The Oaths We Keep

Chapter 20

Fernando sat with his arms crossed in the interrogation room, showing no emotion. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs as he pondered what had gone down over the last couple of hours. Fernando was so close to getting his brother away from all of this. Now, he was still determining what would become of either of them. He knew they would survive somehow, but it was far less than he had hoped.

Taylor walked through the door with McClendon following. They took a seat across from Fernando, and Taylor opened a file that he sat on the table. "I'm Detective Taylor, this is Detective McClendon, and you are in serious trouble," Taylor noted that he didn't seem to be phased by his situation. "Let's see, kidnapping, attempted murder, extortion, just for starters." Fernando remained unmoved. "Wow, tough guy act then, is it? Okay, have it your way."

Taylor flipped through the file, stopping here and there to look at nothing in particular in the file. "So kidnapping is something I think you can pull off. Financial crime, on the other hand, not so much." Taylor saw that Fernando remained unmoved. "You want to know what I think? I have a strong feeling you got involved in something a little bit out of your league. I think someone put you up to the kidnapping so that they could get their hands on those files you two got from Erin Harper. Are you with me so far?"

"Go to hell," Fernando told him.

"Well, that's rude. McClendon, why don't you tell our friend here what we learned about them?"

"I talked to a detective from the Phoenix PD. They have you and your brother as the main suspects in the kidnapping and murder of Harold and Serena Douglas."

"Sound familiar to you?" Taylor asked him.

"Never heard of them," Fernando quickly responded.

"Really? Because they hired you and Manuel to do some yard work for them. Next thing you know, they're both dead, and you two turn up here in California. Rather convenient that you two commit a kidnapping like that one in Arizona." Taylor let the information sink in with Fernando. "Still got nothing to say? Why don't you sit and think about your situation some more while we talk to little brother? Let's go, McClendon."

The two detectives walked out of the room, leaving Fernando alone. Outside, they found Barnes waiting on them. "Alright, Barnes, you're up. McClendon, go with her. I'll be watching."

Barnes led the way into the room where Manuel sat. McClendon noticed that he seemed to have the same posture as his brother. Manuel's arms were folded in front of him, and he sat with his legs crossed almost the same way as Fernando. "I'm Detective Barnes, and this is Detective McClendon. Your name is Manuel Alonso, and your brother in the other room is Fernando."

Manuel showed no fear as the two detectives sat across from him. "I got nothing to say to you," he said, trying to keep up his defiance. "Ask what you like; I'm not talking."

"Okay, good, then you can listen. You took a man by force. Looking at the two of you, you are the muscle, and big brother is the brains. Sound right to you, McClendon."

"He doesn't look like he's got that much muscle, but yeah, that sounds right."

"So, Fernando drove the van, and you jumped out and grabbed Dr. Harper," she said as Manuel continued to sit there, doing his best to ignore them. "Here's the thing, Manuel, a man and woman are dead in Arizona, and you and Fernando are the primary suspects in their deaths. Then there are these new charges you're facing here in California. Your problem is that Arizona has a death penalty case against you. A double murder? I can't say that I like your chances."

"Go screw yourself, Perra," he said defiantly.

"Really, is that the best you got? Instead of wasting your breath with insults, you should start thinking about what will happen to you and your brother in there if you don't cooperate. You better decide if you will help us out here, and we put in a good word for you with the courts in Arizona. If not, you're going on a one-way trip to death row."