As the storm subsided, a police car pulled into Evelyn's driveway, joining two others already on the scene. The front yard was filled with police, and the siren lights illuminated the area. Caleb, a man in his 50s, arrived at the scene wearing worn grey sweatpants, a full-sleeve grey t-shirt, and white sneakers that looked like they had been worn several times. He looked like he'd been pulled away from a relaxing evening at home.
"What's our situation, John?" Caleb asked.
"Potential homicide situation, Chief," Rookie Cop Ryan replied.
Caleb asked with an annoyed voice, "So, when you asked me to come urgently, I thought it was some grave matter. I'm on off-duty leave; clearly, you could have handled this by yourself, and there are other officers here."
Ryan replied, "It's the victim, sir."
Caleb asked, "What about it?"
Ryan replied with a tense look on his face, "It's Evelyn, sir - Evelyn Stone."
Caleb replied, "You mean the CEO of J and B?"
Both of them started walking as they talked. "Is the victim hurt?" Caleb asked. Ryan replied, "Actually, they're not. They caught the assailant." Caleb's face showed surprise. "They?"
As they walked further, Caleb caught sight of Evelyn sitting on the ambulance stretcher, a small bandage covering her neck where the assailant had scraped her with the knife. Landon was sitting next to her, receiving treatment from paramedics who were patching up his head.
Caleb's eyes widened as he took in the scene. "Landon?" he whispered to himself, rushing towards the ambulance.
Landon noticed his uncle and said, "Uncle Caleb!"
"What happened to your head?" Caleb asked, his voice laced with worry.
"I fell off my scooter," Landon replied. "It's okay, it's just a minor injury."
"Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be at work?" his uncle asked, noticing Evelyn sitting beside Landon. Caleb's expression changed, misunderstanding the situation and assuming they were in a romantic relationship.
"So, someone's trying to kill her?" Caleb asked, his voice low, as Landon explained what really happened.
They had moved away from the others, finding a private spot to talk. "Yeah," Landon replied. "The man was trained. If it weren't for me, she would've died."
"Don't worry, he'll be taken into custody thanks to you for catching him. Now it's our job. I'll make sure he gets what he deserves, and we'll find out who's behind this."
Evelyn's mind was still on the assailant's menacing words: "I was told to kill only the woman, but since you're in my way, prepare to die!"
Caleb's voice broke the silence, "Ms. Evelyn, I think it's best if you stay elsewhere for the time being. Your house is now a crime scene, and we need to process it."
"Yeah, I can stay at a hotel," Evelyn replied.
"Hotel? I suggest you stay at a friend's house," Caleb said to her. "There's no need for that. I can handle everything on my own," she told him, her voice firm and authoritative, as she returned to her normal self.
"How about you stay the night at Landon's home?" Caleb asked, just as Landon entered the scene. Landon's eyes widened in surprise as he overheard the suggestion.
"We were just talking about you," Caleb said, his gaze fixed on Landon. "How about she stays at your home? Your sister is also there."
Landon hesitated, clearly uncomfortable with the idea. "I don't think that's a good idea," he said, but Caleb's expression turned commanding and intimidating, leaving Landon little choice.
"Yeah, alright," Landon agreed, his voice laced with anxiety.
"Great, I'll drop you off," Caleb replied, his tone firm.
"Is he your uncle?" Evelyn asked. "Yeah, he is my mother's brother," Landon replied.