Interrogating My Own Dead Wife

Three years after my death, the leader of a massive human trafficking ring that had been on the run for eight years was finally caught.

The day before the public trial, my ex-husband, Zackary Theron, brought him into the interrogation room.

Where is the last accomplice? Who is your handler? Is this person still in contact with the higher-ups?

Xander Duke leaned back in his chair, looking at him with a cocky, arrogant grin.

"I've got so many boys under me. How should I know which one you're talking about?"

Zackary suppressed his rage and asked, "The traitor, Nia Sterling!"

Xander let out an exaggerated, mocking laugh.

"That stupid woman who exposed her undercover identity just to save a few girls? How could she be one of mine?"

"She was a tough one, though. We broke her limbs one by one and shattered every tooth in her mouth, but she didn't give the cops a single piece of intel."

"Before she died, she released a whole batch of 'merchandise,' costing me a fortune."

Zackary slammed his hand on the table with a loud bang.

"Bullshit!"

"If she hadn't double-crossed us, causing the raid to fail, ten of our brothers wouldn't have walked into your trap and died for nothing."

Xander let out a creepy, cackling laugh that echoed in the small room.

"Nia Sterling wasn't an accomplice. But there *was* someone. Someone who's been feeding us info all these years."

"The condition was that Nia had to disappear from this world branded as a criminal."

"I heard she's doing pretty well for herself now, getting married soon. Maybe you even know her, Agent Theron."

Zackary's heart tightened. He subconsciously touched the engagement ring on his finger.

Xander glanced at it, looking amused.

"You're supposed to be a hotshot profiler, right? Helped the FBI solve all those cold cases. How can you be so blind to the person right next to you?"

"You!"

Zackary frowned, wanting to snap back, but a knock came at the interrogation room door.

Captain Pierce signaled him to take a break.

"Your fiance is here. Go rest. We'll take it from here."

Zackary nodded in silence, his eyes dimming.

I floated right beside him, watching him. My heart ached seeing how thin his shoulders had become.

For three years, he had been obsessed with this case, refusing to let go. His health was a wreck.

To find cluesDor maybe to find meDhe had moved from behind the scenes to the front lines. He worked the scenes and interrogated suspects himself.

He had been to the ER three times for exhaustion. He was killing himself.

Even though I resented him for never looking closely at my file and branding me a traitor, the anger faded whenever I saw his pale face.

I heard him whispering to himself in the dark of his office.

"Why did you do it?"

"You said your biggest dream was to earn a badge and serve the people. So why did you turn?"

The resentment in my heart softened bit by bit.

I wanted to tell him I didn't betray anyone. I didn't turn.

But I'd been whispering that into his ear for three years.

He couldn't hear me. All my struggles were in vain.

A soft female voice snapped me back to reality.

"Zack, I made some soup today. It tastes good. Try some."

It was Lyra Hazel. She held a lunchbox, her eyes curved in a smile.

The coldness in Zackary instantly melted. He patted her head affectionately.

"I thought you hated coming here. Why did you come inside? I could have met you outside."

Lyra shook her head with a smile.

"It's okay. It's been so long. I need to move on."

"No matter how ugly the past was, people have to move forward. I'm just glad I have you."

Watching her act so devoted made my resentment flare up again.

Years ago, when I went undercover as a handler to infiltrate the ring, she was the first person I saved.

Back then, she was a scrawny girl who followed me around calling me 'big sister.' I used to bring her home for dinner.

She used to look at Zackary and tell us we were a match made in heaven.

Her innocent act was so convincing.

Who would have guessed she was a wolf hiding in plain sight? She didn't just give me the fatal blow.

She shamelessly took my place beside my ex-husband.

Lyra looked at Zackary with pity, checking his temperature with her hand.

"Why do you look so pale? Is the interrogation not going well? The trial is tomorrow. Is it still difficult?"

Zackary gently grabbed her wrist.

A bracelet slid from her wrist to his fingers, making him freeze.

"Zack?"

Zackary snapped out of it.

"Something came up. Some key leads haven't panned out. I need to go over everything again."

Lyra followed his lead.

"But you caught the guy. You've worked so hard for years. After tomorrow, you can finally rest and let go."

Zackary shook his head, a stubborn darkness in his eyes.

"No. The person who escaped hasn't been found. The connections behind the scenes are still blurry. This isn't the time to relax."

Lyra looked hurt.

"Is this about... Nia?"

Zackary froze again, then forced a smirk.

"It's for you. And for the victims Xander Duke tortured. We need justice. Nia Sterling is just a criminal in this web. I have to bring her in."

My chest felt tight. I laughed at myself.

A dead woman, still getting hurt by her lover's words. How pathetic.

Just then, urgent footsteps approached.

Captain Pierce walked right through my ghostly body to Zackary.

"Zack, the scumbag started talking. But he has one condition: you have to be there."

Before Zack could answer, Lyra was the one who lost control.

She rushed toward the interrogation room.

She slammed the door open and screamed at Xander Duke.

"You son of a bitch!"

