"The Cut"

Chapter 52- The Confession

Chapter 52- THE CONFESSION

"Signed confession?" she repeated. She was completely muddled. She looked from one detective to the other and tried to swallow, but couldn't. Her throat felt like someone was choking her, and she fought the urge to cough. She felt her head spinning out of control....

"Miss Pierce?" she heard a deep voice, but it was reverberating off the walls in a foreign room.

 Carson felt a hand grip her arm tightly, and she quickly shook it off of her. She attempted to focus her eyes. She could see the tall figure looming over her and looked around. She was lying on the cold floor of the Fairview Police Department. She must have passed out. The voice spoke again.

 "Miss Pierce, allow me to assist you. I'm afraid you fainted. I'm going to raise you to your chair."

 She looked at Detective Hines and another man that she'd seen earlier. Also a detective. She stared numbly as they lifted her to a sturdier chair which provided more support. She gripped the wooden arms of the chair and Detective Hines fetched a paper cup of cold water for her.

 After stabilizing her breathing and drinking a few more sips of water, she was well aware of her surroundings. The nightmare began all over again. Detective Hines sat across from her while the other police officer remained standing. He spoke at once.

 "Miss Pierce, I'm Detective Fitzgerald. We met when you first arrived. Now, I wanted to speak with you about the events that took place last night." he began. "Detective Hines played back the series of questions which were asked a short time ago. Do you recall being questioned, Miss Pierce?"

 She nodded her head, but refrained from speaking.

"Detective Hines feels that you provided truthful answers thus far and I have spoken to both of your parents. But I have to say, I am still playing connect-the-dots. Were you aware that they arrived home from their trip to Miami at approximately 5 o'clock p.m. last evening?" he inquired. 

 Carson finally mustered up the energy to answer. She let out a small cough before she spoke.

"I didn't know they had planned to come home early." she announced. "They texted me after the dance while I was at my friend's house. I was angry with them and I ignored the texts. But I knew they were home by that time." She held her tiny cup in between both hands.

"Miss Pierce, about what time do believe you arrived home last night??" Detective Fitzgerald asked.

"It... it was really late. Probably around 2:15. Maybe 2:30? I don't know exactly. I can tell you when the texts came from them. She reached for her phone while they waited patiently. She handed her phone over to Detective Hines. He nodded and shared it with Detective Fitzgerald, who took notes on his own pad of paper. She was being recorded.

 AGAIN. 

"So, you stated that you ignored these texts and never at any time did you encounter your parents until you arrived home at approximately 2:15-2:30 a.m this morning?" he repeated.

"Yes, that is correct. I asked them why they were home since they'd told me they would miss seeing me before the dance. That was last week, though. I went with my friends, Jess, Kelsey, and Logan. I left the dance early with them and we went back to Jess's house for a few hours. Kelsey dropped me off and I left my car in the school parking lot. My parents said they were worried and looked for me at the dance. But it ended at eleven. They have a spare set of keys to my car and my mom said she followed my dad home in the Lexus so I wouldn't have to go back today." 

The detectives exchanged looks. Detective Fitzgerald leaned over the table.

"Miss Pierce, are your parents aware that you were involved with the victim for the last several months? Or, did you omit that part because of your boyfriend, Chase Cooper?"

 Carson tried to keep calm. She knew they'd already spoken to Chase.

"No. It wasn't serious. Chase and I had been together for over a year. We just broke up a few weeks ago. They never knew I was seeing anyone else." she looked down at her lap. She could feel their eyes boring into her like drill bits being forced into the screws holding the table together  in front of her. They were trying to break her. Like she was that slab of wood bound by a couple of flimsy nuts and bolts. Waiting for her to crumble to the ground once more to declare their triumph. 

She'd never let them break her.

 Detective Fitzgerald let out a hearty, sardonic chuckle.

"It wasn't serious, huh? Well, that is awfully strange, Miss Pierce. You're ex-boyfriend and two of your classmates seem to think it was pretty serious. Was the nature of your relationship with Jared Fullman a sexual one? Did you have intercourse with the victim at any time?  How about on school grounds? Would you be willing to consent to a health screening to back up that statement? How about a lie detector test?" he sneered.

 She crossed her legs and placed the styrofoam cup on the flimsy tabletop.

"My personal life is none of your damn business." she choked out. 

 Detective Hines scooted his chair closer to her. He grabbed the thin packet of paper and slid it in front of her. She looked at the words. Most of them seemed to be legal jargon that she could barely decipher. She flipped the page with her perfectly-groomed red fingernails that flaunted silver, glittered tips. 

She froze when she read the bold terms. And saw the familiar signature:

 Mitchell Lawrence Pierce

"Do you recognize the handwriting?" Detective Fitzgerald began.

"Miss Pierce, I don't beat around the bush. Your father, Mitchell Pierce, has just signed a confession after admitting to the murder of Jared Fullman. It's as if this town isn't so big after all. Hell, it seems to me like everybody knows everybody, now doesn't it? Your parents received a "tip-off" regarding your elusive affair. That was why they returned early. The game is over, Miss Pierce. And time has run out." Detective Fitzgerald declared.

"NO!" Carson shrieked, and she shoved the table several feet in front of her. She picked up her chair and Detective Fitzgerald rushed behind her to restrain her arms while Detective Hines grabbed the chair. He forced it out of her grip and she fell back into Detective Fitzgerald's arms.

"THEY NEVER LOVED ME! THEY N-N-NEVER LOVED ME....NOW I'M ALONE! HE IS DEAD! I AM NOTHING. I FUCKING HATE THEM! I HATE BOTH OF TH-EM!" she hyperventilated and Detective Fitzgerald forced her to the floor. He held her firmly and she nearly passed out again when one of Fairview's police officers entered the room.

 Officer Porter placed handcuffs on Carson's wrists to prevent another outburst. She slammed her fists repeatedly on the linoleum floor and kicked her feet in a fit of despair. Her blue-green eyes looked like icicles caught in a raging firestorm. 

 Carson Pierce's beguiling beauty boasted opulence, confidence and once-reaped approbation. 

 But she cached enough pain and loneliness in seventeen years than most acquired in a lifetime.

 Officer Porter leaned toward Detective Hines and lowered his voice to almost a whisper. 

"Detective, I realize this is implausible, but I've just received another confession. It seems that Kathryn Pierce has admitted to voluntarily participating in the commission of the crime. 

 "What has she claimed to have done?" Detective Hines asked him.

  He pulled a clear plastic bag which revealed a unique piece of jewelry. It was a long, gold chain with an ornate charm made of abalone. It shimmered under the lighting and flaunted brilliant swirls of blue, green, and pearl. It resembled a marble. But it wasn't just a charm. 

  IT WAS A KNIFE.

 "Oh, sweet mother of mercy. Take it to back to Lorna and have her add it to the evidence for the   case." he demanded. He couldn't believe his eyes or his ears.

 "Be sure to take this, too." said Detective Fitzgerald. He pulled a smaller bag from his pocket.

  He tossed it to Detective Hines who examined it briefly. He shook his head.

  Detective Hines handed Officer Porter Carson's hot pink, Apple Ipod and B & O earphones.