Mike could smell Albert's sweat from across the room, the man a sight for sore eyes that evening and the Lieutenant sighed unperceptively, as he carefully circled the desk to put down a glass of water, hoping that some hydration would keep the man from passing out.

Clearly uncomfortable with his spot in the interrogation room; Albert anxiously fidgeted with the corners of his cape, barely acknowledging him when he entered.

"You look like a very nervous person, Mister Neville.", Mike began, purposefully keeping his voice calm under the circumstances, "I take it you have never been to a police station before?"

Managing a faint headshake, Albert looked over at the glass, then carefully reached for it with shaking hands, drinking two sips before returning to his stoic mode.

"I promise I won't bite.", Mike tried again, adding a friendlier tone this time, "We just want to ask you a few questions about Reverend Joe. And you see, we want to solve his murder. From what I heard, you and Lester were really close. So, I am a bit surprised that you kept running from us."

"The Reverend would want it that way."

Raising his eyebrows at the peculiar expression and tone of voice, Mike hesitated for a brief moment, then sat down on the corner of the large table, causing Albert to flinch ever so slightly.

Noting the reaction, he rested his hands in his lap, trying to appear as non-threatening as possible.

"The Reverend would want you to run from us? To…to prevent us from figuring out who killed him and why?", he clarified only to receive a fervent headshake.

"No. The Reverend would not want much time spent on his case. There is so much need…so much suffering everywhere. We must use our resources carefully. They are stretched thin."

There came the rhetoric, Mike mused and leaned back a bit, letting the words sink in before attempting another question.

"They're stretched even thinner now that he's been murdered, don't you think?", he began with a sad smile, "And if whoever murdered him isn't caught…well…then he could kill again. Kill more innocent people. Would The Reverend stand for this?"

Another slight headshake. Another tense silence, before Albert slowly raised his head.

"I devoted my life to following The Reverend; to…to learn from his generosity, his outpouring of kindness, his teachings of The Book. And in there it talked about throwing the first rock. And I…I can't get myself to do it, Lieutenant, I am sorry."

"I happen to have a little experience with that book myself, Sunny.", Mike countered, his voice changing into a determined tone as he leaned forward to get closer to Albert, uncomfortably close for the other man hopefully, "But unless you also committed murder, I wouldn't put too much emphasis on that statement when it comes to this case."

"But I have…sinned in the past. And thus I shall-"

"Albert, you are sinning right now by lying to the police. By empowering a killer. By betraying your murdered friend!"

Pretending utter frustration, Mike got off the table and began to pace the room in the frenzy, successful in throwing his suspect off guard.

"We know that you and Ricky were the last guys to be seen with Lester before he was murdered. So, that leaves us with two assumptions. Either you killed him yourself, or you are covering for whoever did it. And my partner and I want to find out which one it is, because I don't think that Lester deserved to be murdered. And it's our job to find the killer and book him."

His teacher-like voice and experienced antics caused Albert to look up sheepishly, like a fish out of water, not sure how to counter the moral dilemma Mike had so cunningly pulled him into.

From a few feet away, the Lieutenant watched the other man open his mouth as if to say something, then shut it again, that mind working overtime to find some commandment or verse to use in order to fight his way out of the proverbial one-way street.

Mike knew there was none.

When silence ensued once again, he resumed his pacing, keeping one eye on the bullpen and the repeated phone calls taken by his detectives that were followed with nervous glances in his general direction, then notes being taken.

Without a doubt, trouble was brewing.

All he needed was a little bit more precious time to get a solid testimony before facing the wrath that was headed his way.

Mike hoped and prayed he'd be granted that one favor today.

"So, what happened between you and Lester?", he continued, "You guys had a falling out so you decided to beat him up? Throw those punches until he stopped moving and breathing? Or did you toss him out of a window? Maybe threw him down some steep embankment? Is that why you came back to the cemetery to check on his remains? Guilt?"

As Mike poked, he could see the other man's headshake grow more and more fervent until finally, Albert glared up at him with tear-stricken eyes, putting his hands over his ears as it if would make the truth go away, frantically weaving back and forth in his chair.

Painful as the experience may be, it sure seemed they were finally getting somewhere.

"If that's not how it went down, then tell me what happened, Albert? Quit withholding the truth or I am going to book you on an accessory charge. That's a felony."

Whether or not that would even stand up in court was a whole different question, but for now, it seemed to get Albert's attention when he lowered his hands again, then, stifling a whimper, ran his dirty shirt sleeve across his tear-stained cheeks.

"I didn't kill The Reverend. How could I? He was everything to me."

"So, it was Ricky?", Mike pried, more or less to get a reaction out of the other man than actually believing so.

"No. Ricky is innocent.", Albert claimed and fell into another bout of uncontrolled sobs, the surreal scene not lost to the rest of the detectives in the bullpen.

"Then who did it? Tell us so that we can bring that person to justice. You have the power. Help us solve Lester's murder and give his soul peace."

"I don't know, Lieutenant!", Albert yelled back, his entire body trembling in agitation.

"I don't believe you.", Mike countered, shaking his index finger judgingly, "I think you know exactly who did it and you are trying to withhold that information from us for some reason I can't quite understand. You'd rather cover for that person than bring Lester's killer to justice. I thought Reverend Joe was your mentor, a man you looked up to. And you'd do that to him? You think that's the way to honor his legacy after everything he did for you?!"

"I know him…", Albert finally said between hasty sobs, "And I don't know him, Lieutenant. I am sorry…"