CHAPTER NINETEEN

Angus glanced at Franks as the call came in that the suspect was in custody. He sighed in relief, glad he wasn't going to have to talk someone out of jumping. He'd find out the details later, but for now, he wanted to get to the station and interview Johnny. "You still with us, Bethany?"

A cool electrical feeling brushed his arm.

"Good. Hopefully, the others will join us at the station. I'm guessing Gail and Terrance will want to hear what Johnny has to say." Angus glanced into the back seat as he spoke.

"Still struggling to get used to that." Franks grinned. "Had she touched me, I might end up going off the road."

"I've had a lifetime to get used to things. Give yourself time. You've come a long way since finding out about the ghosts hanging around." Angus refocused. "We know he's already got a lawyer, at least I'm assuming he'll be using Ben Tito to represent him. I highly doubt Mr. Jefferies is going to let his son face this on his own."

"Do you think they'll try him as an adult?" Franks asked.

"Could go either way. I'd charge him as an adult, but I'm not the D.A.." Angus shrugged. "There's a lot of variables in play. I think a lot of it will come down to how cooperative Johnny is with us. These crimes were horrific. Everything he does and has done will be taken into consideration."

Franks nodded. "I can't imagine how hard this is for Mrs. Jefferies. Can a person grieve for one son while defending another?"

"I'm not sure I could, especially if it was a stepson. I get you are supposed to love your step kids as much as your blood children, but in a case like this, I'd think there would have to be a line I couldn't cross." Angus took a deep breath as they neared the police station. "Looks like the news already got wind of things." Several media vans lined up along the curb in front of the station and as Franks pulled into the lot, cameras aimed at the car and reporters screamed questions. With the windows up, Angus couldn't hear them, but he was sure this was going to turn into a media nightmare. Fiona's father had made sure the media kept their focus on the case, giving several interviews through the week and updating the press as each new murder happened. Angus understood the need to keep the public's attention on this, but it sure made his job harder.

"Damn it. This is going to be a pain." Franks pulled the car into a parking lot.

"We knew it would happen. Mr. Bloomquist knows better than anyone how to play the media, so he gets exactly the attention he wants. I'd hate to be the D.A. on this case with him breathing down my neck." Angus got out of the car.

Franks fell into step beside him. "Johnny's a minor. Only so much info can go out from us."

"I have no doubt the families of the victims won't be worried about Johnny's age." Angus looked back at the mass of cameras still pointed in their direction. It wasn't even seven in the morning and there were at least ten of them. He was sure the number would triple throughout the day.

It was quiet as they walked into the station, too early for most of the support staff to be on site. Angus ignored the turn toward his office and instead headed to the area where the interview rooms were. He needed an update before he could prepare to sit down for an interview. Franks was by his side as they weaved through the hallways to the back of the building where there were interview rooms and holding cells for people to wait in before being transported to the county jail.

"Detectives," Captain Marshall leaned against the hallway wall, speaking to one of the uniformed officers.

"Morning." Franks nodded.

"Captain." Angus paused to stand by them. "Where is he?"

"Interrogation one. We're waiting on his attorney," the officer said.

"You brought him in?" Franks asked.

"About twenty minutes ago," the officer acknowledged.

"What was he doing when you found him?" Angus asked.

"Sitting on the bridge crying. He wasn't near the edge like he was going to jump. Just sitting in the middle of the bridge, with his knees pulled up to his chest and head bowed. He didn't even look up as we approached. He ignored all our orders. Didn't move when we told him to show us his hands or get down on his stomach. We finally got him in custody. He didn't fight, didn't say a word, just continued to cry." The officer shrugged. "We just got word that his laptop and a few other items we couldn't identify right away were found broken under the bridge. Our guess is he tossed them off, then sat down and was either trying to work up the nerve to jump or was waiting for us to come get him."

"Do you think you can get a confession?" Captain Marshall asked.

"No." Angus was sure about that. "Not with his attorney there."

