Lovers and Lawbreakers

Lineup

Three cars pulled up in the parking lot of the office building. The first was Erin, the second was Miranda, and the third was Shane. Mari had been there since morning.

"You must be Detective Moss," Erin said, shaking the hand of David.

"I am. And this is Mari, my assistant."

Mari smiled. "Hi."

"Were you Peter Kitch's girlfriend?" she asked slowly.

Mari nodded. "Joshua Ovenshire?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry, I know how you feel," Mari smiled, giving her a hug.

Erin smiled back, and it went like this for the other two.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen," David said once everyone had arrived. "Who's ready to see the lineup?"

Everyone moved into a room with a one-way window. They sat in chairs and watched as the lineup was brought out.

They all had brown hair, and they all had brown beards. Each was chubby. And-

"Each was around the scene of the crime," David said.

Mari's eyes flicked from face to face, desperately trying to recognize one.

And she did. Well, not in the way she hoped.

Mari jumped up and looked at him longer. No, she wasn't being foolish, that was really Ian.

"Ian?" she whispered, moving closer to the glass.

"Mari, what's wrong?" David asked.

"What's Ian doing here?"

David's brow furrowed. "That's Ian?" he asked.

Mari nodded. "And he didn't murder anyone! Get him out of there!"

"Mari..." David warned.

"David, listen to me," Mari pleaded.

And then, from Miranda's mouth came the words "I recognize him. I think he's the one."

And Erin agreed.

And so did Shane.

Mari gulped. No, no, no, this could not be happening.

"We'll take him in for questioning," David said, nonchalantly. "You can all go now."

"It's not him, David, please," Mari said.

She turned to Erin and grabbed her hand. "Please," she whispered. "he's my friend. My closest friend's husband. He didn't kill anyone. Look at them again, please, look again!"

Erin shrugged. "I'm... I'm sorry, Mari, but I just don't recognize the others. He had to be the one."

She freed herself from Mari's grip and left, leaving Mari standing in the room, unable to move.

"Mari, let's go," David said. "Questioning."

*

"Mari, I didn't do it, you know that!" Ian said as soon as he saw her.

"I know," Mari replied sadly.

David took a seat and Mari took her's in the chair next to him.

Ian looked completely terrified.

"Please," he whispered.

Mari looked at her hands in her lap.

"Mr. Hecox, you were present near the scene of the crime on the night it occurred, is this correct?" David began.

"I heard a gunshot and some screaming, yes, but I swear I didn't even see it happen!"

David shook his head. "Calm down, we aren't accusing you of anything until we have sufficient evidence."

Ian sat back in his chair and let out a shaky breath.

David felt Mari's hand on his wrist. He looked up and their eyes locked for a second, before Mari mouthed, "the necklace."

David opened his mouth to reply, but no words came out. He turned back to Ian, who was looking at the ceiling, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

David nodded and Mari released his wrist.

"Ian," David said. "Did you see anything strange that night?"

Ian shook his head frantically. "I saw a guy in a hoodie running away, that's all I know," he said, his words jumbled together.

"You're not in any trouble," David assured him, casting a quick glance to Mari. "Do you mind telling us the color of the hoodie?"

"R-red... I think," Ian said.

David nodded. "Thank you, Mr. He- Ian. Thank you, Ian."

Ian nodded. "Can I go now?"

David shook his head. "I'm afraid we're going to have to keep you here until  you are no longer a suspect."

Ian's eyes widened, as did Mari's.

"W-what?" He choked out.

David shook his head. "I'm sorry, I don't make the rules."

And with that, David left the room, Mari running after him, calling his name.

*

"DAVID MOSS!" Mari cried after not getting his attention for the length of three hallways.

David turned around, the expression on his face pissed.

"What, Mari?" He hissed.

"What the hell do you mean you have to keep him here? You're scaring the ever living shit out of him!"

"So? Would you rather us let the murderer go?" David retorted hotly.

"He is not the fucking murderer, you ass!"

"How the hell can you be sure?"

Mari ran her hands through her hair. "God damn it, I just fucking know!"

David shook his head. "You don't seem to be able to get it through that thick head of your's that sometimes you have to think instead of feel! Hell, you're always on about feeling everyone's pain! And you're being even more of a stubborn ass about it now because it's your friend's husband!"

Mari gaped.

"Do you remember what I told you on that first day? Don't let your fucking emotions cloud your judgement. It looks to me like you weren't even fucking listening!"

David and Mari's argument had risen so far in volume that people five hallways down could hear it.

"I'm sorry that I don't want to terrify people, because maybe if you weren't such a fucking intimidating ass you'd get more answers out of people!"

"I've been doing pretty damn well so far!" David yelled.

Mari shook her head. "I can't believe you."

"I can't believe you telling me how to fucking do my job!"

Mari let out a cry of frustration and turned on her heel, moving back down the hallway and away from David.

He watched her go, his heart pounding and his lungs aching from the yelling. His hands were shaking and his face was hot.

Mari was leaving to do something she would later regret with her whole heart.

Wow.

Sorry for not updating in a while, but here's this shitty chapter.

I keep going through notifications of people reading my old stories and I'm cringing so fucking hard rn.

Pls stop reading my old shitty fanfics