Merry turned around and quickly picked it up, clutching it in her hand with an innocent nod of thanks. At that very moment, as she stood holding the envelope, James's sharp gaze caught something, a man in the back, his expression betraying him. His eyes flickered nervously toward the envelope, and for a split second, he tensed up, his jaw tightening. The microexpression was brief but enough for James to zero in on him.
There you are, James thought, narrowing his eyes slightly as he shifted his attention fully to the man, now convinced he'd found his killer.
James watched the man closely for another second before deciding to act. Keeping his composure, he addressed the room, "Thank you for your cooperation. If you'll give us just a moment, we need to discuss something."
Turning slightly, he stepped closer to Merry and whispered in her ear, "The guy in the back, wearing the gray suit, standing near the door. He's the one. We need to move before he tries to slip out."
Merry's eyes widened slightly, but she quickly nodded, understanding the urgency. "What's the plan?" she whispered back.
"You go behind him, unnoticed," James murmured. "Get to him quietly and cuff him before he makes a move. Don't let him leave this room."
Merry gave a subtle nod, then moved casually, circling the room to avoid drawing attention. She kept her eyes on the target, her heart racing slightly as she prepared to make the arrest.
Merry moved swiftly, positioning herself right behind the man in the gray suit. In one smooth motion, she pulled out her handcuffs and snapped them around his wrists before he even had a chance to react.
"You are under arrest for the murder of Darren Merv," she said loud, her voice sharp and unwavering.
The man immediately protested, his eyes wide with shock. "What?! This is a mistake! I didn't do anything!"
Before he could cause a scene, James stepped in front of him, his hand casually in his pocket, a calm but intense look on his face. He leaned in close, whispering into the man's ear, "I know you poisoned Darren. You thought no one would figure it out, but you made a mistake. No one else knows, yet. But I do."
The man's eyes darted nervously before he tried to regain his composure. "You've got no proof," he hissed through clenched teeth. "Uncuff me right now. This is harassment!"
James's smirk widened slightly, unbothered by the man's outburst. He leaned in just a bit closer, his voice calm but sharp. "You know, there was a laptop on Darren's desk. Right?" He paused, watching the man's expression shift. "Fortunately for me—and unfortunately for you—it was recording. You really think Darren was a fool? He knew something was up."
The man's face drained of color, the confidence he'd tried to maintain slipping away. He stammered, his eyes widening as reality sank in. his protests dying in his throat as James's words hit him like a punch. He stared at James, realizing his facade was cracking, and any further denial would be useless.
With that, Darren's murderer was finally caught. A few minutes later, the police arrived and took the suspect to the FDA for further interrogation.
As James and Merry stepped out of the dealership, James glanced up at the clear sky, enjoying the pleasant weather. "You did good today," he said, a hint of approval in his voice.
With that, Darren's murderer was finally caught. A few minutes later, the police arrived and took the suspect to the FDA for further interrogation.
As James and Merry stepped out of the dealership, James glanced up at the clear sky, enjoying the pleasant weather. "You did good today," he said, a hint of approval in his voice.
"Oh, look at that, a compliment from James. Mark this day in history!" she teased, smiling.
James's eyes locked on her smile, and for a moment, something stirred within him, a feeling he had never experienced before. His senses and all his IQ couldn't make sense of it. Realizing he was staring, James quickly snapped back to reality, clearing his throat and looking away. "Anyway," he said, trying to shake off the moment, "You're taking a cab today. I'm not dropping you," and he turned to walk away.
Merry rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "You're never gonna change, jerk!" she called after him.
But despite his words, James stopped by his car and, with a sigh, motioned for her to get in. "Come on, I'm dropping you off," he muttered. Merry smirked in triumph as she climbed into the car, leaving James to wonder just what that strange feeling had been.
Next day
Today was a special day. They were about to get a rank up. all of them were sitting in the room having some chit-chat before they got to go to the FDA hall to get the certification of new rank
Marcus, looking reflective, turned to James and said, "I have to thank you for everything, James."
James, lounging in his usual relaxed manner, with a handkerchief covering his eyes, replied, "You're welcome. But, I have a favor to ask…I don't want to attend this ceremony."
"It's up to you. We can grab the new tier badge for you," Marcus said.
Ben, with a grin, added, "That super hot detective from another team is gonna be at the ceremony. I wish I was on her team."
James, with a smirk, said, "Well, since I've got nothing else to do, maybe I'll join you guys for the ceremony."
Merry, her patience wearing thin, shot him a look, thinking, 'Not only is he a jerk, but a pervert too.' She bit back her irritation as James casually ignored her reaction.
marcus got a call that ceremony is about to start and they all need to assemble in FDA hall immediately
Marcus received a call, signaling that the ceremony was about to begin. "We need to assemble in the FDA hall immediately," he informed the team.
They all stood up, making their way to the hall. The FDA hall was grand, with high ceilings adorned with modern chandeliers casting a soft glow across the room. Rows of chairs were neatly arranged in front of an elevated stage where the certification ceremony would take place. Large banners displaying the FDA logo hung on the walls, adding a sense of pride and professionalism to the space.
Several teams had already gathered. Some were chatting excitedly, while others stood quietly, exuding a calm confidence. Among them were teams from various ranks, wearing badges that displayed their current tier. The room buzzed with energy as everyone awaited their moment to be recognized.
As James, Merry, Marcus, and Ben entered, they caught sight of a few familiar faces…other detectives who had crossed paths with them in previous cases. Some teams, clearly competitive, eyed them with a mixture of curiosity and rivalry. The air was thick with anticipation.
"Hey, isn't that the guy who solved three cases in three days?" one person murmured to their teammate.
"Yeah, that's him. Was it just luck, or is he actually that good?" another whispered, glancing at James with a mix of curiosity and skepticism.
Merry caught wind of the gossip, stealing a glance at James to see how he'd react. But, as usual, he remained unfazed, walking with his hands casually tucked in his pockets, seemingly oblivious to the attention. His calm, almost indifferent demeanor only fueled more speculation.
Ben leaned over to Merry, smirking. "Did you hear that?"
Merry rolled her eyes. "They've probably never met someone as annoying as James, lucky them." she muttered.
James nudged Ben. "So, where's that hot detective you were talking about?"
Ben pointed subtly. "Right there, in front. Look."
James scanned the crowd and spotted her. "Oh, there she is. Damn, you weren't kidding…she's hot. If she were in my team, I'd be too distracted to work."
Ben grinned. "Exactly! Even Marcus wouldn't stand a chance."
James glanced over at Marcus, who was completely focused on his wife, Mina, standing across the room. "I wouldn't be so sure about that," he muttered.
Merry, overhearing their conversation, turned toward them with an annoyed glare. "Learn something from Marcus! At least he knows where his priorities are," she snapped, directing her frustration mostly at james. "And you, James… Well, you're a jerk. That's no surprise."
James, with a teasing grin, leaned in and shot back, "Oh, come on, Merry. Don't tell me you're just mad because no one's looking at you like that, huh? Jealousy much?"
Merry's face turned red with anger, her eyes flashing with frustration. "You're unbelievable!" she snapped, her voice barely controlled. Without another word, she spun on her heel, storming off toward the front of the room where the other detectives were gathered, leaving James smirking behind her.
Ben shook his head, laughing under his breath. "She might actually kill you one day"
James shrugged, still grinning. "That would be the least she could do for me."