The Hunt

Sixteen

We parked the car near Jessica's house and walked to it. Some clouds were in the sky,  but they weren't enough to cool the warm autumn day. I took my leather jacket off, and enjoyed the soft breeze coming from Potomac river. I thought of going for a bike ride with Jack and Jordan later that evening, when I arrived home.

A car was parked right i front of Jessica's place, and we saw a man going out of it. He carried a heavy box and put it in the trunk. He looked rather like Jessica, with the same  piercing grey eyes. Jessica was by the door and seemed being taken by surprise when she saw us. 

"Good morning Ms Thomas, can we talk for a moment?"

She hesitated lightly "Yeah, yeah... I was about to leave, my brother Derek came to fetch me. I need some family time after Martin's death. Have you got any new clues?" I had the feeling her voice sounded awkwardly eager to know.

"We're still working on it, can't tell you more. Look, we would prefer to talk to you at the station." Mark said .

"I'm quite in a hurry, but..." Again, she seemed to be caught off guard but managed to handle the situation "Okay, let me just talk to my brother and I will go with you. "

After a brief conversation she went into our car and we drove back to the station. She tried to make small talk with us, asking us about the fact of being a person of interest but backed out sensing those questions weren't exactly welcome.

Mark pressed the REC button as we sat in front of Jessica. Her expression was unreadable, as if she had prepared herself mentally for being officially questioned.

"Questioning of Jessica Marie Thomas. 15 october 2012.  Detectives Mitchell and Davidson lead the questioning. Ms Thomas,  what was the kind of relation you had with Martin Bennett?"

"We were an ítem, you already know that. I met him at job and we fell in love." Jessica's tone had something  "Didn't know that was a crime."

"No one said it is. But lying to the police is. A federal one, in fact." I I didn't hide my anger.

"When have I lied?" Jessica's attitude changed completely.

"Let's start by talking about your actual relationship with Martin.  It looks like it wasn't as idyllic as you pretend.  In fact, he was thinking of going back with his wife."

"Did Mireille tell you so? Well, if he were, why would have he asked me to marry him?  I have an email here, can I take my cell phone and show it to you?" Mark gestured her to take it and after scrolling down her inbox she handed us her phone.  As she  had said there were some emails sent by the victim talking about them future wedding  "Martin felt sorry for Mireille, and she was sort of obsessed with him."

"So, your relationship with her wasn't as good as you said. "

"It was because she lives abroad,  I admit that."

"Did you know the other victims or did Martin ever mention them to you?"

"Not at all, do you think they're connected?"

"It's us who make the questioning here, Ms Thomas." Mark spoke in an unusually rough tone. "Please answer the question. "

"No, I didn't know them personally. But yes, I had heard about Arthur  Vernon before, like most everyone in town. And about the other one, no, I hadn't heard his name before."

"And do you recall Martin mentioning someone named Vicky?"

"Vicky? No, no, he never mentioned that name, not to me at least." Mark and I looked at each other, sensing the nervousness in Jessica. I decided to go a little further.

"Ms Thomas, would you mind if we used the polygraph? 

"The polygraph? No, but I'm telling you all I know. I wish I could be more helpful, but I'm saying all I know. I want Martin's murderer to be arrested and sent to court."

"It's a formality, just that. It won't take long." Mark went out of the interrogation room to bring the polygraph. Jessica gave a look at her watch, not caring to hide her impatience.

"Will this take long? I should call my brother, we wanted to arrive home today and have a long way to go."

"It will be short, we only want to verify some answers." Now it was me who stared at the clock in the wall, wondering what could take so long for Mark coming with the polygraph. Finally he opened the door, with a concerned expression in his face." Dana." He just said.

I got up and walked out of the room. Most of the detectives were in the corridor, talking to Detective Chief.

"As you will know, Congressman Vernon was shot a while ago, as he went out of his house,  He was pronounced dead by the paramedics, right in the scenario. Witnesses say it was two men in a black van with no plates. Apparently they were waiting for him and managed to run away ."