Love, Lies & Amen

Chapter three

Dante's pov

The station was bustling with activity, which was normal since it was Monday. I could see everyone was busy doing one thing or the other trying to either finish or find breakthroughs in their cases.

Chief has really been on our necks lately to finish more cases, but we've been really behind, and the month is almost over.

“I need to round up this case quickly.” I thought to myself. It's been a week now since I've been investigating this Grace case. I can't believe it isn't over yet with that over privileged boy behind bars. “Why would the chief think we needed to look further into it when his fingerprints were clearly found all over the crime scene.” I kept on thinking to myself.

“Hey boss,” Zeke called out. I immediately snapped out of it and walked towards him.

“What's it? Are there any new leads?”

“Not really, but I think the CCTV footage showing the victim's street has been tampered with.”

“What do you mean?"

“Look here,” He said, turning the screen towards me.

“Watch this video. See how the video plays smoothly at first? Now watch the time. See how it jumps a whole 30 minutes forward.”

“Is this why you called me Zeke?” I said, using my hands to rub my forehead to try and relieve a bit of stress.

“But boss, what if someone intentionally messed with the footage, maybe it was the person who killed….”

“I'm gonna stop you right there, Zeke. I know you are a newbie, and you are very eager, but things like these are not new. Sometimes, there are irregularities in some CCTV footage, maybe due to how old the cameras are.”

“Really?” Zeke said, looking at the screen, unsure.

“We have our criminal, and that is Daniel, we just need to find more concrete evidence that he can not wriggle out of himself even with help from his father.” I said, instantly squeezing my face when I mentioned his father.

I hated when wealthy people used their power to escape any form of punishment. It disgusts me, especially when they do things that affect innocent people who have no one to defend them.

“But why would he kill his best friend?” Zeke asked.

“Why do rich people do anything?” I asked sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

He still looked confused, so I sighed and said “I guess her death benefits him one way or another.”

“Okay boss.”

I walked back to my desk, picking up the case file again. While going through it, I saw that it said she had no relatives, meaning she was alone. Cases like these usually end up as nothing as time passes with everyone forgetting, but this case wasn't like that because a well-known person is involved or, as the news says, a prime suspect.

I don't care what the public thinks. I'll make sure to prove Daniel is the one who did it and see him behind bars even if it's the last thing I do, I thought, determined.

Daniel's pov

I was in a small coffee shop at the edge of town. It was quaint with a simple interior and just a few sets of tables and chairs. It also had this strange woody smell but not in a bad way. It's a smell that reminds you of strolling through a forest when it just finished raining. It is a comforting scent and matches perfectly with the wooden interior.

I was sitting at the far back of the shop beside the widow. I wore a sweatshirt with joggers and also put on a face cap with a nose mask to avoid attention. I was still all over the news and needed to be careful.

I finally saw Jake walking into the shop, looking like he had no care in the world, and I knew he had a lot on his mind, my case being part of it. I don't know how he does that, especially with the nature of his work.

When he entered, he looked around the shop and spotted me. He walked briskly toward me and sat down.

“What's up, man? What do you think of this place?” he asked.

“It's nice, I guess. And since only a few people come and go, it's perfect for our meeting place.”

“I knew you would like it. Now let's order something.”

I just stared at him blankly as he walked to the counter where a lady sat scrolling through her phone, looking uninterested. I can never understand how carefree Jake is. We are here to discuss the investigation, and he is there just ordering cakes and coffee, I thought to myself, baffled.

A few minutes later, I saw both of them laughing and just rolled my eyes. Jake always knew how to charm ladies, but weirdly, he had never dated anyone. Jake had everything any girl would want. He wasn't bad looking. He has a way with words and is an absolute gentleman, so girls always throw themselves on him. Some even go as far as sleeping with him in hopes that he would date them, but in the end, it's just good s*x to Jake and mostly ends at that.

He finally came back with two cupcakes and two cups of coffee. I just stared at him as he ate. I didn't have an appetite, so I just waited for him to finish.

“That girl is nice.” he randomly said while eating.

“Why don't you date her then.” I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

“No.” he replied simply.

He finished eating and looked at me and saw me staring out the window with a lost expression.

“I'm sorry about Grace.” he said, and I immediately looked back at him.

“Thanks dude.”

“I only knew Grace briefly, so I don't know her as much as you do, but I'm good at reading people, and I know she didn't deserve that.”

I just sighed, knowing it didn't change what happened to her.

“Let’s just work on finding who actually did this to her.” I replied.

“Sure, so I passed by her street yesterday, and it's still being heavily monitored. It will take a while for me to be able to check out her house myself.”

“Don't you think the police would have gathered all the necessary evidence?”

“Don't you trust me? There's one thing I know for sure, that something is definitely missing in this case, which I hope to find in her house.”

“I trust you, dude. Is my dad still really angry about this case?”

“Your dad is a complicated man. When I'm with him, it's mostly just work he discusses, and let's be honest, is there ever a time he isn't in a bad mood?”

“You're right.”

“I guess we are done for today. Will you come to my place?”, Jake asked as he stood up.

“Nah man, I have to go somewhere.”

“Alright, see you tomorrow.”

“Bye.”

I watched Jake leave and sat for another five minutes before leaving. I entered a taxi and stopped in front of a cathedral. I entered, keeping my head low the whole time.

I sat in the back. There were only a few people inside at that time, and I just stared at the choir singing a hymn.

I've never been in a church before and never thought to go but recently I've been coming here. This was Grace's church, and being here just reminds me of her and comforts me sometimes.