Judge, Jury, & Executioner

Chapter 8

Frank Carson was not what Maddox expected him to look like. Slightly overweight and nearing the age of sixth, which his grey hair attested to. His mustache almost completely black though. His face appeared expressionless. Not to mention he was overly calm sitting in the interrogation room.

Drake had finished interviewing all the remaining jurors, including a young woman who Reaves kept changing glances with for some reason. Not that Maddox cared. None of the other jurors seemed to have anything new to add, nor to say. Most of them were reluctant to say anything. Especially, with McNaughton walking around and eavesdropping on everyone.

Once they were done interviewing and Liam finishing with the crime scene, they picked Carson up and brought him to the precinct. He seemed completely oblivious as to why they had taken him. Reaves had been quiet in the car, thankfully. Maddox didn't want Carson to have any heads up. Granted, if he was involved he probably already knew and was planning his defense.

Drake slammed the door behind him and handed her a piece of paper. He had written it in his messy handwriting. She deciphered it was explaining a Computer Crimes Division detective was looking at the phone. Nodding she handed it back and he slowly stepped towards the door before stopping. He turned back and looked at her. Don't ask, don't ask, don't ask.

"Why did you agree to let him work this case with you?" Drake asked.

Why do you care?

Maddox folded her arms and shrugged before saying. "We have an arrangement. I solve the case before him, he leaves. He solves it first and he can be my partner again."

Drake gave a suspicious smirk and then he left the room. Great. Now there's two of them.

Maddox looked through the one way glass and then retraced her thoughts. Planning it down to the last detail. She straightened her coat and left the observation room, going through the door to the interrogation room. She heard the door close and then she sat down.

Carson looked at her, coldly. No emotion. She pulled up a list and then leaned back in her chair.

"I'm gonna read some things to you and you tell me the first thing that comes to mind." Maddox explained before continuing. "Struggling for breath. Dizziness, perhaps reaching out to grab something. Confusion, looking around frantically. Sudden weakness, such as falling to the ground. Loss of consciousness, and then death." The doctor looked at her and then glanced at the paper she was holding. "What do you think doctor?"

"Sounds like anaphylactic shock." He answered.

Maddox smiled as he incriminated himself. "So you do know what it looks like. Well, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt there. But what's your excuse for when one of your fellow jurors yelled for help?"

He shifted in his seat and shrugged. Itching the back of his head, he revealed how nervous he really was. Maddox leaned forward and laid the piece of paper upside down.

"Come on, no ones gonna get in trouble." Maddox said, before hearing the door open and close behind her. "Except you if you take another step."

Reaves cleared his throat and then took a seat next to her. Maddox shook her head and then went back to the problem at hand.

"Doctor Carson, a man was dying. You could've saved him. So why didn't you? And think very hard before you answer that. Because the wrong answer, could mean the difference between being charged with murder or not," Maddox explained.

The man looked ridden with guilt now. He was sweating and constantly wiping his forehead.

"Okay, I didn't want to let him die. I didn't want to do anything. But I go this text. It said if I didn't interfere with someone dying, I'd get a bank transfer of a hundred thousand. I needed the cash," He explained, looking relieved to confess.