Best Defense

Police Appointments

...Sean Danial Warner POV's....

"The Chief said he'd see you soon." A young police officer who had just walked into the room said to me.

"All right." I gave him a short nod and he walked out.

This isn't the first time I've been in a police station. But the atmosphere in this place always causes a certain gloom, like a cliche of repetitive rhythm that you want to immediately get rid of from your head.

I remember once being in a place like this, the day after my father's body was found. The cops, they keep asking me about what happened, different people but the questions are always the same. Like they wanted to make sure I wasn't lying by telling the same story. They want to know the details, for the report. Perhaps that was all that mattered to him, putting aside the psychological effects for the people they called eyewitnesses. I know my mind now sounds bitter, but frankly I can't take that skepticism out of my mind.

Reports to the police always take hours of grueling, question-by-question reporting and all the repetition I mentioned earlier. But I've been thinking about it since I received a call from Dave two days ago.

He says things that don't make sense. About a dangerous gangster from Malaysia, a conspiracy and also something about illegal human trafficking, or I think that's what he said. She even begged me to help her find Frank, her brother, who she thought was hiding in Jakarta.

And lastly, he forbade me from telling the police. He promised that once I found Frank, he would turn himself in to the police, because his little brother was the only reason he did all this. He's really gone crazy. That's the most reasonable explanation. Because none of his nonsense is acceptable to common sense. I'm sure he's having a delusional effect, a pseudo reality that is believed to be persistent as a sign of a mental disorder. It was more suitable for him than Franda.

After all, which sane person would dare to make such a request to the person he had already cheated all out of? So, here I am. Trying to do the right thing, which would be done by all other sane people. Reported it to the police.

My phone blinked, I glanced at the screen and found Pras' name there. I groan in my heart.

Yesterday I told him my plan to report Dave to the police, and he was against it. Loudly. I mean, very hard. It will soon be news, no doubt. My company name has always been a top priority for him beyond anything, after all I had expected his reaction. This is because Pras is one of my hardest people working to help me from the start I built my business.

But the thing is, the part about the fake contract alone is enough to make him inflamed, so there is no need for additional legal cases to make me like a victim of the slaughter in his eyes. A little too extreme but that's the truth.

I took a deep breath and picked up the phone. "Pras, I'm just gonna call you." I said lightly.

"Tell me, are you really going to report it?" his tone sounded riled up.

"Yes, I'll report it." I answered casually.

Pras said slowly and indistinctly. "Listen, this isn't gonna produce anything, Sean. You're making things even more complicated. The media will be highlighting the case more deeply, and you know what the consequences will be? Your clients..."

"I know it," cut me quick.

"Then, why are you still doing it?" There was emphasis in his voice.

"I just want trouble..." My speech was interrupted when two men entered the room. I recognized one of them, the old man whose hair was almost full of gray hair, Irjen Bagoes Kurniawan. Then another younger man, with an eastern face and stature, and a sharp, probing eye.

"Listen, Pras, I have to do this. I'll talk to you later." I whispered on the phone. "And don't teach me what to do." I said almost wrathfully, before hanging up the phone.

"Sir Chief," I said as he walked closer to me.

He nodded at a glance with a friendly smile adorning his face. "I thought my men made a mistake when they said a stranger was coming for me. "How's your uncle doing, Sean?"

The uncle he was referring to was Dean and Dhea's father. My uncle was friends with him a long time ago, and he always helped my uncle catch the 'mafia' in his company. My uncle is currently ill and undergoing treatment in a hospital in Germany. That's why my cousin's sister, Dhea, disappeared during this time. He should focus on accompanying his father while Dean helps me here.

"It's getting better, sir." I stood for a moment as he was in front of me to shake hands, then the three of us were both sitting around the metal table in the middle of the room.

"That's great, it's been a long time that I've been looking forward to him coming to the golf club after our last game" he said in a jovial tone.

"So," He began while propping his hands together on the table. "Reports about who exactly do you want to talk to?"

Hustle and bustle of printer machines, the officers' chatter and finger taps on the buzzing keyboard keys filling the police office space slowly disappeared as Irjen Bagoes pushed the swinging double door that was on the west side so we entered another room that was greater. There was only a row of metal chairs that were entirely empty as well as two officers sitting behind the counter table.

