A/N: Thank you all so much for the fantastic reviews! I love them! :D See the first chapter for the disclaimer. I hope you guys enjoy this one, and please review!
Chapter Nine
"Sit your ass down," Maria said, dropping Freddy Jasper onto the hard metal of the interrogation chair. "We got Honor in another room, and she's singing like a bird, 'cause she don't wanna go to prison. So, if you want any sort of deal, you might wanna make this easy on all of us."
"Who says I need a damn deal?" Freddy replied. "I ain't done nothin' wrong."
"Oh?" Maria looked over at Danny, who was leaning against the wall quietly. "He ain't done nothin' wrong. Guess we should let him go then, huh?"
Danny snorted, walking over to the table and leaning in close to Freddy's face. "See, I know a thing or two about families," he said softly. "I know about your family. Andre, big brother, replacement for the deadbeat father that walked out after Liam was born. Well, he went upstate for murder. And that… that just tore your mom apart, didn't it?"
"Don't you dare talk about my mom," Freddy warned darkly.
"So Nate concocts this idea for revenge. Go after the family that put your brother away."
"Honor's already confessed to crashing her car into that of Officer Jameson Reagan," Maria told Freddy. "Also mentioned how she tried to coax him into the van. And when that didn't work, she said you and Nate grabbed him."
Freddy shook his head. "I don't know what she's talkin' about," he said.
"Where'd you guys keep him, Freddy?" Danny growled out.
"I didn't have anything to do with anything."
Danny stood up, leaving Maria to lean in this time. "He's gonna rip your head off if you don't tell us," she informed Freddy. "And, actually, I just might let him. You know why?"
"You're sleepin' with him?" Freddy retorted.
Maria snorted. "He's married, you dumb ass. Detective Reagan here is my partner. And partners look out for each other."
Freddy stiffened. "Officer Reagan's older brother."
"Damn straight," Danny snapped.
Freddy groaned. "Friggen' Nate," he grumbled. "He couldn't leave well enough alone. Well, I don't know what Honor told you, but I didn't have anything to do with it. I'll tell you everything, but I swear to you, I wasn't involved. And when you search the warehouse I tell you about, you'll be able to prove it."
Danny and Maria shared a look.
"I swear to you," Freddy continued. "I tried to talk Nate out of it. But the only one he'd ever listen to was Andre, and Andre had no problem with what Nate was proposing. I'm sorry about what they did to your brother. I thought I had gotten through to Nate. I really did." Freddy shook his head again. "I'm so sorry, Detective Reagan."
Danny walked out, not wanting to hear any more.
Maria watched him walk away before turning back to Freddy. She slid a pad of yellow paper and a pen over to him. "You write out what happened," she told him. "Every detail. When it gets forwarded to the DA, maybe your sentence for conspiracy gets lessened."
"But I didn't conspire," Freddy said. "I tried to stop them."
"But you also didn't report them. And you tried to hide everything once it was done. That's conspiracy after the fact." She stood up. "Write your statement. I'll be back."
Freddy nodded, grabbing the pen as a uniformed officer walked in to watch him while Maria went off in search of Danny.
She located him out behind the building, pacing back and forth. "We still need to grab Nate and Liam," Danny said to her as she walked up.
"We've got cops on anyone who's ever laid eyes on them," Maria replied. "They'll turn up soon."
"Freddy makin' his statement?"
"Yeah."
"You believe him?"
She shrugged. "I'll believe him when the evidence backs him up."
He nodded quietly.
"You okay?"
Danny sighed heavily. "Findin' them ain't gonna make Jamie better," he said.
"Makes him safer," she replied.
"Until the next time someone comes after the family. I gotta get him a girlfriend or somethin', just so he isn't alone."
Maria smirked. "You really think Jamie's gonna go for that?"
Danny shook his head. "It's either that, or he's gotta move back in with someone."
"Danny, you can't protect your kid brother 24/7. No one can. Jamie's a damn good cop. He can hold his own."
He frowned slightly.
"Hell, he managed to get away from the Jaspers all on his own. He ran on a broken leg for miles. He's damn strong," Maria finished.
"I know," Danny said softly.
She put her hand on his shoulder. "I know you're upset, but Jamie's getting better. You said so yourself. And we'll have the other two in custody soon, so this threat'll be gone. It's going to be okay, Danny."
"You don't know that for sure, Maria."
She shrugged. "We all have faith. I'm just willing to say it out loud."
He smiled slightly. "Thanks."
"Anytime. Now, what do you say we hit up this warehouse and close this damn case, huh?"
"Deal."