Interrogation

Ashley sat in the cold, sterile interview room, her eyes welling up with tears as the stern-looking officer, Sarge, began to question her. The fluorescent lights above seemed to hum with an ominous tone, casting an unforgiving glare over the scene. "So, you're saying you don't know anything about the murder?" Sarge asked, his voice firm but with a hint of skepticism. Ashley shook her head, feeling a lump form in her throat. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. The other officer, who had been quietly observing from the corner of the room, stepped forward with a swab and began to collect a DNA sample from Ashley's mouth. She felt a surge of discomfort and anxiety as the swab scraped against her cheek. Sarge then pulled out a stack of photographs and placed them on the table in front of Ashley. As she glanced down, her eyes widened in horror. The pictures showed a young woman, lying lifeless on the ground, with a look of terror frozen on her face. Ashley felt a wave of nausea wash over her, and she looked away, trying to compose herself. "I don't know her," she said, her voice shaking. Sarge raised an eyebrow. "You're sure you've never seen her before?" Ashley shook her head, feeling tears stream down her face. "No, I'm positive. I don't know who she is or what you're talking about." The officers exchanged a skeptical glance, and Sarge leaned forward. "We're going to get to the bottom of this, Ashley," he said, his voice firm. "So, you might as well start telling the truth." Ashley felt a desperate urge to call for help. "Please, can I call my mom or dad?" she asked, her voice cracking. Sarge's expression turned cold. "No, we're not going to let you do that right now. We need to focus on getting to the truth." Ashley felt a fresh wave of panic wash over her. "I didn't do it," she cried, her voice echoing off the walls of the small room. "I don't know the girl. I don't know what you're talking about." The officers remained silent, their faces expressionless, as Ashley's tears continued to flow. She felt like she was drowning in a sea of uncertainty, with no lifeline in sight.