As it turns out I didn't faint. I wish I did though. I wish I fainted , hit my head and woke up in a world with Kenya still alive and all this having just been a nightmare. Wishful thinking.
I watch the houses and stores pass by as we drive down the road. Thankfully , my dad insisted on driving me to the station , so I dodged a bullet otherwise I'd be sitting in the back of the police van like a common criminal.
My left arm is red with nail marks , pinching myself to make sure I'm not still asleep and this is all a dream.
•••
Arriving at the station , Detective Winston shows us to the front desk , where I am told to leave my cell phone ,wallet ,watch and suffer through an uncomfortable body search. Apparently being interviewed is like being booked into jail. It's so surreal , a part of me feeling like this isn't happening to me. Honestly , it can't be.
Once done with the emptying of my pockets and the filling in of a document stating that this is only an interview to gather details for the case of Kenya Ross' kidnapping and murder.
Detective Winston ushers me into an interrogation room , my dad left behind seeing as I'm of age and won't need parental supervision. I was given the option but declined , I'm not being arrested. Just questioned. I hope.
The interrogation room is intimidating. A bare bulb hangs above a table with two chairs on either side. With a "mirror" against one wall. I've seen movies I know that's a two way glass mirror. I roll my eyes internally. Gosh this is so cliché.
Detective Winston takes a seat , his back facing the mirror and indicates with his head for me to take the seat opposite from him , facing the mirror.
I do just that and fold my hands on top of my lap. Briefly glancing around the room. Just as I thought , there's a camera in the corner adjacent to the mirror. Finally , letting my eyes land on Detective Winston. Only noticing now that he has a brown folder on the table in front of him.
There's a long moment of silence before he speaks.
" Do you mind if I record this interview?" He asks and now I really have to suppress an eye roll ,while he producers a small recording device from his jacket pocket.
Detective Winston isn't a local. He's from the city , here on loan to our pathetic police department. When it became evident that something had happened to Kenya he was called in. I heard through the grapevine that he was a big shot detective a couple years back but lost his touch after his wife and daughter were killed by one of his perpetrator's gang members.
So basically he is trying to regain his reputation in our town.
"Sure you can record" I answer , in reference to whether I minded or not if he did so.
He presses a button on the device and a red light appears. He pushes it to the middle of the table. Then speaks stating the time and the date for the benefit of the recorder. After introducing himself and I , he pauses for a moment.
" Okay , Miss Lockwood , just to be clear once again this interview is merely for the purpose of gathering information regarding to the case of Kenya Ross' kidnapping and murder. Whatever information you give us will be followed up if deemed important or relating to the case in any way. Everything you say during this interview will be confidential unless it is necessary to make the information public. If you wish to stay anonymous with regards to any information or statements that can be arranged. And at any time if you feel the need to end the interview you may do so. I can not hold you here as this is just an interview and you are not a suspect currently..."
Currently?
"...I would ask that you be completely honest with regard to your answers during this interview. Nothing no matter how insignificant may point us in the right direction ,so I plead that you hold your candor. My goal in this interview is to come to an understanding of the events leading to the victim's disappearance , which we now deem a kidnapping due to significant evidence. I also ask that once you leave this room you refrain from disclosing the details of the investigation or any information relating to it thus far as it is an ongoing investigation and a slip of information may derail the progress we have made and hope to make. Keep a safe distance from the media and if you are approached by any news crews or reporters ,I ask that you leave no comment ,as anything you may say can be twisted to deflect the truth. As I'm sure you're aware at this time , this case has received a lot of news coverage , both local and national. If any information is leaked and tracked back to you we will have no choice but to bring and keep you in custody. Charges may be pressed against you for such an action. The details of this case are very gruesome a tight lid has to be kept on it at all times..."
He trails off once he catches the look on my face , which I imagine to be sheet white and petrified. I can feel the sticky sensation of sweat forming on the back of my neck. Detective Winston looks at me and says
" Okay well I suppose that's enough of that. I'm sure you understand that this is a delicate matter and we don't want anything messing it up. " he raises his eyebrows in a gesture of confirming if I understood. I nod , not trusting my voice not to break.
He seems satisfied with my answer "Alright , let us begin the actual questioning then. Tell me about Miss Ross , Kenya , if you may. "
I take a second to gather my thoughts , wiping my clammy palms on my jean clad thighs. " Uhm...What would you like to know ?" I enquire.
"...how long have you been friends?" He asks
"Well pretty much since we were born , our families met while both our mothers were pregnant , so naturally we grew up to be friends , best friends-"I reply , I pause , sorting through my mind for a second "-All my early memories include her ."
He nods and looks down to the file which now lays open on the table ,but I can't read what's written from where I sit.
" Did Kenya have any enemies? Someone that may have wanted to hurt her , an enraged ex-boyfriend , a friendship turned sour ?
