Love & Hate – Chapter 15: Brody’s Story

Chapter 15 by Matt Wall

As Brody Mills, sat in the interrogation room, Chief Tim Dean, paced back and forth, on the other side of the table. 

“Now, tell me again what happened, Brody.”

“I told you! Five times, already!” Brody’s neck was visibly bruised from where Al Jackson tried to strangle the life out of him. “My head’s pounding. Can I please get some aspirin or something?”

“Tell me again what happened the night Ciri Jackson was assaulted.” Tim sat down across from Brody. “Then, I’ll get you some aspirin.”

He sighed. “I went to see Ciri. We had been seeing each other for sometime now.”

“Behind Van’s back.”

“Yes. Behind Van’s back.” Brody looked Tim in the eye. “I do think it’s a bit of a conflict of interest, you being the one to interrogate me.”

“Because Van is my son?”

“Exactly.”

Tim waived his arm at the two-way mirror in the room. Seconds later, Detective Granger entered. “Is that better?” Tim asked.

“It is. Thank you.” Brody cleared his throat. “I went to meet her because she texted me that Van was scaring her. She said that he knew something was going on and that she wanted to see me. I had another half-hour on my shift and told her that I would meet her in the alley behind the bar when I got off work. When I got there, she was already on the ground.” Tears rolled down Brody’s cheeks. “She wasn’t moving. I thought she was dead. Before I could check, Van ran out of the shadows, shouting at me.”

“What was he shouting?” Granger asked.

“That I attacked her and how could I do that to her. He said he already called the cops and then he called 911 for an ambulance. I knew that he would want to fight and I didn’t want any trouble. I just wanted Ciri to get to a hospital. I think Van was there the whole time. I think he was the one who hurt Ciri.”

Tim rubbed his hands together and spoke calmly. “You better watch what you say about my son.”

“Why? Are you going to send someone else into my cell to try to kill me? Or was that a one off? I didn’t need to turn myself in. I don’t need this crap.”

“Why did you?” Granger asked. “Why did you turn yourself in. We weren’t looking for you.”

“Because, Allie lied. She meant well, but I don’t want any fingers pointed my way. I thought it would be best if I brought her down her and made her come clean.”

Granger shook her head. “Allie is sticking to her story. She says you two were together all night.”

“If that was the case, why would I tell you this?”

“Because you know your alibi wouldn’t work,” Tim said, through gritted teeth.

Brody threw his hands up in the air. “If you want to keep me here, that’s fine. But between your son, Chief Dean, being the one that I think attacked Ciri, and the fact you allowed the victim’s father into my cell to try to kill me, I’m pretty sure, this will get thrown out of court. If you are done with your questions, could you either release me or take me to the hospital to get checked out? Please?”

They sat in silence for a moment. Then, Chief Dean spoke on the intercom. “Andy, you can take Mills back to his cell.” Moments later, Andy came in and walked Brody out of the room.

Melanie didn’t want to speak first, but the silence was deafening. “He should be taken to the E.R. Just so he can’t come back later and say that we had anything to do with his attack.”

Tim sighed slowly. “I know.”

“He’s also right about your relation to the case. He was already attacked by the victim’s father. Being arrested and charged by the victim’s boyfriend’s dad, won’t help matters.”

“I can’t just release him!”

“Think about it, Chief. You might have to.”