Author's Note: MJ Taylor is my creation. I have no rights or claims to CSI: NY or it's established characters. They belong to CBS.
Chances
Stella met up with Lindsay and MJ in the hall. "Going to talk to your girl?" MJ nodded and asked. "You want in?" Stella shook her head. "Nope, I'll watch the show though." They headed downstairs. Stella went into the observation room. Lindsay and MJ exchanged a look and entered the interview room joining the Carrolls and their lawyer.
Within minutes Mac, Danny and Don joined Stella. "We got her?" Danny asked. Stella gave a quick nod and motioned for him to look at the interview that was just beginning. Lindsay quietly sat down and placed the secured copy of "Emma" that was found at the murder scene on the table. MJ, however, wasn't so subtle. She slammed the sealed evidence bag holding the discovered backpack on the table. MJ stood angrily across from Jenna. "One of the first rules on the street is you keep what's important close. We found this under the back porch stairs." Jenna looked up expressionless. "Before we continue, out of respect for the Carrolls, I'm going to call you Jenna. But I know all the other names you go by, such as Michelle. Your brother calls you Shelly. Your street name is Sparky, after the ASU Sun Devil mascot. Which is where you are originally from, Tempe, Arizona. Phoenix, the city, not your brother, is just outside. In case you skipped geography at Delmore." Jenna smiled. "He's my half brother and I got an A in geography, thank you very much." MJ gestured in amazement. "She speaks." Mr. Carroll spoke next. "Detective Taylor, I want an explanation and I want it now!" MJ looked at Mr. and Mrs. Carroll and felt a wave of compassion wash over her. Her tone softened. "Mr. and Mrs. Carroll, please believe me when I say I'm sorry for everything we've put you through. I'm more sorry for everything she's put you through." Mrs. Carroll, with tears in her eyes, looked at Jenna and asked. "What did you do to Miranda?"
They got the confirmation they needed. Mrs. Carroll did indeed know Miranda Parsons. MJ glanced down at the floor and then at Jenna, who didn't speak, so MJ spoke for her. "Mrs. Carroll, Miranda Parsons was stabbed to death outside the public library a few blocks away from St. Anthony's shelter. This copy of "Emma" was found a few feet away from where she died. The book was checked out of the library by Jenna and given to Miranda to borrow. We have both Miranda and Jenna's prints on the book. The blood is Miranda's." MJ looked directly at Jenna. "How I see the situation is that Miranda was going to go home. But she didn't want to keep something that didn't belong to her. She needed to return the book to the person who lent it to her, Jenna. So she arranged to meet her to give it back. I just don't know what happened or what was said that would cause Jenna to be so angry, to get so violent, that she would stab her multiple times." The Carrolls gasped in shock. "We found the knife in the backpack, Jenna." MJ referenced the street backpack on the table. "It's got your prints on it and we're now testing it for Miranda's DNA. Care to share what the argument was? Your brother's given us a working theory. But I prefer to deal with facts." Jenna never made eye contact with the Carrolls. "She ruined everything. We had a good thing going. She had to go start spouting her pipe dreams and convincing that idiot brother of mine that home wasn't so bad. He actually thought his old man would want him back." Lindsay piped up. "He was right. We found his father and he's on a flight here to help his son. He's been looking for him since the day you and he took off." Lindsay leaned forward to look directly into her eyes. "Your charms didn't work on Steven Peters. He knew you were trouble since you were five, right before he left." MJ remained silent, stepped away from the table and looked out the window as Lindsay continued. "Mr. Peters saw through your little act from the time you learned it from your mother. Sylvia must have been a great teacher if you learned so much at such a young age." Lindsay finished with what she knew of Phoenix's father. Jenna just smirked. "I learned everything I needed to survive from her." MJ shook her head and interrupted. "No, you learned how to cheat, scheme and lie to everyone. Including yourself. Just to get anything and everything you wanted. I've been where you're at, honey and those lessons are the ones worth forgetting. There is a big difference between living and existing. You've been simply existing and now you are going to have to live with what you did."
Mac watched his sister in silence. He had forgotten how good she was at her job. She always went into an interview with all her ducks in a row and confident in her purpose. He had a sudden rush of pride and an immediate urge to tell her. God, he had so much to tell her. He had wasted so much time. He simply sent a silent prayer that she would give him the time and the chance to make things right.
Lindsay saw what MJ did when she looked at the Carrolls. Jenna really did have them snowed. They thought she was an innocent victim in all of this. So she thought to change focus for just a minute. Maybe she could get Mrs. Carroll to say something out of turn. "Mrs. Carroll, how did you know her?" Mrs. Carroll seemed stunned that she was being spoken to. "What do you mean? I didn't know her." MJ looked at Lindsay and as always appreciated her thought process. Letting Jenna stew a few minutes might be beneficial to everyone. MJ stood back and let Lindsay take the lead. "Mrs. Carroll, you recognized Miranda's picture when we first showed it to Jenna. You just asked Jenna what she did to Miranda. That tells me you've seen Miranda before and that you think it possible that Jenna's involved some how." Mrs. Carroll looked at Jenna then to her husband. "I'm sorry, Richard. I should have said something. Over the past couple of months, I've discovered items missing from the house, mostly jewelry and cash. Miranda had been coming around with Jenna. She explained that Miranda was one of the kids from the shelter and that she was trying to show her that life off the streets wasn't so bad. That she could have a wonderful home and family like hers. I thought it was Miranda taking our things." Mrs. Carroll looked at her daughter. "I thought she was trying to help her get off the streets and get home." Mrs. Carroll took a deep breath and then spoke. "I don't know if it's that copy, but I did see Jenna with a copy of "Emma" last week. It looks like it could be the same book." Mr. Carroll was shocked at his wife's thought process. "What are you saying? That Jenna's capable of murder?" Gail looked at her husband. "I honestly don't know, Richard. She's obviously not who or what we want her to be, otherwise we wouldn't be here." Lindsay and MJ exchanged a glance seeing the cracks form between the Carrolls. "She has you believing that we've just magically fixed her and that she's now this perfect child. What was she like before she met us? Do you have any idea? Because I sure don't. Who's to say that what she has told us is even close to the truth? The only background we have is what she'd told Fr. Matthew and us." Mr. Carroll realized his wife was right. He didn't know anything about the young girl they had taken into their home and hearts. Then, suddenly things became crystal clear. "It was you, the break in at home, six months ago. That was you, wasn't it?" Michelle didn't even have the decency to look ashamed. "Why, Jenna? We've given you anything you needed. All you had to do was ask." Stella suddenly entered, wanting to assist her detectives in returning the focus back to Miranda's murder. "Mr. and Mrs. Carroll, I think Jenna's interview is going to be more productive if you stepped outside." Stella, showing some compassion, also wanted to spare the Carrolls any additional pain. "Your attorney can stay, but I think it would be best Jenna addressed our questions without you present." Stella waited at the opened door to escort them out. Gail Carroll looked at Jenna and simply stated. "All we wanted was to help you and love you." Richard Carroll was right behind his wife and turned. "Was it all a lie? All of it? Did you even want a family or were we just a con to get what you wanted?" Jenna didn't answer and stared straight ahead. With that they left closing the door behind them.
Lindsay and MJ are closing in, stay tuned to see the ending..... Please comment and review.