"As long as your description matches the scene, I will naturally let them go."

"You mean it?"

"Of course."

"I'm not of age yet. Can I get a lighter sentence?"

"If you cooperate with the police, I can try to help you out. My colleague isn't very fond of Rachel either, so you two have something in common on that front."

Triss's brother glanced at Little Black, "Glad you still know who you are?"

Little Black said, "Kid, I'm a cop first, understand?

Quit the nonsense and confess."

"I hate Rachel. He's a jerk; always cursing and frequently causing trouble at our place. If we couldn't pay the rent, he'd curse us out and scrutinize my sister. I despise him and wanted to beat him up badly.

We moved out of his apartment half a year ago, but I never took my revenge immediately for fear he would suspect me.

So, I waited for the right moment—his birthday.

I bought his favorite matcha cake, spiked it with sleeping pills, the idiot fell asleep with cream still on his lips.

Then, I stuffed crap in his mouth and stole his watch, his figurines, and his revolver."

"I hated that revolver. He bought it just to intimidate us, always flaunting it around."

"He fancied himself as Rick from 'The Walking Dead.' What does that make us?

Zombies?

Or just meat?"

Not killing him was already merciful on my part.

He had it coming. I don't regret it."

Little Black looked at him, his expression complicated, "How did you even think to stuff dog crap in his mouth?"

"I think his mouth is worse than dog crap. Any problem with that?"

Little Black shrugged. "No, I want to say, well done!"

Triss's brother looked at Luke, "Now, can you release my sister and Theodore?"

"I'd like to, but the problem is, the revolver has gone missing. Reveal where the revolver is, and I'll release them."

"I gave the revolver to Theodore."

"Why? You gave him the watch, and now the gun? Are you that generous?"

"He bought it from me.

I wasn't planning to steal the gun, but then I overheard Theodore wanted one and was underage to buy it, so I brought it along.

Theodore gave me five hundred US dollars."

Luke confirmed, "So you're saying the gun is with Theodore?"

"Yes."

Luke recalled, "Last time we came to arrest Theodore, you ran not to divert the cops but because you were afraid the cops would catch you for theft?"

"That's right. After you released me, I thought I had escaped. But I don't regret it. Just thinking of Rachel with dog crap in his mouth makes me laugh even now."

Afterwards, Luke had the patrol officer take Triss's brother back to the station.

Little Black sighed, "You know what? I'm really glad I became a cop, otherwise... I can't even imagine."

Luke patted his shoulder, "Now's not the time for reflections. Theodore is our main focus."

...

An hour later.

Police Detective Bureau.

Interrogation Room.

Theodore, handcuffed to the interrogation chair, glared at Luke and Xiao Hei, "What exactly do you want from me? I've already said, I didn't steal anything, and I certainly didn't kill anyone."

"According to Triss's brother, Kabo Lier, he said he sold a handgun to you for US Dollar 500, didn't he?"

"I can't remember."

"No problem, we will bring him here to confront you. If he lies, we will add one more charge of perjury. What do you think about that?"

"Why are you forcing me?"

"No one is forcing you; you've been lying and have gotten yourself into this situation. Telling the truth is your only way out."

"I sold that gun."

"To whom?"

"I don't know him; it was a cash transaction. He gave me money, and I gave him the gun."

Luke flipped open his notebook, ready to record, "How did you contact him? For how much? Where did the transaction take place? Don't lie to the police."

"It happened on the street. I saw some guy skulking around with a mask, and I asked him if he wanted to buy a gun. He said yes.

Then, I sold it to him for US Dollar 700. It was just what each needed, so there shouldn't have been any trouble."

Luke laughed. "You're using the same tactics with guns that burglars use with phones. Do you think the police are fools, that they would believe anything?"

"I am telling the truth, and I've said before that at the time of the shooting, I was with Triss. I simply didn't have time to commit the crime."

"The police checked the surveillance footage from the gas station on Route 1 according to your and Triss's statements. They did see a Toyota at two-thirty in the afternoon.

The shooting happened at three twenty in the afternoon; you had plenty of time to get back to downtown to commit the crime."

Theodore argued, "I told you, I was playing poker with Triss; I couldn't have gotten back that quickly."

"You said it was just over two minutes. Let me round it up to three minutes for you. From 2:33 to 3:20 p.m., 47 minutes is still enough time to get back.

If you want to prove you didn't have time to commit the crime, explain your whereabouts during that time clearly."

Theodore's complexion changed slightly. "I'm telling the truth, and if you don't believe me, you can check for yourself."

"The LAPD isn't superhuman; investigating takes time, and we can only check things one at a time. You know your own business best; if you're innocent, why not cooperate with the police?"

Theodore bit his lip, showing a hesitant expression, and took a deep breath. "I have nothing else to say."

"Then let me make a hypothetical conjecture."

Luke stood up and paced, "You can't forget Josie, the cheerleading captain. You think she looked down on you, and she even called the police on you, which made you very angry. After buying the gun from Kabo Lier, you thought about taking revenge, then you planned this shooting with others.

You went to the school and didn't find Josie, but you saw her friend Barbara."

You shot Barbara, wounding her; you knew they were friends and hoped to draw Josie out this way."

Then, you saw Josie coming out of the women's restroom and took the gun to hold her hostage in there and shot her."

Theodore looked furious. "No, I didn't do that; you're framing me."

Luke spread his hands. "I'm just making a conjecture based on the available evidence and clues. If you think it's wrong, you can refute it."

Theodore clenched his fists tightly, his cheeks flushed red. "I want to see a lawyer."

Luke felt a bit regretful; indeed, his theory had holes that a real gunman might notice.

Unfortunately, Theodore did not react clearly to this.

Luke suddenly thought that if he also understood microexpression analysis, he might be able to see Theodore's true reaction at this moment.

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