Short, Light, Free Chapter 125

Chapter 125: Daytime Lady Ghost (Part 2) III

10 minutes later .

Four policemen sat down in the office and compared their findings .

"How confusing . "

"It's unexpected, isn't it? It doesn't line up . . . "

An officer picked up a form and browsed through it . He said, "This is your discovery, eh? It was strange on our side, too . "

"Did his wife own up?"

"No, but found out about something else . "

"Don't keep us in suspense . "

"Simple . The couple isn't on good terms . "

"What did you guys ask? Why did she even talk about this?"

"She didn't tell us about it, but we could tell . "

"What did you notice?"

"I can't point it out, but you'll understand if you heard what she said . It's pretty funny and strange at the same time . I'll play the recording so listen for yourselves . "

He took a recorder out and pressed play .

"Sorry to bring you here at this time and thank you for a.s.sisting with our investigation . We would like to know more about your husband . "

"Okay . "

"He did not go to work on June 3 . Why?"

"My tummy was aching so he brought me to a doctor . "

"Was he acting strangely that day?"

"No . "

"You didn't notice the dent in your car?"

"I was the one who did that . I wanted to drive but I ended up ramming the car against a curb . Did he do something wrong? Is it serious?"

"We'll answer all your questions later, but for now, please just answer us . We have every reason to suspect that you and your husband are in cahoots," one officer said, his brows wrinkled .

"Why?"

"We've brought you here to seek evidence, but there's a need for me to tell you what I'm about to say . " He leaned forward and said earnestly, "Have you thought it through? Your testimony will influence our verdict . Your husband's already admitted to killing her so why are you still lying? Fabricating lies to mislead us is a serious offense and we have every right to lock you up . "

"Wait . He killed somebody and even admitted it?"

The officers smiled slightly and one whispered to the other, "Continue fanning the fire . "

"Yes, he's admitted to it . We can sue you for obstruction of justice if you keep lying and we can detain you for 10 days . "

"I've done wrong," she admitted .

"That's good . Now, be honest with us and be responsible for your words . "

"Got it . He made me do it . "

"Your husband? What did he ask you to say?"

"I don't know anything . Will he be sentenced to death? He made me say these . I'm innocent . "

"Can you tell us everything that had happened? How did he coerce you?

"Who did he murder?"

The officers looked at each other .

She continued, "A colleague? Did he throw the body into the sea? I know that there's some misunderstanding between him and his colleague . He must've done it . "

"Sorry, but could you please tell us exactly how he  forced  you?"

"He a.s.saults me every day . He has a bad temper so I'm not even surprised that he's a murderer . "

"Your answers are becoming stranger . Is there any conflict between you two? What did he force you to do?"

"He forced me . Yes, he forced me . He told me not to answer anything . I've said everything . I hope he receives the punishment that he deserves . "

"Alright, moving on . Are you two on good terms?"

"No, we're great . Sir, he should be punished if he did something wrong . It's for his own good . How can he get away with murder? I don't know anything . I'm not working with him . "

One officer covered his ears and said softly, "Ask her about the clinic . "

"You had a tummy ache on the 3rd of June? Which clinic did you visit?"

"I forgot, sorry . He refused to take me to the hospital . There are so many clinics around, I really don't remember which . "

The other officer added softly, "There's no point asking further . Is she even his wife? There seems to be a serious feud between them . Did he get cuckolded by her?"

"You said your husband abuses you . Why, then, did he still pick up your call and send you to the clinic?"

"No, no . Sir, he might be ill . Erratic . "

"But it sounds like the problem is with you . You said he hit you? Any bruises?"

"I told you he's unstable . It's been a while since he hit me . "

"We're recording your every word . You said he a.s.sault you every day . "

"Yes, he does, but not with a lot of force so there are no marks . "

Again, the other officer whispered, "No point digging further . "

The investigating officer nodded . "Thank you for your cooperation . We will process the information you've provided . "

"Alright . Can I leave now?"

"Oh, can we visit your home tomorrow? We'll need to check your computer for data, and also the car's camera recordings . "

"No problem . Can I leave now?"

The officer stopped the recorder .

"Did you sense anything?"

"Disharmony? He's been cuckolded?"

"Exactly my thought . She wants him dead, it seems . "

"She was still acting fine until she discovered that he killed someone . "

"Ever thought of letting him hear this recording and see how he reacts?"

"Isn't she malicious? And here we are thinking that they are in cahoots with each other . "

"She must've cheated on him and wants to jump on this perfect opportunity to get rid of him . "

"Stop guessing and show a proof of that . "

"Speaking of proof, are we really following her to get the data from the camera and computer?"

