Page 84 of Letting Go
“According to my research, Marcie Claire is originally from Charleston, South Carolina. When she was fourteen, her wealthy family continued their family tradition of sending her to Brighton Ellis Academy where she was considered a legacy enrollment as her mother, mother-in-law, and both of her grandmothers had attended B.E.A. Marcie Claire’s parents grew up in South Carolina, but her maternal grandmother was from Newark, New Jersey. After graduating, Marcie Claire attended college in Nashville where she met her future husband, Clark Riley. When they got married, they moved back to Clark’s hometown of Forrest Falls, Tennessee.”
“Alright, thanks Mason. I think it’s time to invite myself to the party,” I tell him as I place my hand on the doorknob to the interrogation room. “Will you take notes and let me know if there’s anything I need to circle back to?” I ask him while I put my earpiece back in.
“Yes sir,” he replies as he inserts his own earpiece. I knock twice to let my team members know I’m entering the small interrogation room.
“My apologies for being late, I hope y’all didn’t start without me,” I say as I nod at my team members.
Kelly stands and offers his seat. “Perfect timing sir, I was just about to step out for a moment,” he says as he lets me take his seat and exits the room. I’m sure he wasn’t actually planning on stepping out, but Kelly knows the interrogation will be more effective without Marcie Claire feeling attacked by having three agents questioning her.
“We haven’t had the chance to officially meet, ma’am, but I am FBI Special Agent Henry Walker Bennett.” I start shifting papers around on the table, shuffling them until I have the document I want placed one sheet below the top of the pile.
“I know who you are, and I know exactly what you’re doing here,” Marcie Claire says as her eyes narrow. “I’ve seen you around my town and today I saw you as you yelled at me in my own house. I see how you look at Vivian Callahan, but she is not yours, she belongs with my Chase. You cannot have her.”
“That’s interesting, Mrs. Riley, as I thought I heard your son was actually engaged to someone else. But I also heard you and his fiancé don’t have the best relationship,” Tara chimes in, assuming her role as bad cop without needing me to explain what I need from her during this interrogation. Marcie Claire shoots daggers at that comment but doesn’t say anything in response.
“Now, now, Agent White, we all know how a small town can be and how easy rumors can fly. I’ve personally always found the best gossip has a kernel of truth in it, don’t you think, ma’am?” Giving me a harrumph, Marcie Claire refuses to offer any other response.
“Maybe that’s not on you, some people can just be difficult to get along with, despite our best efforts.” She slightly leans toward me, giving me the smallest of nods in agreement. “My mama always said some people are just born prickly pears and despite its efforts, a tiger can’t change its stripes.”
“Your mama sounds like a wise woman, although saying that about Chloe may be offensive to tigers,” Marcie Claire replies with a small smile.
That’s right, keep lowering those defenses, and let your guard down. I don’t need much to work with here. I doubt it will take much effort to shake Marcie Claire’s confidence and get her to break.
“I heard she doesn’t get along with her son’s fiancé because the two of them are actually so similar. Isn’t that interesting, Agent Bennett?” Tara asks me as though we are talking to each other, instead of trying to get Marcie Claire to talk to us.
“Well Agent White, they do say men tend to marry women that are like their mothers, just like daughters marry men like their fathers,” I tell her.
“That girl is nothing like me,” Marcie Claire harrumphs. “The fact I do not care for her is no secret, and I don’t know what that has to do with anything or why I’m even here. And where is my husband? He’s my attorney and should be here.” Marcie Claire glares at Tara before looking down at her folded hands in her lap.
“We can definitely check on that, ma’am,” I say as I look to the two-way glass and nod, knowing Mason will see if any attorney has shown up for her yet.
“But when I just came through the lobby, I didn’t see Mr. Riley or anyone asking to see you.” That piece of information seems to surprise Marcie Claire, as though her husband should be here helping her even though she pointed a gun at him earlier today. “Although, while we wait, can I share an interesting story with you, Marcie Claire? I have a feeling you might like this one.”
She narrows her eyes and levels me with a glare. “What story would that be, Agent Bennett?”
“It is quite the tale, and maybe Agent White has more to add as it’s all unfolded rather quickly today, but one thing you should know about me, Marcie Claire, is that I’m a bit of a visual storyteller,” I say as I pull out the photo I placed in the stack when I first came in.
Marcie Claire looks at the photo Mason unearthed of the group of couples laughing together at a beach resort. She should recognize the photo as she is in it, along with her husband Clark, hersupposed best friend Angela Bruno, and Angela’s husband, Gio Bruno.
“Where did you get that?” Marcie Claire whispers as her eyes widen and she pushes the photo away before leaning back in her chair.
“The where doesn’t really matter, Marcie Claire, and honestly even the why doesn’t matter right now either, but what does matter in my tale is how this photo, along with the events of today, all connect to a murdered cardiologist in Chicago. I believe you know his widow, Vivian Stone. In fact, I know you know her as you shot her earlier today.” My good guy approach didn’t last long but my anger is preventing me from playing it too cool. “Do you care to explain and help us understand how this all happened?”
“I’m sure I don’t know what you are talking about,” Marcie Claire meekly says. Her misplaced confidence faded quickly once I placed the group photo on the table.
“But I think you do, Marcie Claire. I think you know exactly how this all unfolded and how you called in a favor to your son’s biological father, a one Mr. Giovanni Bruno who is affiliated with the Bianchi crime family syndicate out of New York. That request you made resulted in the murder of Dr. Trent Stone.”
Marcie Claire’s face pales and her mouth opens in shock as I continue, “I want us to be on the same page here, ma’am. Are you surprised I know that piece of information about your son’s paternity or have your actions of today finally registered and you realize how much trouble you’re in?”
One of my team members knock twice on the door, and Mason steps in to hand me a folder before silently exiting the room. I open the folder and start reading. I lean over so Tara can also look at the documents, but I prevent Marcie Claire from seeing the folder’s contents.
“If my story has shocked you so far, then Marcie Claire, this is going to really blow you away. You may not be aware of this, but when a federal investigation is ongoing, we are able to not only get warrants quickly, but we are able to execute them much quicker than local police forces. Earlier today, when my team connected you to Gio Bruno, we had our legal team file a warrant for your cell phone and cell phone records. When you were taken into custody earlier today after shooting Ms. Stone, it was quite helpful your cell phone was sitting right there on the kitchen counter waiting for us. I will admit though, for as smart as you are, I’m surprised you were so brazen to chat with your former lover on your cell phone.”
Marcie Claire’s eyebrows shoot up so high they almost touch her hairline.
“Oh no, did he forget to tell you that you should use a burner for these conversations, Marcie Claire?” Tara asks innocently. “That feels like it should be basic mobster logic.”
“I would assume it is, but I’m sure he assumed she would know that,” I tell Tara. Marcie Claire shifts in her seat and her cheeks redden with anger as she realizes we’re reading what she thought were private text message exchanges between her and Gio.
