Jeffrey's response was brusque, bordering on insolent. "It doesn't matter. I've said all I'm going to say. Do your job and put that bastard Bradley away."
Christian sighed heavily, his voice tinged with disappointment. "Jeffrey, Jeffrey, you should have thought about your wife Mary."
Nick reached for his mobile phone, dialing the duty officers. He requested that Bradley be brought to the interrogation room. Moments later, Bradley was led in, his hands cuffed and his gaze fixed on the floor. He swayed slightly as he walked, his demeanor unsteady. Upon seeing Bradley, Jeffrey leapt from his chair, lunging towards the younger man with murderous intent. The officers quickly intervened, forcing Jeffrey back into his seat. Bradley remained standing near the door, his posture tense and wary.
"I'll kill you!" Jeffrey roared, his face contorted with rage.
Nick's voice cut through the chaos, sharp and authoritative. "Jeffrey, if you don't calm down right this instant, I'll have you put back in handcuffs!"
Bradley's voice, when he spoke, was nasal and slurred, his words tumbling out in a rush. "Hey, get this psycho out of here! He tried to kill me!" He jabbed an accusing finger in Jeffrey's direction. Bradley's appearance was as disheveled as his speech – his black jeans were torn and dirty, his blue T-shirt looked as if it hadn't been washed in weeks. The zigzag scar on his cheek stood out starkly against his pallid skin.
"And you, you bastard, killed my daughter!" Jeffrey shot back, his voice dripping with venom.
"Jeffrey, I'm warning you for the last time," Christian interjected, his patience clearly wearing thin. "Shut up, or I'll have you removed from this room immediately."
Bradley's next words came out in a panicked rush. "I've already told you, I didn't kill your daughter. We were friends, we hung out together!"
"Shut your mouth!" Jeffrey bellowed. "My daughter would never have associated with a dirty lowlife like you!"
"That's enough!" Nick's shout silenced the room. The interrogation had devolved into a circus, with Nick cast in the unenviable role of ringmaster, desperately trying to maintain order and extract some semblance of truth from the chaos.
"Sit him down and remove the handcuffs," Nick instructed the officers, gesturing towards Bradley. They complied, seating Bradley at the edge of the table opposite Jeffrey. Bradley kept his head down, his gaze fixed on the table's surface.