Chapter 534

Luke asked, “When was the last time you met?”

M’Bak Eta calmed down and said, “This is a private matter.

Before I answer the question, I want to know why you are arresting me?

I know the law and if you cannot give a reasonable explanation, I will file a complaint against you.

I’m serious.”

Luke said, “Latifa Gallo is dead.”

“Come on, no kidding.”

David cursed, “FUCK, who do you think you are?

We stay up all night and come here to make jokes for you?”

The smile on Mbak Etta’s face froze, “Oh my God, she’s really dead?”

Luke replied, “Yes, and I also found your DNA inside her.

That’s why we’re looking for you.”

David said coldly, “You insulted a prison guard and brutally killed her.

I’m sure your life in prison will be colorful from now on.”

Mbak Etta’s face turned pale and hurriedly explained, “No No No, I didn’t kill her, I didn’t even know she was dead.

I admit I saw her yesterday and played poker with her, but I had nothing to do with her death.”

David summarized, “So you admit to raping her?”

“No, she consented.

She initiated it to be exact, she was the one who wanted to applaud me for love.”

Luke shrugged, “She’s dead, so you can say what you want, but do you think the judge will believe it?

A female prison guard volunteered to want to clap for love with an ex-convict.”

Luke tried, “Why did you go to her house?”

“I didn’t go to her house, we had an appointment at a motel and she was still fine when she left, I swear to God I’m telling the truth.”

“Why did you meet at a motel?”

Mbak Etta hesitated, “Uh …… it’s a private matter for us.”

David bristled, “I wouldn’t say anything if I did, in case I said the wrong thing, it would probably reveal the motive for the killing.”

Mbak Etta argued loudly, “No, I really didn’t kill her.”

Luke squared his shoulders, “Then tell me everything about what happened between you and don’t hide anything. You lie and the police will be suspicious of all your confessions.

Including your denial of the murder, understand?”

“Damn ……” Mbak-Eta lowered his head, “I really don’t know what to say.”

David said, “Then tell us how you killed Latifa Gallo? Maybe this is simpler.”

“I’ll say it one last time, I didn’t kill her. You can check if you don’t believe me.”

Luke pointed to his eyes, “Look at me.

I’m with the Robbery-Murder Division and all I want right now is to get to the bottom of Latifa Gallo’s murder.

I realize that there may be some foul play between you guys, I don’t care.

I just want to find out who killed Latifa Gallo.

All you have to do now is explain the reason why the two of you met in order to clear your name, understand?”

“Are you telling the truth?”

“That depends on whether you cooperate?”

Mbak Etta took a deep breath, “As I said earlier, Latifa Gallo is a prison guard at Rogeli Prison, where I used to serve my time, and that’s how we met.

She’s a bit tough, but nice, and I was taken care of by her in there.

I’m very grateful to her, and it just so happens that I’ve made some money recently, so I wanted to show my appreciation.”

“How much did you give her?”

“Twenty thousand dollars.”

Luke said, “You got out of prison six months ago, isn’t it too late to express your feelings after all this time.

The police aren’t stupid, don’t use such a poor excuse.

I’ll keep your secret.”

Mbak Etta looked at Luke and glanced at David next to him, and sighed, “Some time ago, our gang clashed with another group of people, and a few of my friends also went to Rowgree Prison, and I wanted to ask her to take care of them, it’s as simple as that.”

“How many times have you met in total since you got out of prison?”

“Four times, each time at the same motel, and she was careful never to meet with a third person.

Also, the last time was the first time we had sex, and I was surprised.

She’s actually not very pretty, not even close to my girlfriend, but it was hard for me to say no to her in that situation.”

Luke said, “Everything changes for a reason, why did she suddenly clap for love with you?”

“I asked that too, asked if she liked me.

She laughed and said she just hadn’t done it in a long time and wanted to let it out.”

Luke pressed, “Did you know she was married?”

