Dylan left his room dressed in black pajamas, his nostrils bombarded by an appetizing aroma. Walking downstairs, he saw two plates of hamburger steak with mashed potatoes and packs of beer.
Besides the food were work files neatly arranged, and Clara anxiously waited for him to come down. Blocking the television was a mobile whiteboard, which he used with Aria when they worked on cases together.
"Wow," Dylan mumbled, his whisper drawing Clara's attention.
Bat ears… Noted.' he shivered, walking down the stairs with a sweet smile.
"I didn't even think I had enough ingredients to make anything," Dylan said, admiring the dish for a second before shifting his gaze to her. "Thank you."
Her hair was tied back into a ponytail tail, revealing her soul-sapping gray eyes. Her abundant bosom jiggled with each movement, and for a moment even Dylan couldn't help but admit the red nightgown looked better on her.
Clara's face reddened, she lowered her gaze to the ground and awkwardly walked back to the couch. She picked up one of the files and buried her face into it, leaving Dylan a bit shocked by the awkward response to his compliment.
He shrugged and sat beside Clara, picking up a document.
"Let's go through everything we already know about this case." Dylan said, his voice was stern, and Clara nodded.
He waited until she ran over to the board with a can of beer in her hand and picked up the black marker.
"12:30 AM: 20 Shots and his two friends, Ramon Carter (victim) and Jamal Carter (witness/cousin), arrive at the Velvet Viper Club. They are seated at a table near the bar."
"12:45 AM: Drinks are served to the group. They start talking and laughing, with no noticeable tension at this time."
" 1:15 AM: The mood begins to shift. An argument breaks out between 20 Shots and Ramon, overheard by nearby patrons as being about money. Jamal attempts to calm them down."
"1:30 AM: The argument subsides temporarily as the group orders another round of drinks."
"1:50 AM: The group decides to leave the club. They head toward the parking lot at the back of the building."
"2:05 AM: The group steps out into the parking lot. Witnesses later reported that the argument reignited, becoming more heated."
"2:10 AM: A sudden power outage occurs, plunging the club and the surrounding area into darkness."
"2:12 AM: Gunshots ring out in the darkness. Multiple witnesses inside the club hear two or three shots but can't see anything."
"2:15 AM: Backup generators restore partial power to the club, and dim lights illuminate the parking lot."
"2:16 AM: 20 Shots is discovered kneeling over Ramon's body, his hands covered in blood. Jamal stands nearby, yelling that 20 Shots shot Ramon."
"2:18 AM: The club's owner (Jamal's uncle) and several patrons come outside and witness the scene. Jamal continues accusing 20 Shots of murder."
"2:25 AM: Someone from the club calls 911, reporting the incident."
"2:35 AM: Police arrive at the scene. 20 Shots is detained on suspicion of murder based on Jamal's accusations and circumstantial evidence."
"2:50 AM: 20 Shots are transported to the local precinct for questioning."
Dylan looked up, his eyebrows raising in confusion upon seeing Clara's messy writing.
Even a three-year-old can do better than this.
"Can you even read that?" Dylan blurted out in confusion.
At first, Clara was spooked, her eyes tracing Dylan's gaze to the board.
"Ooh, that… Yeah..." Clara's voice trailed off.
Dylan shook his head and picked up a can of beer, gulping down half of its contents in one go.
"This is gonna be a long night," Dylan mumbled, shifting his attention to the board. "Let's continue…"
Clara nodded, sneakily filling up her little mouth with beer as soon as Dylan lowered his gaze. Her bloated cheeks made her look weird in a funny way, and he faces turned red when she swallowed.
The entire scene was mesmerizing, but Dylan was too focused on what he was jotting down to notice.
{You will die alone and miserable.} The voice's words sounded more like a curse.
Dylan blinked, unsure why this system randomly threw jabs his way for no reason. He could only shrug and continued
"Important questions… What happened during the blackout? No cameras or witnesses provide clarity." Dylan read from the list he made me, while Clara enthusiastically scribbled words on the board.
"Who wiped the CCTV footage? Evidence suggests it was tampered with after the shooting." Dylan picked up his can as soon as he was done reading and emptied its contents in one gulp.
His attention shifted to Clara who was writing on the board. Watching her boobs jiggle under her dress made his nether region feel warm.
'No… No… no!' Dylan lowered his arm, using the document to cover the bulge in his pants.
Clara's attention was stolen by his frantic movements, but by the time she looked his face was buried in the document, and he was sweating even though it was cold.
"What was Jamal's role in the altercation? His connection to the club owner and his accusations make his story questionable." Dylan read out, his voice shaky.
"What was discussed that led to the fight… 20 Shots is hiding something," Dylan concluded, allowing his body to sink into the couch.
There were too many unanswered questions, but little time to get the answers. The Pretrial was tomorrow morning, and he didn't have a single piece of evidence.
"No, if I can't think long term, I'll focus short term. I may not have evidence, but I have what we need to get him out on bail." Dylan gleamed with a smile.