The Demise of Mayor Frye

Chapter 10: The Parallel Talks

It was the first time in about four years that all four interrogation rooms were occupied. Detective Stone was in Room 03, talking to Brent Scott the secretary, while the officers were interviewing Demi Rivera and Lewis Frye. Freddie Norman was also there, in Room 04, but at the time, he wasn't being interrogated.

"Mr. Scott, the story you told us about the man who gave you the briefcase of money turned out to have a flaw," Detective Stone lied, hoping that he would fall in his trap and add something to the case that he didn't know. "You want to tell me what really happened, or Freddie Norman will do it."

Brent Scott didn't speak a word. He was just sitting on the chair, leaning back listening, and acting bored.

"If you remain quiet and Freddie speaks, you'll be the one who suffers the most, Brent, but you can reverse it if he doesn't speak."

"You say there was no evidence of what we told you?" Brent finally opened his mouth, still acting uninterested.

The detective confirmed by quietly saying "yes".

"Then how come we were free before, Detective? You've got to be the most inconsiderate investigator if you released us not being sure we were telling the truth."

"I already told you my offer, Mr. Scott," Detective Stone said, standing up and leaving the room. He was hoping that frustrating the two men would help them say something if there was anything more to their stories.

The next room was right next to the first one, but the walls were, of course, soundproof. He opened the door of interrogation room number two and got inside. Freddie Norman was sitting still. He was normal, like someone willing to cooperate. He wasn't acting to be bored like Brent.

"Mr. Norman," the detective said right after he sat on the chair in front of the man, "the footage of the street you mentioned where the briefcase was delivered to you doesn't match what you told us. I have told this to Brent, too. If you don't cooperate and he does, you'll suffer most. Now it's your time to cooperate."

"I already told you the truth, Detective. What should I add?"

"Anything matches our investigations. Anything true."

"I did tell you what happened. No matter how long you're gonna keep me here, it is the truth, and it's not gonna change."

"What about the library?" the detective asked. He intended to see if Freddie knew what library he was mentioning.

"I'm not sure if I follow, Detective. Wh-what library?"

"The library you've gone in and somehow edited its footage. Isn't that right, Mr. Norman?"

Freddie was confused. He didn't have any idea about the library, and the footage of the interior of the library had also shown that Freddie had never been there recently.

"Anyway," the detective said, walking back to the door, "I told my offer to both of you. Every single time that I go from this room to the other, the chance that he cooperates with us will increase. Now think about it. Don't you wanna be the first to talk?"

Detective Stone walked back to Room 03. Brent was still not willing to talk. It must not have been because he had been hiding something. After all, he did fully cooperate the first time Detective Stone interrogated him. He was frustrated by the process, and he was right, of course, to be like that. Even Detective Stone himself, who had been doing these kinds of works for years, wasn't feeling right.

"Any reconsideration, Brent?"

"Nope, Detective. I already told you what the truth was, so did Freddie."