Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or story in A Song of Ice and Fire. That belongs to George R. R. Martin. And anything he forgot to nail down belongs to HBO.

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Author's Note: So, I'm not a lawyer, nor a police officer. I've never been on the wrong side of the law, so I don't really know how our legal system works except for what I've seen on TV. So if Jon and Robb do something a little off kilter, just chock it up to the fact that they live in Westeros.

Also, I updated chapter 1 part 1 to fix some typos I noticed. No content was changed.

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A Game of Police and Lawyers: A Song of Westeros's Homicide Division

Murder 1, Part 2: Joffrey Baratheon

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Back at the station, Jon and Robb began the tedious part of police work: paperwork. They also began separate profiles of each of the witnesses and the victim. Jaime Lannister in particular drew their attention.

Jon whistled low when he ran Jaime's name through the police database. He read, "Two counts of parking in an emergency zone, one count of larceny, four counts of shoplifting… He's been in and out of this station enough times that I bet the Freys know him by name."

Robb was reading over his shoulder. "And would you look at that? He posted bail every time he came to the station. And it looks like some of these records were expunged… Any felonies?"

"None that I can see. It looks mostly like misdemeanors."

"The young, the rich, the bored," Robb muttered.

"Should we file a warrant? Get him in here?"

Robb rubbed his chin for a few seconds, thinking. "No, let's hold off on that for now, get some more evidence."

Walda Frey, one of the many Freys in police duty, handed Jon a stack of papers from the printer. He took them with a smile. As he thumbed through them, he froze, then nearly shot out of his chair. "Robb!" he yelped. "Do you know who Joffrey's father is?"

Robb shrugged.

"Robert Baratheon!"

Robb's head shot up. "You mean—you mean Dad's friend from the army?"

Jon held up a six inch by six inch photograph of a robust man with dark hair, dark eyes, and a jolly complexion. Robb recognized the man immediately. When he and Jon were boys, their father and Robert Baratheon had been in the military together, and the large, muscular man often stopped by their home in Winterfell for a visit. He used to frighten their sister Sansa, but the other children—Robb, Jon, Bran, and Arya—couldn't get enough of the man. Even baby Rickon would smile more when "Uncle" Robert would come for dinner.

Robb remembered that Robert and his dad's sister, Lyanna, were to be married before…

"Maybe we can get Dad to set up a meeting."

.

The boys' Aunt Lyanna had died the year they were born, so they did not remember her well. No one in the family liked to talk about her death, and it was from one of their neighbors that they overheard she was murdered. When they confronted their father…

That was the only time they had seen their father cry.

From that day onward, the boys vowed to be police detectives. They would stop crime before it happened, and punish those who chose to break and bend the law. For a little while, they even had their own crime fighting club at school, but they were disbanded when Jon "arrested" their teacher, Alliser Thorne. He served Alliser a warrant for being a bully and a terrible teacher. When the principle contacted Ned Stark about the incident, the boys' father asked simply, "Well, is it true?"

.

Robb and Jon shared a small apartment about a five minutes' drive from the police station. Their father had gotten an interview set up with Robert Baratheon, and they still needed to hear back from the crime lab and the medical examiner before they began to really sink their teeth into the case.

The boys were stretched out on the sofas in the living room, half asleep, with True Blood playing in the background, when there was a soft knock at the door. Jon sat straight up, and their dogs, Ghost and Grey Wind, rose their hackles, bared their teeth, and growled. Robb rose from the sofa and peered through the peep hole. When he spied through, his mouth fell open.

"You're not going to believe this…"

He swung the door open to reveal Tyrion Lannister.

The dwarf raised an arm in hello, and immediately Ghost was upon him, his teeth barred on his arm. Tyrion gasped in surprise, and Robb grabbed the great white beast by the collar and pulled him backward. Jon, meanwhile, was shouting, "Ghost! Ghost! To me!"

Once the dogs were locked in the back bedroom, Robb beckoned Tyrion into the apartment.

Jon stared moodily at the dwarf. "Sorry about Ghost. He only attacks people I don't trust."

Surprisingly, Tyrion laughed. Robb was relieved. Jon and Ghost wouldn't be able to stand up to another dog attack accusation in court—especially if the accusation came from a Lannister.

"Don't worry," said Tyrion. "He didn't bite down. I have greater scars from my sister, Cersei."

Robb noted the deep scar running across Tyrion's face and wondered if the blonde woman he'd met earlier was capable of inflicting such a wound. The woman was distraught and exhibited a deep rage against her brother, but did she have the physical strength to wound the dwarf? Small though he was, Tyrion's muscled torso hinted that he could hold his own in a fight. Robb made a mental note to look deeper into Cersei's public files when they went back to the office.

