Suspect 2: Hannah Rivera

Hannah Rivera the victim's sister-in-law was a full-time chef at the hotel where Dr Sternly stayed.

You set the recording device down on the elegant wooden table and raised your head to stare at the woman in front of you, Hannah.

"I will be recording this conversation, do you mind?"

She waved her hand in response, "Oh no, it's fine"

You nod before turning the device on. You feel a chill suddenly, making you shake a little bit. She seemed to have noticed as she says, "Oh dear, I turned the air-conditioning on, is it making you cold?"

"Yes, Mrs Rivera, I'd appreciate if you could please turn it off"

"Of course" She grabs the remote before increasing the temperature to a much bearable one.

"Thanks"

"Oh, you're welcome" She smiles.

You grab your notebook and pen and quickly jot down a few things you've observed so far before turning back to her, "So, what is your relationship like with the victim? I mean, did you have any conflicts or disagreements with him?"

"Of course not. We did bicker at times but I believe it's not as deep as calling it a conflict. He treated my sister very well, so I was always respectful towards him" You nod at her words before writing down on your notebook.

"So where were you at the time of the murder?" You ask.

"I was in the hotel's kitchen. That day was the 12th year anniversary of the hotel, so they were hosting a big celebration party. As one of the main chefs, I had to work extra time for the party. I worked till 12:00am that night"

"Can you provide an alibi or a witness who can vouch for your whereabouts?"

"I—" She falters for a moment. "I believe I was working alone that night as the other chefs were in other zones. No one might've seen me. But you can check the CCTV footage of that night, I'm sure it caught me C-cooking" She stutters a bit, making you eye her suspiciously. You had a feeling that Hannah Rivera was hiding something from you. But you don't say a word about it.

"Why did you call the victim multiple times before the murder?" You question, staring deep into her eyes.

She remains quiet for a moment before letting out a sigh. "It was my sister's birthday that day, he told me to help him plan a surprise party for her. I had to call him several times to discuss all we had in plan"

You think for a while, processing her words in your head. You almost don't find anything wrong with what she said. But for some reason, you believe she was not telling you the complete truth. But you refrain yourself from speaking about the topic again.

"How did you learn about the murder?"

"A friend told me. After hearing the commotion, she rushed there only to find out someone had been murdered. I was so sad when she told me it was my brother-in-law" She dabbed the tears away from her eyes with a handkerchief. Careful not to ruin her flawless appearance.

You offer a sympathetic smile, aware of the pain of losing a loved one, "He's in a better place now" You say.

"You're right detective, he must be really happy wherever he is" She laughs and settles back into the couch, appearing more at ease.

"I'm glad you understand" You start, "But we have to get back to the interrogation!" You turn serious again, prepared to restart the questioning session. She nods in agreement, tossing the handkerchief in her hand unto the table.

You take a deep breath, then ask, "How do you explain your figure being seen in the farewell footage of the victim"

She frowns, shooting you a long intense stare, "What do you mean?"

"You know very well what I mean, Mrs Rivera" You say, amused by how poorly she tries to hide her discomfort.

"I don't know what you mean Detective"

"You—" Before you could say another word, a call from outside interrupts you.

"Honey, I'm home" The voice is hoarse and rough. It was from a man. And judging from the amount of endearment he used to address her, you could tell he was her husband.

"That's my husband. I think this is your cue to leave Detective" She gives you a hard stare. You smile in response, something you've been doing a lot lately. You grab your recording device, switched it off and stood up to leave.

"It was a pleasure speaking with you, Mrs Rivera" You bow slightly as a form of greeting before walking out the door, bumping into Mr Rivera on the way. He flashes you a confused look before saying, "Hannah was with me on the night of the murder, we were on a vacation"

His sudden statement catches you off guard. You nod, momentarily speechless.

He nods back before rushing inside, shutting the door behind him.

You walk to the side walk, prepared to flag down a cab when you received a call. You look at the caller's ID, it was Inspector Jones. You immediately answer the call.

"Inspector" You say.

"Detective, we got something!"

"What?" You question.

"Sophia Stone is willing for the interrogation"

"Sophia Stone?" You asked confused.

"The hotel staff!"

Oh! You suddenly remembered. "I'm on my way" You hang up, rushing to the police station.

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