Guilty As Charged

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Red Eye!

Chapter Four

Miami – Miami-Dade Police Station – Interrogation Room

"How long has this been going on, Mr. Rippner?" Detective Sheldon asked, shoving a spiral-bound notebook across the table. "I'm guessing it's been longer than two years."

Jackson looked up from where he'd been studying the pattern of the table. He reached out for the notebook, flipping through the pages. Myra's neat, precise handwriting—so much like Lisa's—filled the lined pages. His youngest daughter had recorded every shouting match, every bruise, and every incident between him and Lisa for two years. There were even photographs and sketches of the marks taped into the well-worn notebook.

He looked up at the smug-faced blonde in front of him. The two officers who arrested him hadn't gotten under his skin as much as this woman had. Judging by the dark roots and brown eyebrows, she wasn't a natural blonde and the dye job was rather poor. Her neatly ironed blouse, unbuttoned just enough that he were the type of man to be inclined to peek he could see down her shirt, looked expensive, as did her black slacks.

Folding his arms, Jackson stared at her plain brown eyes. "What makes you think that?"

"I did a little research. It seems your wife has a history of ER visits for broken bones, fractures, and concussions. Each time she seemed disorientated and each time she gave flimsy excuses."

"Lisa is clumsy…just like Jack. They're both so clumsy."

"Really? How come? Do they magically both run into your fists?" Sheldon inquired.

"Whatever you think you know about my family is a lie…"

"Oh, you want to know what I think? I think you're an abuser, a batterer—whatever you'd like to call yourself—and you not only take it out on your wife, but also your daughters. A little birdie told me that your oldest daughter ran away last year and I'm willing to bet that it was because you beat the shit out of her a few too many times."

Jackson opened his mouth to tell her exactly what he thought when the door opened and a brunette in a well-tailored business outfit strode in.

"Jackson, I'd advise you to keep that remark to yourself," she said, pointing at him before turning to face Detective Sheldon. "I know you have a dirty mouth, so keep that to yourself."

He couldn't resist throwing a smirk her direction. She knew him all too well.

"And who the hell are you?" Sheldon asked, glaring at the new arrival.

Unfazed by the cold greeting, she smiled at the irate detective. "Maura Brown, Jackson Rippner's attorney," she stated. "I'm assuming you forgot to inform my client of his right to an attorney before you started interrogating him."

"No, he—"

Maura looked past her and straight at him. "Jackson, did they Mirandaize you?"

"Nope," Jackson said cheerfully. This was one of the things he loved about Maura. She was quick on her feet. Not to mention she was a shark in expensive clothes.

"Anything my client has said is to be disregarded then. Anything and everything."

"Ms. Brown—" Sheldon tried to protest and was silenced by a stern look from Maura.

"The law clearly states that you are to Mirandaize my client and inform him of his rights at the time of arrest. Anything he may have said or confessed to in custody is now off-limits."

He shot Sheldon a smug look. He had already confessed. He had taken a gamble confessing, hoping that Maura would show up and throw it out once he realized Sheldon had neglected to read him his rights.

Besides, even if they tried to convict me Lisa would never testify against me. My wife loves me and I love her. She knows that other people only judge us—she knows that they can't possibly understand us and what we've been through.

"I assumed—" Sheldon tried.

Maura took a seat beside Jackson. "If you'd like to question him, you had better read him his rights or else you can get out of the room."

Sheldon crossed her arms and glared at Maura before numbly reciting the Miranda warning. Jackson had heard it many times before in the past. Law officers had been trying to jail him ever since he was pulled from Joe Reisert's home on the day of the red-eye flight a good—was it really twenty years ago?

"'Do you understand the rights I have just read to you?'" Sheldon asked dully.

"Yes," Jackson responded smugly.

"'With this rights in mind, do you wish to speak to me?'"

He looked at Maura. His lawyer nodded and he said, "Yes."

Sheldon flicked open her notepad. "Did you assault Mrs. Rippner earlier today?"

"You don't need to answer that, Jackson," Maura whispered in his ear. "It's probably better if you don't."

"Next question," he asked.

"Have you and your wife quarreled before?"

"Yes. We have had verbal disagreements."

Sheldon shot him a dirty look and switched tactics. "Mr. Rippner, where were you this morning?"

"Where I am every morning," he said with a shrug.

"And that is?"

"Well, I think that might be… oh, home."

"Jackson, watch your tone," Maura advised him. "She already hates you… don't make the situation worse."

