Ch 612 - The Familiar Stranger

Alex picked up the cell phone, only to find that the battery was dead.

He threw it back across the table. "Detective Knox, you're being unreasonable," he said.

"Do you think I'm a fool, Alex?" replied Tamara. "Do you think I would give you a working phone so that you can call your accomplices and try to distort the evidence?"

**

Meanwhile, at one of the offices in the police station, Timothy, a detective sergeant, had just arrived.

He walked in to find the phone ringing incessantly, so he picked it up and answered.

The caller spoke a few words.

"Who?" Timothy asked as he sat down. "What happened?" He paused to listen. "Okay, I'll be there right away."

**

Back inside the interrogation room, Alex stared at the phone, annoyed that Tamara was refusing to give him any opportunity to call for help.

"This isn't the time to call your friends for a chat," Tamara said, rolling her eyes. "You're in trouble, and you need to start cooperating."

One of the other officers snorted in amusement.

Alex smiled faintly. "I have a strong feeling you'll regret this."

"Are you trying to intimidate me? You must think I'm a fool," said Tamara. "What's next? Threats? Bribery?" She scowled at him. "I really can't think why Lindsey wants to help someone like you. If I were in her place, I wouldn't let you get away with it."

Tamara and the other officers looked at one another and shook their heads as if they thought he were crazy.

But Alex simply smiled, not worried at all. He knew he could get out of there at any time, which gave him confidence.

"Well, if you want to play games, we have plenty of time," Tamara said, standing up. "We're going for breakfast. When we get back, we'll get some answers from you. While we're gone, perhaps you can reflect on your situation. Or you can wait for someone to come and get you out of this mess."

She believed Alex would eventually break down and confess to the murder if he was left by himself for a while.

But Alex ignored her. He casually rested his head on his arms and closed his eyes.

Tamara looked at him with disdain. "You really don't know how much trouble you're in, do you?" She shook her head and left with the other officers.

As soon as they left the room, they saw a familiar figure approaching, carrying two cups of coffee.

Tamara and the other officers straightened their posture. "Good morning, Detective Sergeant," they said.

"Have you arrested a man named Alex Ambrose?" asked Timothy in a no-nonsense, straightforward manner. "Where is he? I want to see him at once."

Timothy walked toward the interrogation room, and Tamara and the other officers looked at one another, remembering Alex's warning.

They hadn't expected Timothy to arrive, and now they wondered if they were in trouble.

The door of the interrogation room opened, and Timothy stepped in, looking concerned.

"Good morning, Alex," he said. "I'm Timothy, and I've come to help you."

Alex looked at him in surprise.

"So, it seems you've been a little impulsive," Timothy continued as he took a seat. "But I understand you were provoked, and I know it's not easy to be patient when one is provoked." He placed one of the coffees on the table and slid it toward Alex.

Alex sat up and started paying attention. He reached for his coffee, taking a sip and savoring the taste.

"Do you know me?" he asked. "I don't think we've met before, and yet you want to help me? You seem very understanding."

"We might have not met, but I know you," Timothy said, drinking his own coffee.

Alex didn't ask any more questions. His intuition told him that Timothy was a good person, and he seemed like a friend he hadn't seen for a long time.

"If I told you I didn't kill Michael and that he pushed himself out of the window, would you believe me?" asked Alex.

"He pushed himself out of the window?" repeated Timothy, raising an eyebrow.

Alex nodded. "Yes, he set me up by taking his own life." He shrugged. "Okay, so I did threaten him, but he took his own life. I didn't push him, so I can't admit to something I hadn't done."

He felt like he could trust Timothy, and he hoped the other man could help him.

Timothy was a smart man, and he quickly understood the situation. "So, he set up a game with his own life, did he?"

"Michael was no ordinary person," Alex said. "He would commit suicide just to get back at me."

"Well, I know the Murdoch family," said Timothy. "But I believe you."

Alex noticed Timothy didn't seem to be concerned about how powerful the Murdoch family was.

"Anyway, I've already got a general understanding of the situation," Timothy continued. "Do you know Riley Naysmith? Or anyone else from the Naysmith family?"

"Riley? No, I've never heard of him before," replied Alex.

"He's very well-known in Baltimore," Timothy explained. "And I heard he's seeking to exonerate you. He's trying to persuade the witnesses to change their testimonies and say they saw Michael jump out the window himself. That way, you would be able to get away with a manslaughter charge."

"Why would he do that?" Alex asked, surprised. "I've never even met the man!"

"He has also got Lindsey on board," Timothy added. "She agreed to it because she wants to help you."

Alex thought for a moment, sure there was something odd about the whole thing.

"This Riley is using me," he said. "I suspect he's doing this to gain Lindsey's favor. He wants to use this to keep her indebted to him."