“What are you doing?” Nick asks staring at the weird symbol AJ had scratched out on the paint.
“I was trying to draw a lock,” AJ says staring at the jumbled symbol.
“It looks like an apple.”
“It’s supposed to be a lock.”
“I knowww it looks like an apple,” Nick points at it.
“Shut up Carter. Why couldn’t I have been stuck with one of the other guys?”
Nick shrugs.
“So did you see anything?” AJ asks turning around and looking at Nick.
“No,” Nick says staring at him, “You?”
“Nothing,” AJ says, “They’re probably gonna put the blame on my anyway though.”
“Oh please,” Nick says, “They aren’t gonna put the blame on you just because you’re a gang member.”
“I don’t trust cops,” AJ says bluntly, “I never have. I never will.”
“So who do you think did it?”
“You,” AJ says seriously and then brakes into a smile as he sees Nick’s shocked face, “No I dunno. I think the rich guy did it.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah.”
“Well I didn’t do it,” Nick says before taking a pause, “ You didn’t do it did you?”
AJ smirks, “What do you think?”
Detective Cicero stares at Nick from across the familiar table and clasps his hands together. Falco was sitting next to him with a pad of paper and a pen out ready to take notes, which he thought was pointless because they had the tape recorder again.
“Nick?”
“Yes.”
“Was AJ smoking in the back alley of the Den?”
“Yes, I think he was.”
“Was he alone?”
“I’m not sure why?”
“Nevermind.”
Nick stares at him and mutters okay.
“Nick where were you a week ago today between the times of 8 pm and midnight?”
Nick stares at him, “I don’t know.”
“Think.”
“I don’t know probably at my house.”
“What does this have to do with the murder at the Den?”
“I’m just asking that’s all. Nick how come you moved to New York?”
“I don’t know. I just always wanted to live here. It just seemed so full of life to me. I only lived a few miles outside of New York, so it wasn’t that big of a change.”
“How are you money wise?”
“Not that good. I can afford an apartment and the necessities, but that’s about it.”
“What’s it like in the area you live in?”
“Not that good, but not that bad either. I mean we have all the same problems that a lot of other streets have. The area is run by the Locks and you see them walking around a lot. They aren’t bad guys though. You have drug dealers, fights and shootings every so often, but that happens all over.”
“You know the Locks are on surveillance by the police at this time?”
Nick shrugs, “I can’t remember a time when they weren’t under some kind of surveillance.”
Cicero nods, “Nick what was your childhood like?”
“Good I guess. My family wasn’t poor, but they weren’t rich either. I had a good amount of younger sisters and one brother, three younger sisters and one younger brother to be accurate. We were middle class I guess, but not the upper middle class. My dad and mom owned a small restaurant and we all lived above it. I went to school played sports and graduated. I haven’t lived an exciting life if you get my drift. We were a typical family I think.”
“Ok.”
“Nick how come you were suspended from your high school?” Falco interrupts.
“Oh it was nothing really,” Nick says, “It was taken way out of hand. I had a bad temper with some of the people in my school and said a couple of things I shouldn’t have.”
“Such as?” Falco says.
“Threats. I threatened to kill them if they didn’t back off, but I didn’t really mean it. I mean I was just really upset.”
“But you did hurt one of them didn’t you?”
“Yeah John Natalie. I beat him up that’s all.”
“Beat him up Nick you put him into a coma,” Falco says as Nick glares at him.
“He deserved it. He didn’t care about anyone, but himself and he didn’t know when to stop. I taught him a lesson,” Nick says, “It’s not like I killed him.”
“Nick do you have an anger problem?” Cicero asks staring at him.
“Anger problem?” Nick asks, “No.”
“Nick we are sending all of you to see a psychiatrist tomorrow ok?”
“All of us?”
“All five of you.”
“Not just me?”
“All five of you,” Cicero says, “I swear.”
“Ok,” Nick nods.
“Ok we’ll see you tomorrow then,” Cicero says standing up and Falco follows him out of the room.
