Hey guys! I thought about this idea randomly and decided not to wait to start it.
Here's my second multi-chapter story. Enjoy!
Chapter 1: Seven Suspects
"You want me to go in now?" Agent Stanford said into the phone before letting out a huge, dramatic sigh. It was three in the morning. What did I do to deserve this?
"Yes, Agent Stanford. We need you to come into headquarters—and fast."
"May I ask what I'm being called in for at three in the morning?"
"You remember the murder investigation that was brought to you and your partner's attention two days ago?"
"Yes sir."
"The local police came up with seven names. We've brought them in and we'd like you to interrogate them."
"At three in the morning?"
"We can't hold them much longer without charging them, Agent Stanford. They're eighteen- and nineteen-years old and the 24 hours is almost up. Some of their parents have already called lawyers in. We need you to do a quick look on them. See if you can narrow down the field of suspects."
"Okay, boss. I'll be there as soon as I can."
Agent Stanford hung up the phone and started to get ready for work. The last thing he wanted to do was upset his boss, who seemed to already angry. That must be a new record for him, being angry at three in the morning.
When Agent Stanford made it to headquarters, his partner Agent McAlister was waiting for him with two coffees in her hands.
"Morning Jake." Agent McAlister said with a smile. "I got you your favorite on my way in."
"Starbucks is open this early?"
"No…but the gas station is." She handed him a cup and raised hers for a toast. "To breaking our record?"
"What record are you talking about Alyssa?"
"I'm pretty sure this is the earliest we've been called in."
"You've got that right."
They both laughed as they tapped their cups of gas station coffee together. They both took a sip, not breaking eye contact.
"So, tell me Alyssa, what news of the seven suspects we just brought in?"
"All I know is that they all just finished their first year at college. They've all be in town for a few weeks now. All seven of them have been friends since eighth grade, but they went to four different schools."
"Anything else?"
"There's some definite tension between the group." She handed him the file. "You might want to read this before we go in there."
"Fun." He let out unenthusiastically while he took the file from her.
"Yeah. This group will be an fun one alright."
"So am I going in there to talk, or are you?"
"You can start. I'll watch from the other side." Agent McAlister started walking to watching room. "Oh, and Jake?"
"Yeah Alyssa?"
"Don't forget the earpiece. I need to be able to talk to you while you're in there."
He did a mock salute. "You're the boss."
She rolled her eyes. "Oh shut it Stanford."
The seven kids were quickly ushered into the interrogation room. Once all of them had sat down in the chairs available, Agent Stanford began to talk.
"I'm sure you all know why you're here." The agent said as he sat down across the table. "My name is Agent Stanford and I'm the lead detective on this case."
"Can you tell us something we don't know?" The young African-American man retorted. This one has to be Terry Maybeck, Agent Stanford thought to himself. "Why don't you start with the crime we're being charge for? I'd love to know what crap you think we did."
"You can't hold us much longer without cause." The redheaded boy with the British accent added. "You'll have to tell us sooner or later."
Agent Stanford made a mental note to watch out for Dell Philby, for he seemed to know all of the laws. That could either be very bad or very good for the case.
"I'll tell you everything I know about this case so far." Agent Stanford leaned back in his chair and placed both of his hands behind his head. "But let's be civil here. I told you my name, how about you tell me yours."
One of the girls at the end began. "I'm Am—"
The boy next to her put his hand on her shoulder to stop her. "Why do we have to tell you our names? You already know them."
"Because, Finn Whitman, I was giving you a chance to be honest with me. Heaven forbid any of you be honest." Agent Stanford rolled his eyes.
"Can you please just tell us what we've been charged with, Mr. Agent Stanford, sir?" The girl with the brown hair asked quietly. Agent Stanford tried to remember her name: Isabel Angelo, but she went by a nickname—one that he couldn't remember at the moment.
Agent Stanford looked back to the window behind him. The window looked like a mirror, but there were people on the other side that could see and hear everything that was happening in the interrogation room. He knew his partner, Agent McAlister, was on the other side and he pointed to his earpiece.
A few seconds later, he heard her voice. "Go ahead. They need to know. I'd watch out for those boys, though. They seem to know a lot more then they're showing. And they're very defensive."
Agent Stanford nodded and turned back to the seven teenagers and opened up the file lying on the table in front of him.
"Normally FBI agents don't get put on simple murder cases, but this one is…well…different."
"Murder?" The girl with blonde hair and blue eyes shrieked. What's her name…Charlotte? The agent glanced down at the file. No, Charlene.
"How so?" The last girl, presumably Jess, said in a small, but determined voice. It could have just been Agent Stanford, but she looked like she was out of it. She was absentmindedly moving her right hand. That could be because it's three a.m. A nervous habit maybe?
Agent Stanford shook those thoughts and continued on.
"Because, Jessica Lockhart, this body wasn't found in a dumpster, or an alley, or in someone's backyard." He put his elbows on the table and leaned on them. "It was found in the underground trash system at Magic Kingdom. I presume you seven know what I'm talking about."
The agent watched as the girls' faces showed shock, confusion and horror. The three boys lacked emotions, as if they did not care. Agent Stanford made a mental note to remember that. First reactions to the news can be important.
"Now Disney called in a few special agents from the FBI to solve this case." He looked down at the official police report filed when the body was found. He wanted to make sure he got the wording correct.
"The body was found with three stab wounds: one in the left shoulder, another in the right upper thigh, and the third was in the center of his chest, right in the heart.
"The toxicology report showed some kind of drugs in his system, but forensics hasn't identified it yet. His body had been in the trash system for about three to four days before it was found by one of the janitorial staff of Magic Kingdom.
"Right now, police officers are trying to figure out where the boy was killed and who killed him. Which brings us back to the purpose of all of you being here."
Agent Stanford closed the file and looked up at the seven, making eye contact with each of them before continuing.
"The boy's name was Greg Luowski, and all seven of you are suspects in our murder investigation."
Hmm...so what do y'all think? And please be honest! Do you want me to continue on this one? Any ideas on whodunnit?
Please review (or P.M.) and tell me what you think! I want to know if y'all like this story. If you don't, I won't continue. But if you do, which I hope you do (but if you don't I understand), I'll keep going! I've got some good ideas for this story. Don't worry, if I do continue this story, most of the chapters will be a lot longer than this one
For those of you who have been reading my other multi-chapter story (Fighting For All That's Good), I haven't given up on that one! I'm going to attempt a balancing act between the two.
So anyway, enough of me ranting! Review-or don't-and have a great day!