"Marcus, take Martha to our car to rest. I want to talk to Pek alone," Luke planned to separate them for questioning.
"OK, Martha, I have some tasty snacks in my car that you're definitely going to like."
"No, I'm not going anywhere. I want to stay with my brother." Martha clung tightly to the black boy, Pek, looking at Marcus warily, as if seeing a shady uncle with bad intentions.
"Martha must stay with me. I don't want her to be frightened again." Pek held his sister, small in stature but firm in tone.
Luke disliked questioning children. Speaking too softly was ineffective, yet speaking harshly wasn't appropriate either.
Just like now, Pek driving and hitting someone was definitely illegal, but since he was a minor, questioning him required a guardian to be present.
The situation for Pek and Martha was complicated; their mother was a suspect in custody, their father's identity was unknown, and a man suspected to be their father was a fugitive.
It was difficult to find a guardian for them at that moment.
Of course, rules are rigid, but people are flexible. Guardians need to be present for minors during formal questioning and recording statements.
But chatting didn't require a guardian, nor did it break any rule or law.
Finding clues through chatting was a skill.
"Marcus, go get some snacks," Luke said in as relaxed a tone as possible, "Pek, I often hear your mom mention you. She says you're great at crafts and even showed me photos of the models you made."
The black boy Pek responded, "Are you a police officer?"
"Yes," Luke replied and asked in return, "Can you tell me where you were driving to?"
"Do you know where your mom is?"
"I don't know, but I know where the hospital she works at is." Pek eyed Luke suspiciously and asked back, "I don't remember seeing you before, why do you know me?"
"Actually, your mother contacted me, asking me to help find you and your sister. She will be very happy to see you."
"Can I use your phone to call my mom?"
"Sorry, the situation is complicated right now. I can't help you contact Maria until things are clearer."
"My mom is our guardian. She has the right to be present."
"Normally that's true, but she's currently unable to exercise that right."
"Buddy, respect is mutual. I asked you first; shouldn't you answer me before I respond to you?"
"Here come the snacks." Little black handed out the snacks to the two children, which included cookies, chocolate, and cornflakes.
The two kids seemed starved and began eating voraciously once they opened the packages.
After eating, their wariness significantly decreased.
Luke asked again, "Pek, whose car were you driving?"
"It belonged to an uncle."
"Yes, he's your mother's boyfriend. How are you and Jamie getting along?"
"Okay, I guess. He buys me food and toys, and sometimes, he plays with me."
"Do you know where Jamie is?"
Pek hesitated for a moment and then nodded, "I know, in a gray house a few blocks from here."
"Were you always with him before?"
"Yes, we wanted to find our mom, but he wouldn't let us leave, saying there was an outbreak of a contagious disease outside, and we would get infected if we left home.
My mother, being a nurse, needed to care for patients and couldn't take care of us. He told us to stay with him and said if we didn't obey, we would never see our mom again."
"If he didn't let you leave, how did you manage to escape?"
Pek looked terrified. "He... I... saw blood on him. He might be dead."
Pek seemed terrified, continuing to shake his head.
Luke comforted, "Don't be nervous, just relax."
Pek's eyes turned red, his voice trembling, "There was blood everywhere. I didn't dare to get close…
I need to find my mom. Please take me to find her."
Luke looked at Pek and Martha, "Did you two see the assailant?"
Martha seemed to not fully understand and cried, shaking her head.
Pek, while comforting his sister, said, "Martha didn't go into that room. She didn't see anything.
I saw Jamie covered in blood. I was terrified, and then I took Martha and left.
Jamie took my phone. I couldn't contact my mom, so I decided to drive to the hospital to find her.
I didn't expect to hit someone. The windshield was broken, and I really couldn't see clearly."
"Pek, think carefully. Before the incident with Jamie, did you see any suspicious people or hear any suspicious sounds?"
Pek was silent for a long time and then said, "Last night, I think I heard him talking to someone, but I couldn't hear clearly. It felt like they were arguing, but I was too scared to go out."
"What were they saying?"
Pek delved into his memory, "I only remember bits and pieces, 'George… dead… counterfeit… LAPD won't suspect I'm still in Los Angeles… keep cooperating…'
I can't remember the rest."
"Anything else you heard afterward?"
"Bang bang... I think I heard gunshots, but they were faint, not exactly like gunshots. I was terrified…"
"Can you find that gray house again?"