A/N: I've been lazy lately. Too lazy to update this so forgive me :) Well, here in Australia it's certainly been an interesting couple of weeks in television. Just saw You Really Got Me last night and trust me when I say I will never sing that song the same way again. Great episode though, even the karaoke scene ;)
FKW: Ooh, I abbreviated your name. Hey ever wondered why they never abbreviated the word 'abbreviated'? Kinda stupid no? Anyway, thanks for the gratifying review; always nice to know you care ;) You kinda read most of this chapter but (try) to enjoy it anyway. And today, my hair is too tired to party. Luv ya!
astacia: Yeah I agree, go Woody and Devan! Now if only it had really happened in the show… ;) The French thing was fun to write (er…translate I mean) but it's not really all it seems…keep reading to find out (nothing like a bit of blackmailing…) :) Thanks for the review!
Disclaimer: I do not own Crossing Jordan. And the song from the previous chapter is Gavin DeGraw's Follow Through.
Ok, with that aside, bring on the chapter! But before that, just a couple of quick notes. The first paragraph is written in Devan's point of view, mainly cause I wrote that away from home and I was sharing a room with my aunt and it was a little weird writing a 'morning after' scene with someone who wouldn't approve of it in the bed next to me. Lol, yeah strange I know. And the second little note, I wrote this chapter before I saw Fire From The Sky so Devan's mother might be a little…weird. She acted completely over the top in that episode when she was talking to Jordan and the way she acts in this chapter is…well…different. Bleh, just read ;)
Deception
Chapter 8: Interrogation
I woke slowly to a light tickling sensation on my stomach. I opened my eyes half-way and realised Woody was trailing a finger along my torso…and I let him. I didn't want to wake up, not just yet. I wanted to bask in the warming rays of the sunlight streaming through the lightly covered windows to my side. I wanted to forever listen to the song the birds created in the late morning. I wanted to melt into the embrace of the man next to me…then the alarm rang out suddenly, it's loud, monotonous tune drowning away all other thoughts…
It bleeped. And bleeped. Neither of them made any effort at all to stop it; they didn't want to move. It was nine-thirty on a Wednesday morning and both detective and doctor were working afternoon shifts. So why the alarm had been set was beyond Woody's understanding. Becoming increasingly irritated, he leaned over Devan to slam a firm hand down angrily on the top of the clock, pushing down on it with unnecessary force. It stopped and he once again found silence.
Laying back and nuzzling his head into the back of Devan's neck, he asked in a muffled voice, "Why did you have to set that?"
Devan shrugged as best she could. "Force of habit."
Woody kissed her neck affectionately. "Well next time, don't."
At that Devan snapped her eyes open, turning around to face him. Raising an eyebrow, she whispered seductively, "Next time?"
He smirked at that. "Well…don't you agree?"
On the surface layer, Devan knew he was talking about the alarm. But underneath that layer…well he was talking about something else. She turned around and closed her eyes, breathing in deeply. "There's a light next to me. It's almost blinding."
Woody raised an eyebrow. "It's the sun."
Devan opened her eyes slowly with a smile. "Oh yeah, that too."
Rubbing her shoulders, Woody looked down at Devan with serious eyes. Was this what he wanted? Even after last night…he wasn't sure. It wasn't the sun he was blinded by. "You're still gloating."
"Yeah," Devan turned around and thinned her lips in a smirk, "but because of whose misfortunes?"
Woody just smoothed her raised eyebrow with a running finger. He didn't have to answer that; it was pretty obvious who was missing out. "You hungry?"
Devan licked her lips. "Are you?"
Woody looked thoughtful. "I could do with some root beer."
Laughing, Devan shifted over to her side of the bed before sitting up with the sheets around her. "No root beer but there is coffee in the top draw. I'm going to take a shower. You want?"
Woody smiled at the thought. "Thanks, but I'll pass. I'll make breakfast."
"Looking forward to it," Devan quipped as she walked around the bed, still with the sheet around her. "Don't burn anything."
Woody laughed and watched her walk into the bathroom and close the door. A minute later he heard the water turn on and he made sure he knew Devan was in the shower before he stretched and sat up. He had pants on so he threw off the heavy feather doona and walked out to the kitchen. Filling the kettle, he switched it on and waited until it boiled. Upon searching in the cupboards for coffee, he heard someone behind the door knocking suddenly. And Woody stared at the door…then towards Devan's room where the bathroom was. She was still in the shower and someone was at the door. Her door.