"Okay, so we know he's going to lawyer up and chances of getting anything out of him in questioning is not going to be easy. So, what do you think about allowing his parents in to see him? Do you think they might get him talking, even against the lawyer's advice?" Franks suggested.

"Possibly. It's worked on cases in the past. Especially if the parents are a trigger for something. We could try. The attorney will object, but he doesn't get the final say. The parents do. I'm betting the need to speak to their son is stronger than their need to obey the attorney." Captain Marshall rubbed his hand over his chin. "Maybe give it a go with the attorney first, then let the parents as a nicety before we send him to holding."

"I need more coffee before I do any of this." Franks turned and walked toward the small breakroom at the end of the hall.

Angus followed, needing a moment to collect his thoughts before things got going. He still needed to run to his office and gather some notes and a file filled with whatever. It didn't matter if most of the pages in the file were blank. Johnny wouldn't see them. Angus just needed Johnny to think they had a ton of evidence against him. He took the cup of coffee Franks offered him and took a seat at the table. He pulled out his notebook and started making notes. "We have the eye drop box and receipt. What other physical evidence do we have?"

"Not much. They are testing dirt found in the sole of Johnny's shoe to see if it matches the dirt found inside Elizabeth's window, but who knows when results will come in? Blood and a tear were found on one of Johnny's shirts, but from the placement of the blood, we have to assume that it was from the scratches Gail made on Johnny's arm. We can look at his arm to confirm there are scratches. The lab is working to confirm whose blood it is." Franks took a seat across from Angus. "I want to bring up him asking Fiona out. He's going to wonder how we have that information, and it will unsettle him trying to figure it out."

Angus nodded as he made notes. "We can also stretch the truth and tell him we have video of him kidnapping Gail from work. He doesn't have to know we don't have his face on the video."

"Use the threat of being charged as an adult to get him talking. Tell him the more cooperative he is, the better his chances of facing juvenile court. He might be willing to admit to more if he isn't looking at fifty years in prison." Franks took a sip of coffee. "I'll walk down to our office and get a file for us in a minute."

"Thanks." Angus was glad to have a few extra minutes to caffeinate. He pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to Lance to update him. That way, Lance could let the ghosts know what was going on if they weren't already here watching. He figured the ghosts would have followed Johnny from the bridge to the station, and Bethany had been with them when they left home, so she would be updating the others on things.

It took an hour before Johnny's attorney showed. He walked in with a confident, smug look on his face and was escorted to the interrogation room quickly. It was another twenty minutes before he stepped out and alerted Franks and Angus that he was ready when they were.

Just to play with Johnny's mind, Angus and Franks waited another twenty minutes before going in. All the sitting handcuffed to a small table in a tiny room had to be getting to the kid. Not even his attorney had requested a drink for him. Angus was aware that Johnny's parents waited in another room but weren't being allowed back to the integration area.

"Ready to do this?" Franks handed Angus the file they'd made.

"May he confess quickly so I can get home early." Angus was tired and hungry. The last thing he wanted was to face off with this kid for hours on end. He reminded himself this was his job and interviewing a suspect was better than being out on the streets searching for that suspect.

They walked into the interrogation room a few minutes after the attorney had gone back in. The first thing Angus noticed were the red-rimmed, swollen eyes of the boy that sat in front of him. He thought back to the first time he'd seen Johnny and had thought he looked twelve. Today, he looked almost younger the way he sat with his shoulders hunched and a look of fear in his eyes. "Morning." Angus dropped the large file onto the table with a thud.

Johnny stared at the file, then over at his attorney. "Is that all on me?"

"Don't worry about the file," the attorney, Ben Tinto told him. "Good morning, Detectives."

"And to answer your question, Johnny, yes, this is all about you. You've had a very busy week. Four murders and one attempted murder in less than seven days. Should we talk about them in order, or just pick and choose?" Detective Franks smiled.

"My client has nothing to say." Ben Tinto glared at Franks.