He growled low in his throat.

"Was there anyone else at home?" the detective asked, though Jackson could sense she'd love nothing more than to punch his face in.

"Lisa, Jack, and…"

"Myra," Maura reminded him. "Your youngest daughter's name is Myra."

"Myra, that's right. It was Lisa, Jack, Myra, and me at home."

"Where were you when the ambulance came to pick up your wife?" Sheldon was steering the conversation back to the alleged attack.

Rippner frowned. Where had he been? He could remember Jack… Jack and a gun. But the ambulance?

"Were you in the living room? The kitchen?"

He scratched his head. This is stupid… it's an easy answer…

"You can tell her," Maura said simply.

With a sigh, he stared directly across the table at Detective Sheldon. Without blinking he said, "I don't remember…I don't remember anything."

Maura frowned. How can you not remember choking Lisa? Jackson… what's wrong with you? I can't help you when you can't answer basic questions.

"Define 'anything'," Sheldon demanded, not convinced.

"I woke up beside Lisa this morning… and the next thing I know, I'm being arrested in the emergency room. What happened in between?"

"This is ridiculous…"

Maura looked at him worriedly. "Jackson, what's going on?"

"I…I don't know. I don't remember."

"This is bullshit," Sheldon snapped. "Why can't you just admit you tried to murder your wife?"

"Lisa? I'd never kill her… Maura, tell her I'd never do that." He looked from the police detective to his lawyer, pleadingly.

"Jackson, what's wrong?" Maura asked him. "You don't look good… are you feeling okay?"

"Never hurt Lisa… never hurt my Lisa… where's Jack? Where's my Jack? Jackie? Jackie, why'd you leave me?" Jackson started muttering. "Leese, have you seen Jack? I can't find Jack."

Maura knelt down on the floor in front of Jackson, looking up at him. His blue eyes never looked her direction. His vision was unfocused and wavering.

"What the hell is he saying?" Sheldon questioned; her voice whiny.

"I need you to get a psychiatrist… he needs medical attention right now," Maura told the other woman, not looking away from Jackson.

"What? Why not a doctor? He's not bleeding or anything."

"The problem's in his head. He needs a psychiatrist. Something's not right…"

"Oh, I see… you're trying for an insanity plea!"

Maura glared over at the blonde. "My client needs help. As far as I'm concerned, this interview is over. Now, go and get him a doctor!"

Sheldon looked stunned but stalked out of the interrogation room as Maura refocused on Jackson.

"Jack… Jack don't go," he whispered.

"Ssh, Jackson, it's going to be okay. Jackie's fine," she tried to soothe. What's happened to you? What happened this morning?

She sat on the floor, trying to reassure him when his hands shot out and wrapped around her throat. Shocked, Maura fell backwards and Jackson pinned her down, hissing, "You don't touch my daughter, Ryder. Do you understand?"

Gagging, she clawed at his hands clenched around her neck as he choked her.

"You don't touch Jack… you don't touch Leese either. They're mine… my family!"

Jackson, what have you done?

Maura swiped at him feebly as her vision started to spin and faded to black.

Author's Notes:

Jackson's had a break with reality. I will say that's a twist that I hadn't been planning on, but I think it works with his character.

Has it really been a month since I last updated? I feel terrible! I'm sorry for making everyone wait! What can I say other than life got in the way and I have too many jobs? Hopefully I will be able to make the most of my last week and a half before I go back to school. School preparations suck. I spent most of yesterday trying to track down uniforms. My school has been awful at letting us know details.

Hopefully I'll have another update in a few days. Even my novel, Fatal Target, has been stalled lately. Both Fatal Target and Coldest Degree (as well as the reworked Obsession Series) can be found on my fictionpress account under the same penname: BregoBeauty.

Once again, I apologize for taking so long between updates. If you're still reading this, please read and review! Thanks!

lily- Yes, Lisa does really love Jackson. Jackson does love her back, he's just got emotional problems and has trouble understanding and responding to emotions. Over the years he's gotten much better at being kind, but he still never was cut out to be a father. However, Jack really loves her daddy--despite how annoyed he can make her--and she wants to help him. As a family, yes they could fix all their problems if they really wanted to. But the problem is that they'd all have to accept each other's flaws. Jackson started losing his cool demeanor probably back in Bad Things Happen. Day-to-Day shows some of his angry outbursts at the beginning of their relationship. Thanks for the review!