Six Feet Under

chapter eight

[ 10/08/2015, Clairmont County Sheriff Department, 0800 ]

"Is your name Madison?"

What do you think?

"Yes," she said.

The straps on her chest were constricting, and she thought that perhaps the arm cuffs were also a bit too tight.

"Is today Thursday?"

"Yes," she repeated.

Morgan kept her eyes on the screen that is tilted away from Madison.

"Have you ever lied before?"

"Yes," she sighed.

"Do you regret lying?"

"Only sometimes,"

The room is quiet but the light is too bright. Madison felt a little sleepy.

"Do you have a sister?"

"Yes," she let out a breath slowly through her teeth, and deliberately let her thoughts drift to a jump scare she saw somewhere on the internet. She felt her pulse jump.

Morgan looked up disinterestedly.

"Is your mother's name Cecile Greene?"

"No," Madison replied.

"Is your stepmother's name Cecile Greene?" Morgan amended.

"Yes,"

"Are you sociopathic?"

Madison paused.

"Not completely," she said, finally. "But, yes."

"Were you at a burger joint when the murder was committed?"

"Yes," she was relieved they were finally getting to the actual investigation. The so-called control and diagnostic questions were completely idiotic.

"Did you find Cecile Greene's body in her bedroom around 3 AM?"

"Yes,"

"Did you murder Cecile Greene?"

"No," she replied, tone mildly affronted but heartbeat and hands steady.

"Do you know the identity of her murderer?"

"No," Madison drew out the word. "I wish I did."

"Are you involved in her murder in any way, shape or form?"

"No," she repeated.

"Do you stand to gain something from her death?"

"Yes," she said, a bit reluctant although it did not show. "So does my sister."

"Is this inheritance a large sum of money?"

Obviously.

"Yes," she repeated again. Her stomach rumbled; Christ, she was hungry.

Morgan consulted her notepad carefully

"Do you know somebody with a motive to murder Cecile Greene?"

"No," Madison said carefully, her breath hitching a little.

Morgan didn't seem to notice, but she stared skeptically at Madison all the same.

"Very well, Miss Greene." she said finally, rounding the steel table to remove the chest strap and finger electrodes and arm cuff from her as something whirred and clicked its way out of the lone printer. She glanced sideways at it before snatching it up from the table and walking out of the room calmly.