The Demise of Mayor Frye

Chapter 3: The Assistant Director

Officer Jason Tiger had just brought Mr. Mason to Precinct B14. Detective-Sergeant Max Hale, who had talked to Detective Stone on the phone, took him to the first interrogation room, uncuffed him, and waited there until his chief would come. Room 01 was the most convenient one among the four. With the white walls, bright lighting, and comfortable leather chairs, it was more of a regular room than an interrogation space, and for the same reason, it was used particularly for interviews.

"Where's my phone? I wanna call my attorney," Mr. Mason said. "I won't listen to your nonsense without my attorney."

"Sure," Max gave the man a pen and pointed to the stack of papers on the table. "Write his number. I'll call him."

"Her," he said, writing the number down.

Max went to Detective Walker's room and dialed the number using the phone on the desk.

"Yes?" the voice on the phone said.

"Hello, Ma'am. I'm Detective-Sergeant Max Hale, and I'm calling you from Precinct B14. Your client," Max looked at the file in his hands to see the name, "Mr. Kobe Mason, has been brought here and states that he won't talk without your presence. Can you get here now?"

"Sure, Detective. I'll be there," she said, hanging up.

Minutes later, Detective Kris Walker walked into the room. "Mr. Mason," he said, taking a seat in front of the assistant director. "what a surprise!"

"Do we know each other, Detective?"

Detective Walker smiled. He remembered the last time he'd been in Mr. Mason's office. "No, Mr. Mason. You don't know me, obviously, but I do. I've been in your office. Maybe once or twice. I didn't expect to see you here. Or maybe I did," the detective chuckled.

"Why am I here, Detective?"

"Apparently, you didn't cooperate with Detective Stone. If you did, I wouldn't have the pleasure to meet you again, here."

"That's not the answer," he barked. "Why am I here? You just don't arrest people who don't talk."

"Oh, the reason, you mean. Well, you're here on suspicion of murdering Mr. Frye, Mr. Mason."

"Nonsense," Kobe Mason shouted, standing up. He also punched on the table. "How dare you accuse me of that?"

Detective Walker gestured him to sit. "It's just gonna be a couple of questions, Mr. Mason. It's not an interrogation. It could probably be done on-site, too, but you weren't willing to answer."

"That bastard didn't know who he was talking to."

"As a detainee, Mr. Mason, you are no more or no less than anyone else. And as for Detective Stone, though I respect him very much, I do know that he is a little too... impatient. But... you can't blame him," Detective Walker paused and looked at Kobe Mason. "He'd never accepted cases related to people like you. I had. And I know you —"

"You're in no —"

"You're in no place to...," Detective Walker interrupted Kobe Mason. "Those words remind me of the several times I've been to the city hall. I know those words. I've memorized them. I told you, I know people like you, and I know what you're capable of. But you are one in just one tiny place. You believe you can't ever get into trouble."

"Shut up," he yelled. "So, you're all the same. And you know, I'm happy you've memorized the words that describe who you are, Detective. Just change the beginning to 'I am' and repeat that sentence over and over every day. Because you are in no place to do anything."

Detective Walker didn't react to his words. He walked out of the room as gently as he could to emphasize that he doesn't care, and didn't get back there until Mrs. Simmons, the attorney was there.

"Welcome, Mrs. Simmons. Come on in," Detective Walker said, guiding her to Room 01. He brought another chair next to Mr. Mason. "Have a seat."

"What's the situation, Detective? Can you fill me in?" Mrs. Simmons said.

"These pieces of shit think I'm a murderer," Mr. Mason shouted.

The attorney told him to relax and remain silent. "Can I have a look at the pieces of evidence that back you up, Detective?" she asked.

"We're investigating the sudden demise of Mayor Frye as I'm sure you're aware, and a piece of hair in the same shape and color of Mr. Mason's has happened to be found in the death scene," Detective walker said.

"And?" she said.

"And we're here to talk about the last time he was in that room."

"Can I have a private talk with my client, Detective? And perhaps a glass of water would be nice."

"Of course," he turned off the camera in the room and went outside. He poured some water that in his mind seemed like seawater in the glass and brought it back to the attorney.

After some minutes of spending time in his office and thinking about Kobe Mason and whether he could be declared guilty or not, Max Hale informed him that Kobe Mason and his attorney are ready to talk.

"Detective Walker," Mrs. Simmons said as soon as the detective sat on the chair in Room 01, "my client hasn't been in that room since his last meeting with the last mayor, which was precisely two weeks ago, February 17th, 2020. Everything you found in that room, he's unaware of and has nothing to do with. And he will say no more."

"Interesting. You're saying that the piece of hair has been there for two weeks?"

"No," she said. "Of course not. As for the piece of hair, let me say it this way, that I assure you I can have one of yours put anywhere I want to."

"Well, that's it then. Mr. Mason," the detective faced Kobe Mason, "please write everything your attorney told me now and sign it. Meanwhile, I'll talk to Detective Stone to check this information."

He dialed Detective Stone's number on his phone and called him, walking out of the room. When Detective Stone answered the phone, he told him about the date of the last time Mr. Mason claims he was in the room.

"Right. I'm at the mayor's office now. Let me ask the secretary," Detective Stone said on the phone. He put the call on hold for some seconds, and after he'd asked the secretary, he said, "Based on what the secretary, Mr. Scott, says, that's right. It was the last time he'd gone there."

"So, what to do now?" Detective Walker asked, walking outside the interrogation room, in the hall.

"We sure can't keep that man there now. Release him under the condition that he won't be out of reach until the end of the investigation. I still have a hunch that he's related to the case," Detective Stone said on the phone. "And I'll check the footage of the last two weeks to confirm what the secretary said."

"OK," Detective Walker said, hanging up. And he did what the other detective had said.

Upon exiting the precinct, Mr. Mason tapped on Detective Walker's shoulder. "Detective," he said in a humiliating manner. "Don't forget what you've memorized."

I'm not in no place, he thought. I only had been.