#hylandtask

Q: Hello, Mr. Shiloh Sinclair. My name is Detective Booth and I’m handling this case. I don’t need to go into details; you know why you’re here, and we already have you down as a suspect in her death. We’ve got witnesses to corroborate and a budding timeline, but we need more information from you directly. Make my day easier and cooperate with me on this, will ya’? I just need you to answer these questions for me. Do me a favor and don’t lie -- you’re talking to a trained professional right now, I’ll be able to pick up on certain things whether you realize it or not. Lying will only come back to bite your ass later on. Just some food for thought. Let’s begin.

Q: I’m gonna’ start light. I hate interrogators who go straight into the hard stuff, ya’ know? I find it impolite. So, tell me a little about yourself. Give me your full name.

“There’s a file right there with my name on it, you’re telling me you guys don’t have that in the system already? What kind of half-ass job did you all do that you couldn’t already have my name? It’s Shiloh Piers Sinclair.”

Q: Alright. Tell me your date of birth and age.

“Do I get a cut of your salary for doing your job for you? Or is it a stipend-type thing? My birthday is Valentine’s Day. I’m twenty. You should know this.”

Q: Where did you grow up? What was your home life like? Tell me about your family and your upbringing. Give me your story.

“I grew up in Chicago. Home life was fine, mom and dad were always there. We had spaghetti on Tuesdays. I don’t know what else you want me to say. I play hockey.”

Q: Tell me about the most impactful people in your life. I’m not picky -- they can be good or bad impacts.

“I don’t know? I don’t keep a list of all the people who hold the door for me on the way to class. I mean -- I have a best friend. Alexandra Taylor. I don’t know what else I can offer you other than that.”

Q: What are your goals in life? What would be your ideal final ending? What would help you reach these goals?

“What the fuck does this have to do with me being a suspect?”

Q: How would you describe yourself?

“Normal.”

Q: What do you do in your free time? What’s your idea of fun? What sports or extracurriculars are you in at Hyland University?

“I play hockey, I’ve said this. I’m an engineering major so I do projects mostly. I go to parties for fun. I tutor science and math on campus to make money.”

Q: Do you drink? Smoke? Take drugs of any kind? Answer carefully on this one, kid.

“I drink sometimes.”

Q: Tell me about the relationships in your life. Friendships, romantic, everything in between. 

“Why? I’m not telling you shit about the people in my life. I don’t need you trying to come after them, too.”

Q: What’s the best thing that has ever happened to you? What’s the worst?

”Best? I don’t know. I’ve won a lot of games and that’s always nice.”

Q: Let me throw in a fun one, lighten up the mood. Would you rather only be able to tell the truth or only be able to lie?

“Fuck you.”

Q: Did you kill Morgan Parrish? 

“... I. I -- I feel like whatever I could say doesn’t matter because you and the rest of this shit department probably have your own ideas about me formed anyways, so.”

Q: Let’s get some background information on this. How do you know Morgan Parrish?

“I was her boyfriend during her last couple of months alive. I was the last one she publicly dated, anyways -- who knows if she was fucking someone on the side while with me.”

Q: Explain the extent of your relationship with her. Was it platonic? Civil? Rocky? Romantic?

“Romantic.”

Q: In your own words, describe Morgan Parrish to me.

“I -- can I skip this question? Please?”

Q: Would you say your life got better or worse upon meeting Morgan Parrish?

“Can I skip this one too?”

Q: What was your favorite thing about her?

“Her ass.”

Q: What was your least favorite thing about her?

“Can’t think of any right now.”

Q: Where were you the night of her murder?

“...I don’t really remember.”

Q: Where were you the day before?

“I don’t remember.”

Q: Where were you after?

“Fuck, I don’t know, okay? It’s -- it’s been a while. Don’t I get a lawyer here?”

Q: How did you feel about her passing?

“How does anyone feel when someone they know has died? I just remember the school sent an e-mail about it or something.”

Q: What do you think about the way she died? Just as a refresher, Morgan Parrish was drugged, strangled, beaten, and then shot.

“What do you mean, what do I think about the way she died? She died. I didn’t exactly take notes on what I thought could be improved on when I found out.”

Q: Did you make any sort of tribute to her death and put it on social m-

Another interrogator walks into the room. She’s holding a folder with your picture clipped to the front. She opens it in front of Detective Booth and whispers something into his ear. He shoots you a look and then excuses himself from the room. He returns twenty minutes later, features stony. He quickly writes something down on his notepad and then caps the pen.

Q: Change of plans. I’m going to scrap the questions I had prepared and ask you what I see fit. Where were you exactly the night Morgan Parrish died?

“I told you I don’t remember.”

Q: Tell me all the details you can remember from that night.

“It was a year ago, my God, I don’t know, alright? I might’ve had practice that day.”

Q: Were you intoxicated at any point?

“I don’t know.”

Q: Are there any witnesses able to corroborate your story?

“I -- probably the guys on the team? I was fucking Eden around the days of Morgan’s death, so probably her, too? I don’t know.”

