“How’d you take your coffee?” Evan spits out, last night's shift wearing heavily on his face.

A full moon approaches in the night sky, I take the time to appreciate it.

“Coffee and two. You gonna be alright for today? This won’t be in and out, I think this could stretch the full forty-eight.”

“How many times Mel I’m fine, you can tell that to the shrink too. We’re all cops, we all see shit.”

“Not everyone sees that. No one _should_.

Cop or not.” I go to reach for his shoulder, but my better instincts pull my hand back.

**Waxing gibbous |**

“Yeah, well, what’s done is done. I can’t believe it’s compulsory, twice a week for six months. Bullshit.” He huffs, his brows pull taut, stirring my coffee with such aggression that it begins to spill. The clang of the spoon against the metal is a stark reminder that I didn’t sleep nearly as much as I should’ve last night.

“You girls ready?” Lee, our boss, pokes his head in.

“Ready, boss.” Evan darts ahead of me, practically bouncing on his toes. He always gets like this before we encounter a suspect. Every cop has it now and then: the burst of adrenaline just before an interrogation. They’re a real test of your skills as a detective; it takes decades to master them.

The thunder of a door shutting behind me bolts me upright, snapping me out of whatever sleep haze I’ve been in since five o'clock this morning.

We join Lee in the black room, his expression grave.

“I want you both on this one, but Evan you need to lead, given his psychology, he can’t have a female be the dominant presence.

Evan scoffs, muttering “Jesus Christ,” Under his breath.

“His psychology? Is he known to us?” I question.

“No, given the gravity of the case, we had a quick psych test performed, see if he’s fit to be questioned. He didn’t help himself, strong aversion to female authority, and couldn’t stand the fact that the tester was a woman. We can play this to our advantage, though.”

“For the sake of the tape could you describe to me what you see in the image here Paul?” Evan questions, we’d prepared a little on who would ask what, who would jump in where. The first quarter is vital, it sets the tone.

“That’s Jessica. My best friend's daughter.” He smooths a hand through his hair, unaffected. Too unaffected.

You see a photograph of your best friend's daughter, with the knowledge that she is no longer alive and you show not a shred of remorse on your face, no grief, not a flicker of passing sadness for the departed.

Not good.

**Waxing crescent|**

Evan nods, his jaw working, as he looks at the photo with his next question in mind.

“Their relationship, Jessica and her fathers, how would you describe it?”

“What are you insinuating?”

“I only seek the truth, Paul. There are no insinuations.” Evan flips the photo, opening the page to some information we collected regarding Jessica.

As the new moon ascends Paul’s demeanour becomes restless,and increasingly agitated.

“Paul I hear you enjoy golf? You and Chris used to play together, is that right?” I keep my tone light, my body language open. He needs to feel safe with me. Off his game.

He makes an effort to move his eyes back towards me, his shoulders immediately retreating from the tense position they were in under Evan’s scrutiny.

“We did, yeah. Every Sunday.”

“Did?”

A flicker of smugness takes place on his face, his assumptions of me already made. “Did, yes, it was just a hobby. Work got more intense, busier, my wife wanted us to have the Sunday together instead.”

I nod casually in understanding, ”Okay Paul. Thanks.” I sit back against my chair, turning my gaze toward Evan’s.

He doesn’t return mine, he can’t.

**Wanning crescent|**

“I think a break is in order. Mel, could you grab us both a coffee? Is that alright Paul?”

Paul’s gaze flicks to Evan, to me, and then back to Evan.

“Black, no sugar.” He says to Evan.

I swallow the bile rising, wishing I could spit the acid on him. This is for Jessica.

Steam billows from the kettle, the light long in need of a fix flickering above the kitchen space.

Jessica was a straight A student, well-liked, popular most would say. Beautiful with shiny red hair, blue eyes, and freckles. Her father, Chris, had remarried five years back with a woman named Ashley. Jessica’s mother died when Jessica was at the young age of ten, She was her mother's daughter in terms of looks and closeness, though her death brought her and her father Chris closer.

Chris had been distraught upon discovering Jessica’s death, Ashley unable to control his shaken crying and pleas of agony.

We never decide based on one encounter with a person, we can’t. But in the death of children, we observe the parents extensively, their first reaction is crucial.

Of course, everyone grieves differently.

You have those who resort to anger, oftentimes paired with denial, demanding we check again, that the corpse we found could in no way be their child.

You have those in such a profound shock, they don’t say a word, the life almost immediately draining from them, sunken eyes, that of a corpse.

But when the parents do it? That is something else to watch. I’ve been a detective for twelve years, and you get a knack for determining the difference between grief and guilt.

Setting the coffees down on the table I take a seat, quietly revelling in Paul’s pain when he hisses at the hot liquid burning his lower lip.

The intercom buzzes, “I'll go.” I say to Evan.

