“I don’t know what you’re implying, Alex,” Raymond said slowly. “But I can’t contradict decisions made at the highest level. If the detectives have evidence against you, it’s not my place to intervene.”Alex smiled, a slow, deliberate grin that crept across his face as he rolled his fingers over the small round clock on Raymond’s desk. The ticking filled the silence, an odd contrast to the tension that thickened the air. The room felt still, all eyes on him—Jenna, the detectives, even Raymond—all waiting for the next move.Raymond didn’t flinch. He remained seated, his gaze steady on Alex, but his irritation was growing. He didn’t quite understand what Alex was doing, but he knew it wasn’t good.The seconds ticked by. The air grew heavier. Alex wasn’t in any rush, as though he knew something the rest didn’t. He was letting the silence stretch, turning it into a kind of pressure that only he seemed to control.Raymond sighed, shifting in his seat. His patience was starting to wear thin