In a clean interrogation room, the bright fluorescent lights shine a pale light on the two criminals, their confidence now replaced by a frightening anxiety.

Detective Miller was seated in front of them, her eyes showing a strong determination as she lightly tapped a file on the table.


"Okay, gentlemen," she started, her voice lacking any warmth. We understand you did not come here for social reasons. Why don't you tell us why you decided to pay Mr. Duke and Ms. Jones a visit?"

The man with the switchblade, his face bruised from the scuffle during his arrest, remained silent, his gaze darting nervously between Miller and her partner.

The other thug, however, seemed more eager to appease.


"We were just… doing our job," he stammered, a tremor in his voice.

"And who exactly is your employer?" Miller pressed, leaning forward in her chair.


The man hesitated, casting a worried glance at his silent companion. A tense silence stretched between them before the man with the switchblade finally spoke.

"Look, lady," he growled, a hint of defiance flickering in his eyes. "This is not a game of any kind. All you need to know is that we were employed to complete a task."

The two men recoiled at the sound of Miller slamming her fist down on the table. She stated, "We're not playing games here," in an icy tone. "Police are protecting those you attempted to harm. The only way to reduce your charges after committing a serious crime is to cooperate.

Her threat was obvious as her words lingered thick in the air. The man with the baseball cap, his face pale with fear, finally cracked.

"Alright, alright," he stammered. "We were hired by… by this guy named Smash. Said there was a problem that needed to be taken care of."

"Smash? Smash who?" Miller pressed, a flicker of recognition flickering in her eyes.

"Didn't catch the last name, lady," the man babbled, desperation creeping into his voice. "He just said he worked for this big shot, someone important."

Miller exchanged a glance with her partner, their minds racing. The pieces were starting to fall into place. "Did this Smash mention anything else? Maybe where he worked, or who this 'big shot' was?"

The man thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Just that the targets were messing with the wrong people and needed a lesson."

"And what about you?" Miller turned her attention to the man with the switchblade, who still remained stubbornly silent. "You gonna stay quiet, or are you gonna join the party?"

The man glared at her, his jaw clenched tight. But the defiance in his eyes had been replaced by a flicker of doubt. He knew they were closing in, that his silence wouldn't protect his boss for much longer.

With a heavy sigh, he finally spoke. "Fine," he muttered, his voice a low growl. "We work for Smash. He's head of security for some bigshot company downtown. T&T, I think it was called."

A gasp escaped Miller's lips. This was a deliberate attack, not just some violent prank. Her voice was hardly audible as she asked, "And who is this big shot at T&T?"

The man with the switchblade hesitated for a moment, then spat out a name with a venomous hiss. "Bobby damn Duke."

The room fell silent, the weight of the revelation hanging heavy in the air. The name confirmed their suspicions, linking Bobby directly to the attempted assault.

The game had taken a dangerous turn, and the fight for justice had just become a whole lot more personal.

"Alright," she said, jotting down their statements. "So, Bobby Duke hired you to silence Sarah and Derrick. Did he say why?"

Rico and Scar exchanged a helpless shrug. They were muscle, not confidantes.

"He didn't say much," Scar mumbled. "Just that they were messing with things they shouldn't have been."

Miller leaned back, her mind racing. Bobby Duke. The name fit. He had the motive – Sarah and Derrick were blackmailing him. But resorting to violence? It seemed out of character for the polished businessman she had seen in news reports.

Yet, the evidence, the thugs' confession, pointed towards him. There were too many pieces falling into place.

"Alright," she said, a determined glint in her eyes. "You two are going to cooperate fully. Tell me everything you know about Bobby Duke, his operation, anything that might help us build a case."

Rico and Scar, realizing the gravity of the situation and desperate to avoid further charges, readily complied.

They spilled the details of their dealings with Bobby, the encrypted messages, the discreet meetings, all the while painting a picture of a desperate man clinging to power by any means necessary.

