Chapter Two

"Joseph Handlesman," Squid said, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his brown coat. "What brings you around here? Haven't seen you since the drug charge two years ago." Joey smirked as he sat down in a chair, leaning backwards on its hind legs. Joey placed his arms behind his head as he glanced at Squid.

Joey laughed, "Well I thought I'd save you the trouble of hauling me into the station because I know you'd blame me right away about what happened to Scar."

Squid sat down at the other end of the room at the head of the interrogation table. "I know you did it, Joseph," Squid said, calmly.

Joey smirked as he shook his head. "Now now. Let's not jump to conclusions. And you can't make me talk anyway. I have the right to remain silent." Joey retorted.

Squid sighed, remembering the last time he had interrogated Joseph 'Genius' Handlesman. All hell had broken loose that night. "Joey," Squid said, leaning against the back of his chair. "I know you did it."

"You can't prove anything" Joey replied, his blue eyes narrowing, dangerously. "And you won't get me to talk this time."

Squid stared at the eighteen-year-old across the table. "What makes you think I won't get you to talk this time?" asked Squid, wondering what this young man was thinking of doing.

"I've got a lawyer. Someone you know very well. Maybe too well for anyone's liking" Joey said, his lips forming in a malicious grin.

Squid stared, "Who?"

Joey's grin soon turned into a full-blown smirk once again. "You'll see soon enough," he replied, lazily.

Squid looked over Joey's head to see a familiar brunette woman speaking with Ricky, maybe joking with him. Squid frowned as he finally saw her face as she turned walking over to the interrogation room. Squid stood up and went outside the room. "Brianna? What are you doing here?"

"I'm on business," Brianna replied, gripping her suitcase tightly within her grasp.

Squid noted her suitcase in her hand and he nodded. "What business are you here for?" Squid asked. Brianna glanced over Squid's shoulder at Joey sitting lazily in his chair in the interrogation room. "I bet you're the prosecutor right?"

Brianna sighed and shook her head. "No. I'm the defense attorney."

"WHAT!?!" Squid shouted, making everyone in the station stop what they had been doing to stare at Brianna and Squid. "I-I, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!?" Squid roared.

Brianna sighed, "I was appointed Joey's lawyer and there's nothing you can do to change it." Squid muttered angry curses under her breath.

"Can't you say it's a conflict of interest or something?"

"It's my first murder case. I'm not giving it up for you! And besides, you're no longer a conflict of interest of mine."

Squid rolled his eyes. "Well there's a surprise!" he shouted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Brianna dropped her suitcase purposely on Squid's foot, making him yelp in pain. "What was that for?!" Squid shouted, angrily.

"God think of someone besides yourself!" Brianna retorted.

Ricky, who stood not far from the arguing couple, rushed over to break up the argument. "What is going on here?" asked Ricky. Brianna picked up her suitcase in silence and went in to the interrogation room to speak with Joey. "Someone missed their prozac today didn't they?" asked Ricky.

Squid went into the room and sat in the chair he had been in previously. He kept glancing at Brianna. "You keep looking at me and I'll file a lawsuit for sexual harassment!" Brianna snapped.

"You can't do that!" Squid shouted.

"Yes I can, we're not together anymore. We haven't been for three years!"

Joey smirked, "Is someone loosing their cool?"

"NOT NOW JOSEPH!" Squid growled.

Joey smirked, "COULD WE FOCUS ON ME FOR A CHANGE?"

Brianna took a deep breath. "Right."

"Joey, look at these photos. Did you kill Ryan Brant?" Squid asked, shoving picture from the crime scene in front of Joey. He smirked.

"Maybe, maybe not" He said playfully.

Squid felt himself stirring with anger. "ANSWER ME!" Joey remained silent, which made Squid nibble anxiously on his toothpick. Brianna watched Squid carefully incase he started to force out a confession from Joey. "Why won't you answer!?" Squid shouted, finally loosing his cool.

Brianna gave a smothered spurt of laughter, making Squid stare. "He has the right to remain silent" Squid rolled his eyes as he walked around behind Joey and forced him to look at the pictures of the victim.

"Did you kill him?" asked Squid. Joey wouldn't answer. "It's a simple yes or no question, Joey" No answer from Joey once again. Squid was about to ask the question again when Ricky came in. "What?" asked Squid, nibbling on his toothpick again. Ricky motioned Squid to leave the room, and Squid did so with Ricky following and shutting the door. "Now what's going on?"

Ricky motioned at a girl, who was handcuffed, sitting off to the side fiddling with a strand of her brown hair. She stared down at the floor as she rocked slowly back and forth. "Her name's Josie Perkins. She said she witnessed the murder after we busted her for possession of an illegal substance and intoxication of an illegal substance." Ricky explained.

"Well maybe if she knows something we can use. Think she'd make a deal?" Squid asked.

Ricky laughed, "Alan. This girl is looking forward to a few years in Juvie. I think she'd love to make a deal" Squid nodded and walked over to Josie.

"You're Josie right?" he asked. Josie nodded but dared not look up from the floor. "Now you were arrested for some drug charges, but I think we can change that if cooperate. You said you witnessed the murder of Ryan Brant?"

"Yes," Josie whispered, shuddering slightly.

"Are you sure you saw the entire thing?"

"Yes."

Squid smiled and lead Josie to another interrogation room. "Do you mind I record this interview?" Josie shook her head. "Alright," Squid said, pressing the button to the voice recorder. "You said you saw the murder of Ryan Brant, is that correct?"

"Yes," Josie repeated, her voice trembling nervously.

"Tell me what happened," Squid said.

Josie sighed as she stared at the table that separated her from Squid. "Well I was jogging around eleven at night. I saw Joey Handlesman following my old boyfriend, Ryan Brant. Well I kinda knew Joey would fight with Ryan, since Ryan broke a rule to his gang's code. Well I saw Joey practically jump on Ryan and they rolled around on the grass for a brief moment. Until, I saw Joey pull out a gun" He shot Ryan and drug his body into some bushes beside the pond."

Squid nodded, "Yes, that's where we found him."

"I think the gunshot killed Ryan, but after what happened. I watched Joey come out of the bushes with his gun in his pocket and he held his switchblade, which was dripping with blood. It made me sick. I ran away as soon as Joey left. I was so scared. I just ran, and I got arrested for the drugs. You already knew that." Josie continued, tears forming in her eyes.

"Josie, would you we have Joey in our custody right now. Would you be willing to make a deal?" asked Squid.

Josie looked confused. "What d'you mean 'deal'?"

"If you testify against him, you could receive a lighter sentence for your drug charges."

"How much time do I hafta do?"

Squid sighed, "Well for you since your underage and has possession of an illegal substance, not to mention intoxicated. Full time would be two or three years. But we may be able to cut it down to six months if you testify against Joey."

Josie stared, "I'd only hafta serve six months at Juvie?"

"Well six to seven months. Depending on what the lawyer thinks. Since you have a record of drug charges. They may advise you to go into a rehab center for the six months." Squid explained.

Josie's eyes lit up with happiness. "So either way. Only about six months?" she asked. Squid nodded. Josie smiled and nodded. "Fine. I will," she said, happily.

Squid called for Ricky to get Josie as he went back into the room where Brianna and Joey had been waiting, her more patiently than Joey. Squid sat down as he nibbled on his toothpick.

Squid stared Joey in the face. "Joey, you better answer my question now. Did you kill Ryan Brant?"