The Mistake

Chapter 3:The Trap

After hearing the police’s response, I couldn’t help but glance back at the man. He met my gaze without hesitation.

Desperation and madness seemed to hang in the air between us, but the man smiled calmly, his expression almost gentle. “Just do as I say, and you’ll be fine,” he said.

In the time it took for the police to arrive, I followed his instructions.

I cleaned up the scene, wiped away fingerprints, moved Lily’s body, and even rehearsed what to say.

Before long, the quiet night outside was broken by the flashing red and blue lights of police cars, and the sound of sirens filled the air. The man left without another word, but before he disappeared, he left me with one final statement:

“Tomorrow at 3 p.m., meet me at the Sunrise Café.”

I stared at his retreating figure, a strange emptiness gnawing at me.

Who is he?

Suddenly, a voice behind me shattered my thoughts. I spun around, startled, to see three uniformed officers—two men and one woman—standing in the doorway. My stomach dropped.

Their silent, unexpected arrival sent a wave of unease through me.

The woman, a stern-looking officer, locked eyes with me. A chill ran down my spine as I realized what she was doing—testing me.

She studied me closely, her piercing gaze unnerving. Then I remembered: the sirens. The police hadn’t arrived until after the man had already gone. It was impossible for her to have seen him.

“No one,” I stammered, forcing the words out. “I was just… scared. Watching out the window, hoping you guys would get here soon.”

Her sharp gaze softened slightly, though her expression remained guarded.

The officers turned their attention to the body, pulling out equipment to carefully examine the scene.

My heart pounded in my chest the entire time, but I did my best to play the part of a frightened, innocent victim.

Eventually, one of the male officers reported his findings.

“Captain Williams, after examining the victim and the scene, we found no signs of foul play. The most likely cause of death appears to be an accidental fall.”

My heart skipped a beat, relief washing over me—just as the man had promised.

But when I glanced at the female officer, Captain Williams, I caught her staring at me. Her eyes sparkled with an unsettling mix of suspicion and amusement.

“I should introduce myself,” she said coolly, extending a hand. “Captain Ava Williams, Criminal Investigation Unit, Lakeview Police Department.”

I hesitated for a moment before shaking her hand, forcing myself to stay calm.

“I’m Emma Johnson. I work as an editor at InnovaBooks Publishing,” I replied.

“Emma Johnson…” Captain Williams repeated, her faint smile growing colder. It was as if my name triggered a memory for her. “Nice to meet you.”

Her grip on my hand tightened—firm, unyielding, as if she was testing me once again.

And then, without breaking eye contact, she said the words that made my blood run cold.

“Miss Johnson, you are under arrest for the murder of Lily Garcia and for attempting to cover up the crime. You are now officially being detained.”

No Escape.

There was no use fighting.

At Captain Williams’s command, the two male officers stepped forward and handcuffed me without hesitation.

They dragged me to the police station.

In the interrogation room, the dim light felt suffocating. A single, blinding bulb hung from the ceiling, casting harsh light into my face. Across from me sat Captain Williams, her calm, unreadable expression making my blood boil.

“I didn’t kill her!” I shouted, the words escaping my mouth before I could think.

This was the one thing the man had warned me never to admit, no matter what. I clung to that advice, desperate to convince myself it was the truth.

But Captain Jiang didn’t flinch. She set her teacup down on the table, the sound of ceramic against wood echoing through the room.

“Miss Johnson,” she said softly, her voice calm yet unrelenting. “You need to understand your situation. You are being interrogated for murder.”

She paused, letting her words settle like a heavy weight in the air.

“The police don’t accuse the innocent,” she continued, her voice taking on an edge. “If you truly were innocent, you wouldn’t be sitting here right now.”

Her words hit me like a hammer. The weight of the situation was crushing, and I finally began to realize how deep I was in this trap.

The walls felt like they were closing in, and every second dragged me further into the nightmare I couldn’t escape.