“So you think he has an anger problem?” Falco asks Cicero asks they walk over to the next room.
“He might or he might just have gotten very angry that time. The psychiatrist will be able to tell us tomorrow for sure,” he says opening the door to the next room and walking in with Falco following.
“Hello sunshine,” AJ says smiling at them from his chair and his feet up on the table.
“AJ where were you a week ago today between the times of 8 pm and midnight?” Cicero asks.
“Do you really wanna know?” AJ asks leaning forward over the table.
“Yes,” Cicero says.
“I was killing someone,” he says and then breaks into a smile, “Oh give me a break. I was hanging out with my boys playing craps. Like I would actually kill someone.”
“You know that’s illegal,” Falco says.
“So what ya gonna do arrest me again?” AJ says, “I’m shaking.”
“AJ when did you join the Locks?” Cicero asks.
“I was sixteen when I joined them, but I guess you can say I was always part of them. Conrad and I were best friends growing up. We lived right next door to one another.”
“Ok what was your childhood like?”
“My childhood? My childhood was worth shit. I never was a child,” AJ says.
“How could you not be a child?”
“My mom worked her ass off and I hardly saw her. On the other hand my dad was home all the time and I saw him too much for my own good. You wanna talk about people that should be put behind bars there’s a prime candidate.”
“Did he hit you?”
“Yeah,” AJ nods, “If I so much as made one wrong move I would get smacked around. Let alone when he was drunk. I used to hide in my room under the bed praying he wouldn’t find me. He always did though.”
“Is that why you joined the Locks?”
“Yeah. I joined them and after a few weeks I ran away from home. I haven’t seen my family in about uh seven years.”
“What about your mom?”
“She didn’t care enough to look for me so who gives a shit.”
“AJ what about all these arrests on your file?”
“What about them? What you need to know is in the file.”
“Why do you do them though?”
“Why? Because it’s the way I survive. I lived on the street for two years before I got enough money to buy a place and you wanna know who was there for me? My boys helped me in any way they could. If you want to denounce me because I am in a gang then go for it. Pick my brain until you find what makes me tick, but you won’t really know until you live my life.”
“AJ we are having all five of you see a psychiatrist tomorrow.”
AJ shrugs, “Fine with me.”
“AJ that’s all for now ok,” Cicero says getting up and Falco does the same.
“See ya sunshine,” AJ says as they leave the room.
“You sure he isn’t a schizophrenic?” Falco asks Cicero.
“I’m not sure. Something is defiantly wrong with him though. I don’t think it’s his fault either. I’ve seen it before. People beaten as children who grow up thinking it was their fault or their whole sense of reality is warped because it was so traumatizing to them. I think AJ is a classic case of it, but the psychologist will tell us about it tomorrow.”
“His dad is dead.”
“What?”
“His dad died three years ago. It was a hit and run. They never found out who did it.”
“You think he is capable of that?”
“I’m not sure, but if I went through that I think I would be able to.”
“The things parents put their kids through these days,” Cicero says opening the door
Kevin stares at Cicero and Falco as they walk into the room and sit across from him.
“Kevin,” Cicero says as Kevin nods to him, “Where were you a week from today between the times of 8 pm and midnight?”
“Uh I was in a meeting until ten and then I went out to a club until one in the morning.”
“What club?”
“Suite.”
“The one near time square?”
“Yeah, it’s not that great. Some of my clients wanted to take me out so I went along with it.”
“Ok.”
“Kevin what was your childhood like growing up?”
Kevin shrugs, “Not much. My father barely spoke to my mother yet they remained married. He was never home so he made up for it by buying me anything I wanted. I’m sure you already know that my father was quite rich. My mother didn’t talk to me much, so I was raised by nannies mostly. I had two older brothers, but as soon as they were old enough they got out of there. I still talk to them every so often, but I hardly speak to my parents. That was my whole childhood summed up right there. Why do you ask?”