"You locked me in a cage and tortured me because I saw what you and Nia were up to. I'll kill you!"

Her hand was inches from Xander's face before Zackary caught her and pulled her into his arms to calm her down.

Xander leaned forward, enjoying the chaos.

"Go ahead, hit me. A civilian attacking a prisoner in the interrogation room? I was just looking for a way to screw you guys over before the trial."

Zackary's eyes turned cold and lethal.

"She's an innocent victim of your crimes. She still hasn't recovered from the trauma. Don't play games with me."

"Tell us everything. Tell us where the traitor Nia Sterling is."

Xander laughed, a sound full of mockery.

"You're all blind. You can't even tell who the real wolf is."

"Nia Sterling's identity was exposed because she tried to save my inside source. When she wouldn't join us, we killed her."

"Want to know where the body is? Beg me."

Lyra's body went stiff. A flicker of panic and guilt flashed across her face, too fast for anyone to notice.

The room was too chaotic. No one saw her eyes.

Zackary barked back, "How much did Nia pay you to lie like this and try to clear her name at the last minute?"

Xander shrugged indifferently.

"That woman was as tough as they come. She refused to break, and before she died, she screwed me over."

"She didn't just free the girls. She hid a list of names that could destroy everyone. We cut her open and dug through her guts, but we never found it."

"I've got family too. If that list gets out, the people above me will wipe out my entire bloodline."

He pointed his finger toward the ceiling, looking at Zackary with an exaggerated expression.

"You were her lover, right? You should know her. The body is buried in the deep woods of Blackwood Ridge."

"Take me there to identify the spot. Maybe you'll find that list. I just want to breathe some fresh air before I'm locked up forever."

He was dropping hints, speaking in riddles.

Before Zackary could speak, Lyra grabbed his arm, sobbing.

"Zack, do you think I'm dirty? Do you hate me for what happened?"

Zackary's attention was diverted again. He gave Captain Pierce a look before leading Lyra back to his office.

Inside, I watched him hand her a cup of warm water.

She didn't drink it. She held the cup and looked down for a long time before looking up with red eyes.

"I know you can't let her go. I know you're only talking about marriage because you feel guilty and want to take care of my future."

"But I was there. I'm not lying. Nia's cover was almost blown, and to save herself, she lured me back to the den to be her shield."

"If you hadn't arrived in time, I would have..."

She trailed off, unable to finish. Zackary sighed and pulled her into a hug.

"It's in the past. Don't think about it."

I watched them being intimate, feeling a wave of helplessness.

That's not how it happened at all.

I was the one who risked my life to save her. I treated her like my own sister.

I fought to get her out before the raid and left her with Captain Pierce for protection.

But she overheard our meeting. She went back and leaked my location. I had almost escaped.

Lyra faked being a hostage to trap me. She cut off my only way out.

During those days in the cage, I looked at her through blood-filled eyes and asked why.

Lyra had been honest then.

"Jealousy. We have the same background. Both our parents are criminals. We should be in the gutter together."

"But you... you had this stupid dream of being a cop. You even had a man like Zackary who loved you."

"I didn't have any of that. I wanted it. So, big sister, just die. Disappear with your crimes, and I'll take good care of Zack for you..."

The sound of Captain Pierce opening the door broke my memory.

"Zack, Duke stopped talking again. He's insisting on the site identification. I put in the request. If it's approved, we move."

"No!" Zackary countered, frowning.

"Asking to go to the site now is obviously a trap."

"With a runner like Nia Sterling still out there, the chance of an ambush or a prison break is high. Ten of our brothers died there. We can't do this again."

Pierce sighed.

"But she was my informant. Dead or alive, right or wrong, I have to see for myself. If you're right and she's there, I'll bring her in."

Zackary couldn't find a reason to argue further.

Lyra spoke up weakly, "Take me with you. I know that place better than anyone."

Even though it was summer, Blackwood Ridge was chilling at night.

Captain Pierce led the team, escorting Xander Duke to find the body.

Returning to this place, even as a ghost, I felt my soul tremble.

Zackary and the others looked just as shaken.

Seeing the faded yellow police tape, no one wanted to take another step.

This was a minefield.

It wasn't just my grave; it was where the ten officers were lured into a trap.

Captain Pierce looked grim.

He patiently ordered the team to prepare the detection equipment and start searching.

Lyra suddenly jumped out of the police car, holding her phone and shouting at Zackary.

"Nia just sent a text! Don't go in there! It's dangerous!"

The team turned pale.

Zackary stopped everyone and ran over to take the phone.

"If you don't want history to repeat itself, let him go."

He turned to Pierce, his face twisted in rage.

"It's a trap. Nia is hiding nearby. Expand the search perimeter. Don't fall for their games."

I let out a bitter laugh.

His prejudice against me was so deep that he couldn't even see the obvious flaws in that text.

He walked away and tried calling my old number.

The cold, automated voice told him the user was unavailable.

His hand shook as he pressed the button to leave a voicemail.

"Is Xander Duke really that charming? Charming enough for you to try and kill us all again?"

