Chapter 196 Good Acting Skills and Tension
Police Department Hospital.
Elbert lay on the hospital bed, looking pale and a bit scared as he faced several officers from the Inspectorate.
"Don't be nervous," the lead officer said, trying to calm him down. "We're just here to ask about Jasper's death."
"Okay," Elbert nodded, stammering, "I'll cooperate fully."
The officers took their seats, and the lead officer said, "Since only you and Alexander were there when Jasper was killed, and both suspects are dead, our investigation team is now on the case. From now on, everything you say will be recorded. Got it?"
"I understand," Elbert nodded.
"How long have you been interning at the Black Street District precinct?" the lead officer asked, crossing his legs.
"Not even a month," Elbert replied nervously, sweat forming on his forehead.
The lead officer smiled, "Elbert, relax. This is just standard procedure. Don't stress too much."
"Okay, I understand."
"Good," the lead officer unscrewed a water bottle and asked casually, "Have you been following Alexander since you got to the precinct?"
"Yes, I'm in Team Three, interning under Deputy Captain James."
"Captain James takes good care of you?"
"Yes, he's very patient with newcomers."
"Okay," the lead officer took a sip of water. "And Captain Lane, have you interacted with him much?"
"Only once, during the formal induction into Team Four."
"What do you think of Jasper? Was he a good person?" the lead officer asked, as if making small talk.
Elbert hesitated and replied, "I didn't interact with him much, so I don't have any special impressions of him."
"Your precinct has a lot of news, right?" the lead officer suddenly asked, sitting up straight. "I heard Jasper and Alexander had a very tense relationship."
"I just got here. I usually just follow Captain James on cases, so I haven't heard about any conflicts between them," Elbert shook his head.
"Do you really not know, or are you afraid to say?"
"Sir, I'm just a intern. I wouldn't know about any conflicts among the higher-ups," Elbert explained anxiously.
"Okay," the lead officer pondered for a moment and then asked softly, "Tell us about what happened when Jasper was killed."
Elbert took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on the officers as he replied, "I first called for backup on the radio, and shortly after, Captain Lane arrived and asked me to go with him into the building to apprehend the criminals. He was worried they might commit suicide, and we wouldn't be able to capture them alive. He also thought they might notify their accomplices."
"What was Alexander doing at that time?"
"He was unconscious from a gunshot wound," Elbert responded without hesitation.
"You're sure he was unconscious, right?"
"I'm sure," Elbert nodded.
"So, you're the only one who knows the full story," the lead officer stared intently at Elbert.
"Yes."
"Alright, continue," the lead officer gestured for him to go on.
Elbert paused, trying to remember everything before stammering, "I... I went into the building with Captain Lane. Just as we were about to go upstairs, the criminals came down. We had a standoff, and Captain Lane ordered them to drop their guns. One of them shouted something like, 'You want to silence me? If I'm going down, we're all going down.' I can't remember exactly because I was really nervous. Then Captain Lane tried to persuade them but they refused and shot me in the abdomen. In the chaos, Captain Lane also fired, and we both got hit and fell."
"Before the operation, everyone wore bulletproof vests. Why didn't Jasper?"
"I... I don't know. Maybe because Captain Lane was in charge, so he didn't wear one."
"Are you sure your account is accurate?"
"Yeah," Elbert nodded nervously.
The lead officer whispered a few words to his assistant and then asked Elbert more detailed questions about the incident.
After nearly two hours of questioning, the lead officer stood up and said, "That's all for today. We'll contact you again. In the meantime, keep this conversation confidential."
Elbert nodded repeatedly and then nervously asked, "Sir, will this incident cost me my job? I was really scared, but my gun was out of bullets. The investigation team can verify that. And after Captain Lane was shot, I immediately apprehended the criminal."
"We'll see if the scene matches your account," the lead officer replied with a smile, "Take care and don't worry."
With that, the officers left.
Elbert watched them leave, his expression gradually calming.
In the hallway outside, the assistant asked softly, "Captain Cooper, it looks like Jasper's death will remain an unsolved case."
"Definitely," the lead officer nodded. "This young intern was scared out of his wits. He probably didn't lie, and his statements hit the key points. For example, why did Jasper return alone after the call for backup? Isn't that strange? But it fits with what the intern said."
"Fits what?"
"The criminal's words: 'You want to silence me? If I'm going down, we're all going down.' Think about those words and why Jasper returned alone, and why Alexander was suddenly shot."
The officers were stunned.
"How am I supposed to investigate such a murky case?" the lead officer sighed. "Investigate too much, and who knows where it will lead."
"So, Jasper...?"
"All we can do is mourn him at the memorial service," the lead officer replied sarcastically, then turned and walked away. "Let's go eat."
Throughout the incident, Elbert never mentioned Alexander, insisting he was unconscious. This statement saved Alexander a lot of trouble.
A police captain being shot dead at a crime scene, with all suspects also dead, was no small matter. If Alexander hadn't been unconscious, the Inspectorate's ongoing investigation would have made his life miserable. Not to mention the internal review by the precinct, which could have had severe consequences. A single wrong word from Alexander could have been disastrous.
But Elbert's statement that Alexander was unconscious shielded him from all problems, making it unnecessary for Samuel to say anything more.
Was that convenient? Very convenient.
In the planned area.
Andrew looked at his phone before saying to the group, "Alexander is injured again and can't move in the hospital. I need to go back to Pine City to take over his work."
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