Q: I feel like you’re leaving things out. Tell me all the details you can remember from that night.

“I don’t remember.”

Q: ... are you telling me the truth, kid? We got six other students we’re talking to today -- sure would suck for you if one of ‘em was able to prove that something you’re saying is false. 

“Let ‘em talk then. I don’t give a fuck, am I supposed to be intimidated by that? I bet you don’t even have anyone out there.”

Q: What was the last thing you said to Morgan?

“I don’t know. Probably talk to you later.”

Q: Have you ever gotten into a physical altercation with Morgan before?

“What? No. I never hurt her.”

Q: Have you ever fought verbally with Morgan?

“...I guess? We got in arguments sometimes but what couple doesn’t?”

Q: Would you say you felt safe around Morgan?

“She never gave me a reason not to feel safe. I don’t know what scenario you’re thinking of in which I wouldn’t be safe around her. She was just a girl.”

Q: Do you wish you had never met Morgan?

“I don’t think about shit like that. In this reality, in this present day and age, I knew Morgan. It doesn’t matter if I wish I didn’t know her or not.”

Q: Do you own a gun?

“No.”

Q: Have you handled a gun before?

“No.”

Q: Do you know someone who owns a gun?

“No.”

Q: Have you gotten into physical fights before?

“I play hockey. There’s always fights but there’s also padding.”

Q: Is there anyone who can prove where you say you were on the night of her death?

“I -- I don’t know. Reid Garwin, probably? Eden Rose? Alex? You’re acting like any of us are gonna’ be able to stretch back over a year and remember every little fucking thing. Do you remember what you had for breakfast a year ago today?”

Q: Do you think Morgan deserved to die?

“Doesn’t matter what I think. It happened.”

Q: Do you wish she was still alive?

“I mean. It was fine knowing her while she was alive.”

Q: Do you miss her?

“...”

Q: Has your life gotten better or worse since her death?

"It hasn't changed much."

Q: If you could bring her back to life, would you?

“I don’t know.”

Q: Are you hiding something from the people of Hyland? From your family? From me?

“If I was hiding anything actually serious, you’d have me arrested by now.”

Q: Have you been telling the truth this entire time?

“Oh, is that -- is that what we were supposed to be doing this whole time? Shit, I thought we were pretending. Fuck. Do I have time to change? This is my fake interrogation outfit.”

Q: Did you kill Morgan Parrish?

Hello, Mrs. MESSERET EZE. My name is Detective Booth and I’m handling this case. I don’t need to go into details; you know why you’re here, and we already have you down as a suspect in her death. We’ve got witnesses to corroborate and a budding timeline, but we need more information from you directly. Make my day easier and cooperate with me on this, will ya’? I just need you to answer these questions for me. Do me a favor and don’t lie – you’re talking to a trained professional right now, I’ll be able to pick up on certain things whether you realize it or not. Lying will only come back to bite your ass later on. Just some food for thought. Let’s begin.

Q: I’m gonna’ start light. I hate interrogators who go straight into the hard stuff, ya’ know? I find it impolite. So, tell me a little about yourself. Give me your full name.

“Um, well, my name is Messeret Eze. I don’t have a middle name. I was born in Africa but grew up in Iran -- my parents said there were better educational opportunities there. I was adopted when I was four for promotional purposes; it’s how I ended up here, in Chicago.”

Q: Alright. Tell me your date of birth and age.

“I was born on August 15th. I’m nineteen years old.”

Q: Where did you grow up? What was your home life like? Tell me about your family and your upbringing. Give me your story.

“Right, so, like I said, I grew up in Iran. There wasn’t that stereotypical struggle people like to think exists outside of America. I could get a good job when I got older. A governmental one, if I wanted. I’m an only child to my birth parents. I was adopted at age four, organized by a missionary magazine company. My adoptive parents are nice, and they have three sons, all older than me. They helped me learn English.”

Q: Tell me about the most impactful people in your life. I’m not picky – they can be good or bad impacts.

“I think anyone who’s nice to me has made a good impact. Maybe not lasting, of course, but I always appreciate them. I haven’t had any damagingly bad impacts, but there are people I wish I hadn’t met.”

Q: What are your goals in life? What would be your ideal final ending? What would help you reach these goals?

“I want to be a billionaire. The richest woman on the planet. No, don’t smile -- I’m being serious. I want to be unbelievably successful. I want to be a trivia answer one day -- young woman who grabbed America by it’s balls and milked it of it’s money. --Alex, who is Messeret Eze.” What would help me get there? Connections. Networking. Hard work really is only half of it.

Q: How would you describe yourself?

“...Charming.”

Q: What do you do in your free time? What’s your idea of fun? What sports or extracurriculars are you in at Hyland University?

“In my free time I like to go to a lot of events around the city. You know, promotional things for products and movie premiers and restaurant openings. It’s easy to get in if you know the right people, and you know even more of the right people once you get in. I like going to the mall, too. I’m a cheerleader and a volleyball player. I’m also a tour guide for campus, and a member of BSU.”

Q: Do you drink? Smoke? Take drugs of any kind? Answer carefully on this one, kid.