"Let me tell you something. Don't think you can fake your death to wash away your sins. You'll be a traitor for the rest of your life!"

"I will find you. I will personally drag you back to apologize to Lyra and the public!"

Zackary's voice grew harsher until he slammed the phone onto the ground.

Looking at the cracked screen, he slumped to the ground and whispered.

"You can hear me, can't you? You're just ignoring me on purpose."

"Yes," I whispered, floating over him.

Three years. Thousands of messages. I heard every single one.

But you couldn't see me. You couldn't hear my response.

Lyra walked over and pulled at his jacket, looking hurt.

"It's not surprising that Nia changed. Bad blood runs in the family, after all."

"Her parents were thieves who killed someone when they got caught. Nia probably realized she was at a dead end and chose the same path."

"But I didn't think she'd use a minefield that killed her own teammates to set us up."

With a few words, Lyra nailed me to a cross of shame.

A dead person can't argue against the lies of the living.

Xander Duke pointed toward an old oak tree near the path.

"Hey, officers. Are we digging or what? I'm trying to cooperate here."

Pierce hesitated, but Zackary spoke with a cold finality.

"We aren't going. Call in the bomb squad to blast it. There's no need to risk lives for a traitor."

Captain Pierce frowned, disagreeing.

"I trust your judgment, Zack, but this is too blunt. If Duke is telling the truth, a blast will destroy everything."

"How will we give the families of the fallen any closure then?"

Zackary shook his head coldly.

"She's worked with the enemy more than once. This place is a hazard. Better to level it and be done with it."

Lyra chimed in immediately.

"I agree with Zack. Nia is a traitor. Even if she died here, she got what she deserved."

"Why should everyone risk their lives for her?"

The team fell into a heavy silence.

I looked down at their faces, feeling a deep loneliness.

Many of these people were my former colleagues.

They used to trust me. Now, their suspicion was as deep as Zackary's.

"Ha!"

Xander Duke, who had been silent, let out a loud snort.

"If Nia Sterling knew you cowards were afraid of a minefield that was cleared years ago, she'd regret dying for you."

Zackary froze. His face flushed with anger.

"Say that again!"

Xander smirked.

"It's nothing. I just left a little game here back then. Nia Sterling wanted to save your lives."

"Even with her last breath, she begged me. She offered to clear the mines for you."

"She was a tough bitch. I had my boys dig a hole by that oak tree. Let her return to the earth, right?"

"You should have seen it. She crawled toward every mine she could find. By the time she blew up in that hole, there wasn't much skin left on her."

"If any of you survived that day, it's because you were lucky enough to step where she had already crawled."

The field went dead silent. Everyone was frozen in shock.

Xander used the moment of distraction to mouth a word to Lyra: "Now."

Lyra went rigid. She looked down for a second.

When she looked up, her face was a mask of rage and hysteria.

"You monster! You're trying to use Zack's weakness to lure him into a trap! I won't let you!"

Before anyone could react, Lyra lunged at him.

In the chaos, Xander used his handcuffed hands to grab her by the throat.

"Back off! Get a car and money, or I'll snap her neck!"

"Lyra!"

Zackary's pupils dilated. He didn't hesitate. He pulled a gun from a nearby officer's holster.

He aimed it at Xander, his hands shaking.

Captain Pierce tried to stabilize the situation.

"Calm down! Duke, let her go and we can talk!"

Xander moved slowly, using Lyra as a shield. He didn't answer the cops.

Instead, he leaned into Lyra's ear, whispering loud enough for only us to hear.

"You've got a good life now, don't you? You were my mole, you sold out Nia to live, and now you're a bride-to-be."

"I'm telling you, it's not happening. If I don't get out today, I'm taking you to hell with me."

Lyra didn't say a word. Using the team's blind spot, she slammed her elbow into his side.

She hit the exact spot where I had left him a permanent injury years ago.

Xander hissed in pain.

He tightened the chain of his cuffs around Lyra's neck until her eyes began to roll back.

"You bitch... you think because I'm dying, your secret..."

BANGD

He didn't finish.

Zackary saw him hurting Lyra and lost his cool.

Without an order, he fired.

The bullet grazed Lyra's cheek and hit Xander Duke directly in the heart.

As Xander collapsed, Zackary rushed over and pulled Lyra into his arms.

He went to carry her away, but a bloody hand grabbed his ankle.

Xander gasped for air, blood bubbling in his throat.

"Happy... wedding... Agent... Theron!"

Zackary's brow furrowed. Doubt flickered in his mind, but he didn't have time to ask.

Xander died right there, eyes wide open.

Lyra sobbed in Zackary's arms.

"Zack, I'm scared. I want to go home."

Zackary's focus shifted again. He went to leave, but Captain Pierce stopped him.

"Let someone else take her. You stay."

Zackary thought he was in trouble for the unauthorized shot.

But Pierce held up his phone, his face twisted in grief.

"I sent a scout team around the back to that oak tree. Duke wasn't lying."

"There's a body."