CHAPTER SEVENTY EIGHT

Hard Questions

All the interrogation rooms were booked, or so he was told. So he wouldn't mind if they had their discussions right here, did he? The veil of politeness laid over their insolence was the least of Sonny's concerns. And their questions, meant to provoke him only worked to irritate him.

Sonny was determined not to give them the satisfaction of exploding. He wouldn't hand them the rope they were looking for to hang him with. He knew that he was innocent of any involvement with Stefan's death, and he was pretty sure that the detectives interrogating him knew it too. But if they could find a way to hang this on him, they surely would.

So they threw the same questions at him, over and over. Oh the wording might change every now and again, but they were all the same.

Where had he been at the time of the explosion?

Who had he spoken with?

Had he any animosity towards the victims?

What was the relationship between he and his lawyer? After all, the victim was related to her.

If Sonny was furious, it was because he was being forced to waste his time coming down here instead of pursuing his own investigation into who bombed his warehouse - and more importantly- why.

Sonny looked up to see a new suit headed his way. Lawyer, he thought to himself. He schooled his face carefully as the man drew near.

"Mr. Corinthos?" The younger man was clearly nervous as he introduced himself, even though he tried to hide it. Cohen was a definite cookie-cutter lawyer-type. And a newbie from the DA's office at that. Any other time, Sonny might have found this amusing. He might have even enjoyed the cat and mouse baiting he knew was coming. But his worry over Alexis had caused his patience to run thin five minutes after he'd arrived.

"Yeah?" Sonny asked him coolly.

He made an attempt at bravado. "I've been informed that an interrogation room should be opening up shortly."

"So I can hear the same questions phrased twenty different ways all over again?"

Cohen picked up a clipboard and fumbled through the pages. "Well, we do need to ..ahh..clarify ... your statement."

"I haven't made a statement." Sonny told him, still maintaining a cool demeanor. "I came down voluntarily, to answer any questions the PCPD might have that involved a warehouse belonging to my coffee import business. If I'm making a statement, does that mean I'm being held?"

They both knew that there were no grounds to hold him. "We're simply adhering to protocol, Mr. Corinthos."

"Charge me or end this, Mr. Cohen." Sonny said, letting menace underlay his voice as he raised hard eyes to meet Cohen's. "I don't care which. But do what you're going to do."

Cohen swallowed visibly; in response to Sonny's cold gaze, his hand shook and he almost dropped the clipboard. "Just let me check with the commissioner and see how he wants to proceed with this. As far as which way this investigation goes, it's actually his jurisdiction; this is actually his call to make, not the DA's office." He got away from Sonny as quick as he could.

Sonny smiled a grim smile to himself. A smile that faded as he looked across the room to see Carly entering. She saw him, and ignoring the curious stares shooting in her direction, she headed straight for Sonny.

Not sure of what she was doing here, but knowing at the same time that it couldn't be good, Sonny stood to face her. He stiffened in shock and anger as Carly leaned against him and brushed her lips across his cheek.

"What are you doing here, Carly?" he said through clenched teeth.

"Now, now, Sonny. It wouldn't be the smartest thing to do to show that infamously explosive Latino temper in the middle of the police department, would it?" Carly smiled up at him sweetly. She knew she was right and was going to use it for all that it was worth. "It's the most natural thing for a loving wife to come to her husband's side when he's in trouble."

"One: you are no longer my wife. Two: I am in no trouble. Three: If I were in trouble, you would be the last person I would call."

Carly's expression didn't change, except for her eyes. They narrowed dangerously. "You might want to at least try and be nicer to me, Sonny. I could be the answer to your problems. The ones you don't have that is, the ones that have you sitting in the middle of the PCPD."

"Why don't you just tell me what it is you want?"

"I think we need some privacy, don't you?"

Like he wanted to be anywhere alone with her, Sonny thought disgustedly. Still, the sooner he heard her out, the sooner he could get her to leave before she put one of her infamous plans into action. Or did something stupid, just for spite. From the look in her eyes, Sonny could tell that she was in the mood to maybe do exactly that.

Just then, a uniformed officer came up to them. "Mr. Cohen has asked that you come with me now, and he'll meet you in interrogation room number three." He said to Sonny." He'll be along as soon as his meeting with the Commissioner is finished."