I find a pensive Lee, Arms folded, ”Autopsy just came back on Jessica, Christ I’ve not seen something this bad in years.” He hands me a rather large file, continuing, ”We found a hair on her, not belonging to her.”

My eyes widen at the name on the paper, “Do we tell Evan?”

“Yeah, be discreet but distract Paul from any suspicion.”

“Okay, this might be insane, but trust me..” Turning on my heel I walk back into the interrogation room. Evan looks to me, a subtle etch between his brows that questions what it was about.

I huff out breaths of exasperation, a smile slowly spreading on my face, “I’m sorry bad timing, Clive is on the phone, your sister is going into labour.”

Evan quickly fixes his face into one of shock, surprise and happiness, he’s a sharp tool when necessary.

“Okay. Shit okay. Thanks.” He dashes out of the room, leaving Paul looking out at him.

“Ah anyway, let’s get back to it, shall we? Interview recommencing at.” I check the clock on the wall, “Six thirty-two. So Paul, how long have you and Chris known each other?”

Last quarter, stay with me.

He looks withdrawn at this point, he’s been here just under four hours, his dark cropped hair slightly dishevelled, though he has a determination in his face.

“Since college, we both majored in sports science and business, we clicked instantly.”

I nod in understanding, “Your fitness company, Cobra? How do you find that? Working with such a close friend? You know the saying.”

His lips purse, almost bored, “Guess we’re the exception, we’ve never once had an augment, we’re essentially the same person, we often joke about that.” His eyes flicker downwards, seeming to ponder something that just crossed his mind.

I turn the page, pretending to read from a list of questions, and I need him to underestimate me. That is vital.

“And his wife’s death, that must have been hard on him,” I mutter, more casual than questioning.

He nods, “She was his high school sweetheart, she was at Michigan with us too, never thought that she would do that, so sad. We had no idea. Poor Jessi too, to have to grow up without a mother.”

“Did you ever suspect it could be something more? Given that it was so out of the blue?”

“You’re asking if I suspect Chris had something to do with his wife’s death?” His tone is free of surprise, more so intrigue.

“Do you?”

“I considered it once, about five days before it happened, Leanne had come to me, complaining about their marriage. She actually- I shouldn’t say this but.” He swipes his hand across his face, looking around the room as if he were about to tell a secret.

“She came on to me, and I mean heavy. Confessed her love. I turned her down obviously. And she claimed, and listen I knew nothing before this, okay? But she claimed he’d been treating her badly lately, I’m talking physical.

“He was my closest friend, and I’d seen him at his absolute worst, stressed, drunk, and livid. I’d never seen him be physical to anyone. Until she took off her scarf, fingerprints all on the right side of her neck, unmistakably his. I told her to report it straight away, that I’d drive her there myself, she refused, not wanting to ruin Jessica’s life or something.”

“That is extremely important information Paul, Why would you not think to tell us this?”

He goes silent for a moment, his face blank. He shakes his head, unanswering.

I think back to Chris, his gut-wrenching sobs when I’d delivered the news of his daughter's death, the feeling I had then coming back to me now.

I’d looked over the forensic report of Leanne’s death, and we’d ruled it as suicide, with no valid reason to believe otherwise. The officers on scene had found her hanging, chair fallen beneath her, with a note that read, ’My angel, Jessi. I’m sorry, I won’t ever stop loving you.’

“Were you close with Jessica? Protective of her? Given that you knew she could not trust her father?”

“Yes, quite. I felt I had to step up, ensure he didn’t repeat his actions. I drove her to cheerleading practice, made sure she stayed on track with grades. She relied on me.”

“That was good of you. How could you be sure whether or not he would repeat his actions?”

“Listen I did my best for that girl, I couldn’t look at her without seeing Leanne, it crushed me when I heard.” He began to seethe with anger, though again, I didn’t feel it.

I check my watch, fed up frankly.

“Paul are you attracted to underage girls?”

His head rears back, eyes widening. “What? What sort of question is that?”

“One I’d like an answer to.”

“Whatever story you want to concoct to prove to your boss you’re worth his time, I’m not being part of it. That is ridiculous. Please tell me you’re not insinuating I had relations with Jessica. Great detective work, you can’t get the father, you go for the best friend. Sweetheart, this is lousy.”

“See Paul, an innocent man would’ve just said no.”

**Wanning gibbous|**

I get up to walk away turning back to him as I reach the door, “We found your DNA on Jessica’s body, along with her mother's. You’re bang to rights with Jessica, Leanne, that won’t be so easy.

“But all I have is time Paul, I will dedicate every second of it to proving you took Leanne’s life. And every cell mate of yours will know what you did to an underage girl, fathers in there, pissed off. Scorned. They don’t take too kindly to pedophiles, let's hope I don’t run my mouth accidentally, sweetheart!”

I step back into the room, Evan and Lee wearing shock on their faces.

“Mel..” Evan begins.

“Never listen to me again. You wanna take the lead, you take it.” Lee states, awe on his face.