The Blog

Francis 5: Cucumber

"Francis, thank you for coming in today. I understand you were the one who found your father's body?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"Can you tell me what happened?"

"Well, I woke up this morning and found him on the floor in his bedroom. I tried to wake him up, but he was unresponsive. That's when I called for an ambulance."

"And did you notice anything unusual about the scene when you found him?"

"No, not really. It just looked like he fell out of bed and hit his head on the nightstand."

"Did your father have any medical conditions that you were aware of?"

"Yes, he had a heart condition and he was a heavy drinker. He also took medication for his bad back, but I don't know the details."

"And how was your relationship with your father?"

"We had our differences, but I still loved him. He was my father, after all."

"Can you elaborate on those differences?"

"Well, he had a temper and he could be abusive at times. I tried to distance myself from him as much as possible, but I still cared for him."

"Did he ever hurt you physically?"

"Yes, there were a few incidents."

"And did you ever report these incidents to the police?"

"No, I didn't."

"Can you explain why?"

"I didn't want to get him in trouble. He was still my father, and I didn't want to ruin his life."

"I understand. Now, can you tell me about the events leading up to his death?"

"Well, nothing out of the ordinary. He had been drinking a lot lately, and I think that may have contributed to his heart condition."

"And you didn't notice anything unusual about his behavior leading up to his death?"

"No, not really. He seemed a bit more tired than usual, but that's about it."

Detective Green leaned forward, his eyes narrowing as he fixed them on Francis. "Young man, let me be frank with you. We've received the toxicology report from the autopsy, and it shows that your father had high levels of morphine and alcohol in his system. Care to explain that?"

Francis shifted slightly in his seat, but his expression remained neutral. "I can only assume that he was drinking and taking his medication as usual. He had a lot of health issues and was in constant pain, so he relied on the medication to manage it."

Detective Green raised an eyebrow. "And you didn't find it suspicious that he was taking that much morphine?"

"I was concerned about his health, of course, but I trusted that he knew what he was doing. He had been taking it for years under the supervision of his doctors," Francis replied calmly.

The detective leaned back in his chair, studying Francis intently. "So, you're saying that you didn't give him any extra medication?"

"Absolutely not," Francis said firmly. "I loved my father, despite our complicated relationship, and I would never do anything to harm him."

Detective Green narrowed his eyes. "But you did have a motive, didn't you? Your father was abusive towards you, wasn't he?"

Francis's jaw clenched briefly before he responded. "Yes, my father and I had a difficult relationship. But that doesn't mean I would kill him. I wanted him to pay for what he did to me, but I also knew that taking matters into my own hands was not the answer."

The detective studied Francis for a few more moments before leaning back in his chair. "Alright, Francis. We'll be in touch if we have any more questions."

Francis stood up, his face betraying no emotion, and quietly left the interrogation room.

Duncan was waiting for Francis in his car outside the police station. As soon as Francis got in, his eyes locked onto him, studying his boyfriend's face for any signs of distress.

"How did it go?" Duncan asked, his voice low and serious.

Francis shrugged. "It went as expected. They tried to trip me up, but I didn't say anything incriminating."

Duncan nodded, but his brow furrowed in concern. "Did they find anything?"

Francis hesitated before answering. "They found high levels of morphine and alcohol in his system. But I told them that he was a heavy drinker and was taking pain medication for a back injury."

Duncan's expression softened. "You did good, Francis. I'm proud of you for staying calm under pressure."

Francis managed a small smile. "Thanks, Duncan. But we're not out of the woods yet. They're still investigating and if they find anything that points to me, I'm screwed."

Duncan reached out and took Francis's hand. "We'll figure it out together. We always do."

Francis squeezed Duncan's hand in return, feeling grateful for his boyfriend's unwavering support. "I know we will. But for now, we need to lay low and not draw any attention to ourselves."

Duncan nodded in agreement. "I'll do whatever it takes to protect you, Francis. Just tell me what you need."

Francis leaned over and kissed Duncan softly on the lips. "I know you will, mon choupinou. And I appreciate it more than you know."