The Crime System

The Glimpse for Evidence

After an entire afternoon of digging through leads, dead ends, and desperate hunches, Aaron Dawson and Adam Mercer finally figured out why the cameras had failed to capture the BMW's driver. The forensic department, after reexamining the footage, had found a small but crucial clue—a thin layer of glue residue on the BMW's windshield. Something had definitely been stuck on the inside, likely some kind of one-way glass sticker.

Apparently, this special type of one-way film had been imported, usually reserved for magicians in their grand illusion acts. It allowed the driver to see out while concealing the inside to any outside observer—much more opaque than any standard tint. The whole setup had been flawlessly planned out by the culprit. But as Luke knew too well, the more a criminal tried to execute the perfect crime, the more evidence they left behind.

"If you ask me…" Adam Mercer muttered, lowering his voice, glancing around to make sure no one was in earshot. He lit a cigarette, then took a deep drag before continuing, "This Maimed Case is just about solved! My senior always said: the harder a criminal tries to leave no trace, the more they leave behind. It's always like that."

"Why?" Luke asked, more out of curiosity than doubt.

Adam Mercer blew a smoke ring in Luke's direction. "If this tape is as rare as it seems, all we need to do is trace its source. Whoever bought it, online or not, will be on our radar soon enough." He let out another puff, nodding at the whiteboard cluttered with Luke's thoughts and theories. "But if you ask me, that board of yours is full of nonsense. The answer's right here in the tape."

It was frustrating, but Luke knew Adam had a point. For all the intricate plotting, one oversight could unravel everything. If they traced this film, they might actually find the person responsible for the Maimed Case. But there was no time to waste—Luke was staying focused, determined to act the moment this suspect popped up.

Just then, Aaron Dawson and Adam Mercer closed their files, grabbed their jackets, and started wrapping up for the night.

"What? Leaving already?" Luke checked his watch—still an hour until the end of the shift.

"If it weren't for Captain's orders, we'd have been out of here already," Adam Mercer laughed.

Aaron Dawson shot Luke a pitying look as he pulled his coat on. "Don't wear yourself out, Luke. We can kill ourselves solving this case, but in the end, it's Team A Leader and Team B Leader who'll get the credit." He paused, eyeing Luke like a concerned brother. "Come on, let's go play pool instead."

Luke felt a pang of something—disappointment, maybe, or pity—as he watched them. Not every cop was in this for justice, or so it seemed. Some just wanted to escape the desk, to do something outside the endless, thankless cycle of cold cases. He'd be damned if he ended up like that.

"It's fine. I've got my hands full with this case," Luke said. "You two go ahead."

They shrugged, ready to leave, but Aaron Dawson shot Luke a mischievous grin. "We'll go easy on the tables, but if we're transferred to traffic, playtime's over!"

Just as they were about to step out, Luke remembered something. "Hey, wait a second!" They stopped, turning back to him. "How's that other case coming along—the murder case from ten years ago? Any luck finding the wife?"

Adam Mercer sighed, lighting another cigarette. "Don't remind me!" He shook his head, clearly frustrated. "We found her alright, but Aaron nearly got himself clocked by her new husband in the process!"

"What happened?" Luke was hooked, eager for details.

Just then, a female investigator strode past and scolded Adam for smoking indoors. He dropped the cigarette, grumbling, "Fierce woman…" under his breath, then resumed his story.

"The problem with cold cases like these," Aaron Dawson said, his voice dropping. "The victim's wife had moved on, started over. She remarried, had kids. And then we show up out of nowhere, poking around, dragging it all back up. You can't blame her for resenting us."

"So you didn't even get to investigate?" Luke asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Not exactly." Aaron shook his head. "We still got what we needed. Her husband was a violent man with more enemies than friends. People threw rocks through their windows, sprayed paint on the door—same old story."

"She mentioned he had a huge temper," Aaron Dawson added, "even hit her a few times. If you ask me, she was probably relieved when he died."

"What about an affair?" Luke asked, hoping his hunch wasn't a stretch.

"Not a chance." Adam shook his head firmly. "She was miserable. She was almost afraid to leave her house. She only met her new husband years later."

"Hiring a hitman's out too," Aaron said. "They were drowning in debt. No money, no motive. It's like running in circles."

Adam's face fell. "Another dead end. Honestly, they'll just shove us out to direct traffic at this rate!"

"Hey, listen," Aaron Dawson looked at Luke with a strange intensity. "Whatever you do, don't let them stick you on this team. It's a black hole, Luke. Don't end up like us." And with that, they waved goodbye and disappeared out the door.