“We were just looking into everyone’s back round.”
“Oh.”
“Kevin how come you went to the Den again?”
“I like clubs like that.”
“You can find clubs like that uptown that are nicer and well…”
“More fitting for me?” he says looking at him, “They aren’t fitting for me. I hate them. They’re just so so so fake. The people at the Den are a lot more interesting then those people. I go there and just talk to people. Whoever will talk to me is fine.”
“You know you can get into a lot of trouble doing that.”
“I don’t care. It’s not like I care if I die. If I die I die. I’m gonna die eventually anyway and it’s not like I have a lot to live for anyway.”
“Your business.”
“Yeah right people are all over me now because they think I am gonna lose it because of this, so they want it.”
“Do you go out every night to a place like you did at the Den?”
“Yeah, I try too. Sometimes I have too much work though.”
“How do you make it into work with that little sleep?”
Kevin shrugs, “Coffee is a drug to me.”
“Just coffee?”
“Does it matter?”
“If you were on anything during the murder it matters a lot.”
“Speed helps.”
“That all.”
“Yeah, I swear.”
“Ok. You agree to see the psychiatrist tomorrow?” “Yes, I don’t see what good it will do, but it won’t make it better with me saying no to it.”
“Ok Kevin that’s all for now we’ll talk to you tomorrow,” Cicero says standing up.
Kevin nods in agreement as the two of them walk out of the room.
“What do you think?” Falco asks.
“I’m not sure Richardson is an odd one though. Hopefully the psychiatrist will be able to clear some of it up.”
“The college boy is next.”
“I know.”
Cicero looks at Brian from across the table and folds his hands.
“Brian where were you a week from today between the times of 8 pm and midnight?”
“A week ago today?”
“Yes.
“Uh doing a report I think. Yeah I was I’m sure of it.”
“Another report?” Falco says, “How many reports does your professor give you to do n a month?”
“No no it’s the same one that’s due…tomorrow. Oh my God my paper. Did you tell Professor Rivers that I wouldn’t be able to hand it in?”
“Yes Brian calm down we told your school,” Cicero says.
“You told theme everything?”
“Yes.”
“Ughhhh,” Brian moans, “I’m gonna end up getting kicked out now because of this. My parents are gonna kill me, shit.”
“Brian I’m sure your college will understand.”
“You think they will?”
“I’m sure of it.”
“Ok good,” Brian says relaxing and leaning back in his chair.
“You’re that afraid of what your parents think?”
“No and yes. I mean all I want is for them to see me as an equal and see that I can do things on my own and my choices are not always wrong.”
“What was your childhood like growing up Brian?”
“Childhood? What childhood? I spent my days and nights working on extra schoolwork even though I was in advanced classes as it was. Of course my father wanted an athlete too, so I played baseball in the fall and spring and ran track during winter. My older brother was the same way. He went to Harvard and got his law degree. He’s working for some hotshot practice in LA now. He always was the favorite.”
“So you don’t get along with your family?”
“No I never said that. I just want more of their respect. I always knew my dad loved me, but he never said it. Not once nope not even once,” he says shaking his head no, “The most he did was hug us and that was only when we both graduated valedictorian from high school.”
“Your mom?”
“I love my mom. She doesn’t speak up much though. You know my dad is man of the house and she is the lowly housewife. Fucking stupid if you ask me.”
“Brian do you always work?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you ever go out and just not think about working?”
“Yeah on dates.”
“Do you think you’re an over achiever?”
“An over achiever? No. I work what I should work that’s what my dad always said.”
“Uh huh.”
“What is it a crime to work hard now?”
“No. No. Um you agreed to see the psychiatrist right?”
“Yes, sir,” he says folding his hands and placing them on the table.
“That’s all for now Brian.”
“Ok, um can I ask you for a favor?”
“Ok.”
“Uh can you ask the other guy I think his name is AJ to stop singing so much? I’ll be trying to sleep at night and he will just rattle on and on.”
“AJ?”