"Why are you here?" Jon was always one who got straight to the point.

Tyrion smirked and settled himself onto the sofa. "I'm here to confess"—Jon immediately snatched up a pair of handcuffs he kept beside the television—"that I didn't do it." Tyrion let that grin stay about his lips. "Sorry." To Robb he said, "Is he always this easy to provoke?"

Robb's mouth was set firmly. "Yes. So you'd best be careful. I may not be able to catch Ghost next time."

Tyrion's smile faltered. He scratched the lower half of the scar that stretched across his face. "Do you have any wine?"

Robb glanced to Jon. "There's a bottle of merlot on the bottom shelf. Pour us each a glass, would you?"

Jon glared but did as he was asked.

Tyrion waited for Jon to return before he began. "I told you at the house that I'd allow you to interview me. However, my father"—his mouth curled at the word, and he took a deep draught of wine—"my father, Tywin, bade each of us to get a lawyer." He took another gulp of wine. "But, I am a man of my word, and I will let you ask me any questions you'd like."

Jon took Robb by the elbow and, looking warily over his shoulder, guided Robb to the other room. Softly he asked, "Well, what do you think?"

Robb chewed his tongue for a minute. "We might as well hear what he has to say."

Jon nodded. "We can't interview him at the station, or else his lawyer will have our balls. You think Daenerys can use any of what he tells us here in court?"

"We should call her and make sure."

Robb slipped his phone from his pocket and treaded down the hallway to the bedroom to make the call. That left Jon to entertain the "guest." He scowled at the dwarf, but Tyrion only smiled and sipped his wine.

By the time Robb returned to his half-brother and the half-man, Tyrion was on his fourth glass of wine. The bottle was almost empty, and Jon and Robb's cups were hardly touched.

Robb set a tape recorder down on the coffee table in front of Tyrion. "Daenerys says we can take his statement but that we should record it, type it up, and get him to sign it. Because you're not a suspect on this case"—Jon looked up sharply but remained silent—"we don't have to worry about Miranda waivers. Also she wants to go on record as to saying she strongly suggests he have a lawyer present."

Tyrion waved his hand and shook his head. "No need. I'd fire my lawyer if I could, by my father is in charge of these matters. Though I may need another bottle of wine…"

Robb turned on the recorder. "This is detective Robb Stark and detective Jon Stark of the Westeros PD. We are here with Tyrion Lannister investigating the murder of Joffrey Baratheon. Please state your name for the record."

"Tyrion Lannister."

"Go ahead," prompted Jon.

"Where should I start?"

"The beginning."

.

It took most of the night, but Tyrion Lannister finally finished his story. He declined the boys' offer for a cab and waddled out the door.

"What do you think?" Jon asked.

Robb drew a cigarette from his pocket and beckoned for Jon to follow him onto the back porch. When they were outdoors, he offered another cigarette to Jon, who refused, then lit up and leaned against the railing. He took a few puffs before responding. "I think his statement will be the only true testimony that will come out of the Lannister family."

"I don't think it adds up."

Robb watched Jon for a minute before reaching down to scratch Grey Wind behind the ears. "What part?"

"Well, he was so eager to trash his sister, but never once did he mention Jaime's police record." Ghost nuzzled Jon's leg in seeming agreement. "He was also careful to point out everyone's motives but his own. And he himself proclaimed that when Joffrey began choking on the wine—that Tyrion himself gave him, mind you—when he began choking on the wine, he didn't lift a finger to help his nephew."

"It's not illegal to not help someone if they're not qualified."

Jon thought for a minute. "Then maybe we should check the family members for any medical assistance training. If any one of them had CPR training, we could at the very least call them to the station for negligence."

Robb nodded slowly. "I'm more worried about the tears we did and did not see."

"All eyes were dry except for the mother's."

"And she didn't begin to weep until she began letting accusations fly."

Jon scratched Ghost behind the ears. "The Lannisters are really messed up, Robb."

"I don't think we have any right to judge, Jon." Grey Wind nuzzled Robb's hand and whined. Both direwolves yawned simultaneously, and Robb followed suit. "Jon, I think we should go to bed. Let's talk more about this with Daenerys tomorrow morning."

Jon nodded and the two boys retired to their separate bedrooms.

The following morning, while the boys were eating breakfast, Robb called Daenerys and set up a meeting with the lawyer so they could begin to go over the case together. Most lawyers in the game of crimes chose not to meet with the detectives until they had set a trial date. Daenerys liked to work with the detectives on her cases every step of the way. Some detectives resented her for that, saying she had no right to put her nose in their business, but Robb and Jon found it refreshing. They had a 90% closure rate when Daenerys worked with them.

