Cold Case

Chapter 26: Why?

“What are you talking about Sir, I didn’t put poison on your food, I am just the one who arranges the boxes but I did not do anything like that.” The woman immediately explained, she almost cried to want words she heard from the officer, “did they say I did it? Did they all say I can do something like that?”

“Why would you think they pointed their finger at you?” Lorente asked, “they said you guys have been working together for almost 8 years, do you think they will stab you?”

“Then why are you asking me if you are really sure that I did it? Why are you asking like I poison that person?” The woman lost her cool, now she can’t calm herself in front of the officer.

“Please calm down, I just want to see your reaction if I ask you that. Please sit down.” Lorente tried to calm the woman.

“Oh gosh, why did you even do that? I thought I would go to prison even I am innocent.” She looked so devastated; she put her palm in her face.

Her body trembled, making the officer feel so sorry about what he said to her, but what could he do? Could this be part of his plan to know if his deduction is right.

“So you are saying, you are innocent, right, but can I ask if you have any idea who can do that kind of thing? Do you think one of your co-workers had an issue with officers back then?”

“No, I don’t have any idea. I have known them for too long and I can’t think they will pull something like that, only one person cross in my mind but I don’t want to judge him because his looks like can’t do anything bad and my one co-working always said the young man is good and he take care of her grandparents.”

Lorente nodded his head, they avoided the man but still not pointing their fingers to him and only one person did. He smirked.

“Okay, sit still.” He said and walked toward the door and let the others come back inside, “please sit all of you. I am thankful for your cooperation and because of that I am really sure who did it.”

He glanced at the woman who only bowed her head, her whole body trembled but still did not want to admit her crime. No one tried to speak; they waited for the officer to say her name.

“So are you going to keep quiet even though you are already exposed?” Lorente said.

“It is true, Mich?” The middle-aged man asks his co-worker, “why? Why did you do that? Do you have some problem or did someone tell you to do it?” The man asked, but the woman remained silent.

All of them just remain silent; even the CEO is lost for words to say. She can not even believe what is the result of the individual interview.

“How did you know that she was the one who did it?” The CEO couldn’t help but to ask. The woman had become her employee in almost a year already but she did nothing wrong. So now she can’t understand why she did it.

“In the first interview, I already eliminate the two of them. First, your sister and second is the delivery boy.”

“W-what, you already eliminated them from the start? How did you know they were innocent?” The CEO asked.

“Because it is already given that your sister will not do something like that. Second, if the delivery man has put something on the food, the packages will be damaged but no, there is no trace. So, the only suspects for this case are the ones who do the packaging the foods and give to the delivery guy, chopping and the arranging the packaging boxes and plastics.”

“Then how did you know that she is the culprit?” The middle-aged man asked again.

“Because she’s the one who chops the vegetables and the last person who can put something on the foods without suspicion of the others,” Lorente explained, “I am right, Ms. Mish?”

“Yes I did it! So what, she deserves it! When my mom told me that my step sister was in the police station, I was so happy then the opportunity came, all I needed was to put something in her food. The fresh onion leaves as the toppings of her favorite food plus the poison from someone I don’t know. She died!” The woman looks insane now.

“So someone did give you the poison? Did they tell you to kill your step-sister or did you really do it on your own?” Lorente asked.

“I-I did it because they said that my sister is insane! They said that my sister was a criminal and our family would be ruined! They said if I kill her no one will ever know because all I need to do is to blame the others for my sin.” Now, she was crying.

The people in the room can’t help but to feel so depressed about the confession.

“Do you hate your step sister that much? She looks so young yet she was working and not studying. At her age she should be in her college, but why?” Another question from Lorente

“N-no, I did not hate her. We are close even, our mother is different, but I can’t let him drag the name of our family!” She shouted.

“But do you think you and I are different? You both killed someone, but your sister kills someone for money, but you, what is your reason?”

The woman becomes silent.

“I don’t know, they said I should do it.”

“Who are they?” Lorente said.

“Them, the ones who gave me the poison; they are from the university where that delivery man is studying. I know from their uniforms.”