the night of june 2nd // sanders sides ✔

20 : fifth interrogation

Each suspect was instructed to go to Virgil's house. They all stood next to the car, where the gun was found. Each suspect was going to be recorded for body language.

None of them were sure of what was happening. The detectives didn't tell them, or else they could plan their reactions ahead.

Detective Seymour rang the doorbell and Virgil opened it. He was about to say hello before he choked slightly at the sight of the gun in Declan's hand.

"What's happening?" Virgil asked timidly.

"Step out," Remy ordered, and Virgil did what he was told. Before he knew it, Remy had handcuffed him.

Virgil gasped. "What?! You can't do this! I didn't kill him!"

Logan was the first to react. His jaw dropped and he looked at Virgil with the most disappointed, terrified eyes any of them had ever seen.

Surprisingly, it was Remus who was the first to put his arm around Logan and soothe him. Patton was still frozen.

"You know how much he means to me," Logan said. "How could you?"

And Virgil realized Logan was wearing Roman's red hoodie.

"I didn't kill him!" Virgil insisted. "Logan, I promise! Someone framed me. Someone put that gun in my car and I don't know who, but we'll figure it out! I would never do that to Roman, and you know that!"

Remy tugged on the handcuffs, which scraped Virgil's delicate wrists. He flinched and quit struggling.

"The gun was hidden in a secret compartment in your car which was intricately placed. It took me hours to crack the code," Joan stated. "Who else would know that combination?"

Virgil looked helpless in those handcuffs.

"And you got so defensive when I asked if you did it," Patton said quietly. "And you did. You played with my feelings to look innocent! I can't believe you tricked me!"

Virgil's expression shifted. His eyes widened. "I- Wait." He looked as if he'd reached a revelation, but he shook his head. "No... no..." he whispered.

"Just tell the truth," Remus said, rolling his eyes.

"From all the data we collected, we believe you got high at the party that you mentioned, drove home while upset and saw Roman, who you were upset with, and grabbed the gun hidden in your car and shot him. Look into my eyes. Are you guilty?"

He shook his head violently.

Patton was hugging Logan (who didn't hug back) while Declan examined each of the other three suspects. Joan was the best at examining body language, so they would go the furthest into the recordings later.

It didn't take much body language analysis to tell that Virgil was holding something back.

"What are you hiding?" Detective Seymour asked bluntly.

Virgil looked at the ground.

"Spit it out."

He couldn't look at his friends. All he could feel was embarrassment filling his head, making him nauseous. This had to be a nightmare.

Virgil was arrested.

In the police car, he had the most severe panic attack he'd ever had in his life. It shook him up so badly, he shuddered and passed out in the back of the car.

Time passed both far too slow and far too fast as he pleaded not guilty in court.

Alas, he lost the case.

Premeditated murder meant a life in jail.

Virgil wasn't a man who could survive jail.

The only reason he avoided it a little while longer was when he accused another of framing him.

And that changed everything.

"So you're saying it was another suspect who framed you, yet you don't want to expose who this person is?" Declan asked, sighing and tapping his pen on the table. "Virgil, if you want to avoid jail, you have to tell us who did it so we can solve this case. Your accusation saved you, but eventually, we'll know if you're stalling."

Virgil fell speechless.

"Virgil."

"I know! I-I would tell you. I just don't know if it's wrong..."

"If you're wrong about who is framing you or wrong to put another person at risk of jail time?"

"Both, I guess? I have an idea, but I don't want to mess up his life in case I'm wrong."

"But we need to know. Look. Even though we aren't friends, and we only know each other because I thought you murdered someone, doesn't mean I don't care about you. I really do. If you're innocent, prove it."

Virgil squeezed his eyes shut and turned his head away. Declan got up from his chair and leaned over Virgil, who remained seated. He put his fingers under the suspect's chin and lifted it just a bit to force eye contact, making Virgil turn red and forget to breathe for a minute.

"Who framed you?"