The Demise of Mayor Frye

Chapter 9: The Café Meeting

Detectives Stone and Walker, Officers Thomas, Baker, Foster, Millan, Delacruz, Brown, Wilson, and Max Hale were all at the table near the window in Jack and Chill's Café where the smell of alcohol wasn't too distracting. The two detectives were sitting at the top of the table, and the rest spread all around it. Detective Stone had arranged this meeting on-site based on Detective Walker's suggestion for them to investigate every possible scenario that might have been overlooked beforehand. They'd been there for about an hour now, and they'd reviewed all available clues, evidence, and witnesses. Detective Stone had also explained to them anything he'd gotten from the party interview and other investigations.

"I think it's best to form a list of potential suspects, from those who are least likely to those of high probability," Detective Walker suggested.

Among all of the people present there, Officer Baker had a laptop in front of himself on the table, both recording the conversations and writing anything that was needed. He was sitting next to Officer Emma Foster who herself was a computer specialist like him.

"I like that idea, very much," Detective Stone said. "Officer Baker, be ready to take note of anyone we agree he or she could be the suspect. As for the first two persons, I suggest Brent Scott and Freddie Norman. Though they cooperated before, it might have been all pre-planned."

Almost all of them agreed without having anything to add, except for Detective-Sergeant Max Hale who added an important note, "We actually haven't seen any proof that Freddie Norman dropped the drops of poison on his collar himself."

"You suggest that he might have been the one who'd gone inside the mayor's room?" Detective Stone asked.

"Yes, Detective. It also seems weird to me that he was that much ready to talk when you got to his house."

Officer Baker suggested the third person himself while typing the names of the last two. "The fact that Emerson Frye's first wife," he checked the papers on the desk to find her name, "Demi Rivera, acted cool for the interview, and that she introduced two other people, I mean the other wife and her son... It seems fishy to me, personally. But the decision is yours, Detective Stone. You were the one who talked to her in person."

Detective Stone showed his agreement with a nod. "Not impossible. That's the next one."

The next person to throw a name in was Detective Walker, and he suggested someone who no one seemed to expect him. "Kobe Mason," he said.

"How could he still be a suspect, Detective Walker?" Detective Stone asked.

"Well, just because he made a call to someone doesn't mean he wasn't the man under the palm tree. Maybe it was a pocket call."

"A pocket call that ended about a minute later?"

"Unlikely, but not impossible. Is it?"

"Sure. Let's make sure."

"Well, let's make sure. Officer Baker, give me the number that Kobe Mason dialed at that time. Let's ask the man himself."

Officer Baker sent the number to Detective Stone for him to call. They talked for less than a minute, though, as Caleb Mason confirmed what Kobe had said before. But Detective Walker still doubted him. "Kobe Mason had been released yesterday, for God's sake," he barked. It was the first time in these days that he raised his voice, and it surprised Detective Stone. "He could have easily told his brother what to tell you."

"I understand your concerns, Detective Walker, but no. I won't interrogate him again. I know he's not the one you think he is," Detective Stone said. In his mind, he still didn't know why he didn't want to suspect Kobe Mason again. Was it because he thought of him as an innocent, or was it because he didn't want to confront him once more? Sure, Detective wasn't afraid of someone like him and even enjoyed putting corrupt managers and directors under pressure, but what about Kobe Mason? Was he truly corrupt? Deep down, the detective had a feeling that he wasn't.