My thoughts were shattered by the echo of a man's voice.
"That kid did it, obviously. Are you idiots?"
The voice ricocheted down the corridor.
"Isn't it illegal to accuse someone without any evidence? Besides, the kid is still young. How could he sever a police officer's arm and dispose of bodies? And in such a short time—"
"He killed his own family. Why are you even questioning it? Throw him in prison!"
The voice cut off abruptly.
I instinctively turned my head toward where the sound had come from.
A man ran out into the corridor. His steps were unsteady. His eyes were twitching, both hands pressed over his mouth as if he were trying not to vomit. After a few more steps, his knees gave out and he collapsed hard onto the floor. His eyes began to roll back.
Something was wrong.
I turned to the officer beside me.
"Is that man okay?"
The officer hesitated briefly, then shrugged.
"That man? Oh… Mr. Josh. One of the most senior members of the crime scene investigation unit. He's usually calm. Probably just a momentary faint."
What he said didn't match what I had seen.
He doesn't look fine at all, I thought.
Two officers who had followed the man hurried back. Their faces were pale. They were whispering, but their voices were unsteady. That caught the attention of the officer next to me, and he walked over to them.
It was impossible not to overhear.
"He was found outside… dead."
"Was an ambulance called?"
"It was. But… it won't help."
Mr. Josh was dead.
It wasn't murder. There was no blood. No visible trauma. But the environment was already tense, and hearing about another death threw everything into chaos. Officers rushed around, people whispered, everyone was talking at once.
"Heart attack."
"Stress."
"It can't be a coincidence."
The word changed quickly.
Death turned into murder.
There was no evidence, yet people kept talking. Everyone acted like they knew something. Eyes began to turn toward me. No one accused me outright, but the looks were clear enough.
So much happening, in such a short time…
It had scared people.
And fear always demands a culprit.
---
– Two days later –
The judge's voice echoed through the courtroom.
"Due to inconsistencies in witness statements and insufficient evidence, the court has decided to release Rian Grayn."
The judge struck the desk with his ring to call for silence.
Solid. Cold. Final.
A murmur spread through the room. Displeased whispers, sharp breaths, restrained anger. No one looked relieved. No one seemed convinced.
I stood up.
I was free.
But no one looked at me like I was innocent.
Then a voice rang out in the courtroom.
"Your Honor, I object."
It came from the back rows.
The judge looked up.
"On what grounds?"
The prosecutor stood. He didn't even open the file; he knew this by heart.
"Rian Grayn twas present at the scene during two major incidents. He was also present at the time of an important individual's death. During interrogation, he refused to answer questions properly and remained silent for extended periods. During the incident at the station, despite police orders for civilians to leave the area, he forcibly entered the scene."
Whispers spread through the courtroom. People turned to one another, heads nodding. Some spoke in low voices.
The judge struck the desk with his ring.
A sharp sound.
"Silence."
The murmurs stopped.
The judge glanced briefly at the prosecutor. Then at the file. Then back at the room.
"These points may raise suspicion," he said. "However, they do not constitute sufficient grounds for detention on their own."
The prosecutor tried to speak again, but the judge raised his hand.
"There is no evidence. Witness statements are contradictory. No concrete connection has been established."
He paused.
"This is the final decision."
He struck the desk once more.
Firm. Decisive.
The ruling had been given.
No one applauded. No one relaxed. The room remained tense. Eyes were still on me; the charges were dropped, but the suspicion remained.
I was released.
But as I left the courtroom, one thing was clear to me:
This wasn't the end.
It was just the moment everyone started waiting.