The Mirror

Part 7

Doctors and the Detective interrogate Austin and Mike

John gathered all the evidence and went with the two doctors to see Mike. “Wake your ass up!”
Mike’s head jumped up. “What!? Oh shit, the Doctor is back. I’m done doing you favors.”
“Great! Because this isn’t a favor call”, said Carnes.
“Then, what do you want?”
Carnes gets the folders of evidence from John to show Mike. She started recording once she sat down at the table.
“We found these notes at your house. Tell me which one you recognize”:

1st note found at Mike’s house: “I had a great time with you for as long as I can remember, but I have become sick with guilt. I would like to talk more about this with you in person. I’ll meet you at your house later in the night. See you soon- Love Lily xoxoxo.”

2nd note found at Mike’s house: “My love, our time together has been unbelievably romantic. I think I am going to end it with him. My time with you has helped me realize that I want and love you. I will contact you when it is done. From your beloved- XOXOXO.”

After Mike read both notes, his face turned sad, and said, “I recognize the second one, but not the first one. The first one looked like someone tried to copy Lily’s handwriting. The second note was definitely written by Lily. She wrote it to reassure me that when the time was right she would leave her husband. I’ve wanted to be with her ever since the affair started.”
Carnes sighs, “I’m sorry for your loss. I have another thing to show you. This picture shows something was buried in your backyard; it seems to be weeks old. Did you bury anything or anyone?”
Mike’s eyes got enlarged and watery when he looked at the photo, “How the hell can you ask me that? I can tell you who put that shit there! Fucking Jason! Jason fucking killed Lily!”
Mike started screaming and crying; Carnes just sat there looking and waiting for the crying and screaming to die down. Mike raised his head; he was silent and his eyes were dead.
“Mike? Can you hear me? This picture was found in your trash can; do you recall throwing this away?”
It was minutes before Mike recollected himself and answered, “I remember taking that picture, it was at Jason's house. Lily had it, but I told her I would keep it, so Jason does not find it lying around in her drawer. That is why she kept most of our videos and pictures on her phone, so she could keep everything hidden.”
The detective interjects, “Did you know your brother wants to take over your company?”
Mike, looked up at the detective, “Of course, I fucking know. I’ve always known. Our father left the company to me because Austin is not responsible enough to handle the pressure of running any kind of business!”
Mike’s eyes widened, “He is helping Jason frame me so he can take over my company!?”
“Ding, ding ding! We have a winner. Now, Carnes and Barkley, let’s leave him to his thoughts and visit his brother.”
“Wait, Detective! I want Lily’s killer brought to justice, so if there is anything I can do, please let me know.”
“I will”, John said.
“You think that’s enough, John?” said Carnes.
“For right now, yes.”
Carnes said, “Thank you for your cooperation, Mike.” She stopped the recording and gave all the evidence back to John and they all exited the room.
The detective and the doctors went to interrogate Austin
John bangs on the door as he opens it, “Wakey wakey, you’re going to prison for the rest of your life! No ifs, ands, or buts.”
Carnes and Barkley enter the room; Carnes immediately starts recording Austin’s interrogation.
“Ah, it’s the washed-up Doctors and the macho Detective! What can I do for you this time?”
Barkley took over the interrogation for Austin this time. Barkley places all the evidence concerning Austin in front of him: the forged note he supposedly wrote, Lily’s pearls, pictures of Mike’s house being broken into, something buried in Mike’s backyard, and the nude picture of Lily and Mike that was found in the trash at Mike’s house. Austin looks at all the evidence laid out in front of him.
“So what?” said the cocky Austin
SO, this is what’s going to happen, I am going to give you my conclusion, and YOU will tell me if I am right or not, got it? Good.” said Barkley.
“Go right ahead, ass-wipe.” Detective Little walked over to stand behind Austin and smacked Austin on the back of the head and said, “No one insults Doctor Barkley except me! You little shit!”
“This can’t be legal! What the hell!?” Austin shouted.
“Shut up! I decided what is legal and what is not!” John responded. “Continue, Barkley.
Barkley takes a deep breath and sighs. “Your brother Mike told us that you want the company business for yourself and with that in mind, you and Jason come together to get rid of Mike. If Mike goes to prison, Jason gets away with murder and you get to take over the company like you always wanted. Now, for the evidence here, you brought in a forged note and Lily's pearls. The note has your fingerprints on it and the pearls.”
“Well, that is only because I picked up the items without putting on gloves,” said Austin.
“You expect us to believe that? You want your brother behind bars! You would go to any measure to make sure that happens! Including trashing a picture of Mike and Lily for it to be found by the Detective! You probably killed Jason’s wife’s body and buried her body behind your brother’s house! How sick can you get and how far will you go to get your precious company that your own father purposely kept from you?”
Austin looked tense, but that soon turned to anger; he jumped up to hit Barkley, but the Detective used his brute strength to slam his face down on the table.
Austin shouted, “You don’t know shit about my fucking family! My father wanted me to have that damn company and Mike stole it from me!” Barkley smirked and he looked at Carnes and she knew what that look meant; she fast-forwarded the recording from Mike’s interrogation so Austin could hear what his brother had to say: “Our father left the company to me because Austin is not responsible enough to handle the pressure of running any kind of business!”
Austin's eyes widened and struggled even more to break from the hold the Detective had on him, but it was futile.
Barkley said, “Now, do you want to talk? Everything points to you, the murder, the coverup, the framing.”
“Fuck all of you. I want a lawyer.” Austin had nothing more to say. The Detective eased up off Austin’s back and forced him to sit down in his chair.
Barkley ended the recording for Austin’s interrogation.
The Detective said, “You can have a lawyer, but that doesn’t mean you get away with what you did.” Everyone left the room after the interrogation was over.
“Now for Jason,” Carnes says.
“Jason is mine”, said the Detective.