The New me

The next day, I had Heather follow me to the station with an excuse that I was robbed while on a stroll. Heather blamed me for being a klutz when the news was already alerting all people against these tricks.

True to his words, the authorities reopened the case about Aster's accident. A different set of police was sent to investigate the matter as they obtained clearance from their superintendent. The former police officers who had carried out the inquiries before had to give all related information they acquired to the new group.

I was visiting the hospital when two officers naming Alfred and Stan came and spoke with Mr. Wei. In a short while, we were all requested to head to the station. Ms. Violet and her daughter who only arrived for a few minutes were also asked to come. All of us had an inexplicable expression.

"Mom, why are they asking us to go with them?" Lilac questioned her Mother.

"That…I can't give you an answer as I don't also know their reason." She calmly told her as they walked.

I was walking behind them so that I could hear their conversations. Heather had also asked her Father the same thing, but Mr. Wei kept his lips shut.

"Excuse me, sirs, but may we know why did you invite us to go to the police station?" Lilac then turned to question the officers.

The one named Stan turned and answered simply, "For questioning about the car accident that happened three weeks ago."

All of them widened their eyes except for Mr. Wei who had his brows furrowed since the beginning.

"That... isn't the case closed because the taxi driver died? Didn't they say that was his car so there's no one to blame now?" Lilac said.

"The case was reopened, young lady." He answered.

Lilac was taken aback, and she subconsciously grabbed the end of her mother's shirt.

"Daughter?" Ms. Violet softly asked after feeling the weight of her hand.

"Ah? Why mom?" Lilac asked with an innocent face. Her mother looked at her face for a few minutes before smiling and shaking her head.

After a few moments, we arrived at the station. We were asked to sit down and speak with them one at a time. Mr. Wei and Heather came forward first and retold their story the day of the accident. Meanwhile, a public attorney entered the place. I had a rough understanding of what's happening, but I don't get why they called in a lawyer.

Despite her questions before, Lilac remained silent on the side while frequently tapping on her phone. She looked engrossed chatting while at the same time keeping a poker face. Her mother was occupied in observing the place's interior with no concern for the subject at hand.

Ms. Violet was called in after Heather. She explained her relationship with the victim's family and her reaction after knowing that Mr. Wei's children disagreed with their upcoming marriage.

"I met Benjamin when I was working as a sales clerk at a mall. He was there picking things for his daughter, and because I, myself, have a daughter too, I suggested the items suitable for her age. That was the start of our meetings. This winter shall be our anniversary upon meeting, so we wanted to create a special memory. I have divorced for two years already, and my child does not disapprove of my decisions, so naturally, we slowly tried to introduce ourselves to his family. As what I had imagined, I was met with a lukewarm response, but I was happy that they weren't straightforwardly despising me."

She carefully looked at Heather before continuing, "It's just, one day when Benjamin decided to introduce to me to their family formally, the children packed their bags immediately after lunch and did not inform us where they will go. In his anger, Benjamin forbade them to use their family cars and not to bother their driver. The two kids walked themselves out and used public transportation. That was the last time I saw them."

It was Lilac's turn after her mother, and she was asked the same questions.

"I first met Mr. Wei last year when my mother and he started dating. I was pretty open-minded, and my mom and I are friends, so I pretty much knew their story. I don't know the siblings well. Whenever I come to their house, they don't talk much, so I entertain myself with my phone. On the contrary, Mr. Wei had been a parent to me during those times and permitted me to call him 'Dad'. I was there that time when the siblings packed their bags. I honestly felt infuriated inside as I thought they were disrespecting my mom but Mom told me not to be cynical about things, so I just let it go. The next time I saw them was at the hospital."

Then I was called. The police officers asked me what my relationship with the victim was and how I met him.

"I was friends with Heather for a while now and last summer when we went to the beach, I met him. We interacted a little bit and found common ground, so we quickly became friends."

The officer nodded, "Then as his friend, did he mention any trouble he had at home?"

"Yes, he mentioned before about his father's new beau and how he doesn't like his father's idea of marriage."

"Then, Ms. Lin, can you tell us where you were at the time the accident happened?"

"That time I was at home and preparing to go to work. Heather called me asking if I knew where her brother was to which I answered 'no', then she told me that he's missing. She was panicking, so I mentioned I'll meet her, and when I did, she was crying. She eventually told me that the hospital called her claiming her brother had an accident."

"Ms. Lin, do you mean to tell us you did not meet the victim before that?"

"Yes, sir. I did not meet him."

"Okay, please wait on the side." The officer asked me as he gestured for me to sit down in a corner.

The police officer on the desk printed our statements on a piece of paper and handed them to their chief. The two officers that escorted us in coming here were summoned, and they had a brief consultation before calling Mr. Wei.

When he came out with the officers, his expression couldn't be read. No matter how Heather and Ms. Wei called him, he didn't want to look at them.

The police named Stan came forward, "Ms. Lilac Mao, can we invite you again for another round of questions?"

Lilac was in disbelief as she immediately asked, "Why sir? I don't think I have interacted that much with the victim. What are you trying to pull here?"

Even Ms. Violet was stunned, and her protective nature awakened, "Sir, what is happening? You're acting like my child had anything to do with the accident."

The police officer did not falter as he answered, "We only want some clarifications, ma'am. This interrogation is a normal procedure."

"Benjamin."

"Dad."

Both Mother and daughter turn to seek help from Mr. Wei, but he only had a confused look on his face and didn't manage to say anything. It was Heather that asked, "Sir, can you tell us the reason?"

The officer first looked at his superior before answering, "As we have told you, we are a different team and the case was forwarded to us from the higher-ups. They found some underhanded tricks involved in the last group. That's why the case was dismissed prematurely."

"And what does that have to do with my child? Sir, aren't you making a baseless accusation?" Ms. Violet couldn't help but comment.

"Ma'am, we haven't accused anyone yet. We're merely asking for another round of questions," Stan stated clearly.

I was observing them, and I couldn't help but notice how their expressions changed. Heather was surprised, Ms. Violet, too, was shocked, but with a mixture of anxiousness while Lilac- though her appearance was fine- there was a bead of sweat forming on her forehead.