"Wait . She's released?"

"Yes, long ago . "

"If she really has something against him, won't she go home and destroy the only evidence?"

"Evidence? What evidence?"

"The copy in the computer and car camera . You said you'll look for her tomorrow so won't she have time to destroy it? What's going to happen then?"

All four of them stood up at the same time .

"I'll give her a call . "

"She should still be on her way . Go after her, quick . "

Half an hour later, the policemen arrived at the parking lot and found the car in question .

The camera was already removed by then .

"We're in trouble . "

"Find her . We'll collect the evidence and find you guys later . "

The two other officers rushed up to the apartment and rang the bell .  

My wife opened the door very naturally .

"Hi, we're here to collect evidence . "

"You told me that earlier so I came back to look for it but it's been damaged . Perhaps it's because we haven't used that in a long time," she explained .

"It's our duty to charge you with obstruction of the law, Madam . "

"What? I don't know much about computers . It's spoiled . Are you convicting me because it's spoiled?"

"What about the car camera? Why is it gone?"

"What camera?"

"Please, follow me . "

"What have I done?"

They held onto her and one said, "It's obvious that there had been a camera installed but you're denying its existence . You're hindering our investigations . You'll have to follow us back to the center . Do not resist . It's an even bigger crime . "

The two policemen from the carpark came up and met with them .

"Bring her back and we'll stay to investigate," an officer instructed .

After 10 minutes of searching, one of them found the car's camera in the guest bedroom .

The other stared at the computer for a long time before dismantling it .

"Spoiled?"

"Yeah, it's been smashed before, there are marks here . The motherboard is damaged . Not a big problem, though . "

"Repairable?"

"No need, we'll just take the hard disk back . "

I waited impatiently for four hours until finally, an officer opened the cell door .

"You may leave, Mr . Chalk . "

"Really? Am I cleared?" I asked .

"We will remove you from our suspect list for now, but please do not leave the city as we may call you back anytime . "

"Did my wife testify?"

"Contrary . She's going to be detained for 10 days for obstructing the law . A piece of advice, you should be wary of that wife of yours . "

"Why?" I asked .

The officer only smiled .

I exited the police station with a grin on my face .

10 days later .

My wife returned home to a candlelight dinner that I had prepared .

"I know I did wrong, dear wife," I said as I lit the candles .

"It's all over . 10 days in exchange for half your lifetime? It's worth it," she said, the corner of her lip curling up .

