CHAPTER 1

“Where is my family?”

          The man Jason knew as Christavo Tate, by way of his sister, was pacing the floor. He sat handcuffed to the chair, comfortably and calmly. This wasn’t his first rodeo in the interrogation room. But, he thought about Alyssa and his son being in the same situation and felt terrified for them. Now that Rebecca Fairchild was found dead, everyone in the whole unit was looking for her killer. It was safe for them to assume the Sanderses and company because they were the last ones to see her alive.

          “Your family is safe. You need to be worried about yourself, Jason. Let’s go down the list of murders around you.” Christavo laid down a file with photos of dead bodies on the table in front of Jason. His eyes only followed the folder as it plopped on the table in front of him. “Abagail Hawthorne, Tracy Vans, Frank Roberts, Wilson Fitzgerald, Melissa Saulsberry, and now, Rebecca Fairchild-one of our own. I won’t lie to you, Jason. It’s not looking good for you and your family. The business you run will be shut down if we have to tear the place apart. Think about the legacy you are leaving for your son, your family.”

          “I am thinking about them. Where are they?” That was all Jason replied after looking at the deaths of his former colleagues and clients and enemies.

          Christavo sighed. “I want to help you. I need to know what happened that night at Dan’s house. Rebecca was last seen there.”

          “I told you. I don’t know what happened to her. All I know is I left to get firewood for the fireplace, for my son to have light, and I came back and she was dead.”

          Christavo held up Alyssa’s wedding ring. “This was found on Rebecca’s body. This is your wife’s wedding ring, is it not?”

          Jason swallowed hard as nervousness began to settle in. That was indeed his wife’s missing wedding ring. She told them she slipped and lost it by her body. There was no way Alyssa would’ve killed Rebecca, especially not as brutal. His wife wouldn’t harm a fly.

          “And the murder weapon, her fingerprints were found on the knife.”

          “My wife didn’t do anything,” Jason said very confidently.

          Christavo nodded. “Maybe not her, then what about you? Am I supposed to buy that you were gone to get firewood while your worst enemy was in the house? Every person there had motive to kill Rebecca. You as well. She brought you back from your paradise and threatened to kill your family. At least, that’s Janet’s story.”

          Jason shook his head. “Janet told me about you.”

          Christavo’s eyebrows rose in curiosity. “Oh.”

          “Yeah. You donate to charities right?”

          The weight on Christavo’s shoulders lifted as he thought he was going to bust him out about Janet sucking his dick in the café bathroom and him spilling classified information to her. That would’ve ruined his job for sure, knowing all the higher-ups were watching. The FBI was now focused on the death of Rebecca and the mystery of The Strangler. He didn’t know how far he could question the family before his own sins were laid out for everyone to find.

          “This isn’t about me,” Christavo replied. “I’m trying to help despite my questioning, Jason. People were murdered here, an officer.”

          “I’m sorry, Mr. Tate. I can’t help you.”

          ***

          Christavo folded his arms as Dan sat, arms folded and unbothered. Nothing could rattle this family, it seemed. Quite frankly, Christavo was growing tired of interrogating them, especially Dan who was uncooperative with him. Anything he asked, Dan had some slick comment in response, getting them nowhere.

          “Tell me about Bianca Withers. You were rather close with her. What was it between you guys?” He asked. Dan remained quiet. Christavo inched closer to him by spreading pictures of her dead body in front of him. Dan only closed his eyes, inhaling and exhaling, trying to keep his composure.

          “Get that out of my face.”

          “The Strangler killed her who we pieced together that Rebecca had done it. It seems only fitting that Dan Sanders took what was his and took vengeance into his own hands. We could cut you a deal…”

          Dan scoffed as he leaned back in the seat. “Don’t bother. I would have gladly boasted about killing Rebecca if I had been the one to kill her, but I didn’t. None of my family did.”

          “Your family meaning Jason and Janet?”

          “Certainly, you’re not accusing my one-year-old grandson?”

          Christavo sighed. “There were other people there. Rock—your daughter’s assistant, Julissa, Antonio, and even your daughter-in-law.”

          Dan sighed. “I account for them.” He replied simply.

          “Your grudge against the Saulsberry family might have been a great motivator. Perhaps another setup. It seems your family is keen for that.” Christavo needed to get anything out of Dan in any way he could. He suspected somebody. It was clear in his eyes that he had someone in mind, but wouldn’t say. Again, Christavo thought about Alyssa. All the evidence pointed to her. “Gerald has quite a huge chip on his shoulder when it comes to you, Dan. Perhaps he got his daughter to finish the job.”

          “It has crossed my mind, but Gerald isn’t that smart. He hates me sure, but he has never been a mastermind.”

          “Could someone else inside be pulling his strings then?” Dan’s eyes squinted at Christavo as he knew exactly who was pulling the strings. But they were his issues to deal with and would be damned if he snitched to another police officer. Family matters had to be dealt with in the inner circle. No one outside would be able to handle the devastation that was coming.

