Letters to Maxine

CHAPTER 44

The Box

1

Six-Three Precinct 11:43 Hours

IR Room #3

Ethan Martin sat linked to the four-by-four metal table inside Interrogation room number four, the box.

Kelly's Uncle Mike switched the cuffs to a more comfortable pair that gave Ethan Martin more range of motion but still restricted his hand movements.

He stared at the pale yellow walls, their surface marred by unsightly stains of spit, mucous, and what appeared to be blood.

He couldn't take his eyes off the five-by-seven-foot one-way window. His gaze locked onto its transparency. The heavy aluminum frame surrounded the scratched glass, marked with streaks of black and reflecting a dim light that created a metallic sheen.

He had watched enough television to know he was being watched by detectives behind that glass.

"What next?" said Max.

Kelly's dad tapped her on the shoulder with a gentle rub as she looked at him. She found the same kind and caring eyes of his son. Although she found some comfort, it fell short.

"I'm going in, and I'm going to make this piece of shit talk," he said. "He'll never see the light of day again. That much, I promise you." He straightened up and sighed. "And when I give the signal, you'll come in, and I want you to stand over him and say hello. That'll rattle him to his core."

Maxine nodded.

"We've built it up so that when he sees you," said Kelly's Uncle Mike. "He'll feel like he's coming face-to-face with a ghost. Trust me."

As she watched Kelly's dad loosen his tie and roll his sleeves, she experienced an overwhelming dread.

She flashed back to the sight of Casey DeLorre, and the sickness that permeated her spirit and physical being evoked a familiar sensation. The sight of Casey's decomposing body, the faint sound of the Alpha Corvus and his murder, and the overwhelming stench of rot all mirrored her experience at the sight of Ethan Martin in the box.

2

Kelly's dad entered the room with the folder in his hand. His countenance had changed from one of comfort to one of rage. His body stiffened, and he pulled back his shoulders. A quick glance at the glass revealed squinting eyes with pinpoint pupils and a flexed jaw.

He pulled back the chair but didn't sit. After pushing it against the center of the wall holding the one-way-mirror he jammed his left hand into his pocket, and his right palm covered his eye.

"I'm Lieutenant John Kelly from Major Case. And you are—"

Kelly's dad inflated his cheeks before sighing. He opened the folder pretending not to know Martin's name.

"Ethan the child rapist. Yep, you're going to jail for a very long time," he said. He stepped to the edge of the table, commanding Ethan's gaze. "Forget baseball, college, and any other freaking plans you have. You're going straight to Central Booking, and your world is about to change forever. And by the time I'm done with you, the prosecutor's office will seek the death penalty."

"For what? For having fun with a few girls?"

Kelly's dad shook his head and pointed at him with his finger.

"Shut up," he snapped. "You were Mirandized at the school, but I'm not taking any chances."

In the observation room, Kelly's Uncle Mike looked at Max and smiled as Kelly's dad read Martin his rights in the box.