Chapter 31
Robbery-Murder Division.
Luke and his group return to the office and place Steven in the break room.
Susan called several of Luke’s men into the conference room.
Ramon briefed Susan and the Vice Squad on the investigation.
The Vice Squad bristled, “Wife dancing at a club, raging husband, something is definitely wrong with this guy. Gotta find a way to pry his mouth open before the lawyers get here.”
Luke said, “We tried, but he says he won’t say anything until the lawyer comes.”
“We’re just talking to him, not interrogating.” The lieutenant got up and went to the break room.
Luke followed him out, he too wanted to see what clues the experienced old man could chat up.
“Cluck ……” the lieutenant opened the door to the lounge.
Steven gave him a look and glanced toward the door again.
The lieutenant pulled up a chair and sat down beside him, “Your name Steven?”
Steven glanced at him again and didn’t answer.
“Are you mute?”
Steven lowered his head and remained silent.
“You know what? The more emotionally resistant you are, the more the police will suspect you. If you want to clear your name and save your wife sooner, you should cooperate with the police and let’s talk.
I’ve been married three times in my life, and each time I had the urge to kill my own wife, but they’re all alive and well now.
I can understand conflicts between couples, life is a constant stream of conflicts and resolving them, it’s all normal.”
Steven looked up, “I want to see a lawyer.”
The lieutenant shook his head, “A lawyer can indeed defend your rights and interests, but it won’t solve the fundamental problem, they won’t solve the case and they won’t be able to find your wife. If you are innocent, there is no need for a lawyer at all.”
“I won’t say anything without a lawyer.” Steven’s tone was firm.
The lieutenant was a little depressed that Steven wasn’t answering at all, there was little chance of extracting information.
He glanced out the window, there was no honor in going out like that.
Just as he thought about trying again, the door to the lounge opened and a man in a suit and carrying a briefcase stood in the doorway, “I’m Steven’s attorney and would like to speak with him alone.”
The lieutenant nodded and left the lounge.
Marcus came over, “Lieutenant, did you get any leads?”
“Go get me a cup of coffee, no sugar.” The vice squad had a look of a stranger.
With the previous lesson, the crowd didn’t make a fool of themselves.
Ten minutes later, the door to the lounge opened.
The lawyer stood in the doorway, “Officers, my client is ready.”
Susan swept her gaze over several of her men, “David, Luke, follow me in.”
Once inside, the attorney introduced himself, “I’m Steven’s attorney Dave Wilson, what are the three officers’ names?”
“I’m Captain Susan of Squadron One of the Robbery Murder Division, Detective David, Detective Luke.”
The attorney asked, “Captain Susan, why have you brought my client to the station.”
“His wife, Alisa, may have been kidnapped, and we asked him to come for information.”
“Just to find out what’s going on, or to treat my client as a suspect?”
“For information.”
“OK, perhaps the tone of your men’s words caused my client some misunderstanding. I don’t want something like that to happen again, otherwise, I’ll just take him away.”
David sneered, “Wow, leaving at the drop of a hat, what a dutiful and good husband.”
Steven retorted, “I don’t need you to teach me how to be a husband?”
David sneered, “Looks like you’re ready for a new wife.”
“No, I love my wife.”
The lawyer interrupted Steven, “Captain Susan, please restrain your man, he is clearly prejudiced against my client.”
Susan pointed aside to Luke, “You ask.”
Luke organized his words, “Steven, we don’t intend to hold it against you, our questioning is to get a fuller picture of the situation and find out where your wife is as soon as possible.
Would you like to find her sooner?”
“Of course.”
Luke got right to the point, “You knew about Alyssa’s dancing at the Poe Club?”
The lawyer cautioned, “Steven, this is private between you and your husband and you may not answer.”
Luke said, “Steven, you can’t avoid this question, and even if you don’t tell us, the police will continue to investigate. By then it will only delay the search for Eliza, one more second will add a minute of danger to her.”
“Are you threatening my client?”
“No, you’re too sensitive.”
Steven hesitated for a moment, “Yes, I know about this?”
“Knew about it how?”
“I found the photos in the delivery locker.”
“And?”
“I put the photos at her parents’ house.”
“Why did you do that?”
“I was so angry …… that I couldn’t imagine that she would do such a thing behind my back, and I wanted to show her parents the photos so that they would know what their daughter had done.”
“What else did you do besides that?”
The lawyer rushed to stop, “Steven, don’t answer, they’re baiting you.”
Steven said, “Other than that, I didn’t do anything.”
David interjected, “If I knew my wife was dancing like that, I would have killed her.”
The lawyer stood up and patted Steven on the shoulder, “We should get going.”
Susan said, “Our conversation is not over.”
The lawyer was disgruntled, “Captain Susan, you just said you were just getting information, but your men are clearly interrogating my client as a suspect.
Just because my client’s wife was dancing at the club doesn’t mean my client is guilty.
This targeting by you is unwarranted.”
Susan said, “Police investigations are about eliminating all possibilities, and we are responsible for both the victim and the victim’s family. We can only believe Steven if we rule out his own suspicions.
There is nothing wrong with my men’s mindset of investigating the case.”
The atmosphere in the lounge froze.
The attorney and Steven exchanged a few whispered words and turned to Susan, “If there’s any desire to continue the conversation with my client, please let Detective David out first.”
Susan craned her head in a gesture for David to leave the lounge first.
David stood up and pointed a finger in his eye and then at Steven before leaving the lounge.
Steven eventually sat down, “Captain Susan, I appreciate the seriousness of your duty, but you really checked the wrong identification, I would never hurt Eliza, ever.”
Susan asked, “Then what was your purpose in putting the photo in Alyssa’s parents’ house?”
“I love Alyssa, and seeing those pictures upset me to death. I didn’t have the courage to confront her face to face, that would have lost her.
So, wanted to let her parents know this way.
I know her parents, they are old-fashioned, old-fashioned and would never allow Alisa to dance in a club.
I’m hoping they can persuade Alyssa, that’s all.” Steven’s eyes were red and his tone was sincere.
Luke said, “If that’s the case, just make it clear, and why do you need a lawyer?”
Steven revealed a bitter smile, “Even if I say it, will you guys definitely believe me?
If you guys don’t believe me, I don’t believe you guys all the same. If the lawyer is not around, I can’t cope with the current situation and will be eaten by you guys.”
Luke continued to test the waters, “Where were you last Friday night?”
The lawyer grimaced, “Steven, you don’t have to answer.”
Steven gave a little pause, “I was at home.”
“Can anyone prove it?”
Steven gave an angry look and stood up, “That’s why I got a lawyer. As long as I’m compromised, you guys will keep pressing, you don’t trust me at all!
You can’t catch a suspect and then you come at me.
I’m sick of it!”