Chapter Three:

It wasn't until an hour later that Detectives Flynn and Vega encountered Matthew Walker outside one of the local coffee shops. The man was a splitting image of everything that represented a bad boy. So much that Angie was certain that if she looked up the definition of bad boy she would find a picture of him. He was a tall skinny man with long oily hair, the kind she would have dated back in high school before her tastes became more defined. Nowadays, she preferred men who were sharp dressers and overall the good guys.

He was leaning against the brick building eyeing the detectives indignantly. "You think I'm a suspect," he questioned as he kicked his boot across the gravel, sending a few stones flying in all directions. He adjusted his leather coat over his shoulders and narrowed his eyes at them.

Vega shot her a curious glance from over his shoulder, flipping open his notepad and reaching to pull out a pen from his coat pocket. "Actually, we said we wanted to ask you a few questions. Suspect is a strong word to be throwing around, don't you think?"

Matthew raked a hand through his hair nervously, stopping to rub along the base of his neck in thought. He sighed and leaned his head back against the brick wall. "Listen, detectives, I've been arrested before. I know how this works. But I'm guessing that you already knew that. I'm sure you've read my file by now, seen that I have a record." He watched as Flynn and Vega exchanged glances before he continued, almost snorting at how easy they were to read. "I would appreciated if we could make this quick. I'm starting my new job today."

Angie arched one of her brows and shoved her hands into her pant pockets. He did get one thing right, they did read his file and he did have quite the troubled past. He had dropped out of high school in the tenth grade, started experimenting with drugs; even had been arrested before, though mostly for minor offenses ranging from underage drinking to breaking and entering. His worst crime was roughing up a girlfriend, which judging from the report the girlfriend was equally involved. "So where's this new job at," she asked innocently enough, glancing in the direction of her partner.

Matthew glanced back and forth between them with an annoyed facial expression. "Ace Mechanics," he finally answered. "I got a job working in the back of the shop."

"If you want we can give them a call," Vega began. "See if they would mind us coming down there to ask you a few questions regarding the murder of your mother."

"Jesus Christ," Matthew fumed, kicking the dirt-covered ground once more. "You're going to get me fired before I even start."

"Well then I suggest you answer our questions now," Vega replied, his face void of emotion.

"Let's start with what we do know," Angie spoke from beside her partner and folded her arms across her chest. "We know that you spent the last three months in rehab and we also know that you were released on the same exact day that your mother was murdered. That's one hell of a coincidence."

Vega nodded his head for emphasis. "I'd say."

Matthew sprung forward off the wall then; his arms moving wildly in front of him. "You think I killed my mom," he spit the words out almost with precise venom.

Angie watched him for a moment, noting the evident pain sketched along his features, seeing the way his shoulders sloped and how his eyes changed colors instantly, he didn't look like a guilty man. He looked like a hurt one.

"You need to calm down," Vega interjected, positioning his self slightly in front of her. His movements were automatic and if he had been anyone other than her partner, she would have already been protesting, informing everyone in the room, loud and clear, that she was more than capable of taking care of herself. But she knew that he knew that, so she pretended to have not noticed the gesture. And besides, if she was honest, she kind of liked how he was so protective over her.

Matthew took a breath and a step back, trying to collect some of his composure. "Look," he started to say. His voice was calmer than it was a moment before and Vega stepped back, relaxing slightly. "I called her the night I was due to be released," he continued, glancing between them. "I wanted to see if she could pick me up, give me a ride. Maybe a place to crash while I tried to get my life back in order."

"How did that go," Vega asked.

Matthew shrugged his shoulders. "It didn't," he said. "She never answered the phone. I left her a message, but she never called back. That was the end of it. The next day I was released, she wasn't there. I never saw her." He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a cigarette, placing the butt between his lips and reached for his lighter.

"Rather you didn't, son," Vega told him, cutting his actions off abruptly.

Matthew rolled his eyes displeased, but placed the cigarette away.

"You didn't think it was strange that she never called you back," Angie asked. "I mean, you're her only child and you just got out of rehab…don't you find that a little…" She paused, thinking about the right choice of words. "Odd," she finally settled on.

"Yeah, it's a little strange," Vega agreed.

"I mean," Angie continued. "As a mom myself I couldn't imagine turning my back on my son."

"Is your son addicted to heroin? Has he ever looked you straight in the face and told you an outright lie? Ever steal whatever he could get his hands on just so he could fix?"

Angie shook her head. Outside of the occasional speeding ticket and missing curfew here and there, Manny was an amazing child. He barely cried as a baby and as he got older, it was clear he had gotten his independent streak from her. He learned from his mistakes and had dreams and ambitions and despite her many mistakes, her son turned out to be quite the young man.

"I didn't think so," Matthew said softly. "She was tired. I don't blame her. I would have been tired, too. She gave me so many chances and I messed every one of them up. This time it was going to be different and now…" His voice broke and for a moment Angie thought he might cry, but somehow he managed to collect himself once more. "And now I'll never have the chance to make it up to her."

"Were you angry when she didn't show up," Vega asked; once more provoking their suspect. Angie reached up a gloved hand and placed it sternly on her partner's upper arm. He glanced at her and narrowed her eyes. She knew that sometimes he thought she came off too soft, but really she was just going off her intuition. Sometimes their person of interest screamed guilty and other times they screamed innocent. Sometimes it was just that way, that black and white. And other times they came across the gray area, where things and people weren't as clear. Her gut was telling her that Matthew didn't kill his mom and that Vega didn't have to push so hard.

"Not angry enough to kill her if that's what you're suggesting." Matthew replied.

"Well then you wouldn't mind telling us where you were that night," Vega stated, still looking Angie in the face. She allowed her arm to fall back down to her side.

"I was at an AA meeting. You can call my sponsor and ask him if you don't believe me." Matthew pulled out his wallet and opened it up, searching for a card. "This is his information. We have meetings every Monday night, in one of the empty offices that the hospital provides. I'm sure the hospital keeps a log and I'm sure there are plenty of witness that saw me." He glanced at his watch. "Detectives, are there any more questions or am I free to go?"

"You're free to go," Vega said, stepping back to let him pass. "But don't go too far," Vega called out to his retreating form. Matthew didn't even turn back around. "What do you think," Vega asked, returning his attention to his partner.

"He's a questionable character, there's no doubt about that," she said, eyeing the vacant spot left by their suspect. "But I don't take him as a killer."

Vega chuckled softly to himself and Angie whipped her head around to glare at him. "What's so funny?"

"Let me guess," he said. "You can feel his pain."

"Shut-up," she griped, pushing him hard on the shoulder. "And yes, I could sense his pain. He didn't kill his mom. He wanted to make amends. It's sad, really." For a moment, she thought about her own relationship with her son and how lucky she really was.

Vega rolled his eyes. "Is that what you're going to tell the boss man? If so, I can't wait to see this. 'I think he's innocent, sir. I can just feel it.'" He even attempted to do her voice.

"I do not sound like that," she snapped, scrunching her face at him. "Oh, you're in trouble for that one," she teased. "Yup, just for that you're buying lunch."

"Ouch," Vega said. "Hurt a man where it counts. But don't plan on ordering the most expensive thing on the menu."

"What are you talking about," Angie asked, giving a broad smile and looping her arm through his. "I plan on ordering one of everything on the menu."

Vega laughed as she laid her head on his shoulder, hiding her own smile. She was only partly joking.