The Crime System

It Should Be the Piano

Luke handed her the cola, capped and untouched, and watched as she turned and started to leave, disappointed but understanding. The case still weighed heavily on his mind, but part of him wondered what else this morning had in store.

Looking up at the solemn, towering gate of Riverside Heights Middle School, Luke felt an odd heaviness in his legs, as if they were rooting him to the spot. The school loomed before him, intimidating and massive. Known as one of the most prestigious middle schools in the entire district, it was the place people would move mountains to get their kids into. And yet, here he was, about to enter.

Jenna Dalton—who would've guessed she was a student here? She was in the eighth grade, no less, with the High School Entrance Examination only a month and a half away. Even more surprising was the reason she didn't want her real father to attend this parent conference. It wasn't because her grades were poor but because they were almost too good. As it turned out, Jenna Dalton wasn't just a typical student. She was a genius at this school. Every mock exam she took, she was always ranked in the top three.

That wasn't all. This kid was special in other ways too. She'd told the school administration that she couldn't focus during the late-night recitations they held and preferred to study at home. None of her teachers had even argued—Jenna Dalton's academic performance gave her privileges that no one else could dream of. She just had to notify her "father" (ahem, Luke) about her plans, and they'd leave her to it.

But what her teachers didn't know was that Luke wasn't her father. Jenna Dalton had faked her parents' contact details multiple times. The reason she wanted out of those recitations wasn't so she could study but so she could sneak off to internet cafes. There, she spent hours teaching herself hacking and scamming people out of their accounts. Yet somehow, she always managed to keep her grades top-notch, so no one—not her parents, not her teachers—suspected a thing.

Honestly, Jenna Dalton's smartness made Luke feel a bit out of his depth. Walking through that school gate felt like walking into a world he didn't belong in. His heart pounded, and he broke into a sweat. Funny, he'd never been this nervous, even when he'd waltzed into g**g territory alone before. But here, pretending to be someone's dad at a parent conference? That had him on edge. He was beginning to regret agreeing to this whole charade.

Then again, Jenna Dalton had known exactly how to play him. She'd looked him in the eye and delivered the knockout line, "Think about it. Both of our lives are at stake here. If you don't come to the parent conference with me, my scamming will be exposed! And when it does, you won't get any money! Also, you might even face heavy repercussions since you're a policeman!"

It was a checkmate. Luke could've walked away, sure, but he had too much at stake to risk it. With no other choice, he'd reluctantly agreed to be her "dad" for the day.

"Don't worry," Jenna Dalton tried to reassure him, probably seeing how tense he was. "It's just a parent conference. All you have to do is sit and listen! If my school teacher asks you to make a speech, say something random. Just don't mention why I skip night recitations!"

He had no choice but to follow her lead.

She led him inside, swiping her access card at the gate, and they walked toward the music building. The place had an old-school feel, with faded eaves and pillars that looked like they'd been there since the '70s or '80s. Yellow, five-pointed stars decorated the walls, faded and chipped with age.

To avoid disrupting the students in class, the parent conference was set up in the music building's lobby—a spacious hall that could hold a hundred people. They were strict at the entrance, though; parents had to scan a w******p code to sign in. Fortunately, Jenna Dalton had already taken care of that, and Luke got in without a hitch.

With the students busy in their classes, Jenna Dalton left him at the door and hurried off. She threw a few worried glances back at him, and he did his best to give her a reassuring nod before he walked into the hall and grabbed a seat near the front.

The eavesdropper in his mind was still on high alert. Even though Luke was "on dad duty," he couldn't let his real job slip. Team B was working a case, and he had to stay tuned in, even if it meant multitasking.

There was still some time before the conference started, so the hall wasn't crowded yet. Near him, a forty-something woman caught sight of the piano on the stage. She looked delighted and went up to it, her hands dancing over the keys as she started playing a gentle yet intricate tune.

It turned out she wasn't just some casual player—she was incredible. Her music floated across the hall, lifting everyone's spirits. A small group of parents gathered around her, all captivated. Luke had to admit, crude as he might be, he enjoyed music, and this tune had him leaning back in his seat, utterly absorbed. Her skill was undeniable.

But something strange happened. As he watched her hands gliding gracefully over the keys, he couldn't help but notice her beauty, long and delicate. And, perhaps thanks to the Maimed Case he'd been working on, an unsettling thought crept into his mind: What would be the best way to chop off hands like those?

Her hands danced over the keys, conjuring notes so vivid and emotional it was like the music was alive. The entire room was spellbound. When she finished, there was a moment of awed silence before the crowd burst into applause.

"Hehehe… Shaun's mom!" a woman nearby praised. "I never realized you were such a pro! You're better than most professionals!"

The pianist blushed, downplaying the compliment. "Oh, I haven't played in years! But, yeah, back in the day, reaching level ten in piano was a real achievement."

"Oh, you're level ten?" another woman gasped. "How have we known each other all these years without you ever mentioning it?"

The pianist laughed humbly. "It's not like it's my career, so I never felt the need to brag. But being back here makes me nostalgic. Twenty years ago, I was here for a piano tournament, hoping to get into the Central Music School. This old building might look outdated now, but back then, Riverside Heights Middle School was the place to be for anyone serious about music. If I'd pushed a bit harder, maybe I'd be living a different life now!"

Another mom chimed in with a laugh. "But if you'd gone to music school, you might not have had your son Shaun learn it."

Everyone chuckled, but Luke was too busy feeling like he'd been struck by lightning. Something in his mind clicked, and he shot out of his seat.

Piano, he thought. Could the key to the Maimed Case be here, right in front of him?