SHADOWS OF DECEIT

Selective mutism

Detective Philip had arrived in Madina, his apprehension is evident as he navigated the rough roads that threatened the well-being of his expensive Honda car. The absence of a clear address now made sense to him, considering the challenging conditions of the road. He pondered how vehicles could navigate these treacherous paths during rainy weather.

Guided by Detective Elena's directions, they managed to reach their destination. "How did you locate his place when you visited his friend's grandmother's residence?" Detective Philip inquired as he turned off the engine and retrieved his keys.

"I inquired around the day I came here," Detective Elena replied as she gracefully exited the car, with Detective Philip following suit.

Once on solid ground, Detective Philip surveyed the community. While he had experienced his fair share of shabby locations in his line of work, this particular area struck him as exceptionally unkempt and disordered. As he observed the locals, he couldn't help but notice their curious stares directed toward him, or perhaps, his car. There was an undeniable air of intrigue in their gaze.
"Alright, lead the way," Detective Philip instructed.

Having just stopped beside the small house, they didn't have to walk far. Detective Elena knocked on the weathered wooden door, prompting a shuffle from within, indicating someone was present. She was about to knock again when the door creaked open, revealing a slender woman. A closer inspection revealed lines of fatigue and loneliness etched on her otherwise beautiful face.

"How can I help you?" the woman croaked.

Detective Elena glanced at Detective Philip, who was still engrossed in surveying the community from their current position. "Errm, we are here concerning your son."

Just then, a loud cry from a baby echoed, breaking Detective Philip's gaze from the community to focus on the woman. "You have a baby?" he asked casually.

The woman nodded.

"Go on, take her. I hate the cries of babies," Detective Philip said with a smirk, prompting the woman to retreat into the room to tend to the crying infant.
The woman emerged about two minutes later, cradling a baby in her arms. Upon seeing the baby, Detective Philip surprised both the mother and Detective Elena by promptly taking the child from her hands. Raising his brows at Detective Elena's expression, he prompted her to begin her questioning.

"Your son is still being held captive in prison; are you aware of that?" Detective Elena inquired.

Maame U hesitated for a moment, glancing at the other detective who was now engrossed in playing with the now-smiling Ama. "Yes, I know," she answered.

"Did you perhaps witness any argument or fight between your son and his friend?" Detective Elena continued.

The woman shook her head. "They were very good friends, and Jesse would never hurt him," she replied softly, on the verge of tears.

"Do you think he killed his friend?" Detective Philip asked abruptly, causing the woman to flinch.

"No, no, Jesse would never do that. Please bring my son back to me. He would never do something like that; my son can't even hurt a fly, please," Maame U pleaded, tears streaming down her face.

Detective Elena, unsure of what to do, looked at Detective Philip, who remained calm, gently running his hands through the curly hair of the baby, eliciting giggles.

"Alright, enough with the tears. You can help your son out of prison only when you speak the truth," Detective Philip asserted, redirecting his attention to Maame U. "Did you see anything unusual that day? His friend, what was his name?" Detective Philip tried to recall.

"Josh," Detective Elena whispered.

"Oh yes, Josh," Detective Philip acknowledged, assisted by Detective Elena. Maame U stood there, lost in thought, prompting Detective Philip to snap his fingers in front of her.

"You can help get him out only if you cooperate with us. I'm sure the baby misses her brother, don't you?" he asked the baby, eliciting giggles.

Maame U stood there, sniffing. "They were close; I never saw them fighting. I didn't see anything unusual, I swear," she said softly.

"Alright, it seems you don't want to see your son any moment from now. I can feel you're hiding something from me, but I won't force anything out of you. So, we will take our leave now," Detective Philip said as he prepared to hand over the baby to the mother. However, just then, Maame U spoke up.
"Please, sir, it's been so long since I saw my son. They wouldn't even let me enter the prison to visit him. Please help me; my son did nothing," Maame U pleaded.

Detective Philip studied the woman's face keenly before he spoke
"I will help you bail your son out if you tell me what you know, and also as well as you agree to do some other conditions. What do you say?" Detective Philip said with a smirk.

"What are you up to?" Detective Elena whispered, shocked.

"Do you mean it?" Maame U asked, unbelievably.

"Does it look like we're playing here?" Detective Philip asked back.

Maame U stood there, shocked by the detective's words. Of course, she would do anything to see her son.

"That night he came home at an odd time, which was past midnight, but it happens; he sometimes works late at night, sir. He wouldn't kill Josh," Maame U explained.

Detective Philip nodded. "Anything else?" he inquired.

"No, that will be all, sir," Maame U replied.

"Well, I thought I could get more information from you apart from this small info you gave, but I'm not someone to back out on deals. I told you there were other conditions, right? And you have to promise me you'll do it all. I'll give you just a week, for him to be with you and if it's not done, I'll take back your son to the prison, and that will be it for him. How is it?" Detective Philip spoke, smirking slyly.

The two detectives returned to the car, with Detective Philip taking a moment to purchase a double 200 ward for the baby, indulging his fondness for infants despite his aversion to their cries. Waving at the baby, he drove off.

"What are you up to? He's our main and only suspect; you cannot bail him out of prison," Detective Elena complained.

"Calm down, Elena. Ever heard of something called selective mutism?" Detective Philip asked, prompting a puzzled shake of her head.

"Right, I figured. You know I don't like you, right?" Detective Philip bluntly stated, earning a glare from Elena.

"I don't like you too," Detective Elena responded.

"Good, we're on the same page then," Detective Philip said with a smirk. "But trust me, Elena, there's a method to my madness. We need to gather more evidence, and sometimes unconventional approaches can lead to breakthroughs. Let's give it a shot and see what we uncover."

Detective Elena sighed, clearly skeptical. "Fine, but if this backfires, it's on you."

Detective Philip chuckled. "Fair enough. Let's get to work then. We have a week to uncover the truth.

Detective Philip chuckled. "I shall treat you to lunch. It would be remiss of me to let you go hungry. Feel free to select a restaurant of your preference, Elena," Detective Philip graciously offered.