“Yeah.”
“I should have guessed. Ok I’ll tell him.”
“Thank you,” Brian smiles nodding.
“Ok,” Cicero says standing up along with Falco and walking out of the room.
“What’s with that kid?” Falco asks, “He seems too perfect for my liking.”
“He doesn’t seem perfect at all. I don’t know what’s wrong with him, but there is something and he is an over achiever regardless of what he thinks.”
“What do you think we should do with AJ?” Falco asks opening the next door, “Solitary confident?”
“That’s a baddddd idea,” Howie says looking at them from the table.
“Why is it such a bad idea?” Falco asks sitting down at the table.
“Look at AJ he’s defiantly a schizophrenic or something like that. If you put him in there he will only get angry and then depressed and then have some sort of nervous break down.”
“How would you know that?”
“I’ve seen it happen before,” Howie says.
“He’s right,” Cicero says, “just give him a warning.”
“How are you Howie?”
“Good,” Howie says.
“Ok down to business now. Where were you a week ago from tonight between the times of 8 pm and midnight?”
“Uh here I believe. I was working late on a report and ended up staying longer then I thought I was going to.”
“Who was the report on?”
“The Locks.”
“Which member?”
“All of them. They have been monitored closer then ever now after the bust they made of them a month ago for drugs.”
“So you’ve researching AJ and his gang mates?”
“Yes, quite an interesting bunch.”
“What about your past?”
“What about it?”
“What was it like?”
“Boring. I grew up the youngest of four. My parents were both in law enforcement, so it was kind of planned for me to be this. No big scandals, no arrests, no violence, just boring old me and my life.”
Cicero nods, “ Lived in the suburbs?”
“Yup.”
“Classic picture perfect family?”
“Damn close.”
“Then why did you move here?”
“It’s boring in the suburbs I wanted to see the city work in the NYPD. Live my own life away from everything I knew.”
“What’s you fascination with the Locks?”
“I don’t have a fascination. I was just writing a report.”
“Ok. AJ said he wasn’t smoking with that girl.”
“Maybe he wasn’t then. I didn’t get a really good look.”
“Ok, that’s all for now Howie,” he says getting up and walking out of the room quickly with Falco scrambling behind him.
“But you didn’t ask AJ?” Falco says following Cicero towards the cells.
“I know because I had a feeling the kid was covering something up. He’s not sure about what he saw or he is lying,” Cicero says walking down the hall where the holding cells are.
“There’s a place where lovers go to cry their troubles away and they call it lonesome town where broken heart stay,” AJ sings softly from his cell, “You can buy a dream or two to last you all through the years and the only price you pay is a heart full of tears. Going down to lonesome town where the broken hearts stay. Going down to lonesome town to cry my troubles away. In the town of broken dreams the streets are filled with regret. Maybe down in lonesome town I can learn to forget. Maybe down in lonesome I can learn to forgetttttttt.”
“AJ do you mind not singing as much,” Cicero asks looking into the cell where Nick is stretched out on a bed and AJ is sitting on his staring at him.
“Not sing?” AJ says, “That’s like asking me not to breathe.”
“Ok don’t sing as much then.”
“Ok boss,” AJ says lying down on his bed as they start to walk away.
“You wanna know what I think of him,” Falco whispers to Cicero as they walk, “I think its an act. I think he’s sane as anything, but just acting like this for some reason…”
“The only one who could ever reach me was the son of a preacher man. The only boy who could ever teach me was the son of a preacher man,” AJ sings putting his had on the bars as Falco turns to look at him, “The only one who could ever move me was the son of a preacher man. The only one who could ever move me…”
“What’s wrong?” Cicero says picking up his pace as Falco rushes out of the holding cell hallway.
“Something is seriously wrong with that kid.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because my dad is a preacher,” Falco says looking through the small window as he sees Brian put his head to the bars of his cell and start talking with AJ, “That is one fucked up kid.”
“I thought you said it was an act,” Cicero asks smirking.
