Construction Site
The scene at the construction site was one of organized chaos. Police officers walked through the explosion-marked area, taking photos of the debris and collecting fragments that might provide clues. Smoke still lingered in the air, mixed with the smell of burnt gasoline. Sheriff Ethan Miller stood near a charred truck, hands on his hips, his expression serious as he watched the investigators at work.
"This is a mess," Ethan muttered, more to himself than to anyone else. 'If this was sabotage, whoever did it knew exactly what they were doing.'
One of the officers approached, holding a notepad and shaking his head. "Sheriff, some of the workers mentioned a heated argument yesterday afternoon between Dan Hammond and Joseph Willowbrook."
Ethan turned to the officer, frowning. "Willowbrook? What was he doing here?"
"Complaining, as usual," the officer replied. "Saying these lands are sacred, that they belong to the Kawatche, and that the construction was disrespectful."
Ethan took a deep breath, running his hand over his hat. "And Dan? How did he react?"
"Same as always. He said the land now belonged to LuthorCorp and that Joseph had no say in it. It seems things got pretty heated."
"How heated?" Ethan leaned slightly toward the officer, his eyes fixed on the man's face. "Did he make any direct threats?"
"The workers said Joseph yelled something about the spirits avenging the disrespect and that nothing would go unpunished," the officer replied, glancing at his notes. "Nothing beyond that, but it seems Dan was pretty upset."
Ethan narrowed his eyes, staring at the debris again. 'Willowbrook has always had a temper, but this is another level. Could he really be capable of something like this?'
Another officer approached with a camera, showing the photos he had taken. "Sheriff, here are the main angles. The focus of the explosion seems to have started near that gas tank."
Ethan examined the images, pointing to one of them. "Here. This burn pattern. It looks like the explosion started from a spark. Check for signs of tampering on the tank."
The officer nodded and quickly walked away, leaving Ethan alone with his thoughts. He looked toward the horizon, where the Kawatche land began. 'If Joseph is involved in this, it's going to be hard to prove without something more concrete.'
Another investigator approached, holding a charred piece of metal. "We found this near the tank, Sheriff. It looks like part of a flare gun."
Ethan took the object carefully, analyzing it. "A flare gun? Was Dan carrying one of these?"
"Yes, Sheriff. Some workers said he used it to mark areas in the dark."
Ethan gripped the metal tighter. "This changes things. Maybe the explosion was an accident after all. But I'm not ruling anything out until I talk to Joseph."
He turned to the officer who had mentioned Joseph earlier. "Gather a team. We're heading to the Willowbrook house. I want answers before this case gets more complicated."
Chloe's voice echoed behind him before he could take the next step. "Sheriff, excuse me! I'm Chloe Sullivan, reporter for the Torch, the school newspaper. Could you give us some information about the incident?"
Ethan sighed deeply, turning to face Chloe and Diana, who were standing near the police tape. "What are you doing here? This is a police investigation zone. I don't have time to deal with curious reporters."
"I understand your concern, Sheriff, but my job is to inform the community. And Diana here is my assistant. We're just trying to understand what happened." Chloe gestured to Diana, who maintained a firm posture, arms crossed.
Ethan narrowed his eyes, pointing at the two with an authoritative finger. "Listen up. This is no joke. Any interference from you, and I'll arrest you for obstruction of justice."
"Arrest? For what? For asking questions?" Chloe raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms in defiance. "I don't think that's a crime, Sheriff."
Diana stepped forward, her cold gaze fixed on Ethan. "You need to watch your tone. We're not criminals, we're just trying to understand what's going on."
Ethan stepped forward as well, his voice growing harsher. "Listen here, missy. Don't tell me how to do my job. This place is dangerous, and I don't want amateurs sticking their noses where they don't belong."
Before Diana could react, Tina came running from the opposite side of the site, her expression a mix of relief and worry. "Diana! Chloe! What are you doing here? Come on, let's get out of here before this gets worse."