Daenerys met the half-brothers at the Westeros Police Department library. Today she was wearing a form fitting blue suit and blue high heels. She carried her trademark brown leather briefcase with her. Her nearly white hair was done up in intricate braids. She smiled at the police officers she passed, fully aware of the lecherous intent behind the looks she was receiving. Even Robb let his gaze linger over the beautiful woman. Jon, who swore an oath to himself of celibacy, merely scowled at his shoes.

The trio chose a secluded table on the second floor. Daenerys drew a laptop from her briefcase and started it up. Jon and Robb reached into their own briefcases and took out papers relevant to the case.

"Let's start from scratch," said Daenerys once she was ready. "We'll start with the facts we know, then work from there."

Robb began, "The victim is named Joffrey Baratheon. He was seventeen years old. He had been married off to Margaery Tyrell earlier that day and was attending his wedding reception where he choked and died. Cause of death is presumed to be either blockage of the airway by food…or poison."

Daenerys scowled. "I said let's start with the facts. You're speculating."

Jon picked up the story. "From the witnesses' testimonies, the following family members were attending the reception: Tywin Lannister, the groom's grandfather; Cercei Baratheon, the groom's mother; Jaime Lannister, the groom's uncle; Tyrion Lannister, the groom's uncle; Mace Tyrell, the bride's father; Alerie Tyrell, the bride's mother; Olenna Tyrell, the bride's grandmother; Loras Tyrell, the bride's brother; and, of course, the bride and groom themselves, Joffrey Baratheon and Margaery Tyrell. Any one of these could be our suspect."

Daenerys nodded. "We can discuss motive later. I agree, though, that our suspect—if indeed this is a murder and not an accident—that our suspect was most likely at that reception. We'll want to find out later if anyone else was in attendance and may have slipped out before the police arrived."

"You think they may be covering for someone?" Jon asked.

Daenerys bit her lip and chewed thoughtfully. "Now is not the time for speculation," she said finally. "Let's focus solely on the facts until we have a chance to talk to the medical examiner."

Robb piped in, "Daenerys, we recorded our conversation with Tyrion Lannister last night." He dug through his briefcase and retrieved the copy of the recording. He slid it across the table to Daenerys, who put it in her own briefcase. "While he didn't mention anyone had left the reception, he did mention two people of note who were never invited to the wedding."

"You think those two people may have conspired in this somehow?" Daenerys asked. "Again, we should only focus on the—"

"Facts, I know," Robb finished for her. "But this information may be important. The two missing from the wedding were the bride's other brother Garlan and the groom's father Robert."

Jon continued, "I think it may also be important to note that we know Robert Baratheon. Our father was in the army with him. We have an interview set up with him later this week."

Daenerys tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "I think it would be a good idea to tread carefully with him, especially if he's your father's friend. You may even want to consider having another detective interview Mr. Baratheon. In the meantime, let's write up a list of questions to ask during the interview. We wouldn't want to spook him in the early stages of the investigation, especially if it turns out later he's a suspect."

Robb had his jaw clenched as Daenerys spoke. "I agree about writing out beforehand what we should say, but Jon and I can interview him. It won't be a problem."

"Of course. It was just a suggestion." Daenerys sighed and closed the lid to her laptop. "I didn't mean to offend you, Robb. You know that I take this job very seriously."

"As do I with mine."

The lawyer stood up and smoothed her suit. "Let's adjourn for now. I don't think it will be very productive to continue with this conversation before we've heard from the medical examiner. Schedule another meeting with me after you've spoken with Maester Aemon."

The boys watched Daenerys leave, and when she was out of earshot, Jon said, "Robb, I think she has a point. Maybe we shouldn't interview Robert Baratheon."

Robb shot Jon a scathing look. "You don't have to be there, but I will not back down just because he's a friend of the family. If as the case progresses it turns out that he's a suspect, I won't let my personal feelings stand in the way of me doing my job."

"And I won't hesitate to call in the police chief if your personal emotions get in the way of this investigation."

Before Robb could respond, his cellphone rang, the jingle echoing through the library. Robb answered as quickly as possible before other visitors to the library could shush him.

"Hello?"

As he listened to the voice on the other line, a smile grew along Robb's face. "Already? That was so fast! I see… Thanks, Sam, we'll be right there!"

Robb stood up and slapped Jon happily across the back. "This must be a record for old Maester Aemon!" he chirruped. "Whoever said a blind medical examiner would never work out has a new force to reckon with!"

Jon was stunned. "Maester Aemon finished his examination already?" He packed up his things as they talked and followed Robb out to their car.