“Yes. From the tone of her voice, I think she had a falling out with her husband.

I think that’s why she offered to clap for love with me.”

“What’s the beef between her and her husband?”

“I don’t know, we were just clapping for love, that’s all. I don’t feel like getting involved in each other’s families, and I’m not interested.

I’d prefer not to have my girlfriend know about it.”

Luke jotted Alec Wyatt’s name down in his notebook; the vice squad had given Alec Wyatt a statement earlier, and the other man had always acted like a good husband and father, never mentioning his conflict with the victim.

If, hypothetically, Alec Wyatt had learned that the victim was applauding for love with a punk, it’s understandable to think that he would have been surprisingly angry and done something irrational.

Also, the golf clubs that killed the victim belonged to Alec Wyatt.

“What time did you and Latifah Gallo meet and what time did you part?”

“Met at the motel at two-thirty and separated around three-thirty.”

“Where were you between four-thirty and six?”

“Sleeping at the motel, the woman was crazy, we played poker twice and I was tired.

I needed the rest and stayed until after seven at night.

After dinner, I came to this bar for a drink.”

“Was there anything unusual about Latifa Gallo after your meeting with her?”

“No, she has always been unsmiling, and I’m not afraid of your jokes, but I’m actually a little afraid of her.”

“Do you have a suspect for her killer?”

“No, I actually didn’t know her very well.”

“What was the name of the motel where you met?”

“The Murfitt Motel.”

David warned, “We will verify what you say and you know the consequences of lying.”

“I swear I’m telling the truth.

I didn’t do anything illegal, I was just clapping for love behind my girlfriend’s back.

I had nothing to do with Latifah Gallo’s death.”

Luke kept his eyes on the other man and found no obvious signs of lying, then Luke sent someone to the Murfitt Hotel to investigate and confirm Mbak-Eta’s statement.

Since Mbak-Eta was not the murderer, his words were credible to some extent.

The victim and her husband were in conflict and cheated on each other, which was a dangerous move, and the suspicion of the victim’s husband, Alec Wyatt, rose further.

The following morning.

Robbery-Murder Division office.

Inside the break room.

Alec Wyatt stood up and walked around the break room in some agitation, going to the window from time to time to check the situation outside.

He had received a call from the police station early in the morning saying that there had been a new development in the case and asking him to come to the station.

After arriving at the police station, he was called to the rest room, and half an hour had passed and still no one paid attention to him.

Is this the norm at the police station?

After a little while longer, there was movement at the door and Luke and Jackson pushed their way into the lounge.

Luke placed a file on the table, “Mr. Alec Wyatt, I’ve kept you waiting.”

“That’s okay, I knew you guys would be busy working on the case, it’s only right that I wait a little longer.”

Luke shook his head, “No, actually I’m not busy, I’ve been staying in the office.

It’s just that my colleague made a trip to Vincent’s Travel Agency where you are and had a friendly chat with your colleague.

Do you have anything to say?”

Alec Wyatt gave a nervous look, “I’m sorry, I don’t know what that means?”

Luke got right to the point, “According to the police’s speculation, your wife was killed between four-thirty and six o’clock the day before yesterday afternoon.

You said in your statement that you were working at a travel agency during that time period.

My colleagues went to your travel agency to verify the situation, and according to the company’s receptionist, you didn’t go to work the afternoon before yesterday, so where did you go?”

“Oh my God, you guys are investigating me? Why?” Alec Wyatt questioned aloud.

To Luke, this was just the right sign of weakness, “Because you lied.

Let me guess, you didn’t go to the travel agency that day, you went to follow your wife and then saw something that wasn’t supposed to happen.

You got excited and angry and killed your wife.”

“No, you’re making a false accusation, I didn’t stalk her, much less kill her.”

“Then where have you been?”

“That is my privacy.”

“It may have been before, but the nature has changed since you deceived the police.

You’re interfering with the police investigation, falsifying your alibi, and you’re obstructing official business.