"We'll try to investigate this matter, but I can't guarantee anything. After all, you should know that Malaysia is by no means an open area that foreign police can simply access, they have certain restrictions, jurisdiction."

Irjen Bagoes spoke at length as we walked hand in hand towards the large glass swivel that led out. We stopped about a meter from the doorway, then he turned his body to face me.

"Of course." I said. "But I hope we can find Dave before The Great Holdings sues me for the contract. It's a little hard to have a trial right now." I muttered, reminded by the contents of the damn contract agreement.

A few days ago, my company's team of lawyers had explained the outline of the case. One of the binding articles on the contract speaks of a penalty ten times the value of the contract. They also had time to count all the assets I have if I lose at the trial. In the end what remains is a house left by my late father in Surabaya, where the clause is still listed my family name, documents that are quite difficult to transfer hands. The rest, everything, everything I have is blacklisted.

That means if I lose, only the house in Surabaya is left for me. That sucks. Not on his part of the house, it's just not easy to imagine that there's a possibility that I could have lost all my hard work over the years because of this problem.

I observed Irjen Bagoes who suddenly fell silent. His forehead creased deeply then for a moment his gaze looked like it was staring, as if his mind was in a distant place, before he again moved his head towards me. Then his eyes shone brightly again as if he had just seen me for the first time.

"So, now you're going back and forth between Indonesia and Australia? Why not just move there?" He asked friendly. Signaled for me to follow her through the turnstile and then step outside. We were standing under the steel canopy outside the building, he was accompanying me while chatting while waiting for Ameer to pick up the car from the parking lot.

"Send my regards to Tony." he muttered as I sat in the back seat of my car.

I left the window half open as I answered. "Of course, sir. And I'm waiting for news from you about Dave." I added.

Something strange flashed in his eyes but it soon disappeared as fast as he had come before I could interpret anything. He just smiled and then nodded at me. "Be careful."

The sun was shining brightly, almost scorching this afternoon as if mocking my bad mood. In this case it became inevitable perhaps during a period of time I could not have foreseen.

Everything is not enough just a company problem that is now on the edge, there are still some problems that I need to solve and also need a lot of attention from me. Especially Franda. For the time being I was forced to leave him and Mia in Queensland, as it was impossible to bring them back given that our family was in the public spotlight. They will be a public meal if they stay home. Yesterday, Edward had complained to me. He said dozens of reporters had been swarming his office for several days just to get his response on the Mia and Taka case.

Those damn reporters won't want to know how we're dealing with this problem, the most important thing for them is that there's news they can feed the public. No matter if it's good or bad. Various assumptions will not hurt you, but in the business world perception determines the mindset, and it is very important. Before things like this never bothered me, I guess what I've been through these days has changed that.

"We've arrived, sir." Ameer's voice from the driver's seat pulled my mind back.

I looked out the window. We arrived in front of my office building. I have not been reluctant yet. Pras must have been looking for me again. It's not that I'm worried that he doesn't support me, because it's my company, but there's something else that's bothering me.

"Thank you, Ameer." I said for a moment before I got out of the car and slammed the door behind me.

Upon entering the main lobby I saw Dean and several of his team members galloping from the direction of the meeting room while talking to each other. I thought he didn't notice my arrival until we were about to cross paths, then he stopped his steps when right in front of me and told everyone who was following him to leave first, before his attention returned to me.

"Why did it just come about after things got messy, brother?" He folded his hands in front of his chest while narrowing his eyes watching me. "I almost committed suicide because I had trouble scheduling meetings with your clients. They didn't stop asking for an explanation of what happened to Warner Enterprise."

I raised an eyebrow looking at him. "You want me to say thank you?"

He just chuckled softly in response. "Did sister-in-law come here too?"

"No, I'm still sane enough to anticipate what might happen if I bring him here." I said calmly. "I have to meet Andy and Pras, after that I'll see you again. There are a few things we need to talk about." connect me while patting his arm softly, then galloping to leave him.

My steps grew heavier as I approached Selena's desk, which was right in front of my room. Everything was swirling and jumbled in my mind at this moment.

My phone shook, and I caught a glimpse of a message coming in from Franda. Again. I groan in my heart. These few days I kind of avoided her phone. It was hard to pretend in front of him, acting as if the matter of this company did not exist.