"You can't be serious, sir!" Caleb exclaimed, his voice laced with frustration and contained anger. "There's clearly something wrong here. I'm sure it wasn't suicide."
Commissioner Benjamin, a middle-aged man around Caleb's age, leaned back in his chair, his expression unyielding. "I understand your concerns, Caleb, but we have pressure from higher-ups to close this case quickly. Our best option is to rule it as suicide."
Caleb's eyes narrowed. "But what about Max, the one who attacked Evelyn Stone? He confessed to her that day, saying he was hired by someone. Doesn't that suggest a larger conspiracy?"
Commissioner Benjamin scoffed. "Do you seriously believe that, Caleb? Rich people crave attention; they'll say anything for it. Look at today's headlines – Evelyn Stone is all over the news."
Caleb's anger simmered just below the surface. "With 25 years of experience, I can tell when someone's lying. And I can confirm that Evelyn isn't. She's telling the truth."
Commissioner Benjamin raised an eyebrow. "So, you want to dig for the truth, huh? Caleb, let me ask you again – what happened to the CCTV footage?"
Caleb hesitated, lost for words. "It was damaged."
Commissioner Benjamin pounced on the weakness. "A police station without proper maintenance? As the head of your station, you'll take the blame for that. You could face months of suspension. Are you ready for that? I'm sticking up for you, Caleb, in the name of our old friendship. Don't end up like Kenji – I don't want to lose another friend. You have only 8 months left until retirement. Don't forget that. Now, get me that report, Caleb, unless you want to spend the rest of your months at home."
....
"What do you think about Mr. Choi's offer?" Rachel asked Evelyn as they traveled in the car.
Evelyn thought for a moment. "I think Mr. Choi is one of the board members my grandfather used to trust. I don't know much about his son, though. I think I met him once at my grandfather's birthday party when we were kids, but I don't remember his name."
Just then, Evelyn's phone rang, breaking the moment. Rachel glanced at the screen. "It's Mei. Do you want me to answer it?"
Evelyn replied, "Yes, please."
Rachel answered the call. "Hey, big sis, it's Mei. We're having a small party at my house. Come home by eight. We'll be waiting."
The phone call ended abruptly, leaving Evelyn surprised. "You had a business deal with Mr. Yamamoto at that time, cancel it," Evelyn instructed Rachel, who grinned in response. "Okay."