Jay Jays POV✿❀✿❀
"I don't like this," I muttered, flipping through the file again.
Across from me, Angelo didn't even look up.
"You don't have to like it," he said. "You just have to do it."
"That's not reassuring."
"It's not supposed to be."
I exhaled, closing the folder.
"Why are they both here at the same time?"
"Scheduling overlap," Eman answered from the side. "Couldn't be avoided."
"…Right."
That didn't make me feel better.
"Keep it clean," Angelo added. "Separate questions. Don't let them steer the conversation."
"I know how to do my job," I said.
He finally looked at me.
"Then act like it."
Before I could respond—
a knock.
Eman moved first, opening the door.
"Yuri," he said.
Of course.
Yuri stepped in like this was just another normal day. Calm. Put together. Like he wasn't part of an active investigation.
"Detective," he said, giving a small nod.
"Sit," I replied.
He did, no hesitation.
I stayed standing for a second before taking the seat across from him.
"Let's not repeat everything from earlier," I said. "I just need clarification."
"Of course."
Too easy.
"Between 9:20 and 9:30," I continued. "You said you were outside."
"I was."
"Doing what?"
"A break," he said. "Needed some air."
"That's different from what you said earlier."
He tilted his head slightly.
"Is it?"
"Yes."
A small pause.
Then—
"If it came out wrong, that's on me," he said smoothly. "But I was outside either way."
I watched him carefully.
He didn't look nervous.
Didn't look like he was trying to fix anything.
Just… adjusting.
"Where exactly outside?" I asked.
"Near the driveway."
My grip on the pen tightened slightly.
"Alone?"
"Yes."
That answer came faster.
Too fast.
"Yes."
That answer came faster.
Too fast.
I tapped my pen once against the table.
"Anyone see you?"
Yuri didn't answer right away this time.
"Not that I noticed," he said.
Not that I noticed.
Not no.
I leaned back slightly. "That's a weird answer."
A small shrug. "It's an honest one."
I stared at him for a second longer, trying to figure out if that was confidence or just really good control.
"Did you hear anything?" I asked. "Voices, movement—anything like that."
Another pause.
Short.
Barely there.
But it was there.
"…No," he said.
It sounded fine.
Normal.
But something about it felt… placed. Like he chose that answer carefully.
Before I could press him again—
a quiet shift near the door.
I didn't look.
I already knew.
"Keifer," I said flatly. "You're early."
"Didn't feel like waiting," he replied.
Of course he didn't.
"Wait outside."
Silence.
Then—
"I'll stay out of it."
I finally glanced over.
He was leaning near the door, arms crossed, like he had every right to be there.
I looked back at Yuri.
He hadn't turned.
Hadn't acknowledged him.
But his posture changed—just a little.
"Continue," I said.
Yuri nodded once.
Calm again.
Too calm.
"You said you didn't hear anything," I went on. "But earlier, you mentioned there was some kind of argument inside."
"I said there was tension," Yuri corrected.
"That's not what's written here."
"It's how you interpreted it."
I narrowed my eyes. "So now it's my fault?"
"I didn't say that."
"But you implied it."
A small pause.
Then, softer—
"I'm just clarifying."
I didn't respond right away.
Because now it felt like he wasn't just answering questions.
He was steering them.
And Angelo literally told me not to let that happen.
"Let's make this simple," I said, leaning forward slightly. "You were outside. Alone. You didn't see anyone, and you didn't hear anything."
"Yes."
"Then how did you know there was tension inside?"
That did it.
For a split second—
he hesitated.
It was quick.
Most people wouldn't catch it.
But I did.
"…You can feel it," Yuri said.
"That's not an answer."
"It is," he replied calmly. "Just not a concrete one."
I glanced down at my notes, then back at him.
"You're careful with your words."
"I try to be."
"Why?"
A beat.
Then—
"Because people tend to misunderstand things."
Something about that felt… directed.
I didn't like it.
Behind me, Keifer shifted slightly.
Still quiet.
But listening.
Always listening.
I closed the folder slowly.
"…We're done for now," I said.
Yuri stood up without question.
"Of course."
He turned, heading for the door.
For a second—
just a second—
his gaze flicked toward Keifer.
Quick.
Almost nothing.
But it was there.
Then he walked out.
The door clicked shut behind him.
Silence filled the room.
I didn't move.
"Something's off," I muttered.
Keifer let out a quiet breath. "You think?"
I shot him a look. "You weren't even part of that."
"Didn't need to be."
I turned fully toward him now.
"Then why are you here?"
He met my eyes.
No hesitation.
"No reason."
That was a lie.
I could tell.
But for some reason—
I didn't call it out.
Instead, I looked back at the door Yuri just walked through.
Two stories.
Both clean.
Both controlled.
And somehow—
that made them worse."I don't like this," I muttered, flipping through the file again.