I could arrest you right now.”

“Please.”

Alec Wyatt sighed, “I’ll tell you.

It’s true that I didn’t go to the travel agency that day, I went to see a lawyer.”

“Why are you hiding it?”

Alec Wyatt said helplessly, “Because I was meeting with a divorce lawyer, I was worried that you would be suspicious, so I hid that.”

“You’re planning to divorce Latifah Gallo?”

“No, it is she who intends to divorce, she initiated it, I tried to salvage it but she was adamant.

I went to a lawyer for advice as a last resort.”

Luke pressed, “What conflict occurred between you?”

Alec Wyatt shook his head, “I don’t know.”

Luke wiggled his right index finger, “Don’t lie to me and you can’t fool me, why?”

Alec Wyatt was silent for a moment and licked his lips, “She …… thinks I cheated on her.”

“Who did you cheat on?”

“No, I didn’t cheat, much less on anyone.

And even if I did, I have the right to keep it private, it’s my privacy.”

Luke stared at the other man for a moment and handed him paper and a pen, “Write down the lawyer’s name, firm, and contact information.”

Alec Wyatt let out a long sigh, a little reluctant, but still wrote it down as Luke asked, “Things have come to this point, I’m helpless ……”

“You don’t wish to divorce her?”

“It did at first, but now …… I’m not sure.”

Luke handed the note aside to Jackson and continued, “Tell me about the pinhole cameras installed in the house.”

“I’ve already said that.”

“From the time you lied, your statement was nullified, so why did you install a pinhole camera in the house? What did you want to film? Catch an adulterer?”

Alec Wyatt held up three fingers, “No, I swear I had nothing to do with installing the pinhole camera.”

“Then who do you think it has to do with?”

Alec Wyatt thought for a moment, “If I had to say, I’d say it’s more like Latifa Gallo installed it herself.”

“Do you have proof?”

“No, just a guess.”

“And on what basis?”

Alec Wyatt crossed his fingers, “I can’t say, I just have this feeling.

She’s used to being in control of everything, scheduling everything, like meal times, home times.

If we travel together, all the plans have to be made by her as well, she likes everything to be in order.

She had a strong personality.”

“Was there anything unusual about her before she was killed?”

“Yes, she had become more sensitive and irritable lately. We even argued a few times, and I always thought there might be something wrong with her mentally, and I kept trying to get her to see a doctor, but she refused, worried that a bad test result would affect her work.

Honestly, that’s what makes me feel the most horrible.”

“Knock knock ……”

The door to the lounge slammed and Matthew pushed his way in, “Captain, I’ve found some new leads.”

Luke stood up and left the lounge and asked, “What kind of clues.”

“I found out the identity of the suspected killer.”

Luke was a little surprised, “How did you find out?”

“I compared the surveillance videos from the afternoon before last near the Murphy’s Inn and the victim’s home neighborhood, and found that a black Chevrolet sedan had been to both places at the same time, and I checked the surveillance along the way, and found that this black Chevrolet had been tracking and tailing the victim’s car.

I then ran information on this suspect vehicle.”

Name, Shelda Carr.

Date of birth, February 12, 1999

Cell phone number, 714 826 7812.

Residential address, 302 Salwood neighborhood.

Prior offenses, burglary, robbery.

License plate number, 2web328.

Luke checks the owner’s information, the owner’s name is Serdar, the same name as the dead man wrote down, and the owner also has a criminal record, which fits the murderer’s profile, so it’s no wonder Matthew is so excited.

However, yesterday morning, Luke had also checked the community surveillance near the victim’s house, and also lined up the identity of the car owner, but did not find a car owner named Shelda.

Had he missed some clue?

Luke sat down at Matthew’s computer desk and checked the video surveillance himself and discovered a new problem.

Matthew followed up with, “Captain, is he the man we’re looking for?”

Luke said thoughtfully, “Yes. Find him and maybe we’ll get to the bottom of this.”