Tina grabbed Diana's arm, trying to pull her away. Chloe hesitated but eventually followed. Diana shot one last look at Ethan before turning. "Rude man," she muttered with disdain, following Tina.
"You two stay away from here!" Ethan shouted as he watched them leave. "If I see you again, you're going straight to jail for obstruction."
Tina led the two to a more secluded spot near the car. She let go of Diana and huffed. "What were you thinking? Ethan has no patience for this kind of thing. You could have been arrested."
"He's insufferable," Diana replied, crossing her arms. "Talks like he owns the law. He's just covering up his own incompetence."
Chloe agreed, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. "He can't arrest anyone for asking questions. That just shows he's more concerned with control than justice."
Diana glanced at Chloe. "Do you always work with people like this?"
Chloe gave a mischievous smile. "More often than I'd like to admit. But trust me, we'll still find out the truth."
Tina sighed, watching the two as they walked together toward the car. 'If Clark could see this now, he'd be so happy,' she thought, a slight smile forming on her lips. She knew how much Clark valued peace and harmony among the important people in his life, and seeing them work together was a sign that things could work out.
"You two make a good team," Tina commented, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere that still lingered. "If you keep this up, not even the grumpy sheriff will be able to stop you."
Chloe laughed, throwing a quick glance at Diana. "Well, if Diana keeps intimidating everyone with that look of hers, I don't think we'll have many problems."
Diana raised an eyebrow, but a small smile softened her expression. "I just say what needs to be said. If that scares people, it's not my problem."
Tina looked at Diana and then at Chloe, feeling a pang of pride. 'They're so different, but there's something about them that works well together. Maybe I can be the balance between them, helping them understand what Clark sees in each of them.'
As they walked, Tina began to imagine ways to strengthen this friendship. 'Clark needs this. He carries so much on his own. If I can help keep the peace between them, I'll be doing my part as a friend.' A comforting warmth grew in her chest. Being useful to Clark was more than an obligation; it was a mission she embraced with enthusiasm.
"Diana, you have to admit," Tina began playfully, "having Chloe around is like having a radar for trouble. She always finds something."
"I noticed," Diana replied, looking at Chloe with an assessing gaze. "But for now, that's useful. Especially with men like that sheriff. He's clearly hiding something."
Chloe nodded, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. "And if he's trying to cover something up, we'll find out. But we need to be smart about it. I don't want to give him more reasons to stop us."
Tina watched the two attentively, admiring Chloe's determination and Diana's quiet strength. 'They really can work together. And I'll make sure it stays that way.'
When they reached Chloe's car, Diana stopped, looking at the horizon for a moment. "By the way," she began, turning to the two, "that man who was protesting yesterday... Joseph Willowbrook. He seemed genuinely concerned about this land."
"Do you think he could be involved in the explosion?" Chloe asked, furrowing her brow.
"I don't think so," Diana replied, her voice firm. "But he believes this land is sacred. There's something deeper going on here. Something we need to understand before jumping to conclusions."
Chloe stared at Diana for a moment before nodding slowly. "I agree. But that means we'll have to find him and hear what he has to say. It's the next logical step."
Tina smiled slightly, crossing her arms. "Looks like you two already have a plan. I think this is going to be interesting."
Diana looked at Tina with a slight smile. "You're going to help, aren't you?"
"Of course," Tina replied without hesitation. 'If it means helping Clark and making sure these two keep getting along, I'll do whatever it takes.'
As Chloe got into her car, Diana and Tina exchanged a knowing look. Tina knew she was in the middle of something important, something that could not only help solve this mystery but also solidify the bonds between the people who mattered most to Clark.
"See you soon," Chloe said, starting the engine. "Let's keep in touch. If you find anything, let me know."
"Will do," Tina replied, waving as Chloe's car drove away. She looked at Diana, the smile still on her face. "That went better than I expected."
Diana tilted her head, her expression thoughtful. "She's smart. I see why Clark trusts her. Maybe this will work out after all."
Tina smiled, feeling satisfied. 'Clark, I promise I'll make sure they stay like this. No matter what happens.'
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