          ***

          “Tell me, Julissa. Where is your father? We have tried to reach him, but haven’t heard a word. Mind telling me where he is?”

          Julissa looked at Christavo, with her hands folded in her lap, trying to keep her calm as he sat in front of her on the table more relaxed than he was with the others. Julissa was the newest member to convert to the Sanders shenanigans and didn’t know what the hell was going on or what to do. Her loyalties also didn’t rely on them. Why she was even there was the hardest thing to figure out.

          Her hands touched her stomach giving Christavo a little sign of his own question. “I haven’t heard from my father in some time.” She leaned a little closer seeing the suspicion in his eyes. “You think my father had something to do with Rebecca?”

          “You have the most hateful motive for Dan. Perhaps another setup or a cover-up.”

          Julissa shook her head. “I want Dan to pay for his sins the right way. I wouldn’t…”

          “What about Gerald? You will do anything for your father, right? Since you lost your sister, he is the only thing you got left…”

          “That’s a pretty huge assumption you make of me,” Julissa replied, offended. “My father has nothing to do with this and neither do I. If all you have are motives, then you will be here interrogating people for years. The Sanders have made plenty of enemies. Anyone could be behind this. I feel bad for Rebecca Fairchild, I do, but she was involved in some shit that made her less credible in her career and as a person. Getting involved with the Sanders was her first big mistake…” She paused and looked down with a sigh. “It’s mine as well.”

          “Tell me about that night once the lights went out.”

          Julissa sighed as her memory went back to the night in the house. “I followed Antonio once he and Janet left the table. The last time I saw Rebecca Fairchild was at her last supper sitting stupidly with Dan Sanders.”

          “So you believe he did it?”

          Julissa scoffed, shaking her head. “Out of everyone in that room, Dan Sanders has the most motivation to kill her.” She paused, looking away, though, then back at Christavo. “I don’t think he did it.”

          “Are you afraid of him, Julissa?” he asked sitting on the edge of the desk.

          Julissa let out a laugh. “Please. I have been watching the Sanders for over a year. Dan would’ve held himself a party for killing Rebecca and gloated about it to anyone who dared listen. The fun part, for that narcissistic prick, would be getting away with it.” Christavo couldn’t argue with that as he nodded his head with a sigh. He was getting nowhere.

***

Chapter 1

          Dan, Alyssa, Jason, Janet, Antonio, and Rock watched Julissa pace back and forth while she attempted to call her father in the Sanders building after the visit to the police station. They didn’t have enough evidence to keep any of them there, so they were free to go but not to roam too far as the investigation continued. They had to be careful now with the police department on their backs. Luckily, Antonio knew their every move and continued to be one step ahead of them.

          “Dad, it’s me. When you get this, please pick up.” Julissa pleaded into the phone as she hung up. She turned back to the crew shaking her head. “Christavo was right. My father won’t pick up the phone and this is unlike him to just shut me out like this.” Her eyes then looked accusingly at Dan leaning against the door with his arms folded and one leg crossed over the other. “What the fuck did you do to him?”

          Dan’s eyebrows rose. “Me?” He pointed to himself as she walked over to him ready to slap the smug look off his face. Antonio held her back. “Gerald and I had come to an understanding the last I spoke to him.”

          “Spoke?! You mean you damn near beat him to death?” Julissa snapped back.

          “To each his own, but I haven’t heard from Gerald since. Good riddance, wherever he is. One less obstacle to worry about,” Dan replied, walking off casually to get a drink from the bar.

          “You are a son of a bitch.” Julissa snarled. “Why are we even protecting him? We all know he killed Rebecca.” She jerked away from Antonio’s hold.

          “That is a valid question, Julissa, seeing as though you are the only known person in this room that has recently killed someone. Just because he was The Strangler doesn’t mean you can’t go down for it.” She lunged at him again, but Antonio drew her closer, holding her shoulders.

          “Let’s just relax, Julissa. Think about the baby.” Antonio warned, placing his hand on her stomach. She groaned irritated walking off to the couch as she took a frustrated seat. “Now, from what I could tell, it seems the evidence they have is all pointing to Alyssa.”

          Jason stood at that moment as it caught his attention. Alyssa’s eyes widened. “Me?”

          “Your wedding ring, the handprint on the knife, it all points to you,” Antonio replied, in a matter-of-fact tone instead of accusing. He ran a nervous hand through his hair as he had to ask. “Did you kill her, Alyssa?”

          “Of course, she didn’t. Why would you even ask that?” Jason stood hostile ready to attack Antonio.

          “It was a fair question.” Dan chimed in, as Jason turned to him. “If she did, it would not make a difference.”

