Chapter 11: I Have the Right to Twist the Truth

[Chapter 11: I Have the Right to Twist the Truth]

Los Angeles Police Department.

Rows of black people stood against the wall, searched by aggressive officers.

In the main office area, LAPD officers were interrogating various suspects.

Some of the suspects were nonchalant, wearing earrings and nose rings, saying, "I got nothing to say..." Others, covered in colorful tattoos, declared, "Yeah, I did it. What are you gonna do about it? I'll be out in a couple of years, so watch your back."

Some yawned, tears and snot streaming down their faces from too many drugs; others stayed silent, their eyes fierce, some even gesturing as though to shoot at the officers; while others yelled that they were innocent.

Kate Beckinsale sat in the hall, slightly nervous, shaking her head. "I have nothing to say. Just go ask Ian Carr. If that doesn't work, call my lawyer."

She gestured toward a corner of the hall.

...

In the corner, Ian sat comfortably, casually crossing his legs while talking on the phone.

"Yes, Director Harnett. I've got the live footage... You can build up the suspense; Kate Beckinsale is implicated in a murder and a police chase. Let's clear her name tomorrow, and the viewership will skyrocket... Right now, I'm in police questioning... No, no, that's not the point. The point is you promised me the fifty grand by eight this morning, and it still hasn't hit my account. Also, for this piece, I want a hundred and fifty grand... I can do the interview; that's fine, but at least pay me. I've been tight on cash lately. Alright, thanks for your generosity, Director Harnett. I hope we have a good collaboration moving forward!"

He hung up and looked at the blonde female officer across from him, wearing an innocent smile.

...

Katherine Brown sat behind the desk, tugging at her tie.

Her short golden hair made her seem sharp and capable, though her tone was stern. "You should have called your lawyer, not a news director."

Ian pointed at her notebook on the desk. "Because that wasn't necessary; you already know what happened."

And she did.

Ian's laptop had all the video evidence.

And after watching that footage and piecing together the case, Katherine understood everything.

She crossed her arms. "The videos have been edited."

Ian replied with a grin, "The news can be edited."

"But evidence cannot."

"I didn't intend for you to use this as evidence. While it can't be used as hard evidence, it's decent for reference."

Katherine scoffed, "Are you afraid we'll discover that the person shooting there was you?"

Ian shrugged, "Edited videos, even if they have footage of me committing murder, cannot be used as evidence."

Katherine was taken aback.

Was he essentially admitting to it?

At a loss for words, she asked, "Why did you go there?"

"To save any potential hostages."

"You didn't mean to eliminate the evil, did you?"

That question had a trap!

Ian smiled, "I have no law enforcement power; at most, it was self-defense."

Sure, he found a good excuse for himself.

With this rationale, even if the police proved he was the murderer, it wouldn't matter, and proving it wouldn't be easy -- Ian's original video had already been deleted. The edited footage was at most an issue of 'fake news.'

The key was that Ian didn't say this was evidence to present to them. If she used it as evidence, that was her problem; Ian's side couldn't even be charged with perjury.

Katherine asked, puzzled, "Then why didn't you call the police afterward?"

Ian spread his hands, "I don't think that's surprising. I'm a reporter; reporters always need firsthand material. What's most crucial in news? Speed! If I had called the police, they would have been dispatched, and other reporters would have sprung into action too, and I would lose my chance to report it first."

That was reasonable.

Katherine could question Ian Carr's moral standing for not calling the police, but she couldn't argue against his motivations -- finding out about a case faster than the police was a journalist's greatest glory!

An opportunity like that could sustain a reporter for half a lifetime!

However, most reporters would still call the police after getting the story. Those who informed the police after getting the news, like Ian, were rare. Killing someone and then continuing on their luxurious escapades with a police chase on top -- that was exceptionally rare!

Self-defense didn't usually look like this!

Katherine gritted her teeth, "Then why didn't you first report on Charlie Mills' situation? I mean, that happened first!"

Ian spread his hands, "Inverted storytelling. Sometimes presenting the outcome first can generate more public interest. Why was Ian Carr at the scene? What connection does Miss Kate Beckinsale have? Who exactly is Charlie Mills? What caused everything? Suspense needs to be built up; without suspense, you have to create it... That part released later creates greater impact. A good reporter focuses on the effect, not the order of events! Quentin's Pulp Fiction is structured like that; what appears to others as a brilliant cyclical storyline is merely a reverse editing effect to those in the know."

Ian boastfully shared his philosophy on creating news.

"Damn it!" Katherine felt he was driving her crazy. "This is a murder case, not a place for you to weave stories!"

Ian simply shook his head. "I'm not fabricating stories; I'm just deconstructing the truth and releasing suitable content at the right time, Officer Brown. Excellent editing equates to a secondary creation, as it is both in film and in news! Every great director must possess the skill of reversing the timeline to create plot twists!"

"But your actions seriously obstruct the police investigation; even if I can't charge you with murder, I can still charge you with obstructing justice!" Katherine finally lost her temper and grabbed his collar.

Ian gently patted Katherine's hand, signaling her to let go.

He smiled, turning to glance at Kate nearby.

Kate turned her face away with a huff.

Ian then said, "You can do that, Miss Brown. So let me tell you what will happen next!"

He looked at Katherine. "A couple of producers died in their home; a gangster was killed on a boat; three gangsters were found dead by the riverside villa. And through all this, the police discovered nothing, leading to a pointless highway chase that nearly killed a future Hollywood star! A reporter exposed the whole truth, yet the police, out of jealousy and ego, arrested him for obstructing justice."

What did you say?

Katherine was stunned.

Could black and white be twisted like this?

Yes! It could!

Because I'm a reporter!

At this moment, he chuckled softly at her. "You can forcibly charge me with obstruction of justice, but you can't produce any evidence; everything I've done is legal after all -- before this all happened, you had no connection to me, and I had never lied to you. Where did the obstruction of justice come from? Even if you try to charge me, you won't be able to keep me long; the public will be furious because they will see it as your incompetence! If you can't find the murderer, all you can do is trouble the reporter... a reporter who provides genuine stimulation for them. After all, how many people get to actually see headshots in reality? Especially when this reporter has already helped you solve a case... That's truly biting the hand that feeds you."

Katherine shook her head repeatedly. "You didn't help us solve a case; you just brought us more trouble."

Ian smiled. "That's not what I meant."

Saying this, he suddenly turned, pointing at a figure sitting at the other corner of the hall -- a black man. "You're looking for evidence of him hiding drugs, but you can't find it, can you? Because you're not being thorough enough."

Katherine was taken aback.

What did he mean?

Ian pointed at the black man. "Look at how he's sitting; it's not normal. Check his backside; you will find something... Just hope that it doesn't dirty your hands."

Saying this, Ian let out a hearty laugh.

*****

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