Reasoning that it might be important, Woody walked cautiously over to it and when he opened it, he was met with a pair of startlingly green eyes that looked so familiar it was almost scary. Before him stood a smiling older woman with short blonde hair…and Devan's eyes. It was so uncanny that Woody found himself peering into them curiously. "Can I help you?"
The woman's eyes faltered into a frown before she smiled once again. "Yes you can. Is this Devan Maguire's apartment?"
Her voice was soft. Woody found himself nodding scarcely. "Yes, is it."
The smiled continued to grow with a kindness that could not be false. "Then what are you doing here?"
Woody's own smile evaporated. This was Devan's mother! Looking down impulsively at his bare chest, Woody silently cursed himself for not putting on a shirt. "I'm, ah…D-Devan's…friend."
The woman nodded. "Yes, and I'm her mother."
Shit, Woody smiled through his teeth. Nothing better than confirmation. "Uh…w-were you looking for her?"
The senior Maguire nodded and smiled warmly. "Yes, I was. Is she in?"
"She's in…in the shower," Woody found himself grimacing. "But you can come in and wait for her if you like."
"I would like," she said quietly.
Woody ushered her into the apartment while closing the door behind them. "Would you like anything? Tea, coffee?"
"Tea would be nice," Devan's mother glanced up before sitting herself down at the small table.
Woody let a breath out loudly as he heard the shower turn off, and then smiled innocently when Devan's mother gave him a studying look.
"So how long have you known my daughter?"
Woody thought as he poured water into three porcelain cups. "About eight months."
She lifted her eyebrows. "And you're close?"
Woody could only nod with a smile. He didn't trust his voice. When Devan suddenly walked out of her bedroom wearing jeans and a light red top, he shifted and lifted his own eyebrows. Devan broke out in a smile as she looked at Woody…then at her mother.
"I see you two have met," she said, quite loudly, before she gave her mother a kiss on either cheek.
Her mother nodded knowingly. "We have indeed."
As Woody walked over to her, Devan held out his shirt, which he took gratefully. Devan, with a smirk on her face, gave him a quick kiss on the lips. Woody quickly buttoned up his shirt while a light red blush appeared on his cheeks. Devan just sat down at the table next to her mother, her eyes still following Woody's.
"So, Devan," Mrs Maguire touched her daughter's shoulder, "tell me about your work. You're very committed?"
"My work," Devan said distantly, her eyes still focussed on Woody, "is going great. Sorry I couldn't get back to you until yesterday."
Her mother flicked out a hand. "Don't worry about it. I'm just glad you were able to get away from work to meet with me. Even if it is here."
Devan smiled then. "So what about you? Have you met anyone?"
The woman just laughed. "Me? Honey, after your father I've been done with men. No offence…?"
Woody came over with the tea while Devan helped him. Then he held out his hand. "I'm Woody. And none taken."
Devan raised an eyebrow at the obvious tension as they shook hands. "Woody's a detective. And my boyfriend."
Then it was Woody's turn to raise a surprised eyebrow. Devan's mother noticed this but she didn't speak on it. Rather, she steered the conversation to their work again. "So, I take it you two mingle a lot at work."
Devan gave her mother a smile, and then gave Woody a smirk. "Yeah, we…mingle."
When Woody smirked back, Devan's mother was quick on the intake. "Your fiancé called me last night, Devan."
Woody almost choked on the tea he had just let slide down his throat. Devan just stared down at the table with clouded eyes. "Ex."
Devan's mother's eyes softened then, her hand sliding onto Devan's shoulder. "Honey, he just wants to talk…"
Devan scoffed. "Yeah, like how he talked a year ago. Oh wait," she added sarcastically, "he didn't."
Woody sputtered next to Devan. "I'm just going to go…make the bed," he smiled widely, falsely.
When Woody was clearly out of earshot, Devan leaned in close to her mother. "You had to say that in front of him."
Mrs Maguire sighed. "You've only known him a few months…"
"And that's bad?" Devan raised her voice suddenly. "That doesn't make him any less important to me. I really care about him."
