Chapter 9 - The Interrogation
I watched through the two-way mirror in the precinct's observation room.
Detective Larson was interrogating Ryan first.
Ryan sat hunched over the metal table, looking pathetic. The arrogant businessman was gone.
"She made me do it," Ryan pleaded to the detective. "Vanessa orchestrated the embezzlement. When the audit hit, she panicked."
"And the fire?" Larson asked, leaning back.
"She hit me with a paperweight! I woke up choking on smoke. My wife saved me."
Larson dropped a file on the table.
"We listened to the audio file your wife provided, Mr. Davis. You knew about the fire. You were arguing over which evidence to destroy."
Ryan buried his face in his hands.
In the next room, Vanessa was singing a different tune.
"Ryan is a pathological liar," Vanessa told her interrogator smoothly. "He stole the money. He set the fire to cover his tracks. He asked me to run away with him because he was obsessed with me."
"So you didn't knock him out?"
"Of course not. He probably tripped and hit his head while pouring the gas."
It was fascinating, watching thieves turn on each other so quickly.
Larson stepped out of the interrogation room and joined me behind the glass.
"They're going to tear each other apart in court," he said, handing me a cup of bad precinct coffee.
"Will the audio recording be enough?" I asked.
"More than enough. Plus, we found the ledger books in the storage unit. We have the paper trail for the money."
"So it's over."
"For them, yes," Larson said kindly. "For you... I imagine it's just beginning."
I touched the bandages on my neck.
May you like
"I need to talk to him," I said. "Just once more."
Larson hesitated, then nodded. "Five minutes."
