The room felt wide, dim, and too quiet.
It had been an hour now, sitting alone, her hands clasped on the table, her head lowered.
How long were they going to keep her there?
She remembered before this, she had been in a casino, gambling.
She won a couple of rounds, and when she thought that it was her lucky day, a fire broke out.
In the blink of an eye, it was chaos as people rushed toward the exit for their lives. She was among them.
The next day, she woke up late, and as her mind sobered, she realized she had made it home safe and sound.
But the knock on the door and an officer stood there.
She might have lived a shit life, but to be suspected of a crime? Arson, at that? That was too unfair.
She leaned back slightly. Her fingers moved toward the cigarette in her pocket. Right, they didn't allow that in here. She let out a sigh.
She would go insane for one more hour. They should fucking hurry up. She frowned and glanced at the observation mirror. Did they think it was cool or something?
Eyeliner was still visible around her eyes. Her long brown hair was tied in a messy bun, and the black jumpsuit hugged her slender frame. She hadn't even had time to wash up, and they—
The door opened.
A young woman in her thirties stepped in, wearing a long leather coat. Her short wavy hair was neatly combed to her shoulders, her stern expression contradicting her soft features.
She moved slowly and steadily, as if the air in the room shifted around her.
Detective Rochelle Cheng. The one who had come to fetch her for questioning.
Her reputation in that town was well known. The Case Reaper, the detective who made criminals bend to her will effortlessly. Of course, she used to think they exaggerated. But now that she was the one in that seat… she could agree.
How had she even found her address?
Rochelle took a seat and placed a laptop on the table in silence. "Would you like a coffee?" she asked calmly.
Hesitating, wondering if she should try her luck, Reina asked carefully, "Can… I get a cigarette instead?"
Rochelle glanced at her for a moment, then gestured toward the observation mirror.
Not long after, a male officer stepped in and placed a cigarette and a lighter on the table.
Reina's fingers moved quickly, picking them up with both hands, almost bowing to it. "Thank you."
"Reina Lau. Twenty-six. Bartender at a nightclub…" Rochelle read from the laptop. And Reina didn't have any criminal records.
Rochelle lifted her eyes to Reina. "You were at Lantern Casino last night around half past eleven."
Her voice didn't sound serious, but Reina was sure her life depended on that answer.
"Yes," Reina replied. "But I swear I never started the fire."
Rochelle continued, "You met with the owner of the casino, Chaisai?"
Why was she dragging Chaisai into this? Reina took a puff, then replied through the haze, "Yes."
Rochelle glanced at her briefly and went on. "From the records, every Friday you meet Chaisai. Alone. Can you tell me the nature of your relationship?"
Reina exhaled another stream of smoke, but it didn't calm her. Confusion flickered in her eyes. What was this leading to?
"He liked how I played."
Rochelle's brow arched slightly.
"Poker," Reina added. "He paid me."
"He has only been in Hong Kong for two months, after coming from Thailand. Around the same time, you arrived from Vegas. What brought you to Hong Kong?"
Reina shrugged slightly. "Visiting my homeland." Then she narrowed her eyes. "But detective, why are you asking me all this?"
Rochelle took a breath. "You were the last person to meet Chaisai… before he was murdered."
Reina's eyes widened.
What?
Murdered?
It wasn't about arson. She had been brought here for a murder case. Last night, she met Chaisai for only half an hour like she always did.
Then she joined other tables. She had done the same yesterday and stayed until the fire broke out.
"How did he die?" Reina asked, almost subconsciously.
Rochelle's eyes opened slightly. She hadn't expected that calmness. Then, she turned the laptop toward Reina and paid attention to her reaction.
Reina glanced at the photos of Chaisai with narrowed eyes. His skin was pale, almost bluish, his lips dark, his body still on the couch.
Poisoned?
But the other two, his bodyguards, didn't show the same signs. They lay in pools of blood.
She pulled the laptop closer and zoomed in. Their throats were marked with sharp, clean lines. A knife? The cuts were too precise, too narrow.
Rochelle pulled the laptop back and closed it.
Reina almost panicked—until she remembered where she was. She was still the suspect.
The fire hadn't caused much damage, and wasn't enough to destroy most of the footage.
Among that survived showed Reina entering the room and leaving after a while. The time she spent inside matched the estimated time of the murder.
Rochelle stood. "Miss Reina, until we clear a few things up, you'll be detained for further questioning."
Reina gritted her teeth. Just like that?
Soon, she was in a cell. The gate closed behind her.
She dropped her head against the wall, arms crossed, her mind racing.
How was Chaisai poisoned?
"Sis, are you really this stressed? Rare… and precious."
Reina froze at the familiar voice and turned toward the door.
A teenage girl in a school uniform stood there. Short bob hair with bangs. The name tag read: Yumi Lau.
Her younger sister. The only family she had.
And yet, Yumi's face held unmistakable amusement.
"You're not even that fucked up. I worried for nothing," Yumi said slowly.
Reina stepped forward, staring straight at her. "How did you know I was here?"
They were family, but they never lived together. Reina knew Yumi's capabilities well enough—and her presence made her pulse quicken.
Yumi looked at her somberly. "You didn't want me here?"
Reina frowned, then glanced at the phone in the box on the police table. No she had checked it. There was no tracking.
Yumi followed her gaze and burst into laughter.
The whole station turned toward her, but she kept laughing as if she had never laughed before.
Finally, she wiped her tears. "I think this is the only place I can laugh freely with you." Then she looked at her sister. "Don't worry. I'll do whatever it takes to get you out of here."
"What are you going to do?" Reina asked, warning in her voice.
Yumi stepped closer. "I'll find those bastards behind your suffering… gouge their eyes out, then rip their tongues—"
"I'm warning you, Yumi. Don't try anything stupid." Reina's expression sharpened.
Yumi stepped back and smiled. "Oh, I'm sorry I didn't bring you anything." She laughed again, then turned and left.
Reina watched her go.
That psycho brat.
She wouldn't be surprised if Yumi was the one framing her. If she was capable.
---
"Detective Cheng?"
Rochelle heard a voice behind her as she was about to get into her car outside the station. She turned immediately.
A teenage girl in a school uniform stood there, dark shadows under her eyes.
Her expression felt… off. It didn't match the faint smile on her lips.
The girl stepped forward and pulled out a small notebook. "I'm a big fan of yours. Can I get your autograph? The Case Reaper."
Rochelle glanced at the notebook, then back at the girl's face. "You came to find me?"
"No. I came for my sister. Reina."
Rochelle's eyes sharpened as she studied her more carefully.
"I'm really your fan, detective. I want to be a great investigator just like you."
She was Reina's sister? Why hadn't they found that before?
Rochelle took the notebook. "Why are you my fan?"
"You're like my sister."
Rochelle's pen froze before it touched the page. "Oh? In what way?"
"You're both out of control," Yumi said casually. "And I like that."
Rochelle could admit she went out of control when it came to cases, crossing lines if needed. But what about Reina?
"If you're thinking whether my sister is a criminal, she isn't. I can testify to that. She might be a bad person, but not a criminal."
Rochelle smiled, gave back the signed notebook and patted Yumi's shoulder. "You'll be seeing a lot of me, Yumi."
With that, she got into the car.
Bad, but not criminal?
She didn't agree.