Enchanted By His Charm



Jay simply inquired about the situation, and Chalmers shared what he could without divulging confidential information. Jay understood the nature of the investigation and the need for certain procedures to remain confidential, so he did not press Chalmers further.

Jay attempted to calm Lilith, reassuring her that Chalmers was merely conducting routine questioning and urging her not to be nervous.

However, despite his efforts, Lilith's anxiety only intensified. Her fingers began to tremble, betraying her nervous state.

Chalmers decided to address the matter directly, asking, "On the night of the murder, were you under the influence of any substances?"

Lilith recoiled and anxiously glanced at Jay for support.

Sensing Lilith's hesitation, Jay leaned in, gently placing a hand on her shoulder, and softly encouraged her, "You need to cooperate with the police and tell them what you know."

Lilith bit her lip and cautiously looked at Chalmers, eventually nodding in acknowledgement.

Chalmers proceeded with his questioning, asking, "How long ago was it? Can you remember?"

Lilith shook her head, indicating her inability to recall specific details.

"Were your parents present with you at all times?" Chalmers inquired.

Lilith tightly pressed her fingers together, hesitated for a moment, and finally spoke up, "My state of mind at that time was extremely confused, and I could only hear my parents' voices."

"And were your servants present as well?" Chalmers inquired.

Lilith carefully recollected the events and nodded gently, saying, "I believe I saw one of them."

Before departing, Chalmers advised Jay, "You should consider sending her to a specialized drug treatment center, where there are professionals who can assist her." He gestured towards his own scarred wound.

Jay chuckled and responded, "Home is the best place for her."

Chalmers expressed concern, asking, "Do you have the confidence to support her through the detoxification process?"

Jay replied without hesitation, "I must." 

Chalmers let out a sigh, revealing a sobering fact, "During Carmen's detoxification, there were a total of ten suicide attempts, and the last one was the most severe, nearly resulting in a fatal outcome. The doctors barely managed to save her." He felt it necessary to highlight the challenges involved.

Jay, well aware of the difficulties, contemplated for a moment and then stated firmly, "I will always be by Lilith's side. If necessary, I will involve a psychiatrist."

Chalmers inquired further, "Your sister?"

"Yes, my sister is indeed a highly capable psychiatrist," Jay confirmed.

"Unfortunately, she was disbarred," Chalmers commented.

Jay looked at Chalmers and gently smiled, "But that alone is not enough for me to harbor hatred towards Joseph. My sister loved him deeply, as well as his dog. Chalmers, I am a police officer, and I will never break the law, even if it means going against someone I care about."

Chalmers also smiled and gave Jay a firm pat on the shoulder.

In truth, Chalmers had subtly assessed Jay during their conversation, and he found Jay to be intelligent. It wasn't that Chalmers easily trusted Jay, but the doubts surrounding him were minimal.

There was no reason for Chalmers to doubt Jay's integrity. However, faced with a murder investigation of such a grave nature, Chalmers had to broaden the scope of suspects and meticulously scrutinize every detail.

Meanwhile, Irish was visibly trembling while at the police station.

Chalmers sat across from her and, following protocol requested that she recount the events of that fateful night. Irish described the situation, attempting to maintain a calm and composed tone.

"Why didn't you intervene when Ruby requested to speak with Joseph privately?" Chalmers inquired.

"I did try to intervene, but Ruby was adamant and confrontational," Irish explained.

"What time did you leave to go downstairs?"

"It was around half past ten," Irish replied.

"Who was with you at that time?" Chalmers inquired.

"Roy and Cassie, we went to the garage to retrieve the car," Irish answered.

"Was there anyone else present?" Chalmers probed.

"No, it was late, and most employees from other companies had already finished their work and left," Irish clarified.

"So, after they left, you remained downstairs waiting for Joseph?" Chalmers asked.

"Yes," Irish confirmed.

"At what time approximately?" Chalmers pressed further.

Irish replied with certainty, "It should have been around half past eleven."

"Are you certain about that?" Chalmers sought confirmation.

"Yes, because I was keeping track of the time," Irish replied.

"Then why did you decide to go back upstairs?" Chalmers inquired.

Irish pondered for a moment before responding, "I decided to go back upstairs because I felt that Ruby was being unreasonable and causing trouble, but I also felt that Joseph didn't need to engage in a lengthy conversation with her."

Chalmers continued his line of questioning, "Do you believe Ruby posed a threat to your husband?"

"I have never stated such a thing," Irish replied.

"Is it possible that Ruby would physically harm him?" Chalmers probed further.

"I cannot speculate on something I haven't witnessed myself," Irish replied cautiously.

"What are your thoughts on Emery's death?" Chalmers asked.

Irish considered the question and answered, "I have no idea about that because I didn't know Emery very well."

Chalmers then pushed a set of information data in front of her, word for word. "You used to be acquainted with Emery," he stated.

Irish glanced at the data, maintaining a calm demeanor. She responded, "That's because her ex-husband approached me seeking information, and I was on duty as a doctor. I needed to speak with Emery to understand the situation."

Chalmers pressed further, "Ruby had been causing trouble for Joseph because of Emery's suicide, correct?"

"I believe that's the case," Irish responded.

"What do you mean by that?" Chalmers inquired.

"I observed that Ruby had expressed dissatisfaction towards Joseph, but she didn't exhibit any specific threatening behavior," Irish clarified.

"At the time of the crime, some people heard Ruby telling Joseph that she wanted him to leave the Runestone, which made him upset," Chalmers stated.

Irish replied, "She would sometimes speak harshly, but it doesn't necessarily mean Joseph would respond in the same way."

Chalmers continued probing, "Do you always believe in your husband's innocence?"

"Of course," Irish responded without hesitation.

Chalmers shifted the focus back to the night of the crime. He narrowed his eyes slightly, realizing that Irish's logic was tightly woven, making it difficult to find a breakthrough point. "You have a regular housekeeping company, and the laundry staff usually comes to pick up the dirty clothes. However, on the night of the crime, you called someone specifically to collect Joseph's clothes, right?"

Irish looked at Chalmers and replied, "Yes."

"You usually wait for the housekeeping company to take the clothes away. Why did you call someone that night to come and collect them? Couldn't you have waited until morning?" Chalmers questioned.

"My clothes and Joseph's clothes were wet," Irish explained.

Chalmers seemed skeptical and commented, "That sounds like an excuse."

Irish remained composed and replied, "But that's the truth."

Chalmers continued to question her, "According to the laundry staff, they only collected Joseph's clothes that night, the ones he was wearing."

"Yes, that's because the laundry staff mentioned that they only had dry-cleaning services available at that time, and my clothes couldn't be dry-cleaned, so they didn't take them," Irish clarified.