Crime (h.s. au)

Chapter Eight

Ava

I knock on the front door, Harry standing beside me as we await the answer. My hand reaches into my suit coat and I grab my badge, Harry doing the same.

The door is opened and a woman stands on the other side, her hand opening the glass door.

"Ms. Rae?" I ask, and she nods her head.

"I'm Lieutenant Nicks and this is Detective Styles. Is there a man by the name of Alexander Cross living here?" I ask, and she glances between the two of us. She looks petrified.

"Yes, that's my son," she breathes out. "Is he in trouble?"

"We'd just like to speak with him for a moment," Harry tells her, and she nods. She walks back into the house and she returns moments later, a man with her. His stature is tall, a few inches above Harry. He is a very broad man, large muscles, and tattoos liter his skin.

"Can I help you?" he asks us, his mother staying in the house.

"Mr. Cross, we'd like to bring you down to the station to ask you a few questions," I say, and he just laughs. My eyebrow raises and I keep my face stoic, not needing this response from him.

"Why would I need to do that?" he asks, a sly smirk on his lips as he looks at me. He's completely ignoring Harry and I choose to disregard the look on his face as his eyes seemingly look me up and down.

"Your name has been brought up when questioning a few people surrounding a homicide investigation. We'd like to take you into the station to ask you a few questions," I repeat, his lips now moving into a frown.

"Homicide investigation?" he asks, his mother gasping. Alexander no longer seems to be interested in looking at me with his previous expression.

"A young girl was murdered earlier this week and we'd like to speak to you," Harry states, his head turning to look at his mother. He asks her to grab his keys and she does so.

"I guess so," Alexander tells us. We walk him to the squad car and Harry opens the door for him, shutting it once Alexander is in.

The drive is fairly fast, the station no longer than five miles from Alexander's home. When we arrive, Harry escorts Alexander into the station and the Chief opens the questioning room. We offer Alexander a glass of water and he declines.

"Alright, can you tell me what's going on?" he says, my legs crossing as I sit at the table. I take out my notepad and Harry does the same.

"We're currently investigating the murder of a young women that occurred some time last week," I start, Alexander crossing his arms over his chest. It's a defensive gesture; his eyes now seeming to glare at me.

"Can you tell us where you were last week?" Harry starts, his body not moving.

"I went to Manhattan to visit a buddy of mine. Met up with my girlfriend while I was there," he starts, my thumb clicking my pen.

"Can you give us the date of your arrival?" I ask, and he tells me Tuesday.

"And who were you staying with?" Harry follows up, our main question coming up easily upon the beginning of questioning.

"My old coworker. His name's Gabriel Torres," he tells us, my hand writing the name down.

"Where did you two work together?" I ask, looking at him. He's clearly irritated; not handling the questioning very well.

"American Lawn Company. I worked there for three years and transferred up to Rochester when I ran out of money to pay rent," he explains, my interest increasing. The Zetters received lawncare from a service, and I'm curious if there's a connection.