"Are you sure?" Angus asked. "Because we have a lot to talk to him about. We found the box from the eye drops in his room, along with a receipt that has him buying a bucket and cement mix the day of Fiona Bloomquist's death. We have him on camera kidnapping Gail Smith from work. We have a witness that saw her thrown from the bridge." That was stretching the truth, but Johnny didn't need to know that. "And we have skin under Gail's fingernails that I'm guessing will match scratch marks on Johnny's arm. How about it, Johnny? Are you willing to let us have a look at that arm?"

Johnny wore a long-sleeved t-shirt, but his hand went to his arm and covered it, directly over the area where Gail had told them her claw marks would be.

Angus smiled. "Has to be hard wearing long-sleeves in the heat we've been having. It's okay if you don't want to show us now. We'll get them when we book you into jail."

"He's a minor. He won't be going to jail," Ben Tinto stated.

"That will be up to the D.A." Franks smiled at Johnny. "With these crimes, he could easily be facing being charged as an adult. But even in juvenile detention, he's going to have to strip. We'll see those scratches sooner or later. My guess is after four murders, Johnny will be facing time in prison, not juvenile detention."

"Is that true? Can they charge me as an adult?" Johnny's eyes were wide and tear-filled as he stared at his attorney.

"It's possible, but not probable." Ben patted Johnny's hand.

"So tell me, why did you do this?" Angus asked. "Was it because Fiona said no when you asked her out?"

Johnny sucked in a breath.

"Nah, he would have just killed her, not the others if that was the case. There's got to be more to this," Franks bantered back.

"Maybe he asked all of them and they all turned him down." Angus shrugged.

Johnny glared.

"Detectives." Ben glared at Angus. "My client has nothing to say. You're wasting your time and ours."

"Oh, I don't know. I think Johnny has plenty of time. Maybe looking at fifty years. What do you think, Franks?" Angus raised a brow at his partner.

"At least that, unless he starts cooperating with us." Franks looked at Johnny. "Your attorney might tell you not to talk to us, but he also knows that if you cooperate it might help the D.A. decide to not charge you as an adult. You could be out at eighteen or nineteen if you're lucky."

"Is this true?" Johnny asked.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean it's guaranteed. Before you say anything, I want the D.A. to confirm he's willing to work with us and charge you as a juvenile." Ben stared at Johnny. "Let me do my job."

"Go do it then. Find out what I'm being charged with," Johnny said.

"I can tell you that. As of now, and we may add more charges as we investigate, but you are facing four counts of murder, one attempted murder, two counts of trespassing, one of breaking and entering, one count of kidnapping, and at least two counts of driving without another licensed driver in the vehicle with you." Franks glanced at Angus. "Did I forget anything?"

"I think that about covers it." Angus leaned back in his chair, folding his arms over his chest.

"Can I talk to my dad?" Johnny asked Ben.

"I don't think—" Ben started.

Angus interrupted, "We'd be willing to let that happen."

"Please." Johnny nodded at Angus.

"Johnny, I don't think you should." Ben leaned toward the kid. "You'll have time to talk to him later."

"I'd really like to see him now." Johnny looked at Angus. "It's up to me, right? He can't make me not talk to him."

"It's your choice. Your attorney is here to advise you, but you can make up your own mind." Angus hoped this worked.

"Is he here?" Johnny asked.

"Just down the hall. Would you like me to get him?" Franks stood.

"Yeah." Johnny took a deep breath. "I need to talk to him."

"I'll be right back." Franks quickly left the room.

Angus stood as well. "We'll pick up where we left off after your visit."

"Johnny, listen to me. Anything you say to your father can be used against you. They'll be listening to everything," Ben warned him.

Angus stepped from the room, taking a deep breath as he leaned against the wall. They'd gotten nothing from Johnny, but he hadn't expected to. He studied his notes as he waited for Franks to return and was elated when he saw Mr. Jefferies being followed by Mrs. Jefferies. He'd hoped both would want to speak to their son, but when Johnny had only asked to see his father, Angus wasn't sure how it would work out.