"Perfect." Carly all but purred. She turned to the officer. "I'm Caroline Corinthos, I'd like a moment with my husband before this Mr. Cohen comes."

"I don't see where that would be a problem, ma'am." He answered.

Sonny did, but there was nothing he could do about it. As soon as the officer had left them alone in the room, he pulled away from her and walked to the other side of the room. "What is it you want, Carly?"

"Oh, how nice. I come all the way down here to help you, and what do I get? Attitude." She followed him. "Fine. Here's the deal. Whatever's coming your way is something big. Stefan Cassadine was a big-shot, his name was famous around the world. So his death is headline news.. We both know that if the cops can pin this on you - they will. So you need a good offense for a good defense."

"And what has any of this to do with you?"

Carly sat down on the edge of the table, and slowly crossed her legs, baring her thighs provocatively. "I thought it would be obvious. But then again, seeing the company you keep, you haven't been thinking too straight lately. Let me spell it out for you: Before this thing with you and the cops goes on too much longer, you need to present a new and improved image of Sonny Corinthos to any judge and jury - and press - that comes looking your way. And that means a loving wife and family."

While Sonny stared at her in total disbelief, Carly just laughed and adjusted the hem of her skirt. "Of course, that means Michael and I should move back into the penthouse ASAP, of course. And honestly, I think it would be better if Alexis relocated herself from across the hall. Maybe she could move back out to Wyndemere, since it's empty now."

"Listen to you." Sonny said, the disgust plain in his voice. "That's what this is all about; you trying to worm your way back into my life and you trying to get Alexis out of it."

"Like she's going to have time for you anyway. Get real Sonny, Alexis is the consigliore of the Cassadine clan. No not clan - empire. Isn't she out right now taking care of her family's business right now?" As always, Carly's baser instincts knew how to instinctively go for the jugular. "Her nephew is a prince, Sonny. A real live, born with the right blood prince. That means that as far as bloodlines go, she's royalty herself. What's she been doing, hanging around with you? Slumming. Either way, playtime for you and her is over. The circles she's going to be traveling in, the world where Alexis is dealing with, well, let's just say that the air is going to be rarified. The money, the power, the influence, it's way past what either me or you are used to. Do you really think that you can breathe the air up there where she is going to be going?

"Shut up, Carly." Sonny said. "You don't know Alexis, you never have understood her and you never will. And I don't expect you to understand me and her either. But I don't care, because it doesn't matter one damn bit whether you understand anything but this..." Sonny walked over to face her, ignoring the charms she was trying so hard to lay open before him. "Nothing you do, or nothing you say, is going to cause us to get back together. You and me, under the same roof? Ain't gonna happen; not in this lifetime."

"Don't be so quick to turn down my offer." Carly said tightly.

"I don't want your offer and I don't want you! Can I make it any plainer than that?"

"You may not want me, but you are going to need me, whether you like it or not!" Carly said hotly as she shoved herself off of the table. Her eyes blazed up at him. "Let' see if I can make this plain: Your - lawyer - would be the first to agree - first impressions do count. And which do you think would make the better impression - you with a loving wife and family, or you shacking up with your lady lawyer. Oh, the stories I could tell if only the press were to ask. 'Mrs. Corinthos, just how long were the defendant and his lawyer close?' 'How many late nights did they spend together? Overnight trips out of town?' You know, questions like that could end up being very damaging."

Carly looked at him again, triumph in her gaze. "Think about it, Sonny. Door number one, or door number two? In my opinion, door number two kinda destroys credibility for the both of you."

They were interrupted by a knock on the door, which was quickly followed by Cohen's entrance. Carly looked at him, flashing one of her more brilliant smiles, then turned back to Sonny. She leaned in close, and under the pretext of brushing her lips against his cheek she whispered to him. "Don't be sure that you can afford to destroy that credibility, Sonny. And don't be so sure you don't need me."

Sonny looked after her as she strolled out of the room without a backwards glance. Cohen looked at her and then back to Sonny. He gestured to a seat. "Let's go over your stateme… I mean, your answers to these questions, shall we, Mr. Corinthos?"

Sonny turned a hard glare on the ADA. Then he sat.

It was going to be a long afternoon.