Jason Lin had not changed much over the years.
His hair was now cropped shorter, exuding an air of authority. He sat at the precinct in a navy button-down and slacks, a badge clipped to his belt, his words carefully measured.
"Eli. Noah." He flashed a practiced smile. "This is a surprise."
Leading them into an empty interview room—a twist of irony not lost on Eli—Jason positioned himself with a stiff posture, fingers laced on the table.
"Didn't think we'd ever see you again," Noah remarked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.
"I moved on. We all did," Jason replied, unfazed.
"Not all of us," Eli shot back, sliding Jesse's sketchbook across the table, drawing attention to the frantic scrawl on one page.
Jason's eyes flickered but did not waver.
"He wrote that days before the crash," Eli stated flatly. "He was scared. Someone was threatening him. You were the last one seen with him."
"I don't know what you're implying," Jason retorted, his tone steady, though a hint of unease crept in.
Noah leaned in, relentless. "We know you and Jesse were more than friends. You had a lot to lose."
Jason's mask cracked slightly, a fleeting look of panic crossing his face before he regained his composure. "We were kids. Confused. It was never intended to be serious. Jesse… he had a knack for making you feel seen. And that scared me."
Eli's jaw set firmly. "Scared you enough to hurt him?"
Jason looked up, his voice rising in indignation. "No! Absolutely not. I ended things because my father was running for Senate. It was all cameras and reporters. My life had a script, and Jesse… he didn't fit into it."
"But he wouldn't back down," Eli said, his voice firm. "Would he?"
Jason's shoulders sagged in acknowledgment. "No. He said he'd tell the truth. About us. About other things."
Noah's gaze sharpened. "What other things?"
Jason hesitated before he walked to the small window, staring out into the distance. "I can't say more. You don't know who you're dealing with."
Eli rose to his feet, mirroring Jason's intensity. "Try us."
When Jason turned back, there was genuine fear in his eyes. "It wasn't just about us. Jesse uncovered something. Something linked to my father's campaign manager—money laundering, fraud. He had files, documents—proof. He threatened to expose everything if I didn't."
Noah's expression grew colder. "You believe your father's people did something?"
Jason swallowed hard. "I only know this—he called me that night, panicked, saying someone was following him. He begged me to meet, but I hesitated, afraid of being seen."
Eli's heart raced. "And the car Noah saw at the scene?"
Jason's silence was loud and telling.
"Do you have the files?" Noah pressed.
Jason shook his head, resolute. "He said he hid them. I never found them after he died."
A surge of adrenaline coursed through Eli. "So someone ensured those files remained buried, even after Jesse's death."
Jason locked eyes with them. "You both need to reconsider. Whatever you're investigating—it won't conclude as you believe."
But Eli and Noah remained steadfast, refusing to back down.
For the first time, they weren't just chasing a memory. They were hunting a truth worth killing for.Jason Lin had not changed much over the years.
His hair was now cropped shorter, exuding an air of authority. He sat at the precinct in a navy button-down and slacks, a badge clipped to his belt, his words carefully measured.
"Eli. Noah." He flashed a practiced smile. "This is a surprise."
Leading them into an empty interview room—a twist of irony not lost on Eli—Jason positioned himself with a stiff posture, fingers laced on the table.
"Didn't think we'd ever see you again," Noah remarked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.
"I moved on. We all did," Jason replied, unfazed.
"Not all of us," Eli shot back, sliding Jesse's sketchbook across the table, drawing attention to the frantic scrawl on one page.
Jason's eyes flickered but did not waver.
"He wrote that days before the crash," Eli stated flatly. "He was scared. Someone was threatening him. You were the last one seen with him."
"I don't know what you're implying," Jason retorted, his tone steady, though a hint of unease crept in.
Noah leaned in, relentless. "We know you and Jesse were more than friends. You had a lot to lose."
Jason's mask cracked slightly, a fleeting look of panic crossing his face before he regained his composure. "We were kids. Confused. It was never intended to be serious. Jesse… he had a knack for making you feel seen. And that scared me."
Eli's jaw set firmly. "Scared you enough to hurt him?"
Jason looked up, his voice rising in indignation. "No! Absolutely not. I ended things because my father was running for Senate. It was all cameras and reporters. My life had a script, and Jesse… he didn't fit into it."
"But he wouldn't back down," Eli said, his voice firm. "Would he?"
Jason's shoulders sagged in acknowledgment. "No. He said he'd tell the truth. About us. About other things."
Noah's gaze sharpened. "What other things?"
Jason hesitated before he walked to the small window, staring out into the distance. "I can't say more. You don't know who you're dealing with."
Eli rose to his feet, mirroring Jason's intensity. "Try us."
When Jason turned back, there was genuine fear in his eyes. "It wasn't just about us. Jesse uncovered something. Something linked to my father's campaign manager—money laundering, fraud. He had files, documents—proof. He threatened to expose everything if I didn't."
Noah's expression grew colder. "You believe your father's people did something?"
Jason swallowed hard. "I only know this—he called me that night, panicked, saying someone was following him. He begged me to meet, but I hesitated, afraid of being seen."
Eli's heart raced. "And the car Noah saw at the scene?"
Jason's silence was loud and telling.
"Do you have the files?" Noah pressed.
Jason shook his head, resolute. "He said he hid them. I never found them after he died."
A surge of adrenaline coursed through Eli. "So someone ensured those files remained buried, even after Jesse's death."
Jason locked eyes with them. "You both need to reconsider. Whatever you're investigating—it won't conclude as you believe."
But Eli and Noah remained steadfast, refusing to back down.
For the first time, they weren't just chasing a memory. They were hunting a truth worth killing for.