Midnight Confession

The old clock in the police station ticked loudly, the only sound in the dimly lit interrogation room. Detective Laura Briggs leaned back in her chair, watching the man across from her. His hands were clasped on the table, knuckles white.

“Tell me again, Mr. Holloway,” she said, her voice calm but firm. “Where were you last night at midnight?”

Daniel Holloway swallowed hard. “I told you. I was home, asleep.”

Briggs slid a photograph across the table. A man, face-down in an alley, a gunshot wound in his back. Blood pooled around him like ink spilled on pavement.

“You recognize him?” she asked.

Daniel’s lips parted slightly, his breath shallow. “That’s… that’s Tyler Gray.”

Briggs nodded. “Your former business partner.”

Daniel shifted in his seat. “Look, I had nothing to do with this.”

Briggs tilted her head. “That’s interesting because a witness saw you arguing with him yesterday afternoon. Said it got heated.”

Daniel clenched his jaw. “We had disagreements. Tyler was reckless. He made deals with the wrong people. I tried to warn him.”

Briggs studied him. “Warn him about what?”

Daniel hesitated. “He borrowed money from Vincent Malone.”

Briggs raised an eyebrow. The name was all too familiar. Vincent Malone—loan shark, extortionist, and the kind of man who didn’t forgive debts.

“You expect me to believe Malone did this?” she asked.

Daniel shook his head. “No, I don’t know who did it! I told you, I was home.”

Briggs let out a slow breath. “Then explain this.”

She placed a small evidence bag on the table. Inside, a single .38 caliber bullet casing.

“Found at the scene,” she said. “And ballistics matched it to a gun registered in your name.”

Daniel’s face drained of color. “No… That’s not possible.”

Briggs leaned in. “Where’s your gun, Daniel?”

“I—I don’t know,” he stammered. “It was in my desk drawer.”

Briggs nodded slowly. “Except it wasn’t. We checked. It’s missing.”

Daniel’s breathing turned ragged. “Someone must have stolen it.”

Briggs folded her arms. “You expect me to believe someone broke in, stole your gun, murdered Tyler, and left the casing behind? That’s a hell of a coincidence.”

Daniel shook his head furiously. “I swear, I didn’t do this!”

The door creaked open, and Officer Reed stepped inside, handing Briggs a sheet of paper. She scanned it, then looked back at Daniel.

“Security footage,” she said. “Shows your car parked two blocks from the crime scene at 11:45 PM.”

Daniel’s hands trembled. His eyes darted around the room, as if searching for an escape. Then, his shoulders sagged.

Briggs leaned forward. “Tell me the truth, Daniel. Did you kill Tyler?”

Tears welled in his eyes. He exhaled shakily. “I… I didn’t mean to.”

Briggs closed her eyes for a brief moment. Another confession. Another life ruined.

“Why?” she asked softly.

Daniel’s voice cracked. “Tyler was going to rat us out to Malone. If he did, we were both dead. I tried to scare him, but he wouldn’t listen.”

Briggs nodded to Reed. The cuffs clicked shut around Daniel’s wrists.

As she stood, Daniel looked up, his voice barely a whisper.

“Do you think… Malone will come for me?”

Briggs met his gaze. “If I were you, I’d pray he doesn’t.”