Contortion (N.H)

13

*Stephanie Marsh

The interrogation room was always either too cold or too hot, around this time of the year it was freezing. But it's not like I had many options of what to wear this morning anyway. 

I sat down in the chair to face Mr. Clive, Jesse's father. I noticed his son looked a lot like him, same face shape, same eye colour. 

"We need to talk later" Niall whispers to me before I sit down in the cold chair. I nod up to him before facing Mr. Clive. 

"So, Mr. Clive" I say before the man puts a hand in front of his face signalling me to stop talking.

"Please, Jackson is just fine." He smiles. 

"Jackson, we understand that your son was in a very committed relationship with Melanie. But your son also said that you weren't very fond of that, could you maybe elaborate on that?" I question. 

"If you're assuming I have a problem with Melanie, then I must correct you. Melanie was a very nice girl, always trying to keep the peace with everyone. It was my son that was the problem in the relationship. Jesse was always the type of boy to distract himself, and that's what he was doing in the relationship, not giving any time for Melanie and spending the rest of his time with work. My son isn't made for relationships, he's more of a married to his job type." He sighs at the end. 

"So that's why you decided to put her out of her misery?" Niall chimes in. 

"Wait, you don't think I killed her, do you? I would never hurt her." He defends.

"Jackson, where were you on Tuesday night between one and four AM?" I ask.

"Well I was at home sleeping"

"Do you have anyone that can confirm that?" 

"No, unfortunately I don't. But, I have security cameras all around the house, would that help?" 

"It would, thank you." I mutter. "So, do you know of anyone that may have wanted to hurt Melanie?" I question. 

"Not really, we weren't really that close. But I do remember her mentioning someone once, from what I overheard, he didn't seem to like her too much."

"What did she say exactly?" 

"I'm not sure, it was a couple of weeks ago, something about her owing him something, and that he's out to get her." He says, furrowing his eyebrows slightly, trying to remember. 

"Did you happen to catch a name?" 

"Mike, I think, or maybe Mark, I'm not 100% sure."

"Alright, thank you Jackson, we'll be in touch." I say, standing up reaching my hand to his to shake it. 

I step out of the cold room while Niall follows behind me. Walking into my office and closing the door behind me, I sit down on my rolling chair in front of my desk while Niall takes the other chair and places it beside mine. I should just leave that chair there at this point.

"So are we talking?" He cuts straight to the point. 

"About what? Last night? There's not much to talk about, I made a stupid drunk decision, that I would love to forget about." I shrug.

"Detective, you asked me to fuck you, you kissed my neck, you were practically throwing yourself at me." He smirks. 

"Do you know how many people I flirt with when I'm drunk? My standards drop to the floor." I say. 

"Oh come on, so you're telling me you walked all the way from the pub to my place just because you find me attractive when you're intoxicated. Please, we both know you would let me do the same thing when you're sober." He chuckles at the end of his sentence. 

Okay probably, but I would rather gouge my own eyes out then tell him that. "Absolutely not, Niall, we will never, and I mean, never, have sex with you. Ever." Was that convincing enough? Apparently not because after I said that, he laughed right in my face. 

"Oh please Detective, we both know that it's inevitable, I've seen you checking me out you know. You're telling me you don't find me attractive then?" 

"Well I didn't say that, I mean you are, attractive, I just don't find you sexually appealing. You're personality just kind of turns that off." Niall smirks at my slight stuttering. 

"And what about my personality isn't appealing to you?" he speaks lowly. 

"Well for one you're cocky, you're also immature, and every time you have that look on your face it makes me want to smack you." I explain, Niall still holding that stupid smirk on his face, like he knows the power he has. 

"Well everyone has flaws right? It's not like you don't have any. You're uptight, negative, and frankly, kind of a perfectionist." He shrugs.  

"I am not negative, I'm just a realist." I defend.

"That's what a negative person would say." Niall smiles.

"Whatever, are we done with this conversation now?" I sigh.

"Can I ask you a question first?" 

"Only if I get to ask u one after." I challenge.

"Deal, but I'm going first. Why'd you really become a detective?" he asks in seriousness, like he somehow, cares?

I take a breath before answering. "My dad was a detective, he died in a car accident when I was 11, I wanted to live up to him. And my brother was training to be a police officer before he ended his own life. So I guess I just want to finish what they both started." I sigh.

"Detective... I'm so sorry." Niall says sympathetically. 

"Don't be, I've moved on. It's my turn." I wait a beat while staring into his ocean blue eyes. "Why did you get so defensive the other day when your dad was mentioned?"

"My dad left me when I was nine, never saw him or heard from him again. Mum says it was work related but I don't really buy it."

"That's terrible Niall, I'm sorry that happened to you." 

"At least we have something in common now, neither of us grew up with a father around." He smiles. But I could tell he was still hurt about it. I mean at least I know who my dad was and that he's not coming back, but Niall has no idea where his dad is, or if he's ever gonna see him again. 

I can't help but smile at his comment though. "We have to talk to Cory about what we found out, let's go." I smile, getting up. 

"Cory's the blonde one right? The one that's always too cheery in the morning?" He asks. 

"Yep, that's the one" I laugh, opening the door. Leading the way to Corys' office. 

I knock on Corys' door before he turns around greeting us with a smile. 

"There's my favourite partners in crime, what'd you find out?" He asks.

"Well, Jackson said that it wasn't Melanie that he wasn't fond of, it was his sons' relationship issues with her. Apparently Jackson spends all his time working and made no time for our victim. But what I'm really curious about is what Jackson said about this guy named either Mike or Mark." I explain before Cory ushers to his computer. 

"He said that Melanie was talking about him a couple of weeks ago, apparently she said that Mike owes her something and that he's out to get her." 

"Boom!" Cory exclaims. "Micheal Stilth, 24, maybe an ex-boyfriend or something." He says. 

"Got an address?" I ask.

"Yes ma'am" He says, scribbling down something on a piece of paper and handing it to me. 

"thanks Cory" I smile, taking the small paper from his hand. 

"Let's go" I say, leading Niall outside to the car. 

***

next chapter soon!

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-day :)