Dorothy Maguire gave her daughter a level look. "Devan, I only want to clear this. I can't keep getting phone calls from your ex for the rest of my life. You two need to sort this out."
Devan sighed and looked to her clock. It was ten past ten in the morning.
Woody sighed for the umpteenth time as he glanced at his watch…again. It was ten past three in the afternoon. He was in the interrogation room, Devan standing in the corner and Adam Moore sitting very still in front of him. Flicking his eyes toward Devan, who shrugged, Woody pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers. This really wasn't working, this interrogation.
"Mr. Moore, why did you murder your wife?" Woody repeated again, clearer this time. The man still didn't respond. "Was it because she got on your nerves, because she slept with another man, because…"
"Because," Moore suddenly glanced up from the table, his voice a cold whisper, "she killed the woman I loved."
"Victoria," Devan spoke from behind Woody.
Sweeping his gaze to the blonde, Moore stared at her. "Yes."
"Mr. Moore, you claim to be Catholic but," Woody laughed in silent hysteria, "you've done everything you were bound not to do. You had an affair, you murdered someone…"
"No," Moore clearly stated. "I didn't murder her; she murdered herself. By killing Victoria, she also confirmed her own fate."
Woody slammed down his palm on the table. "You committed the act of premeditated murder. You're a killer."
"Why didn't you make her suffer?" Devan spoke up from the corner. "Sodium Morphate induces a heart attack; she would have been dead within seconds. Victoria suffered though, didn't she?"
Moore stared forward, his eyes never blinking.
Woody rubbed his forehead. "You lied about that night Victoria was killed, didn't you? You didn't just leave when she told you to. Or more specifically, she told you something else, didn't she?"
The accused took a sip of his glass of water. "She told me she had called Kathleen, telling her she wanted to meet with her before she died. Kathleen agreed and showed up moments later, when I had gone," Moore took a deep breath. "I drove around for a few hours, just clearing my head. When I returned home I found the door unlocked. There was a note on the kitchen table next to the goat's antler I have. Both had blood stains on them."
Devan cleared her throat. "Why wasn't the antler there the other day when we came by? I know it was there the first time we talked to you."
Moore laughed and shook his head. "I cleaned it that night, washing the blood off. I didn't believe it; that she was dead. We hadn't seen each other since Kathleen left and when she called me that night, asking me if I could meet her at the park, I accepted. She looked so pale when I saw her…it was almost like a dream. She told me she was dying and that she wanted peace. She said that when she had called Kathleen, she had said the exact same thing. Peace. I couldn't believe she was dead, so I put the antler back where it used to be. It wasn't until you two showed up that it all made sense. Kathleen had killed Victoria out of spite. And it wasn't until then that I read the note. It said 'Now she has her peace'."
Devan swallowed hard. "Mr. Moore, we found the blood of an infant mixed with Victoria's. Do you know whose baby it was?"
Moore looked up at Devan's gentle voice. "Kathleen's. It was her sacrifice."
Woody frowned. "But…how? The medical report said she was infertile."
Adam Moore nodded, tears welling up in his almost bionic eyes. "Before she left, she told me she was pregnant. She said it was a gift from God. And I knew the baby could not have possibly been mine. She admitted that she had been having an affair, ever since she learned of mine. The next morning, she disappeared. I never saw her again."
"Until you met with her at the restaurant," Woody said tightly.
"I confronted her about Victoria's murder. She confessed."
Woody nodded. "You knew that so you came prepared. Once she had confessed and you had a chance, you slipped a tablet into her drink, knowing it would kill her."
Moore nodded slowly. "That's right."
Devan bowed her head before leaning on one foot. "Mr. Moore, we haven't been able to locate the body of the infant…"
"I did," Moore responded quickly, his eyes clouding over with tears. "I buried him."
Nodding, Woody took out of photo from the manila folder on the table. "We found these pictures of Victoria in her mansion. In this one," he pointed to a particular photo, "she's pregnant."
Moore looked at the photo carefully. "That was taken two years ago. She lost the baby and that was when she turned to me. We had known each other all our lives."
Woody and Devan were silent for a long moment, so many thoughts unspoken between them. At last, Woody was the one to break it. "Adam, do you realise the charges you face? If you plead not guilty in the courtroom, you will be looking at a life sentence. However, if you plead guilty then those charges will be lessened…"
"I'm not guilty," Moore's green eyes locked with Woody's sapphire blue ones. "I'm not guilty."
