Enchanted By His Charm



Chalmers probed further, "So, you sent Joseph's clothes for dry cleaning because they were wet?"

Irish smiled lightly and responded, "Every piece of my husband's clothing, even every tie, is custom-made by a luxury shop, and they are all quite expensive. Officer, you may not be aware, but such clothes are quite costly, and if they are not promptly taken care of, rain can damage the fabric. Oh, I suppose you wouldn't know since you probably can't afford to wear such expensive suits."

Chalmers' expression turned sour.

Irish intentionally made that remark, fully aware that it would embarrass Chalmers. She did so purposefully, knowing that he believed Joseph to be the murderer.

Chalmers then questioned, "But if you had an umbrella when you went to pick up Joseph, why was his body still so wet?"

Irish explained, "At that time, he was standing just outside the building entrance, and the wind was very strong. He noticed my umbrella was struggling against the wind, so he proactively ran ahead. The rain was heavy that night, so it's normal that he got wet."

"Is that normal, or did he do it intentionally?" Chalmers questioned.

Irish furrowed her brows, asking, "What do you mean?"

Leaning forward, Chalmers responded, "There is a possibility that he committed the murder and deliberately ran into the rain to meet you. The purpose would be to disguise the fact that his clothes were already wet."

Irish grew increasingly irritated, retorting, "That is purely your speculation!"

"Speculation or fact, further investigation is needed," Chalmers stated, maintaining his gaze on her. "Joseph is a very intelligent individual, so it's likely he would seek a witness to prove that he left the building, and you are the most convenient witness, Dr. Irish, perhaps hiding in the shadows."

Irish stared at Chalmers for a long moment before finally uttering, "Nonsense."

"Seems like you have been used by him more than once?" Chalmers suddenly questioned.

Irish's fingers trembled, and she looked at him cautiously.

"To be frank, your marriage appears to be more of a mutually beneficial arrangement, isn't it?" Chalmers continued to press, step by step. "You used him in the past to successfully target Lake and Ruby, and now he uses you to facilitate his work conveniently. Am I right?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Irish replied, her voice tense.

"In South Africa, he utilized your involvement to secure the mining bid successfully, and he married you. Many people have speculated that he had intentions of merging the Runestone Group. Even your father questioned him before his death, didn't he?" Chalmers continued.

The tension in Irish's heart tightened once more.

"Prior to his passing, your father removed Joseph from his position as the general manager. Wouldn't that have been a blow to a man with ambitious career aspirations?" Chalmers probed.

"Officer, are you suggesting that Joseph killed my father and Ruby?" Irish questioned, her voice trembling.

Chalmers laughed and responded, "We don't rule out any possibilities."

"I am certain that Joseph is not capable of such actions," Irish asserted, her voice filled with conviction.

"He needs evidence to prove his innocence, just as we require evidence to establish guilt," Chalmers remarked.

A slight smirk formed on Chalmers' lips. "Therefore, he remains a suspect, and we, the police, will keep a close watch on him."

Irish clenched her fist, feeling the urge to punch him in the face.

*****

On the prosecutor's side, the investigation was not progressing favorably.

Joseph consistently denied the accusations of trade secret disclosure or any commercial crimes, and the evidence gathered by the prosecution was not conclusive enough to incriminate him.

Although Joseph had sufficient motivation for the disclosure of the new Runestone products, the prosecution did not find any evidence of financial transactions between Joseph and Leo that would indicate their involvement in the leak.

Furthermore, Leo refused to discuss the new product design, claiming it was unfamiliar to him. He even remarked to the prosecution, "It seems that there is a misunderstanding about my connection with Joseph."

But such statements were not convincing enough.

Neither Leo nor Joseph admitted to the leak, and Joseph himself was unaware of why Leo possessed a design plan similar to the new Runestone product.

The blame game between the two men left Prosecutor Tanner frustrated. "What is your intention behind acquiring your brother's shares?" Tanner demanded.

Tanner had faced Joseph countless times, but each encounter ended in failure due to the lack of concrete evidence.

"It's simple. He is not suited for the business," Joseph replied, his response reflecting a dismissive attitude.

"Is your brother involved in the new product?" Tanner pressed.

Joseph's expression turned stern. He reached out and knocked on the table before firmly stating, "For the last time, my brother and my wife have been disconnected from the company for a significant period of time. They are unaware of the current affairs within the company."

Tanner fixed his gaze on Joseph and, after a long pause, leaned forward in his seat. "Joseph, you seem to believe that I am incapable of uncovering your flaws, don't you?" he remarked.

"I've always been waiting for you to investigate thoroughly," Joseph replied calmly.

Tanner's tone grew more direct as he declared, "I will meticulously examine every action you have taken, both within the country and abroad. From South Africa to the deaths of Henry and Ruby, I will not overlook any potential commercial or criminal offenses!"

Joseph's lips curled slightly. "Very well, I will actively cooperate with your investigation," he responded.

****

The sunset blazed like a fiery orb, gradually sinking in the west. 

Night descended quietly, slowly swallowing the fading glow of evening. Eventually, even the last ray of light succumbed to the embrace of darkness. In the lengthy night, neon lamps flickered to life, attempting to banish the shadows.

Irish emerged from the police station, wandering aimlessly.

Standing amidst the bustling street, her eyes appeared vacant but soon transformed into confusion. Irish had lost track of how long she had been standing there until the strain on her bag strap threatened to tear it apart, causing pain to shoot through her fingers. She hurriedly moved forward, making her way towards her house.

How could one attain a life of tranquility?

This was the source of Irish's bewilderment.

Truly, she desired nothing more than a private sanctuary that belonged solely to her and her husband. A place where they could peacefully relish the sunset and live a joyous existence together, much like their days in Uyuni—unassuming yet awe-inspiring.

They cherished the simplicity of everyday life and were captivated by the splendor of nature.

Only now did Irish realize that "das" had been repeated, but she understood the challenge of leading a seamless life.

Chalmers' words echoed in her mind, each word delivering a blow that left her in pain.