10 minutes later . Four policemen sat down in the office and compared their findings . How confusing . It 39 s unexpected, isn 39 t it It doesn 39 t line up . . . An officer picked up a form and browsed through it . He said, This is your discovery, eh It was strange on our side, too . Did his wife own up No, but found out about something else . Don 39 t keep us in suspense . Simple . The couple isn 39 t on good terms . What did you guys ask Why did she even talk about this She didn 39 t tell us about it, but we could tell . What did you notice I can 39 t point it out, but you 39 ll understand if you heard what she said . It 39 s pretty funny and strange at the same time . I 39 ll play the recording so listen for yourselves . He took a recorder out and pressed play . . . . Sorry to bring you here at this time and thank you for a.s.sisting with our investigation . We would like to know more about your husband . Okay . He did not go to work on June 3 . Why My tummy was aching so he brought me to a doctor . Was he acting strangely that day No . You didn 39 t notice the dent in your car I was the one who did that . I wanted to drive but I ended up ramming the car against a curb . Did he do something wrong Is it serious We 39 ll answer all your questions later, but for now, please just answer us . We have every reason to suspect that you and your husband are in cahoots, one officer said, his brows wrinkled . Why We 39 ve brought you here to seek evidence, but there 39 s a need for me to tell you what I 39 m about to say . He leaned forward and said earnestly, Have you thought it through Your testimony will influence our verdict . Your husband 39 s already admitted to killing her so why are you still lying Fabricating lies to mislead us is a serious offense and we have every right to lock you up . Wait . He killed somebody and even admitted it The officers smiled slightly and one whispered to the other, Continue fanning the fire . Yes, he 39 s admitted to it . We can sue you for obstruction of justice if you keep lying and we can detain you for 10 days . I 39 ve done wrong, she admitted . That 39 s good . Now, be honest with us and be responsible for your words . Got it . He made me do it . Your husband What did he ask you to say I don 39 t know anything . Will he be sentenced to death He made me say these . I 39 m innocent . Can you tell us everything that had happened How did he coerce you Who did he murder The officers looked at each other . She continued, A colleague Did he throw the body into the sea I know that there 39 s some misunderstanding between him and his colleague . He must 39 ve done it . Sorry, but could you please tell us exactly how he forced you He a.s.saults me every day . He has a bad temper so I 39 m not even surprised that he 39 s a murderer . Your answers are becoming stranger . Is there any conflict between you two What did he force you to do He forced me . Yes, he forced me . He told me not to answer anything . I 39 ve said everything . I hope he receives the punishment that he deserves . Alright, moving on . Are you two on good terms No, we 39 re great . Sir, he should be punished if he did something wrong . It 39 s for his own good . How can he get away with murder I don 39 t know anything . I 39 m not working with him . One officer covered his ears and said softly, Ask her about the clinic . You had a tummy ache on the 3rd of June Which clinic did you visit I forgot, sorry . He refused to take me to the hospital . There are so many clinics around, I really don 39 t remember which . The other officer added softly, There 39 s no point asking further . Is she even his wife There seems to be a serious feud between them . Did he get cuckolded by her You said your husband abuses you . Why, then, did he still pick up your call and send you to the clinic No, no . Sir, he might be ill . Erratic . But it sounds like the problem is with you . You said he hit you Any bruises I told you he 39 s unstable . It 39 s been a while since he hit me . We 39 re recording your every word . You said he a.s.sault you every day . Yes, he does, but not with a lot of force so there are no marks . Again, the other officer whispered, No point digging further . The investigating officer nodded . Thank you for your cooperation . We will process the information you 39 ve provided . Alright . Can I leave now Oh, can we visit your home tomorrow We 39 ll need to check your computer for data, and also the car 39 s camera recordings . No problem . Can I leave now . . . The officer stopped the recorder . Did you sense anything Disharmony He 39 s been cuckolded Exactly my thought . She wants him dead, it seems . She was still acting fine until she discovered that he killed someone . Ever thought of letting him hear this recording and see how he reacts Isn 39 t she malicious And here we are thinking that they are in cahoots with each other . She must 39 ve cheated on him and wants to jump on this perfect opportunity to get rid of him . Stop guessing and show a proof of that . Speaking of proof, are we really following her to get the data from the camera and computer Wait . She 39 s released Yes, long ago . If she really has something against him, won 39 t she go home and destroy the only evidence Evidence What evidence The copy in the computer and car camera . You said you 39 ll look for her tomorrow so won 39 t she have time to destroy it What 39 s going to happen then All four of them stood up at the same time . I 39 ll give her a call . She should still be on her way . Go after her, quick . . . . Half an hour later, the policemen arrived at the parking lot and found the car in question . The camera was already removed by then . We 39 re in trouble . Find her . We 39 ll collect the evidence and find you guys later . The two other officers rushed up to the apartment and rang the bell . My wife opened the door very naturally . Hi, we 39 re here to collect evidence . You told me that earlier so I came back to look for it but it 39 s been damaged . Perhaps it 39 s because we haven 39 t used that in a long time, she explained . It 39 s our duty to charge you with obstruction of the law, Madam . What I don 39 t know much about computers . It 39 s spoiled . Are you convicting me because it 39 s spoiled What about the car camera Why is it gone What camera Please, follow me . What have I done They held onto her and one said, It 39 s obvious that there had been a camera installed but you 39 re denying its existence . You 39 re hindering our investigations . You 39 ll have to follow us back to the center . Do not resist . It 39 s an even bigger crime . The two policemen from the carpark came up and met with them . Bring her back and we 39 ll stay to investigate, an officer instructed . After 10 minutes of searching, one of them found the car 39 s camera in the guest bedroom . The other stared at the computer for a long time before dismantling it . Spoiled Yeah, it 39 s been smashed before, there are marks here . The motherboard is damaged . Not a big problem, though . Repairable No need, we 39 ll just take the hard disk back . . . . I waited impatiently for four hours until finally, an officer opened the cell door . You may leave, Mr . Chalk . Really Am I cleared I asked . We will remove you from our suspect list for now, but please do not leave the city as we may call you back anytime . Did my wife testify Contrary . She 39 s going to be detained for 10 days for obstructing the law . A piece of advice, you should be wary of that wife of yours . Why I asked . The officer only smiled . I exited the police station with a grin on my face . 10 days later . My wife returned home to a candlelight dinner that I had prepared . I know I did wrong, dear wife, I said as I lit the candles . It 39 s all over . 10 days in exchange for half your lifetime It 39 s worth it, she said, the corner of her lip curling up .