CHAPTER EIGHT : Their new suspect

Patrick sat next to her, he took her hand and saw she was sweating.

"Don't worry, nothing will happen to you. We're just going to ask a few questions, that's all."

"Aren't you the one who's going to ask the questions?"

He cleared his throat before he answered, "No, my colleague Donald here is the one taking charge of that"

Mason glanced at Alina, she shrank. He glanced at her, then smiled softly. He appeared to be older than Patrick. After a long chapter of endless eye contact between Mason and Patrick, they finally gave a sign with their heads to the people standing behind the unidirectional perspective glass.

"Hello Alina, I am Mason Rodriguez and I have been the lieutenant for over 20 years and through my decent professional experience, I have never encountered a case like this, and my gut tells me that you're the key to solving this case, so how about we start"

"And if your gut tells you I'm lying, then I'm lying?" said the youngest in the room, with a smirk on her face.

The lieutenant chose to ignore it, he continued "The information stated at this interrogation room is not just investigative or probative, it is evidence, I will ask you a few questions and I hope for an honest answer"

"Isn't this only for suspects?" she rendered.

"Holding exclusive information about a case doesn't only make you a suspect, you can be sued for the abstraction of justice" Mason affirmed. "We'll start by the day your mother was killed, did you know she wasn't your real mother?"

She almost fell apart, her mouth dried so fast like she was thirsty for years, her head was boiling and what he said about her dear mother left an acid taste at the back of her throat.

She told herself to calm down, deep breaths in, deep breaths out.

"Yes," she finally avowed.

"Since when were you aware of that?"

"I don't remember"

"How did you figure that out?"

She feasted his eye, and said while clenching her teeth with well-hidden anger, "I don't recall"

"Hum, interesting"

"How about your sister, did you know about her, or you don't remember?"

She was trapped, suddenly, the atmosphere inside the interrogation room felt hot and moist, it smothered her skin. It felt like drowning in her self-created darkness with every question he asked. That room felt like a prison.

There wasn't much in her. She hadn't eaten since the yogurt she had at breakfast but she felt like vomiting.

"I did know about her"

"Did you ever meet her?"

She thought about her sister for a while, then how much trouble she would cause if she revealed her location, she knew they would make her.

Before she could answer he added, "We already have your sister locked in another room waiting for custody, she already gave everything up, why don't you do the same and save us some time?"

Then he threw a huge pile of paper, kept together with a paper clip, "This is your sister's interrogation details"

She kept her calm and affirmed, "My gut tells me those papers are as white as a snowball, I know you're bluffing"

Both Patrick and Mason were shaken with what she figured out, this trick is usually used to convince crime suspect accomplices that they're already under the water, even gangsters fell for it. Mason immediately knew the girl in front of him was something else.

"You caught us, whatever you're protecting her from, we can do a better job, it is our duty to protect citizens"

"Just like you protected from getting"

"Getting what"

She made a mistake, her cover was blown but not entirely, at least she could keep that part to herself.

"From getting to live through such a messy life!"

"Just tell us where she is, we know she escaped from her foster care in England, did she come to the states after that?"

"I don't know"

"Say it!!!"

"I DON'T KNOW!" she screamed, she had enough. They only saw what they needed, they didn't care about her and they never will, she wanted to catch the killer more than anyone, how did they dare to bring her in as a suspect?

The world around her revolved cruelly in a way she didn't fathom.

She turned to Patrick that fell silent the whole time there, "Get me out of here, please"

He gazed at her in disbelief, he was convinced she was innocent, he brought her in to let his boss be as sure as he is, but now he's not sure of how innocent is she.

Is she so innocent after all?

Mason broke their moment, "I think it's enough for today. I have a feeling we'll see each other soon Alina"

She frowned, left the room holding Patrick's hand.

That evening, Alina didn't speak a word to both of them, Selena snapped at Patrick for making her go through such an experience without even defending her.

"Were you out of your mind, isn't it enough the traumatic experiences she had already gone through? Or did you feel the need to add a dilemma to the list??"

"I know, I'm sorry! I just wanted to convince my boss to let out of the hook"

"Is she out of the hook now?" She glared at him, looking furious.

"You should've seen her in there, she looked guilty as hell"

"You don't know of what exactly, and you will not be taking her to that interrogation room ever again, without my approval!" and before he could defend himself, she added, "And you will go right now and apologize to her for being the most stupid, careless piece of shit dad, EVER!".

She then dragged him out of the room and closed the door behind his back.

He walked slowly, opened Alina's door quietly.

"I'm awake"

He jumped in terror, "Gosh, you scared me"

He walked inside and sat on the armchair next to her bed.

"Look kiddo, I'm sorry about today, I made a huge mistake but I can fix it, I know you're hiding stuff, but the lieutenant doesn't think you're involved in the murder"

"So I don't look guilty as hell?"

Patrick rubbed his face with his hand, knowing he fucked up, "Look, this is my first time being a dad, and I really don't want to screw up from the start, so if you just show me what to do so you could forgive me it", she interrupted him:

"I forgive you. I thought about it and a part of it was my fault too. And, um" she hesitated for a while and whispered "It's my first time having a dad too, you're doing good"

Patrick couldn't stop himself from smiling, he had a clumsy smile on his facial expression, like someone that had a dose of ecstasy.

"Are you going to say it?"

"Say what?"

"That you're a stupid careless piece of shit?

"Oh God, you heard that too?" He exhaled and said out loud "I'm a stupid careless piece of shit! Happy now?"

Alina burst into laughter, Patrick followed. He hugged her and promised he will trust her more from now on.

It was their first father-daughter moment ever.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the house, Selena was on her bed smiling when she heard their synchronized laughter.

She decided to sleep like a baby.

When Patrick came back he couldn't open the door, he knew his next punishment was to sleep on the couch, and then he would make breakfast the next morning.

It was Selena's routine whenever she got mad at him, or just mad. Anyhow, he understood what it all meant to her, they loved each other so he had to sleep on the couch.

He hated the couch.

As for Alina, deep inside her. Whatever was next, she had to be ready for it.