Woody exhaled loudly as he and Devan left the interrogation room, with two other officers escorting Moore back to his cell. What they had heard was a confession, but Moore had claimed he was indeed not guilty. Well, they had the evidence to put him away for life but it did seem in a way that he was vindicated. A murder for a murder.
Devan sighed and looked to Woody. "What do we do now?"
Woody shrugged. "Wait until his arraignment in three days. That's all we can do."
Devan nodded and smiled. "I'm going to go back to the morgue; I have another body to work on."
Smiling, Woody quickly kissed her. "I'll drop by tonight." Then his smiled disappeared. "Your mother's not going to be there, is she?"
Devan shook her head. "No. At least I hope not."
"Good," he breathed.
Devan crossed her arms and looked down, smiling. "I'm…sorry about this morning. I honestly forgot she was coming."
Woody raised an eyebrow. "Forgot?"
"Well," she looked up sheepishly, "I didn't know we were going to…you know."
Woody nodded and smiled. "Don't worry about it. Apart from the fact that I looked, literally, like an idiot in front of your mother, I'm fine. Just scarred for life."
Murder, lies, deception, betrayal…they had seen it all. They had seen it enough to know how it all worked, and how simple it could be to deceive someone. All that had to be done was lie to someone so they would believe you. That's all it took…lies. That was the essence of deception.
Woody stared at the phone that lay before him across Devan's desk. His hands shook…but he didn't know why. Had it always been a lie? Were her feelings for him just a ploy, a way just to make her forget about him?
She walked in then, flinging the doors open with a frustrated sigh. When she looked up, she smiled at him and walked over. "I think I've just about had it with the coffee machine…"
He didn't laugh at her joke. Didn't smile in return. What he did, though, frightened her. He stood viciously from the chair and threw out his arms. "Once again it's all about you! No consideration for others, just what makes you angry or frustrated."
Devan stood back with wide eyes. "What? Woody what happened?"
"You want to know what happened?" Woody took a step towards her, his arms still outstretched and his eyes angry. "Your fiancé just called your phone, that's what happened."
Devan sighed and rubbed the back of her neck with her hands. "Ex."
Woody lowered his voice to a cold whisper. "Whatever. The point is he called looking for you, said you two had 'unfinished business'."
Looking away angrily, Devan's eyes turned into a glare. "You answered my phone?"
He laughed in what was close to hysteria. "Yeah. And you know what, he didn't sound French but that's how he initially spoke. In French."
The angry exchange of words were heard by Jordan, who stood outside of Devan's office, her head turned away respectably, but she still listened…and wondered what was going on.
"Woody…"
"You lied to me," he raised his voice again. "You said that your mother called last night. But she didn't, did she? It was your ex."
Devan sighed again. "So what if it was?"
Woody walked forward once again, his eyes concentrated solely on Devan's. "You lied to me," he said slowly.
Instead of walking backwards, Devan leaned in close to Woody. "What the hell was I supposed to say? Hey, Woody? My ex just called and he wants meet with me to tell me how sorry he is for sleeping with another girl the day before our wedding? Makes for wonderful pillow talk, doesn't it?"
Woody's eyes softened suddenly, his arms dropping to his sides. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. "I'm sorry. I overreacted. I didn't know about that."
Devan stifled a sour laugh. "No, of course not. Because I never told you, right? Woody, we were just starting to work and when he called it set me off; I didn't want to think about him because I was with you."
Woody smiled apologetically, placing his hands gently on Devan's shoulders. "This was our first fight."
Devan looked at him seriously, her eyes still smouldering with anger. "It's going to be our only fight."
And with that, Devan shrugged off Woody's hands and stalked angrily out of her office, pushing past Jordan who looked after her in surprise. Woody stared after her as well, his hand coming to rest on his forehead in regret. Then he noticed Jordan staring at him. Had she been there the entire time, while he and Devan had been arguing? With a quick hesitation, Jordan walked back the way she had come, leaving Woody to stare after her. He was alone once again.
A/N: Hmm…the plot thickens…Just to keep you on your toes, Devan's relationship with her ex ain't all as it seems…
Peace
