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“Everyone, please stop.” I did my best to keep my voice calm. “I’d like everyone in this room to take a deep breath.”
Diego did just that immediately, as did I. However, Tyr and Aya didn’t listen. They looked poised to attack each other.
“Tyr, Aya, please,” I said.
Aya closed her eyes, her hands curling into fists, and she sucked in a deep inhale. She exhaled slowly and then repeated the action two more times before her shoulders relaxed and her hands fell to her lap.
Tyr was more resistant to my request, but when we made eye contact, his determination to fight softened. His shoulders relaxed a little and he let out a breath. He didn’t release all the tension, showing he wasn’t ready to let go of the pain raging in him, but I could work around that.
“Thank you,” I said. “I understand I am limited here on how I can help, but I can see where I can. And if you’re both willing, I’d like for us to talk about this.”
The two passed unsure looks. It was a long shot, I knew this, but something just wouldn’t allow me to let this go, so I had to try.
“Everyone will speak in turns. I won’t allow anyone to talk over another person, and I ask you both, when speaking about each other, to refrain from using accusatory tones or laying blame. Is this agreeable?”
Aya nodded, and Tyr did as well after a moment of thought.
My eyes flicked to Diego, who gave a curt nod himself before going to lock all the doors. “Diego will remain here to observe. What we discuss here stays between the four of us. We are serious about confidentiality.”
Uncertainty returned to their faces when I mentioned Diego. I suspected in the heat of their emotions, they forgot he was still here.
“I also have a few questions, so I can try to be more informed about the situation as a whole. Is that okay?”
Aya nodded. “I’m willing to answer questions you have the best I can.”
“How long ago did this situation take place?”
Aya licked her lips. “Before you and I met for college.”
I nodded slowly. Almost a decade ago, at least, which did track. Aya was a little older than Diego and me, by maybe two or three years. She’d told me once, family matters had kept her from going to school at the same age most did. I was beginning to think this was the situation. And given I’d suspected Tyr was also a few years older than me as well, it wouldn’t be hard to believe him being widowed young.Why does that conclusion not feel quite accurate?
I shook the thought from my mind. “Were there any legal proceedings around the murder?”
Tyr tensed, and Aya chewed her lip. “That’s where our fighting comes from. There was an investigation, but with Tyr as the only witness, and little other evidence, the investigation came up inconclusive, so Fen was never charged with anything, and the case went cold.”
My brow furrowed. That was strange. If Tyr was there, as he claimed, that made him a witness. Even if he was the only witness, I would think that’d be enough for a trial. Of course, I didn’t have any extensive legal knowledge around such cases, especially not when it came to another country.
“I see that look,” Aya said. “I can explain why.”
Tyr shot her an ugly glare, and I prepared to have to step in. “Please explain to me, Aya, what I’m missing.”
“Tyr was the only witness, and there was a conflict of timing between the crime and when Fen was last seen, by me and a friend.”
“It was him,” Tyr nearly snarled.
I held up a placating hand. “Tyr, please allow her to finish speaking.”
He sucked in a tight breath through his nose and sat back hard in his seat. I knew this was difficult for him—we were discussing the death of the woman he loved.
I turned back to Aya. “Would you be willing to elaborate on what you mean by the timing conflict?”
“Fen was with me and a friend,” she said. “He’d gone missing for a brief period of time. However, the time it would have taken to commit the crime didn’t add up to the distance and the time the murder took place.”
I nodded slowly, understanding a bit more. Tyr was certain of what he witnessed, but not even the law could give him the justice he sought. That couldn’t make this situation any easier on him.
“I’m now going to ask you both some personal questions. Some may be difficult to answer, but I ask you to do your best. I believe these questions will help with communicating.” I turned to Aya first, as I had a feeling she’d be the easiest. “Conflicting evidence aside, you’ve been adamant Fen couldn’t have done what he is accused of. Can you tell us why you feel this strongly?”
“Like I’d said earlier, the two were like siblings. He’d pick on her like any older brother would, and hell would freeze over before he’d allow anyone to hurt her.” Aya shook her head. “Fen has a temper, I won’t deny that. But he never once hurt her. She was the first person we looked to to calm him down if he got too bad.”
