So here's part 9 of this series. This particular one is a prequel to Confronting A Killer, and takes place 2-3 days before the events of that particular fic.

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Charra Loon - I absolutely agree with you!

DaleJr.88 - What can I say, except... wow! Thank you for the lovely Reviews and the feedback. As an author, it really means a lot to me when someone takes the time to give me feedback on my work, and especially so when they Review all the chapters of my work at once. Those are wonderful ideas and I'll happily use them in the future. In fact, this particular chapter was actually inspired (at least partly) by one of them.

Disclaimer - You've probably already figured this out, but I don't own Criminal Case.


From the moment Frank and I stepped into the interrogation room where Andre sat, the two of us were in complete control of the room. "Andre Roche, you're under arrest for the disgusting murder of Scott Lee Allan" Frank said.

"What? I ain't done nothing! You can't prove anything!"

I smiled victoriously. This was the part of investigations that I (usually, with only one exception so far in my career), enjoyed most of all. And with the evidence we had? There was no way he was getting away with what he'd done to his former cellmate. "See, that's where you're wrong. We can prove it alright. We can prove everything".

I sank into the chair across from Andre, placing a file on the table between us and lazily flipping it open. "We found the packet of Rat Attract you covered the victim in. You left powder from your sleeping pills on it".

Andre was getting nervous already. This was going to be almost disappointingly easy. "I… I don't ever know what Rat Attract is!"

Frank raised an eyebrow. "Really? We also found the rat trap you used and carelessly left behind, Andre. Were you afraid that the Rat Attract wasn't going to be enough?"

"That could be anybody's! Lots of people collect rats!"

"Give it up, Andre! We know you killed Scott Allan! But what we really want to know is how you thought you could attack a member of our team and get away with it!" Frank snapped.

I nodded. "You frightened her pretty badly, Scott. No doubt you thought that by attacking and scaring her you could get us to drop the investigation. But you made a mistake. You broke the mask. You broke the mask and left it lying in the street and we were able to find it. I put it back together and we used it to jog our teammate's memory of the attack. And the first thing she remembered? Your eyes, Scott. Your green eyes gave you away".

"Lots… Lots of people have green eyes".

Andre was sweating now. Visibly so. It wouldn't be much longer before he gave up entirely. "How many of those people also drink whiskey, have military training, take sleeping pills and have a tattoo? I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Andre sighed. "I guess you got me… I hope that girl wasn't too freaked out. I admit the mask might have been too much, but I needed to scare you off my trail! I was so mad when Scott refused to tell me where he'd hidden his treasure! I was tired of being taken for a fool! So today, when I saw him in the street… I knew it was my chance to finally get revenge for his bullying! I devised a plan. I knew how much he hated rats from when we shared a cell together, so I collected as many of them as I could, and then I lured him to the theatre. I swear I only meant to torture him! I just wanted him to tell me where the money was! And once he did, I tried to untie him but the rats… the rats were so hungry… I couldn't get them off him! They ate… they ate him alive!"

And there's the motive rant… I love this part. Frank looked absolutely disgusted by what we'd just been told. I leaned forward in my chair, staring directly at the tattooed man. "You played yourself. You made the mistake of messing with one of our team members and trying to stop us from investigating. All you did was make us even more determined to catch you. You see, Andre Roche, you mess with one of us… we come down on you very, very hard indeed".

I held up my handcuffs, jingling them cheerfully. "Now. Stand up and put your hands behind your back".

He did as he was told. I assumed he didn't want to risk making things any worse than they already were. "I don't suppose you'll tell us where the treasure is, spare us the trouble of finding out for ourselves?"

My query was met with stony silence. I shook my head, tossing the handcuffs to Frank. "Can't say I'm really surprised. Didn't think you'd fall for that. The honour's all yours, partner".

As Frank moved behind Andre and clicked the cuffs onto the killer's wrists, I smiled victoriously. "Andre Roche, you are officially under arrest for the torture and murder of Scott Lee Allan and the attack on Pacific Bay Police Department Junior Officer Amy Young. You have the right to remain silent. However, anything that you do say will be taken into evidence and can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand these rights as I have read them to you?"

I technically didn't have to read him his rights, but I'd developed the habit of doing it during my time in Grimsborough and I enjoyed doing it. There was a sense of finality to the whole thing . "I understand".

I nodded. "Good. Oh, and by the way? The first thing you said in here. The whole "I ain't done nothing!" thing? You're right, just… probably not in the way you imagined. You see, 'ain't done nothing' is a double negative, meaning it contradicts itself and becomes a positive. In this case 'did something'. Your second sentence already established that you'd done something. It was just a matter of words until you admitted exactly what that was".

I walked over to the door and held it open as Frank led a handcuffed Andre over. "Let's get him to court".

Once we'd got over to the court, the trial started quickly. Andre Roche had declined a lawyer because of the amount of evidence that we had against him as well as the fact that our entire conversation from when we arrested him had been recorded and admitted into evidence, and he stood there, hands cuffed behind him. Judge Dante, impressive as ever in his black judge's robes, entered and sat down in his chair, looking down at the man. "Let's make this trial quick. My car was stolen by the looters and I need to take the bus home today. Andre Roche, I understand you murdered your former cellmate with rats?"

"Yes, Your Honour".

The judge shook his head in disbelief. "Don't you know that Pacific Bay rats are a protected species? And human flesh is incredibly bad for the digestion. Who knows how many rats are scurrying around Jazz Town tonight with upset stomachs because of what you've done! You ought to be ashamed of yourself!"

The judge paused for a minute before delivering the sentence, and I spent that time reflecting on the fact that Judge Edward Dante was more bothered, at least in this case, by the fact that some rats were running around town with upset stomachs than he was by the actual murder. Before I had time to think any further into the whole situation, though, he spoke again. "Therefore, for the murder of Scott Lee Allan and the indigestion you caused to those poor creatures, I sentence you to 40 years in jail. And you shall have a cell mate who snores!"

Andre Roche looked shocked. Guess he wasn't expecting that big a sentence. "What?! But... But you can't do that!"

"Of course, I can, I'm the judge! But I may show lenience if you tell the Court where you hid Scott Allan's treasure..."

"After what I had to do to get it?! No way in hell! That treasure will be waiting for me when I get back out!" Andre snapped.

Judge Dante shook his head. "Spoilsport. Very well. Bailiff, get him out of here. Court is adjourned!"

After the trial, Frank and I stood together on the steps of the courthouse. Frank looked pleased with himself. "Well, Josh, that's another case solved! I'm impressed you managed to keep your cool when faced with such disgusting stuff! I don't know how on earth you do it, honestly!"

I gave my partner a cheeky smile. "And that's exactly how I like it. At least for the foreseeable future, anyway. I've got to preserve some of the mystery around why I'm so good at my job. Otherwise where's the sense of drama?"

Frank laughed. "I get that. I wouldn't have expected a weasel like Andre would have been capable of murder... But I guess when you bully people too much, they can end up tormenting other people in turn... Anyway! Now we can FINALLY rest! I can't decide whether to have a beer or go to bed... Maybe I'll have a beer IN bed!"

I'd been expecting him to make a comment about beer, so I wasn't surprised when he did, but I couldn't help but laugh at his comment anyway. "Actually, that last one sounds like a really good idea. I'm gonna go see Amy, though. Russell says she's feeling better, but I'd like to check on her anyway. I'll see you later, partner".

He nodded as we walked down the stairs, both of us going our separate ways. "See you later".


Songs for this update are:

I Lived, by One Republic
Dancing In The Moonlight, by Jubel