The Chameleon

Chapter 9

Keller was squirming in the interrogation room. She was barely able to remain upright in the chair. Her eyes darted around the room in the most strange way. Not to mention her slurred shouting as they had cuffed her to the table. She had managed to say one thing which had nearly caused Casey to bust out laughing. "Lawger."

It was then Ryan realized the only way to get any useful information would be to sober her up first. Which hopefully wouldn't take too long considering it was now three in the afternoon. Maddox didn't doubt Allen would want to head home as soon as he could. Not that she could blame him. He had a family to go home to. Maddox didn't have any responsibilities other than being a cop.

Which could very well have been the reason she was suspended. It was not something Maddox enjoyed being reminded of. She had to spend two months off of active duty for supposed insubordination. The two longest months of her life. It had been a messy ordeal and would continue to follow her around for as long as she was a cop.

The door opened to the observation room and Doyle stepped inside. Allen had probably told him about ditching Reaves. Maddox folded her arms and stood up straight went he walked to the window.

The room remained quiet for the majority of the few seconds he was inside. His graying hair and mustache showed more than just his age. At one time Aidan Doyle was the most feared detective when he was on a case. Maddox had heard stories from her old partner about Doyle. He was skilled. He had the memory of a elephant with the ability to pay close attention to detail. Doyle had solved one case without ever even finding the body, but he got the confession.

Maddox watched him straighten his glasses and then he spoke. "I know we didn't get a chance to talk earlier about the situation," He said referring to her suspension. "so I was hoping you had a moment."

Ryan nodded in reply hoping this would be short.

"I'd like to know what happened, from your view." He said turning to face her as she explained the situation.

The day had begun normal. Then there was a call about a homicide. She and her old partner, Shawn Romero, began investigating. The victim was Daryl Park. One of the sons of the billionaire Walter Park. As they continued looking into it, it came out that Daryl was about to blow the whistle on his father's illegal business dealings. They found hard evidence Walter had ordered his son killed and they arrested him.

After arresting him, her partner was shot by an unknown assailant and was now in a coma. Maddox went to Walter's holding cell and found him being released. In a moment of anger and pain, she went to punch him. Only to have her Lieutenant stop her. She argued with him in front of Walter and the next day she was brought up on insubordination.

It had been a rigged game from the beginning and now Walter was about to walk on the criminal charges. Mainly due to the fact, they refused to let Maddox testify. And with Shawn in the hospital, there were no detectives to testify.

Maddox explained all of this to Doyle and then remained quiet.

"Sir, permission to speak freely?" She asked waiting for his answer. He nodded and then she continued. "Did I get a say in wether or not Mister Reaves followed us around?"

"No."

"I don't get to say anything now do I?"

"Nope."

"Great."

She heard him scoff before he left the room. Maddox looked inside the interrogation room and watched the woman studying the cuffs.

Yeah, nothing important is going to come out of her mouth any time soon.

Maddox left the observation room and walked to her desk. Casey was pulling up Keller's rap sheet. Maddox sat down at the empty desk and looked at her computer. She had never been a big fan of putting anything on her desk out of fear of being fired, transferred, or worse.

Her old desk had one item on it, a pencil holder. It had been a gift from her old partner after they solved their first case together. It wasn't quite the sentimental gift it appeared to be. Considering his desk was littered with enough junk to fill about three desks. So he gave her the pencil holder so he could make room for new baseball memorabilia.

"I've got it," Allen said holding his hand up.

"What its just a rap sheet," Maddox replied as she got up from her chair.

Casey leaned back in his chair and frowned at her. "You don't know me and computers do you?"

"No, Casey, I don't."

"We don't get along very well."

Maddox pointed at the flip phone sitting on his desk, "That explains that."

"Exactly. Anyway, I found her rap sheet and got it pulled up. Check it out. About four DUI's a disorderly conduct. Assault . . . with a pencil. How does that work?"

"Stranger things have happened."

"Looks like she moved from Pennsylvania to New York six months ago," Casey read.

Maddox looked away from the computer and over to Casey. "How long as Mary been in New York?"

"Uh," Casey dug through a pile of files on his desk. He pulled one out and opened it. "Little over a year."

"Okay, so Keller meets Mary when she moves to the city. Mary offers to show her around, meanwhile Keller is planning Mary's murder." Maddox said trying to figure out Keller's motive.

Casey looked at the rap sheet and then back at Maddox. "Why kill her that way though?" Allen said pointing at the carving.

Maddox walked over to it and pulled it off the murder board. It has to be significant to the killer. It's the only thing that makes sense.

Maddox felt her phone vibrate. Pulling it out, she saw it was an unknown number. She answered, only out of habit of worrying her mother would call and not get ahold of her. Which only cause her mother to call the police department and declare Maddox missing.

"Hello?"

"Do me a favor, next time you decide to ditch me, try a little harder," An all too familiar voice said.

"Mister Reaves, it was my professional opinion that you should receive medical attention for the wound you sustained."

"I'll see you tomorrow detective. If you by any chance happen to have a discovery through the night, just call me. I'm sure the Commissioner would appreciate that."

The line disconnected and Maddox sat her phone down on her desk. Yeah, you'll be the first person I call. When ordered to.