          “I didn’t,” Alyssa said, determinedly, through clenched teeth as her fists balled up. “I should have stabbed you with it if I had known it was gonna make me a suspect. At least, I would’ve killed the right person.” She replied, emphasizing I, causing Dan to smirk.

          “I hope you find, dear daughter-in-law, that I’m not so easy to kill.” Dan retorted, drinking his drink.

          “It doesn’t make a difference. Like Dan said, we all are witnesses. We can all go down for it. Now, from what I can tell, they didn’t have anything else besides that. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have let us all go,” Antonio informed. He turned to the oddly quiet Janet who sat by the bar drinking her glass of water. “They were also smart about not saying too much about Elijah’s death and their connection to Fairchild. They still don’t know all the details or haven’t connected the two together.  Either way, it gives us time.”

          “How much time?” Janet finally asked. She only glanced at him.

          “Enough,” Antonio replied, simply.

          “So what about me? They didn’t ask me too much except what part I play in this. To be honest, I didn’t even have to lie. I really don’t know what the hell is going on,” Rock said, slapping his thigh with his hand.

          “You are a witness to our case. You know that what we say is true. You are the only one in the room that didn’t have motive to kill Rebecca,” Dan explained, “thus making you the only true innocent in the whole room.” He walked up close to Rock with his eyes focused on him. “Even though I don’t believe that for a second.” Rock stood his ground, chin up, as he faced the beast that was Dan and his accusations.

          “You don’t know me, Mr. Sanders,” he replied.

          “That is true. You appeared in our lives a year ago, coerced my daughter into giving you a job, and you just been here ever since. What is up with you?”

          “From where I’m standing, I’m the man holding all your secrets. So don’t think because I’m gay you can push me around like you do everyone else. I’m not afraid of you,” Rock replied, pointing his finger at Dan. “You fine, but I know a snake when I see one.”

          “Leave him alone, Dan,” Janet warned, causing Dan to glance over at her, but still tower over Rock. He took a few steps back as he saw the look in her eyes. “Despite everything, we are all in this together.”

          Jason sighed. “This is bullshit and we all know it. No one asked us about the maid there. Did you run a scan on her yet?” he asked Antonio.

          “With the police scanning the crime scene, it would be possible they will find her prints. She did cook and serve us. She has to be somewhere,” Antonio encouraged. “I plan on asking a favor from a friend to see what they find a little later today. But with me involved, they won’t tell me much.”

          “I have footage from the security cameras before they went black. Who hired her anyway?” Dan asked, glancing over the room for answers.

          “I did,” Janet answered, raising her hand, “from the usual place you get your maids.” She used the maid term loosely with a disgusted look on her face knowing what he did with them.

          Dan nodded. “I will go by there shortly once I leave here. I will hand the footage over to you Mr. Williamson. I hope you will find something useful for our cause.”

          Janet nodded standing to hug him. “We will see you at the funeral tomorrow.”

          He kissed her cheek with a sigh as he walked out, taking all the tension with him as everyone else began to relax. Julissa grabbed her purse and started to walk out as well. Antonio stole a couple of glances at Janet as he walked with Julissa out the door.

          “You’re going to let him walk out with her?” Alyssa asked, concerned and a bit disgusted. It was obvious from day one she was team Janet and not very fond of Julissa. It could be she was biased because Janet was her sister-in-law and she hated Melissa with everything within her.

          “She has a doctor’s appointment today. It can’t be easy being two months pregnant knowing that you’re in it alone. He should be with her…he needs to be,” she concluded, turning back on the bar. Alyssa didn’t buy her excuse but didn’t press her further for which Janet was grateful.

          “Are you okay?” Jason asked, noticing his sister being unusually quiet, and even when she spoke there was a sad sigh behind it.

          “I’m fine…just a bit tired. I will be able to rest more when all of this is behind us.” She gave a lazy smile that neither was buying, but they let the situation go for now. “You both can get some rest too with Jayceon. I’m sure he will be asleep for a minute.”

          Jason put his hand on her shoulder and grabbed his wife’s hand as he led her to the guest bedroom in Janet’s building. Dan’s home was being investigated now and that was no place for a child to be. They were safer with her. Rock walked up and fixed him a drink. No one spoke but he just sat quietly beside her on the barstool.

          “You don’t have to stay with me,” Janet said, finally, taking a sip of her water.

“I know I don’t.” He replied, shoving her playfully. “Something is wrong, though, with you. You haven’t even looked at Antonio since that night. Between you and me, I think he killed Rebecca.”

Janet’s eyes grew wide, shaking her head. “No way.” She offended. “Antonio wouldn’t have done it like that. He had his reason’s to want her dead, but that doesn’t mean he did it. For all we know, I did it.”

Rock burst into laughter. “Child, please. You wouldn’t kill Hitler if he was right in front of you. Just face it, Janet, you not that type of person.”

She didn’t respond, holding her hands around the glass. “We never know. At the end of the day, I am still a Sanders,” she replied, softly.