him getting into your car that day. What happened in the car?"
"I don't know."
"What about Saturday night? Where were you?"
"I don't know."
Sarah's patience was wearing thin, but she leaned back in her chair, observing Vivian's unchanging expression. "Ms. Donovan, you need to understand that your refusal to cooperate doesn't help you. You were seen with the victim, he was found dead with your card in his hand, and security cameras were down that night. All evidence points to you."
Vivian remained silent, her gaze distant but unwavering.
Sarah continued, her voice becoming firmer. "If you cooperate, if you tell us the truth, we can clear this up. We don't want to hold an innocent person."
Vivian blinked, her eyes slowly focusing on Sarah. She spoke, her voice low and cold. "If you know everything, then you also know I'm not the murderer."
Sarah leaned forward, her voice dropping. "Then Prove it! Give us an alibi. Explain yourself. Help me help you."
But Vivian clammed up again, staring at the table, her face a blank slate. Minutes turned into an hour, but she said nothing more. Frustrated and at a dead end, Sarah finally rose from her seat, turning off the recorder. She glanced one last time at Vivian, her face twisted with concern, before walking out of the room.
In the hallway, Sarah rubbed her temples, her head pounding. Maya, her colleague, approached her with two cups of coffee, her expression softening as she saw the stress etched on Sarah's face.
"Rough in there?" Maya asked, handing her one of the cups.
Sarah nodded, taking a sip. "I don't know what to think, Maya. She's just… stonewalling. No tears, no panic, nothing."
Maya leaned against the wall, thoughtful. "Do you think she's the killer?"
"I don't know anymore." Sarah sighed, her frustration clear. "Everything points to her, but something feels off. It's almost too… easy. She's not sloppy, and now, suddenly, she's the prime suspect?"
Maya nodded. "Exactly. She's never left a trace before, so why now? It's like someone's framing her. And there's another problem—"
Maya glanced around before lowering her voice. "I think we have a mole in the department."
Sarah's eyes widened in shock. "A mole? What do you mean?"
"Someone's leaking information to the real killer. How else would they stay one step ahead of us? And think about it—why would Vivian's card be in Albert's hand, so obvious? It's too convenient."
Sarah's mind raced, the pieces of the puzzle swirling in her head. Before she could respond, a familiar voice interrupted them.
"Hey, ladies," John Blake, Sarah's husband and fellow detective, approached with a smile, two more coffees in hand. He kissed Sarah on the cheek, handing one cup to Maya. "Working hard, huh?"
"Something like that," Maya muttered, glancing at Sarah, who was still deep in thought.
"So, how's the case going? Any confessions yet? She said anything?" John asked, taking a sip of his coffee.
Maya's eyes narrowed slightly, and she shot Sarah a pointed look before responding quickly. "Nothing yet. But we're close. We've got the evidence."
Sarah, catching the tension between the two, stayed quiet, her mind replaying John's question. Why did he say "she"? Why was he so certain it was Vivian?
Maya pressed, her voice casual but sharp. "Who do you mean by 'she,' John?"
John blinked, momentarily taken aback. "What? Oh, just… I meant the suspect, whoever it is."
Maya's lips curled into a tight smile. "Right. Whoever it is."
John glanced at his phone, suddenly looking uncomfortable. "Well, I've got to get back to it. Keep me posted on the case, okay?" He gave Sarah a quick kiss on the cheek again and hurried off.
As he disappeared down the hall, Maya turned to Sarah, her eyes serious. "There's something wrong, Sarah. I don't trust him. He's too involved in this case…
Maya I think you are misunderstanding him, he just had a slip-up right now" Sarah said, confusingly. she herself not believing what she was saying. She herself an experienced person, knew that this was not just a mistake against her own loving HUSBAND… but her stacks were too high to gamble, that she couldn't afford.
" It wasn't a mistake. And you know it" Maya responded
Sarah felt her stomach twist. She had always trusted John implicitly, but now… doubt was creeping in.
"What do I do, Maya?" Sarah whispered, her voice barely audible.
Maya placed a hand on her shoulder, her voice steady. "We keep digging. Quietly. If there's a mole, we need to flush them out before anyone else gets hurt. And right now, Sarah… we can't trust anyone."
Sarah nodded, the weight of the situation pressing down on her. The case had just taken a dangerous turn, and now she wasn't just investigating a murder—she was questioning the loyalty of the people closest to her.