As Miller listened, a plan began to take shape. They had their leverage – the thugs' confession and the incriminating messages from Sarah.

*****************

The confines of the interrogation room felt a world away from the cozy cabin where Derrick and Sarah had narrowly escaped harm. Detective Miller, her face etched with a grim satisfaction, slid a file across the table towards Derrick.

"We got them," she announced, her voice low but resolute. "Both of Bobby's goons confessed. They admitted he hired them to silence you and Sarah."

Derrick felt a wave of relief wash over him, quickly followed by a surge of anger. "Bobby? That conniving snake! I knew he wouldn't back down."

Sarah, who sat beside him, gripped his hand tightly. "Thank God you called the police, Derrick. It could have been much worse."

Miller nodded in agreement. "Your instincts were right. Now, thanks to your information and the thugs' confessions, we have enough to bring Bobby in for questioning."

"But is it enough to get him charged?" Sarah asked, a thread of worry lacing her voice.

"We're working on building a stronger case," Miller assured her. "The thugs' statements are a good start, but we need more – financial records, evidence of his dealings with his father… anything that paints a clear picture of his criminal activity."

Derrick felt a surge of determination. "We can help with that," he declared. "We have recordings, documents – everything Bobby used to blackmail us. They could be key evidence."

Miller's eyes lit up. "That's fantastic! We'll get a team to analyze the recordings and documents immediately. The more evidence we have, the stronger our case becomes."

Knowing they couldn't afford to be complacent, Derrick decided to take further action. "We also need the best lawyer money can buy," he said, his gaze fixed on Sarah.

"Absolutely," Sarah agreed. "Someone who can navigate the legal system and fight for us."

Without any delay, Derrick took out his phone and quickly dialed an emergency number he had stored years prior. On the other end was a smooth, authoritative voice answering.

"Mr. Thorne? This is Derrick Duke. I need your help."

A beat of silence followed before the voice replied, a hint of amusement creeping in. "Derrick Duke, huh? Haven't heard from you in a while. What kind of trouble are you in now?"

Derrick, ignoring the playful jab, explained the situation in a concise manner – Bobby's threats, the attack at the cabin, and the police investigation. He concluded by outlining their need for a legal defense team.

Mr. Thorne, a renowned lawyer known for his tenacity and courtroom brilliance, listened intently. When Derrick finished, a low chuckle rumbled through the receiver.

Mr. Thorne observed, his voice tinged with curiosity, "Looks like you've stumbled into quite the mess, Derrick." "I usually enjoy a good challenge, so don't worry. Send me the case's specifics, and I'll assemble a group to defend Ms. Miller and you."

Derrick hung up the phone feeling relieved. The fact that Mr. Thorne was on their side lifted his spirits.

The next day, Bobby was arrested by the police after they stormed his office on suspicion of conspiracy and attempted murder. As the CEO was led away in handcuffs, his polished façade crumbled away, a mask of silent defiance plastered on his face.

The air in the questioning room was heavy with tension, and it seemed cold. Detective Miller sat across from Bobby, a file filled with evidence laid out before her.

She began outlining the police investigation, detailing the thugs' confessions, the recovered recordings, and the incriminating documents Sarah and Derrick had provided.

Bobby, however, remained silent. With a tense jaw and narrowed eyes like icy slits, he sat there. He chose to hide behind a mask of quiet, assuming that would protect him from the repercussions of his conduct, and declined to respond to inquiries.

But Miller seemed unfazed by his disobedience. She had the evidence, and she was determined to see him brought to justice.

"You can stay silent, Mr. Duke," she said, her voice firm but laced with a hint of pity. "But the evidence speaks for itself. Your reign of terror is over."

A glimmer of terror darted in Bobby's eyes, but he remained unmoving. There was nothing he could do to stop the carefully built world that was collapsing around him.

Though the game was far from done, things had changed. Justice, it seemed, was finally on the horizon.