AN: Wow, that was a fast update :) I hope you enjoy this too, read, review and.... feel :)
Chapter 6
10 a.m. Horatio sat in the interrogation room, opposite to Duke Arman Wolfe. Before Horatio started asking questions, he eyed the man. Even if he didn't know the name, he would have immediately guessed that he was related to Ryan. The same shade of brown hair, the same way of frowning, the same way of sitting on a chair… The only difference Horatio could make out was that this man had nothing of Ryan's warm attitude. He shook his head a bit and started with the interrogation.
"Mr Wolfe, I want to thank you for coming over so fast… I'm sure this must have been a shock for you to hear about your brother…"
Duke grinned a bit, "To be honest, Lieutenant, it's not. I always knew this way of living would bring him into trouble eventually. Of course, I'm a bit shocked that he has been kidnapped, but to say it surprised me would be a lie."
"I see…" Horatio thought a bit about how to go on. He believed that Duke wasn't involved in the kidnapping. After all, he was a soldier. And Horatio believed they were, apart from any exceptions, the good ones. But maybe he had one of this exceptions right in front of him. He had to put it to the test. "Mr Wolfe, when did you last see your brother?"
"A long time ago, Lieutenant. I don't know exactly, but around ten to twelve years ago. We never had the best of relationships, even when we were children. I think it must be twelve years. Maybe even more." Horatio was at a lack of words. This man didn't even remember approximately at what time he had seen his brother the last time, while his son was able to remember the exact date… 8/12/97…But he decided to not say anything about that.
"Mr Wolfe… we searched your brother's flat and found this…" He showed Duke a picture of the belt. "We found DNA of three people on it. One of it being yours…"
Duke watched the picture a few seconds and then grinned, "And you want to know how my brother got it?"
"Indeed I do, Sir…"
"The evening we met for the last time, he was at my house. We had a huge fight. In the course of that fight, my brother stormed into my office, took the belt and left again."
"You didn't stop him?"
"Why would I? He's been stealing stuff since he was nine years old… Just out of curiosity, have you ever met my brother?"
"As a matter of fact I haven't…"
"I see… and you said you found… DNA from three different donors on it?"
"We did."
Now Duke grinned even more, "Then I wonder how you concluded that it was my belt. Since you could never ask my brother about it, you couldn't know for sure it wasn't his, or the other one's. Unless… you had a third source…."
Horatio froze. Now, he had made a mistake. The man was completely right; without Ryan's statement, Horatio would have had no idea that the belt belonged to Duke. The man had just tricked him. First of all by asking if he wondered how Ron had gotten it. By saying yes instead of asking if it was Duke's belt at all, Horatio had revealed that he knew from the start whom the belt belonged to. And by asking the question whether or not he had ever met Ron, Duke had wanted to make sure that it wasn't Ron who had told Horatio. And thus concluded that the team actually had somebody telling them the truth, someone NOT being Ron. And of course, Duke knew who that somebody was. Horatio took a shot.
"Mr Wolfe, with all due respect, but don't underestimate my team. Your DNA was found on the whole belt including the buckle. We're not idiots; why else would your DNA be on the buckle if you're not the owner…."
"Of course… Well, as I said, he stole the belt from me."
"You have any idea why?"
"I don't think this is of any importance here."
"That's for me to decide…"
Duke leaned forward, "Okay, then, if you think you need it. He stole it because he wanted to give the boy I used to call my son the chance to press charges against me for beating him up." Of all the answers, Horatio had not expected that one. The man in front of him admitted having abused his son…. what he used to call his son… Horatio smiled a bit and then asked:
"So practically he didn't really steal it, but you knew he had it?"
"And you're not asking about my choice of words… Lieutenant, I've spent more than half of my life interviewing people. I know how to do it. And I dare to say, from what I saw today, I know better than you how to do it, since I got you twice. Where is Ryan?"
Since Duke knew it, Horatio saw no need in denying it anymore, "Ryan is not a part of this case, Sir."
"You must have interviewed him on the case. Or otherwise, you wouldn't know anything about it."
"I interviewed him about his uncle. And about the belt. I know what you have done to him."
"I put him in his place."
"You abused him."
"This conversation is over, Lieutenant. Unless you have anymore questions concerning the kidnapping of my brother, I have nothing to say anymore." Duke got up from his chair and left the interrogation room. On his way outside, he passed Ryan, who had waited around the corner, wanting desperately to see his father. Duke looked at him for a second but then he walked on. Ryan watched his father walking away. He had to lean against the wall. His father's reaction was a slap in the face. It was worse than any insult or beating he ever received. He didn't even recognize me…His own father didn't even recognize him… He heard his cell phone ringing. With trembling fingers he flipped it open.
"Ryan Wolfe?"
"Ryan, this is Ann. Ann Evans. Listen, I had something in my mail today… Ron's ring. You know, the golden ring? What shall I do with it?"
"Don't touch it anymore. I'll send someone of the team over to collect it." He closed the cell. Ron's ring. Somebody had to have taken it off his finger… Oh lord please, let there be DNA from the kidnapper on it… He put the phone away. Something was odd. He raised his head- and immediately felt as if somebody had punched him. His father was there. Standing in front of him. Looking at him. It occurred to Ryan in a split second. He had answered his phone with his name. And his father must have heard it. Now he looked at him, his eyes cold as steel. Ryan felt his legs shaking, his knees shaking…. He couldn't help but lowering his head. He had to. He was still afraid. Duke grinned a bit:
"Ryan Wolfe, eh?"
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Uh, cliffhanger... Evil me....