Across from me, Angelo didn't even look up.
"You don't have to like it," he said. "You just have to do it."
"That's not reassuring."
"It's not supposed to be."
I exhaled, closing the folder.
"Why are they both here at the same time?"
"Scheduling overlap," Eman answered from the side. "Couldn't be avoided."
"…Right."
That didn't make me feel better.
"Keep it clean," Angelo added. "Separate questions. Don't let them steer the conversation."
"I know how to do my job," I said.
He finally looked at me.
"Then act like it."
Before I could respond—
a knock.
Eman moved first, opening the door.
"Yuri," he said.
Of course.
Yuri stepped in like this was just another normal day. Calm. Put together. Like he wasn't part of an active investigation.
"Detective," he said, giving a small nod.
"Sit," I replied.
He did, no hesitation.
I stayed standing for a second before taking the seat across from him.
"Let's not repeat everything from earlier," I said. "I just need clarification."
"Of course."
Too easy.
"Between 9:20 and 9:30," I continued. "You said you were outside."
"I was."
"Doing what?"
"A break," he said. "Needed some air."
"That's different from what you said earlier."
He tilted his head slightly.
"Is it?"
"Yes."
A small pause.
Then—
"If it came out wrong, that's on me," he said smoothly. "But I was outside either way."
I watched him carefully.
He didn't look nervous.
Didn't look like he was trying to fix anything.
Just… adjusting.
"Where exactly outside?" I asked.
"Near the driveway."
My grip on the pen tightened slightly.
"Alone?"
"Yes."
That answer came faster.
Too fast.
"Yes."
That answer came faster.
Too fast.
I tapped my pen once against the table.
"Anyone see you?"
Yuri didn't answer right away this time.
"Not that I noticed," he said.
Not that I noticed.
Not no.
I leaned back slightly. "That's a weird answer."
A small shrug. "It's an honest one."
I stared at him for a second longer, trying to figure out if that was confidence or just really good control.
"Did you hear anything?" I asked. "Voices, movement—anything like that."
Another pause.
Short.
Barely there.
But it was there.
"…No," he said.
It sounded fine.
Normal.
But something about it felt… placed. Like he chose that answer carefully.
Before I could press him again—
a quiet shift near the door.
I didn't look.
I already knew.
"Keifer," I said flatly. "You're early."
"Didn't feel like waiting," he replied.
Of course he didn't.
"Wait outside."
Silence.
Then—
"I'll stay out of it."
I finally glanced over.
He was leaning near the door, arms crossed, like he had every right to be there.
I looked back at Yuri.
He hadn't turned.
Hadn't acknowledged him.
But his posture changed—just a little.
"Continue," I said.
Yuri nodded once.
Calm again.
Too calm.
"You said you didn't hear anything," I went on. "But earlier, you mentioned there was some kind of argument inside."
"I said there was tension," Yuri corrected.
"That's not what's written here."
"It's how you interpreted it."
I narrowed my eyes. "So now it's my fault?"
"I didn't say that."
"But you implied it."
A small pause.
Then, softer—
"I'm just clarifying."
I didn't respond right away.
Because now it felt like he wasn't just answering questions.
He was steering them.
And Angelo literally told me not to let that happen.
"Let's make this simple," I said, leaning forward slightly. "You were outside. Alone. You didn't see anyone, and you didn't hear anything."
"Yes."
"Then how did you know there was tension inside?"
That did it.
For a split second—
he hesitated.
It was quick.
Most people wouldn't catch it.
But I did.
"…You can feel it," Yuri said.
"That's not an answer."
"It is," he replied calmly. "Just not a concrete one."
I glanced down at my notes, then back at him.
"You're careful with your words."
"I try to be."
"Why?"
A beat.
Then—
"Because people tend to misunderstand things."
Something about that felt… directed.
I didn't like it.
Behind me, Keifer shifted slightly.
Still quiet.
But listening.
Always listening.
I closed the folder slowly.
"…We're done for now," I said.
Yuri stood up without question.
"Of course."
He turned, heading for the door.
For a second—
just a second—
his gaze flicked toward Keifer.
Quick.
Almost nothing.
But it was there.
Then he walked out.
The door clicked shut behind him.
Silence filled the room.
I didn't move.
"Something's off," I muttered.
Keifer let out a quiet breath. "You think?"
I shot him a look. "You weren't even part of that."
"Didn't need to be."
I turned fully toward him now.
"Then why are you here?"
He met my eyes.
No hesitation.
"No reason."
That was a lie.
I could tell.
But for some reason—
I didn't call it out.
Instead, I looked back at the door Yuri just walked through.
Two stories.
Both clean.
Both controlled.
And somehow—
that made them worse.
I'm so slow, I thought I uploaded this yesterday but I DIDNT!! So.. no target comments for today 💗💗💗