Chapter 239: Shocking Incident

[Chapter 239: Shocking Incident]

Ding-ling-ling! Ding-ling-ling!

At around two in the morning, the phone placed on the counter rang suddenly.

Link opened his eyes and got up to answer the call, careful not to wake Monica and Lily, who were still sleeping.

He glanced at the caller ID before slipping into the living room in his pajamas.

"Jon, what's going on?"

The call was from Jon Gordon, the head of the publicity department.

"Link, there's been an incident that might actually work in our favor."

"What happened?"

"I just got word that about half an hour ago, a murder was discovered in the Brentwood neighborhood. Two people were killed, a man and a woman. The female victim was Nicole Brown, the ex-wife of football star O.J. Simpson, and the male victim is reportedly her friend. The scene of the crime was right at Simpson's front doorstep."

"Simpson?"

When it came to high-profile Black athletes, many people thought of Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson, or Magic Johnson. However, during the 1980s and 1990s, Simpson was the biggest sports star in North America during the height of football's popularity. 

With someone of that stature involved in a murder case, it was bound to be huge news.

"Jon, how do you want to capitalize on this?"

"The police suspect that the two were having an affair and were attacked by the killer. I'm planning to bribe the police to write the word 'lust' at the crime scene. This is linked to a major star like Simpson, so the attention it will receive will be enormous. We can leverage this case to promote Se7en; it could turn out really well."

Link nodded. He understood better than anyone the impact the Simpson case could have. If they could utilize this high-profile murder case, Se7en would gain significant traction very quickly.

However, it was also a risky move. If the police found out, they could face charges for witness tampering or obstructing justice, which could lead to hefty fines of thousands of dollars.

Thousands of dollars?

Link stroked his chin, realizing this might actually be manageable.

The Simpson murder case was one of the most sensational news events of the 1990s in America and one of the most notable examples of a reasonable doubt scenario in U.S. history.

The case would cause a stir during its trial and investigation, generating as much attention as other monumental events in American history. If Se7en could ride the coattails of this case's notoriety, it would likely become a household name in just a week.

The only concern was that once it was exposed, the media could launch a backlash against him, criticizing him for exploiting a tragedy for the sake of film promotion.

"Let's give it a shot."

...

After hanging up, Link returned to the bedroom to try to get some more sleep.

But just as he closed his eyes, the phone rang again.

He reluctantly let go of the warm body in his arms and got up once more to answer. Jon Gordon excitedly informed him that they didn't need to bribe the police after all.

While searching the crime scene, officers had found one bloody word written on the garden wall: "Greed."

"Is that for real?"

That was too much of a coincidence. Link couldn't help but suspect that Jon had orchestrated this for promotional purposes, creating the scene to drum up interest before asking for his approval.

"The source is reliable. Initially, the yard was too dark for the police to see it, but someone turned on their car's headlights and discovered the word 'Greed.' The police have taken pictures of the bloodstained word and will use it as evidence to investigate the killer's motive."

"Is that so?"

If true, it could be prime material for publicity.

By leveraging the heat from the Simpson murder case, Se7en could gain global recognition.

If handled correctly, they could save a substantial amount on marketing costs.

Link and Jon Gordon discussed promotional strategies for a few minutes and finalized their plan before he finally returned to bed.

...

"Who called?"

Monica, stirred awake by the commotion, propped herself up on his chest.

"Jon Gordon. There was an incident, but it could turn out to be a good thing."

Link wrapped an arm around her shoulder and drifted back into sleep.

---

The next day, news of the incident spread across every media outlet. From television screens to newspapers to radio broadcasts, every outlet was clamoring to report the breaking news.

The Los Angeles Times first published a detailed report on the case.

The incident occurred around ten o'clock in the west side of Los Angeles, in a wealthy neighborhood where football star O.J. Simpson lived.

Late that night, a neighbor's dog was barking frantically at Simpson's house. When the neighbor came out to investigate, he discovered two bodies lying on the porch, blood seeping from the entrance onto the street.

The female victim was Nicole Brown Simpson, O.J. Simpson's ex-wife, and the male victim was her friend, Ron Goldman. Both had been stabbed multiple times, leading to gruesome deaths.

The neighbor promptly called the police.

Around one o'clock in the morning, four Los Angeles police officers arrived at the scene. They noticed bloodstains on Simpson's white Ford Bronco parked in the driveway. After knocking on the door and receiving no response, the detectives climbed over the wall and into the backyard, where Officer Mark Fuhrman spotted a bloody glove. Meanwhile, another officer discovered the word "Greed" written on the wall at the crime scene.

Additionally, a rental car driver confirmed that he had picked up Simpson from the neighboring house around ten o'clock that night. He found no one home at that time, but saw a tall Black man running back to his house and ringing the doorbell again shortly before eleven. Simpson finally answered, claiming he had been asleep and then left in a car for the airport, flying to Chicago.

Based on various leads, the police zeroed in on O.J. Simpson as their primary suspect.

...

On the day of the incident, mainstream media all over North America reported the story, igniting tremendous public interest and numerous discussions.

There were three main points of intrigue regarding this case.

First, the suspect, Simpson, was the biggest Black sports star in America. He had been named the NFL's Most Valuable Player three years in a row, earned five selections to the All-Pro team, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985. His fame exceeded that of even Michael Jordan and Mike Tyson, making him a titan in the sports world. The involvement of such a superstar in a murder case generated massive buzz.

The second point of interest was the gossip surrounding the case. The deceased were Simpson's ex-wife and her friend. The couple had divorced in 1992 but still lived in the same estate. Just before her death, they had attended a child's performance together at school. Goldman, the male victim, was a waiter and Nicole's friend; he had gone to the house to return a pair of glasses she left at the restaurant. Many speculated that they were caught in an affair by Simpson, prompting an enraged reaction.

The third point rehashed the graffiti found at the scene reading "Greed."

The recent film Se7en was a massive hit in theaters across North America, earning $51.03 million over its first two weeks. Many had seen the movie. The killer's method of operation mirrored what had transpired at Simpson's residence. After killing someone, the movie's murderer would write down one of the seven deadly sins from Paradise Lost: "Gluttony," "Greed," "Sloth," "Envy," "Pride," "Lust," and "Wrath."

The appearance of the word "Greed" at the crime scene suggested that the murderer might be mimicking the actions of the film's character John Doe or paying homage.

In the film's conclusion, John Doe had told Detectives Mills and Somerset in the car, "I've set a standard. My actions will provoke thought, research, and imitation -- forever!"

Perhaps this murderer was also emulating John Doe's methods.

However, many wondered why "Greed" was chosen over "Lust," considering Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman could have been caught having an affair and the killer, judging by the definition of Lust, would have killed them based on that sin.

Alternatively, it was explained that after their divorce, Nicole had received millions of dollars and a lavish home, and was still seeking alimony from Simpson. From that perspective, using "Greed" to justify punishing Nicole seemed appropriate.

All that remained was to ascertain whether Simpson had seen Se7en and whether the bloody word on the wall matched his handwriting.

If it did, Simpson would be the unequivocal killer.

While waiting for the court to convene, eager onlookers were already playing amateur detective.

*****

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