Red Tiles

chapter 2

I was immediately escorted to the interrogation room for questioning. "My God, where's Tommy when I need him?" I thought to myself. My thoughts were soon interrupted as the door opened, and an agent in a black suit walked in.

"Hello, Miss. Kyle, I'm detective Ryan Curby. I'd like to ask you a few questions about the body you discovered in the lab this evening if it's alright with you?" I nodded slowly.

"It's Dr. Kyle to you, thank you," I snapped, my expression cold. "And it's not like I've got much of a choice, now, is it?" I said wryly. He smiled a bit to himself and sat in the chair across from me.

"Tommy did say you were just a little cup of sunshine. A real sweetie, in fact." I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms.

"Can we please just get this over with? I have work to do. Nobody is more qualified than I to examine Dr. Sterling's body." He nodded and opened a vanilla file folder, his eyes quickly scanning whatever documents or photos were in there.

"Of course. This shouldn't take all but a few minutes if you cooperate and tell the truth. So, how exactly did you come across the body?"

"Well, I thought I forgot some papers in my office, so I asked Officer Parry, the security guard, as he was locking up to let me go back inside and...he let me." I paused for a moment to gather myself. This was just ridiculous. "Look, nobody else was in the building except him and I. When I went in, I got a strange feeling, like a sixth sense. So I went towards my office and noticed the light on in Dr. Sterling's office, and it was just weird, seeing as Dr. Sterling was supposed to be on vacation right now. She left last night. And, besides that, she never works this late. So I decided to see what she was doing, why she was here." He nodded slowly and kept reading from the file folder.

"And, exactly how did you stumble across the body?" I shrugged.

"Well, I smelled a very familiar scent coming from the room as I started to open the door. Decomposing flesh. I should know that smell better than anybody else in the world. I got worried and rushed in. There, on the cold, bloody tiles lay the dead body of my friend, Dr. Chandler Sterling." He nodded once again and looked up at me, squinting a little bit. It was obvious he didn't believe me.

And how, may I ask, did you know the tiles were cold?" I groaned dramatically and glared at him. "Detective Curby, I'm sorry but you are ridiculous. This is absolutely absurd. I didn't kill Chance! Now, If I'm not under arrest, I'd like to go home now, please." He nodded and stood.

"Of course, thank you for your time." He offered his hand out for me to shake, but I simply walked past him and headed out the door. I went straight home.

The next day, as if on queue, Tommy called right as I pulled up to the lab. I answered it, still in a pissy mood.

"What do you want?"

"Woah, someone's in a great mood this morning."

"No kidding. I have work to do, what do you need?"

"Well, here's the thing. I talked to Ryan, and he said you two talked and you weren't very compliant. I hope you know that by not cooperating, you're just making yourself look more guilty." I rolled my eyes.

"Well, I'm not guilty, so you can chill yourself. I did cooperate, just so you know. But Ryan is just a misogynistic asshole. I answered his questions, then he started to ask ridiculous ones, like: how did you know the tiles were cold? Like, whatever, man. Because I was standing on them, wearing very thin-soled shoes. And, the tiles had been sitting undisturbed for hours. Obviously they're not going to be warm."

"Woah, hey, take it easy. I'm on my way over there now. Ryan said that you're removed from this case, on account of you being the main suspect." I scoffed.

"Are you fucking kidding? He knows as well as both you and I do that I didn't kill her!" He paused for a long time.

"You know, if it means anything, JayJay, I believe you," he said softly. I had to think for a moment, then took a deep breath.

"I know. Thank you." It's hard to be mad at him.

"I'll be there in a second to get you. How about a cup of coffee or something? I know a great place." I couldn't help it. I laughed.

"Sure. Sounds good."

"Sweet! Never thought I'd ever get you to agree to go out with me."

"Ha ha, very funny. I didn't agree to a date, Tommy. I agreed to go get a coffee with you." He chuckled.

"Hey, I'll take what I can get." I smiled to myself.

"I see your car. Come on." I hung up and got out. He pulled up right beside me in his shiny, silver, Ford f-150, and rolled the passenger side window down.

"Hey, so I'm curious as to why a beautiful lady such as yourself had such a bad attitude earlier. How does that work, exactly?" He asked curiously, stroking his chin as if he had a beard. I rolled my eyes and smiled.

"Took you long enough." He got out and came over to my side, hugging me.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be there for the interrogation. I tried but Ryan wouldn't let me since we're so close." He hugged me for a long time, and gently kissed my forehead.

"It's alright. I got through it. Answered all his stupid questions." He opened the car door for me and helped me in, closing it behind me, then ran to the other side and got in. After he got in the car, he drove me to a little coffee shop on the corner of 14th and Main Street.