Chapter 19 - Is This Your Car?

"Miss Lilia, please pay attention to this photo. Did you ride this car yesterday?" Inspector Marcus pushed a photo towards Lilia.

After carefully observing it, the woman shook her head, "No."

Lilia's answer shocked the two policemen.

Detective Kevin frowned and tapped the photo, "Miss Lilia, look at the photo again. Are you really not in this car? " He asked in an intimidating tone.

Instead of following his orders, Lilia looked up at the stiff-faced man, "Detective, even if you tell me to look at this photo a hundred times, my answer will not change. I didn't ride this car last night." Her answer was obstinate.

"Do not lie to me!" Detective Kevin slammed the table and made Lilia jump, "We have eye witnesses who say that this is the car you were in! You better confess now before we lock you!"

Lilia gritted her teeth at the accusation. She didn't know anything about this case and yet she was forced to come to the police station. Now they're trying to get her to confess a crime she didn't even commit!

"If you do have solid evidence, why are you still asking me about this?" Lilia leaned back on the chair with her arms crossed. She had an expression full of confidence, "You only need to bring this eye witness in front of the court. Why do you bother telling me to confess? Oh, I know why."

Lilia's lips curled into a sarcastic smile.

"Because the 'eye witnesses' you mentioned are fake. Tell me, how much did Sara pay you to slander me like this?" Lilia glared at Detective Kevin, "A corrupt cop like you humiliates the name of the police."

"What did you say?!" Detective Kevin's face turned bright red when he heard that.

Detective Kevin reached out and grabbed Lilia by the collar. Before she could react, the man pulled her closer from across the table.

"Ouch ...!" Lilia choked on the strength of that grown man.

"Hey, stop it!" Inspector Marcus tried to separate them, but he lost his strength to Detective Kevin, who was overweight, "Kevin! What are you doing?! Let her go!"

"Don't talk nonsense!" Detective Kevin roared at Lilia, "I'm not paid by anyone! Why don't you just admit that you hit Sara?! Hurry up and confess before my patience runs out!"

"Kevin! Stop— "

"Shut up!" Detective Kevin grabbed Inspector Marcus by the arm and threw it easily, like a child throwing a toy.

Lilia's eyes widened when she saw the inspector's body hit the floor, but she couldn't do anything to help the man at this time.

"Admit your fault!" Detective Kevin snapped while shaking Lilia's body.

"I-I…" Lilia started to speak hoarsely, causing the man to loosen his grip. However, she gave Detective Kevin a defiant look as she said, "… I refuse. I'm not the culprit!"

Detective Kevin's face turned red as a tomato and saw veins popping up on his temples. He raised a clenched fist while shouting, "You woman—!"

BRAK!

Before Lilia's brain could process the sound of the door opening, she saw someone run over to them and grabbed Detective Kevin's arm.

"Is this an appropriate action for a policeman, who is supposed to protect society?" Jean asked in a cold voice.

"Huh?! Who-?!" Detective Kevin turned his head in annoyance, but his expression immediately changed when he saw Jean.

The detective immediately released Lilia with a panicked face. The woman coughed while leaning on the table. Lilia was relieved that she was able to breathe normally again. A large warm hand stroked her back, helping Lilia to calm down.

"Are you alright?" Jean asked in a low voice.

Lilia nodded without turning to him. She was so focused on catching her breath that she missed the worry in Jean's gaze.

"M-Mister Jean Widjaya… I-I… I… I didn't mean…" Detective Kevin stuttered as he slowly stepped back.

"Is this how a policeman asks for information from an eye witness?" Jean cast a knife-sharp gaze at Detective Kevin, "By threatening and persecuting them?"

"B-But that woman did it ...!" Said Detective Kevin fiercely.

"Is it true?" Jean took something out of his coat pocket and threw it on the table.

A pile of photos was scattered across the table, all showing a black Volkswagen car taken from different angles. However, on closer inspection, there were two different types of Volkswagen cars in the photos.

"The car she rode yesterday was a Volkswagen Passat. Meanwhile, the car that caused the accident was the Volkswagen Golf. " Jean said dryly, "I don't need to explain what that means, do I?"

"O-Of course!" Inspector Marcus, who finally got up from the floor, immediately answered, "You can leave the rest of this investigation to us!"

Jean nodded in satisfaction, "Then, I'll take my fiancée away ..."

"U-Um… I'm sorry, but there are still procedures that need to be completed…" Inspector Marcus interrupted Jean in a small voice.

Jean stared hard at the man, causing Inspector Marcus to break out in cold sweat and shake his body. However, the inspector still insisted on completing the interrogation according to procedure. Seeing that man's stubbornness, Jean finally gave in.

"Alright. I'll make sure your boss hears about this." Said Jean coldly.

Before leaving the room, he once again glanced at Lilia. The woman looked at him with a confused expression, as if she couldn't understand why Jean was helping her. He wanted to explain everything to Lilia now, but this was not the right time. Jean just nodded at him before leaving.

After Jean left, Inspector Marcus expelled Detective Kevin from the room. Only then did he continue by asking some simple questions which Lilia could easily answer.

As the interrogation drew to a close, there was a knock on the door. Inspector Marcus immediately opened the door and came face to face with their superiors.

"Commissioner Dean, why are you here?!" Inspector Marcus immediately straightened his back and ushered the man in.

Commissioner Dean just shook his head and asked the man to come out for a moment. Lilia was left alone in the quiet interrogation room.

She lowered her head and started thinking about the case. Sara dared to slander her for this accident–she even prepared a similar car. She must have planned it all. Now, how could Lilia show her gratitude to Sara for this big surprise?

Ten minutes later, Inspector Marcus returned with a pale face. He cleared the files on the table saying, "Miss Lilia, thank you very much for your cooperation. I sincerely apologize for the rudeness of my colleague earlier. We will announce the results of the investigation of this case as soon as possible!"

Lilia looked at the man and smiled in relief, "Thank you for your hard work, Inspector. Sorry to bother you."

"No, no, this is part of my job. I'll take you out. This way, miss."

Lilia felt that Inspector Marcus had become very polite after being summoned by the commissioner.