Chapter 25

“we don’t do fake arrests”“Exactly my point”.

The cop narrows his eyes, slamming the file shut.

“Name. Background. Who do you work for?”. Justin tilts his head, voice casual

“Santa Claus, He’s pretty good with naughty boys”

The door opens, Alina enters-cold, composed, radiating command. The cop seeing her quickly stands up and straightens nodding to her in greeting. Justin’s smirk falters slightly as he takes note of the shift.

“Detective Mark you can take a break let me handle this” she said to the officer.

"Are you sure? He’s refusing to cooperate, playing games—”

He hesitates,“leave us.” Alina replies coldly not leaving room for further discussion.

Mark walks out of the room unwillingly door shuts behind him.Alina circles the table slowly, hands clasped behind her back.

Her eyes scan Justin with measured scrutiny making shift uncomfortably from the intensity and noticing her fowl expression he refrains from speaking snidely.

“you fought off a gang, left multiple dead bodies …all while doing your job. How did you even know where they were taking her or the location where she was held at?”

"*Dodges her question* Trade secret if I tell you that it won’t make it feel special by the way you’re welcome”.

Alina stops walking around and stands in front of him leaning slightly,“you killed multiple people there, you’re lucky am not booking you under man-slaughter or aggravated assault”.

Justin seat upright his previous expression on his ace no longer there instead looking more focused and serious.

"She could have been killed raped or worse back there. I don’t wait and depend on other people to fix my problem I prefer solving them on my own”.

They stare at each other his cold intensity meeting her professional steel. A flicker of something shifts in Alina’s expression. Not approval not quite but curiosity.

“unfortunately, from the videos we analyzed from the warehouse you were attacked first and your actions though excessive still counts as self-defense…”.

“So, you are free to go, don’t make me see your face again or else it’ll will take more than a call to let me let you go” Alina says unexpectedly.

Her expression not happy showing her reluctance at not been able to lock him up.

“No promises, officer” Justin chuckles dryly.Alina turns away.

“Detective. *she walks to the door, pauses and glances back over her shoulder* get him released”.

Mark leans against the hallway walls, expression sour arms crossed waiting. As Alina exits the room, he falls into step beside her.

"Was that really a good idea? Letting him go” Alina walks unhurriedly and answers without looking at him.

"It has already been determined that he wasn’t the threat and was acting under self-defense. The real bad guys are out there, we should be looking for a way to lock them behind bars not discussing a closed case”

Hearing her answer and the fact that she did not bother to look at him while answering made him clench his jaw tightly.