"Yeah, Sam said Maester Aemon didn't sleep well last night and came in early to work. He's napping now, but he left his notes with Sam. He said if he's not awake by the time we get there, that the report is straightforward enough that we can trust Sam with the details."

It did not take long for the boys to reach Maester Aemon's office. Jon always felt a sense of unease when he stepped into the morgue and preferred meeting in the office. Every time necessity mandated he go into the morgue, he was plagued for days by nightmares of the corpses sitting up in their beds with bright blue eyes boring holes through Jon, black hands creeping toward his throat…

Jon shuddered and shook the images from his head. He hoped they wouldn't have to look at the body and could conduct all their business from the office today.

When Samwell Tarly entered the office, Robb and Jon gave him their most encouraging smiles. On his good days, Sam was able to make eye contact with the half-brothers. At his worst, his words were a fragmented mess. Other detectives were always complaining about the young assistant, preferring to meet with the maester himself rather than "Señor Piggy," a nickname started by an extraordinarily vicious cop named Alliser Thorne. Thorne was currently suspended for shooting at an unarmed suspect, pending investigation. Jon for one hoped Thorne would never return to the force.

Luckily for the Stark brothers, Samwell seemed to be at his most confident.

Sam handed copies of Maester Aemon's reports to the two half-brothers. He highlighted the important points for them. "Maester Aemon found no evidence of food caught in his trachea. Therefore, he was able to rule out choking as a cause of death. Cause of death was later determined as histotoxic hypoxia."

"Which is…?"

"Basically his heart and lungs are functioning normally, but his cells aren't using the oxygen. The victim would be gasping for air but there wouldn't be anything anyone could do. Histotoxic hypoxia is usually caused by poison. We've sent off a blood sample to the toxicologist to determine which poison."

Jon asked, "Were there any signs of anyone trying to perform CPR?"

Sam shook his head. "No. We'd be able to tell because if you do CPR properly, you will break the victim's ribs. There was not even bruising around the victim's chest to indicate anyone attempting."

"Could you ask Maester Aemon to add that to the report?"

"Of course."

A small photograph of the head and upper torso of the victim was included in the report. Robb pointed at long, red marks along the victim's throat. "What are these?"

Sam quailed. Even photographs of corpses made him feel queasy. "Those marks are where the victim clawed at his throat. Some people, when they start choking and can't breathe, will start grabbing at their throat. Maester Aemon made a note of it on the second page, about halfway down."

Robb read that particular section, double checking that what Maester Aemon wrote matched with what Sam said.

"Anything else?" Jon asked of Sam.

Sam shook his head. "No, I don't think so. We sent the toxicologist your fax number, so you should be getting the details of their analysis."

"Thank you, Sam."

Jon and Robb left Sam and headed back to their own office. When they returned, Arya was sitting on Robb's desk, eating her lunch. Fast food wrappers littered Robb's desk, and he eyed the water ring left by her soda distastefully.

"So, what's new with the case?" she asked eagerly around a mouthful of food.

"We spoke with the medical examiner," said Jon. "Looks like poison."

Arya's eyes lit up with excitement. "Save me a copy of the toxicology report, please!"

"Only if you clean up this mess," Robb threatened.

Arya quickly grabbed the errant food wrappers and stuffed them in the trash. She pulled two fast food bags from behind her and handed one each to her brothers. "I brought you lunch."

Robb's scowl faded away and he accepted his lunch gratefully. "You really are a bundle of trouble, you know?"

Arya grinned. "Trouble is my middle name: Arya Trouble Stark." She chatted aimlessly while her brothers ate their lunch. When they finished, she waved good-bye and headed back to her internship in the forensics lab. The boys, meanwhile, began sorting through paperwork. At one o'clock, they met with the police chief and gave him a summary of the case so far. He agreed with their list of suspects and told them to work with Daenerys to get people down to the station for interviews.

Back at their desks, Jon asked Robb, "Who do you think we should interview first?"

Robb chewed on his lip thoughtfully. "It'll be difficult to get any of the Lannisters in here for an interview, especially if they catch wind that they're on our list of suspects."

"At least we already have a statement from Tyrion," said Jon. "Maybe we should try getting statements from the Tyrells first…the bride, perhaps."

Robb nodded. "That's a good idea. Let's talk to Daenerys and see if we can get Margaery to come down to the station. Looking further into this wedding could give us a better idea of motive, too."

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Last chapter I noted that I hadn't finished reading the books and so to please not spoil anything. I'm all caught up now, so that's no longer an issue.

Please review! I have a few ideas with this story, but at this point, it could go anywhere. If there's something you'd like to see later on, write a suggestion and I'll definitely consider it!