"What? No way. Everyone loves her , loved her. She was such a good person. During high close she only dated one guy and he moved away two years ago. Like I said everyone loved her. " I reply
He considers what I say for a moment then takes three A4 photographs out of the file. " The autopsy didn't just show us what was inside her body but also what was outside her body...-" he flips over the photos to show me , one is a shot of a neck , the other of a leg from the mid calf until the toes , the last one of a wrist , the skin displayed in all the photos is unnaturally colored.
I study the photographs for a while , a puzzling expression taking hold of my face
" I don't understand what you're showing me " I say as I look up towards the Detective.
" These photographs are of Kenya's body , taken before the actual autopsy was conducted. If you'll look right here-" he uses his pen to point at the first photograph , the one of the neck. "...you can see there are bruises around the neck , as if someone tired to choke her..."
I interrupt him briefly "Sorry could I get a glass of water please ?" My throat feels like I just swallowed sand paper.
"Yes of course." Detective Winston replies ,while turning around to face the mirror , inclining his head forward.
Ah huh! I knew it was a two way mirror. However , my triumph is short lived as the weight of this interview comes crashing down.
Two minutes later there is a knock on the door ,this seems to annoy the Detective as he calls a curt "Enter"
Moments after the water has been placed in front of me and the officer that brought it has left. I lift the plastic cup to my mouth grateful for the coolness sliding down my throat.
"As I was saying-" he continues without a hitch , "-it appears someone may have tried to strangle her , as you can see the imprints of the fingers here." He uses his pen as a pointer again. I simply nod.
" Also if you'll look here , round the wrist and ankles-" he indicates to the other two photos , "- these lacerations are most probably from being bound by a rope or chord of some sort. Our chief examiner seems to believe cable ties were used because they were able to cut through the flesh. " again I simply nod.
" So , this along with the fact that non of Miss Ross' personal belongings were taken from her home , seems to suggest she was kidnapped. " The Detective looks at me deeply before going on when he sees I have nothing to add.
" Miss Lockwood , to your knowledge , was Kenya an abuser of any illegal substances ? Alcohol or drugs ?"
I blink a couple times before I answer "No absolutely not! I mean yeah we'd have a beer or two at parties but that was it , nothing to make us high. And Kenya hated drugs. She would never take any. She wouldn't even smoke a cigarette."
"The autopsy shows a number of illegal substances in her blood system. Alcohol being the least noticeable , as well as opioids , otherwise know as narcotics. In her blood stream a number of such substances were present. Dominating above the rest was diacetylmorphine. Along with this substance we located talcum powder and rat poison , these two are used to cut the diacetylmorphine , thus creating a drug called heroin. "
I feel so dumbfound. I can't process what Detective Winston is saying right now because it all sounds too real to be true. No , Kenya hated drugs. Why would she take any. ?
" Further examination of the heart and internal organs show that the heroin in her system was not pure , which led to a swelling of the heart and finally cause of death has been ruled as a heart attack resulting from a bad batch of heroin that was most probably bought on the streets. So I will ask again Miss Lockwood , to your knowledge was Kenya an abuser of any illegal substances.?" I can see the fire behind his eyes as he looks deeply at me as if trying to catch a glimpse of my soul.
"No Detective , I have no knowledge of Kenya ever taking drugs of any kind. " I answer , my heart beating rapidly and the sand paper back and firmly lodged in my throat.
"All right. All that aside for now. I'm sure when you took a closer look at the body you noticed it was severely burnt in some areas. The scarred tissue was removed and run through a number of tests to determine the cause of the burns. Any likeminded being may think fire was the cause but the skin showed bubbles in between the cells , which a normal fire wouldn't cause. It would appear that the burns were caused chemically. The tests revealed that a cytotoxic agent was used. One called vesicant such as mustard gas or lewisite. Now here's where it gets interesting , for the bubbling of the cells to occur the cytotoxic agent has to be exposed to living tissue..."
"Oh my god. Was she-...Was she burnt alive?" I ask my voice emotion packed and on the verge of a whisper.
"Yes , it would appear that whoever did this to her had tried to burn her alive at first but when that didn't work they injected her with a poorly cut batch of heroin to induce a heart attack. Because there was no probable reason for Miss Ross' to tie herself up , attempt to burn herself and then inject herself with drugs knowing it would cause an overdose. This was a hate crime , a crime of pure hate and we see no signs of a struggle , which leads us to believe she knew her kidnapper turned killer. "
I was on the verge but now I'm over it. Dropping into a dark abyss , my heart splits and an anguished cry slips past my lips.
All I can think is that I lied. I lied to Detective Winston. I lied about Kenya's secret boyfriend. I lied.
•••
My brain is fired after this chapter!!
Anyway , hope you enjoy reading!!!!
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-Orii 🌻