"Right in here." Franks opened the door and allowed Mr. and Mrs. Jefferies into the room.

The moment the door closed, Angus and Franks stepped into the next room to watch the conversation through the one-way window.

"Why'd you bring her? I don't want to talk to her." Johnny glared at his stepmother.

"She's your mother. Why wouldn't I bring her?" Mr. Jefferies asked.

"She's not my mother. My mother died. I didn't ask her to come live with us. You did." Johnny's anger came out of nowhere as he glared at his stepmother.

"Johnny, you can't talk to her that way." Mr. Jefferies stepped closer.

"Let's stay calm." Ben Tinto stood.

"All you care about is her and her son. You don't care about me." Johnny went on as if his father hadn't spoken. "You go to his basketball games, and brag about how great he is at sports. You welcome all his friends over and let them practically live with us. You even asked him where we should go on vacation, but you didn't ask me." Johnny tugged on his arm, causing the chain attached to the handcuffs to catch.

"Terrance and I did everything we could to include you. To love you," Mrs. Jefferies cried. "He did nothing to hurt you, and you killed him." Tears streamed down her face as she stared at Johnny. "I never tried to replace your mother, but I wanted to be there for you. You were the one who kept us closed out."

"Did you come to a single one of my school events?" Johnny argued.

"What events?" Mrs. Jefferies stared.

"Exactly. You didn't even take the time to know about them. Yet, you have every single basketball game Terrance played scheduled on the calendar." Johnny had tears streaming down his cheeks.

"You never told us." Mr. Jefferies paled.

"Did Terrance tell you about his games?" Johnny stared hard at them. "Or did you get the schedule and mark down all the games?" He pointed at Mrs. Jefferies. "I remember Terrance telling you that you didn't need to come to the games, and you both argued with him saying you'd be there for all home games."

"This is why you killed Terrance? Because I went to his games?" Mrs. Jefferies sank into a chair.

"Not because of the games. I killed him because he was more important to both of you than I was. I was nobody. You ignored me. He had all his friends over while I sat in my room. Not once did you ask me if I wanted to have people over."

"I didn't know you had friends," Mr. Jefferies yelled back, then shook his head. "Of course, you have friends, but I thought they were all online."

"That's just where we talk and hang out, but I would have liked to have them over to game sometime. But no, Terrance and his friends were always there."

"You could have joined them. I know Terrance offered to let you game with them." Mrs. Jefferies was crying hard.

"They laughed at me. Made fun of me." Johnny wiped at his eyes with the back of his wrist. "They deserved everything I did to them."

Angus glanced at Franks. "We'll, we got our confession."

"As heartbreaking as it was." Franks stepped back from the window.

Angus watched a minute longer as the attorney tried to get everyone to quiet but failed. Beside him, the captain, D.A., and a couple of other officers watched. Every word was being recorded, every confession solidifying the case against Johnny Jefferies. There wasn't much more for them to do.

"Buy you breakfast?" Franks asked.

With a full day of paperwork ahead, Angus figured they better eat while they could. He told the captain they'd be back and followed Franks out the door. Whatever battle was going on in that room wasn't his to worry about. They'd gotten the confession. Now the case was in the D.A.'s hands.

As they left the station, Angus thought about the case. This wasn't a win for anyone. Four teens were dead, one arrested, and everyone else would be picking up the pieces for years to come as they tried to forget this week and get their lives back in order. For him, he'd finish paperwork today, then go home with Lance and find peace in his arms before starting on another case in the morning. It was a vicious circle, but keeping killers off the streets had its rewards. One thing was for sure, after this week, he needed to plan some time away with Lance. As important as the job was, Lance was more important, and he refused to get so caught up in work that he'd ever forget that. As he got into the car, he pulled out his phone and sent a quick text, reminding Lance that he loved him.