Chapter 3

The early morning light seeped through the partially drawn curtains, casting a muted glow upon the room. Lisa blinked her eyes awake as the alarm clock bared insistently, cutting through the silence. Lisa, groaned, her tired eyes reflecting the emotions that lay beneath. As she reached out to silence the alarm, her fingers brushed against the framed photograph on her bedside table.

It captured a joyful moment shared with her father, their smiles frozen in time. Lisa closed her eyes, wishing for a moment that she could turn back time and have her father by her side once more. Slowly, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and sat. Then she lowered her head, taking a moment to gather her thoughts. Standing up, she proceeded to the bathroom. As she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror, she couldn't help but notice the weariness that etched into her features. Dark circles under her eyes served as a testament to the sleepless night spent lost in grief.

Somehow, she knew there was more to her father's death, and it was only a matter of time before she uncovered the truth. Fortunately, the hospital had called the previous night and requested that her mother came over to confirm the body. Although it was saddening, but it would be a double loss on her path if she lost her father and also not give him a befitting burial, that's if at all the news about his death happened to be true because up until now she's refused to believe anything about her father's demise despite knowing in her heart that it was true.

After a refreshing shower, she chose her attire for the day – a sleek black suit that her father got her as a present in her last birthday. Stepping into the kitchen, she poured herself a cup of strong coffee, letting its comforting aroma envelop her senses. As she sipped the steaming beverage, soothing her heartache and quenching the anger that burned within her about the unfulfilled memories with her dad.

“You are up early.” Lisa said, planting herself by the door. “How are you feeling?”

Her voice cut through Lisa's thought and in no time, although Lisa tried so hard to fight back the tears forming in her eyes, a tear still trickled down the side of her nose as she tightened her grip around the cup.

“Fine, I guess.” she said, speaking through the sob that rose in her throat.

“If you aren't able to go to work…”

“I will, I have to.” she broke in, her voice suddenly hard as steel.

“Lisa,” Linda called out, her voice laced with concern.

“Don't…” Lisa pleaded, blinking back tears. “I will see that I get to the root of all this. I know he was killed, and I will do everything to bring justice and avenge him.”

She managed through the space between her mom and the door as she strode into the next room, which happened to be the sitting room. It was time to leave for work. Turning to the mirror, she adjusted her badge, ensuring it was prominently displayed on her chest. Stepping closer, she examined her reflection and sighed heavily. With one final look at the framed photograph in her bedside table, she grabbed her car key and headed out.

As soon as she got out, she hopped into her car and fired the engine into the distance. As she maneuvered through the streets, her grip tightened on the steering wheel. Instead of going directly to work, she swerved into the street where the accident happened the previous night. As she drove down the street slowly, she swept her eyes both sides of the road, searching for a good spot to park her car and when she'd found one, she drove into the spot and got down from the car.

Getting off, she scoured the place for any hint. Anything at all. Fortunately, as she lifted her eyes, she noticed a CCTV camera hanging on the side of a streetlight just some meters away from her. She got into her car again and drove some meters further, locating the nearest security center and when she'd found one, she quickly breezed in.

As soon as she got in, she noticed the presence of a man seated at the extreme corner of the room. He was on a black knee long leather jacket and his face was downcast and buried behind a black fedora hat. Taking a good look at him, she figured there was more to his presence than just occupying the space on the waiting lounge. But, that was of no concern to her, as she had more pressing issues at hand.

She approached a random guy who she believed could offer some help.

“Hello, do you work here?” she asked, though she already knew the answer.

“No, I don't. However, you could ask one of those in there if you need any help.” he said, gesturing with his head.

To be sure of what he'd just said, she turned to her side and found the surveillance room, which she entered after thanking the random guy.

In there, scenes flickered with grainy images of various locations, capturing snippets of people's lives. She approached the operator, Miller, who was buried in the screens.

“Hello, I need your help.” Lisa said, her voice calm but firm as she drew his attention to herself.

“How may I be if help to you?” he replied, not skipping a beat as she expertly giggled between cameras.

“I need access to the footage from the CCTV camera at Maple Street just opposite the golden rose boutique.” she explained, leaning closer to the screen displaying a map of the city streets.

“That particular camera covers a large area. Is there a specific time frame you're interested in?”

Lisa's brow furrowed as she pondered the question. “Yes, I need the footage from last night between 10:00pm and 11:00pm. There was an accident near the boutique.”

He nodded knowingly, already beginning to access the necessary files. “I will get it for you, but just a heads-up, the footage from that camera can be blurry at times, especially during evening hours.”

Even though she didn't like the news, she forced a smile from her lips. At least it was better than having nothing.

“I appreciate your caution, but we'll work with what we have. Every frame is important.” she said.

As seconds turned into minutes, Lisa's anticipation grew. The room hummed with the soft white of hard drives and the beeping of monitors. Finally, as if granting a silent wish, he signaled her over.

“Here it is. I've isolated the footage from the specified time frame and enhanced the image quality as best as I could.” he informed her, gesturing toward the screen.

Lisa's heart raced as the footage began to play before her eyes. Every nerve in her body trembled with fear as she watched closely, anticipating the moment but the accident. As soon as it appeared on the screen, Lisa gasped and turned away, her eyes burned with tears as she was unable to withstand the horrible sight.

“Are you okay, ma'am?” he asked, half turning to her.

“Yes, yes I am.” she stuttered, drying her face with her palms.

Then, she leaned closer, scrutinizing each passerby, each vehicle and every shadow that danced across the street. She paused at a particular moment, her finger tapping the frozen time. With a flash of curiosity, Lisa requested for him to enhance that specific section of the footage further, desperate to get a closer look. The seconds stretched into suspenseful minutes as the image sharpened.

“Zoom in on the plate number of that car.” she said.

Miller obliged, his fingers dancing across the keyboard as the monitor zoomed in. Simultaneously, Lisa reached for the notepad and pen in her pockets and quickly copied down the number. Although, not much or what she wanted, but it was better than having no lead at all. Without delay, she tucked the notepad and pen into her pockets and with a pat on his shoulder, she thanked him and departed the place.

However, as she departed the place, the strange man on the black fedora hat lifted his eyes and watched her until she was out of sight.

With this information in her hands, she believed she could convince her superior, Sebastian, to handle the case. Moreover, she thought it was right to handle the case since her father was the victim here. She got into her car, started the engine and hit the road.

As soon as she arrived in New Orleans Detective Center – her place of work, she quickly got down from her car and scurried towards Sebastian's office. Her mind unsettled, evident from the desperate expression on her face.

“Sir…” – she entered the office without knocking on the door.

However, what she saw made her jaw drop. The dynamic had shifted – her boss, Sebastian, was now seated on the visitor's seat while an unfamiliar figure occupied his customary seat of authority. But as she looked closely, the appearance of the unfamiliar figure struck a feeling of resemblance and as soon as the man lifted his eyes to meet with hers, her skin crawled as she recalled the appearance immediately.