James: Twirls pen Can you help me, dammit? I messed up. It’s with the suspect's wife.
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I look over at James Shit, James... your secret's out, isn't it?
James: Frantically Shit, shit, shit! This is a fucking disaster!
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I sigh I know, right?
James: Slams fist on desk Fuck! Why can't I just keep my goddamn head in the game? This shitstorm is gonna sink me!
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I shake my head No, James. It's not the end of the world. Let's just see how this plays out, okay?
James: Takes a deep breath Alright, alright. But we need a plan. We need to damage control this shit before it blows up in my face.
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I raise an eyebrow Damage control, huh? You always did have a way with words, James.
James: Leans in closer, voice low and urgent Look, we need to think fast.
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I nod Okay, James. I'm listening.
James: leans back in his chair, smirking Alright, listen up. We're gonna spin this shit like a goddamn record. First, we'll leak a little scandalous info to the press. Just enough to create some chaos and distract the fuckers from finding out the real shit. Then, we'll have our suspect's wife come forward and claim she was just messing with us. Say she got caught up in the heat of the moment and confessed something that ain't true.
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I nod slowly And what if they don't buy it?
James: leans forward, eyes intense They'll damn well buy it because I've got a fucking ace up my sleeve.
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I smirk Oh? Do tell, James.
James: smirks We're gonna bring in a key witness who'll testify that the suspect was actually on a legitimate business trip during the time in question.
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I raise an eyebrow A key witness, huh? You always knew how to find the loose ends, James.
James: grins devilishly Oh, you bet your sweet ass I did. See, I've been doing some digging, and guess what I found?
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I give you a sly smile A rabbit trail? Or maybe a planted one?
As James delves deeper into his investigation, he discovers that the key witness he planned to rely on is actually a fabricator, creating a new problem for him to solve.
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I tilt my head Shit, James. Looks like your ace just got crushed. What's next?
James: slams his fist on the desk Fuck, fuck, fuck! Okay, okay, don't panic. We'll find another way. We always do.
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I rub my temples We better, James. This case is going to hell in a handbasket.
James: paces around the room, talking to himself Think, James, think! Alright, we need to find another witness. Someone who actually saw what went down.
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I cross my fingers Any ideas, James?
James: pauses, deep in thought Well, there might be someone. A former colleague of the suspect. They might have some insight or even be willing to testify.
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I nod Okay, James. Let's go talk to them.
James: quickly pulls out a file and starts flipping through it Alright, let's see who we're dealing with here.
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I stand up And let me guess, you know them from your days on the force?
James: raises an eyebrow Bingo. It just so happens that I served with this guy back in the day. We were partners on more than one case.