Unfamiliar (Unfamiliar Series #1)

Chapter 26

"Hello, Kara, I'm glad that you could make it here today to speak with me again," Officer Marshall says as she smiles at me from across her desk. 

Did I have a choice, is what I want to say. But instead, I smile back and nod. 

"I just hope that I can set the record straight."

"Of course," she says as she leans forward in her chair and clasps her hands in front of her.

We're tucked in the back of the station in her office, which is no bigger than a broom closet but it does have a window with a street view. Orange sunlight has begun to pour into the streets, washing everything in its light as the glass windows of a shop across the street glows. Officer Marshall's hair is done up in a tidy bun that is pinned on the back of her head and her makeup is immaculate and scarce. I can see the exhaustion in her gaze, the dark spots under eyes lending credit to the possibility that she hasn't been sleeping very well. It makes her look all the more like a concerned third party in this investigation rather than an interrogator.  

There's a sudden knock at the door and I feel a sense of déjà vu from the last time. But instead of a man in a lab coat, it's a younger woman in business casual who nervously pokes her head into the room. She has long, gold dangle earrings that flash in the lighting as her eyes flit from me to Officer Marshall. 

"Did you want coffee?" the woman asks Officer Marshall.

I feel like the question is orchestrated, a way to get me to calm down and loosen up. But I don't feel nearly as nervous as the first and secret second time that I've been here. 

"Sure, you know my usual," Officer Marshall says as she waves her hand dismissively before she looks to me, "did you want anything?"

"Um..."

I pause as I think about the fact that I had skipped breakfast this morning. As if on cue at the mention of coffee, my stomach makes a low growling noise as I clasp my hand over my abdomen. Officer Marshall offers me a timid smile as heat rushes to my face.

"Perhaps a donut too?" she suggests. 

"Yes, please," I murmur. 

Officer Marshall nods as she gets up and steps out of the office to shut the door softly behind her.

Although I'm still on edge, this interview feels different. I don't feel like the spotlight is on me and that they're maybe beginning to think that I'm innocent. Though I'm not going to let down my guard anytime soon. Especially since I had snuck into the morgue and I'm afraid that Officer Marshall may somehow know.

There's no way she can know, right?

There's just something different in how she's looking at me this morning. 

I suppress a shiver as I remember Finn's scream, the second and last time that I'll ever hear him make a sound.

Breathe Kara, focus. 

The door clicks open again and Officer Marshall steps inside, a cardboard carrying container for coffee cups balanced in one hand and a small box of donuts in the other. She sets both items on the desk and opens the box to reveal four donuts inside. I nervously select a chocolate one with sprinkles and grab a napkin from inside the box and place it next to me before Officer Marshall pushes a coffee cup in my direction.

"We don't believe that you're responsible for Finn's murder," she says calmly and I can't help the fact that I go limp, my shoulders abruptly drooping.

"Okay, so why am I here?" I inquire as I nibble on the edge of my donut, not wanting to smear chocolate on my face.

"Paperwork, I need a second interview to make sure that I got every detail," she says as she taps the folder that has been sitting on the desk since I first got here.