“I try not to drink. The last thing I want is to end up on Barstool Sports because I was embarrassingly trashed.” 

Q: Tell me about the relationships in your life. Friendships, romantic, everything in between. 

“I’m friends with Caroline Kinsey because we cheer together, and I’m friends with Eden Rose because she’s on the team with me. Dominique Childs and I are -- sort of friends. I could list fifty more but those are the first three that pop in my mind. Romantic? I have two ex-boyfriends who also go here.”

Q: What’s the best thing that has ever happened to you? What’s the worst?

“The best was being valedictorian of my class. The worst was relaxing my hair in sixth grade to try and fit in -- but my curls are back now, so we’re good.”

Q: Let me throw in a fun one, lighten up the mood. Would you rather only be able to tell the truth or only be able to lie?

“Truth.”

Q: Did you kill Morgan Parrish? 

“No, I didn’t. I wouldn’t.”

Q: Let’s get some background information on this. How do you know Morgan Parrish?

“We went to high school together. That’s how I know her.”

Q: Explain the extent of your relationship with her. Was it platonic? Civil? Rocky? Romantic?

“It was civil. We were friends and on the cheer team together.”

Q: In your own words, describe Morgan Parrish to me.

“Um. I really don’t like cursing.”

Q: Would you say your life got better or worse upon meeting Morgan Parrish?

“Better, honestly. She hooked me up with really exclusive and prestigious internships at some firms she knew.”

Q: What was your favorite thing about her?

“She was always willing to help me.”

Q: What was your least favorite thing about her?

“She couldn’t name five countries in Africa.”

Q: Where were you the night of her murder?

“Um. I think I was at a BSU meeting?”

Q: Where were you the day before?

”What day did she die on? Friday, right? I was probably in class most of the day.”

Q: Where were you after?

“Everyone kinda’ just stayed in their dorms and kept to theirselves the day after we found out she died.”

Q: How did you feel about her passing?

“I was shocked, for sure. No one close to me has ever died.”

Q: What do you think about the way she died? Just as a refresher, Morgan Parrish was drugged, strangled, beaten, and then shot.

“I think it’s awful. I get people didn’t like her but that was an extreme way to hurt someone.”

Q: Did you make any sort of tribute to her death and put it on social m-

Another interrogator walks into the room. She’s holding a folder with your picture clipped to the front. She opens it in front of Detective Booth and whispers something into his ear. He shoots you a look and then excuses himself from the room. He returns twenty minutes later, features stony. He quickly writes something down on his notepad and then caps the pen.

Q: Change of plans. I’m going to scrap the questions I had prepared and ask you what I see fit. Where were you exactly the night Morgan Parrish died?

“I -- I can’t say where I was exactly, I’m not sure. W-wait, no -- the BSU meeting. I was there.”

Q: Tell me all the details you can remember from that night.

“I remember getting back to my room and going to bed like normal, and when I woke up the news had broke. My day had been standard.”

Q: Were you intoxicated at any point?

“No. Like I said, I try not to drink, and I don’t smoke, either.”

Q: Are there any witnesses able to corroborate your story?

“Maybe? Probably.”

Q: I feel like you’re leaving things out. Tell me all the details you can remember from that night.

“I swear that’s all I know. I don’t remember much, I’m sorry.”

Q: … are you telling me the truth, kid? We got six other students we’re talking to today – sure would suck for you if one of ‘em was able to prove that something you’re saying is false. 

“I’m telling the truth, honestly. Why would I kill Morgan? What would I gain from that? If anything, I lose.”

Q: What was the last thing you said to Morgan?

“She sent me a link to her uncle’s business and I said I’d check it out.”

Q: Have you ever gotten into a physical altercation with Morgan before?

“Never. I don’t fight and she never gave me a reason to want to fight her.”

Q: Have you ever fought verbally with Morgan?

“Never. Honestly. We got along really well.”

Q: Would you say you felt safe around Morgan?

“Uh, yeah. Yeah, I’d say I felt safe. She was a little intimidating but I was never scared of her.”

Q: Do you wish you had never met Morgan?

“I’m glad I met Morgan. I know I’m, like, the only person here who’s going to say that, but it’s true. My work experience list on my resume has seven bullet points because of her.”

Q: Do you own a gun?

“Absolutely not.”

Q: Have you handled a gun before?

“I’ve handled a glue gun before. --Sorry, let me not joke, this isn’t the right time.”

Q: Do you know someone who owns a gun?

“A lot of guys in my high school owned guns. Y’know, the ones with mullets and pickup trucks and cowboy boots even though our school was in the city?”

Q: Have you gotten into physical fights before?

“No. I wear acrylic nails, I can’t fight with these.”

Q: Is there anyone who can prove where you say you were on the night of her death?

“I think so.”

Q: Do you think Morgan deserved to die?

“No. I’m just a human, death isn’t my call to make.”

Q: Do you wish she was still alive?

“Yes, honestly. I do.”

Q: Do you miss her?

“Yes.”

Q: Has your life gotten better or worse since her death?

“It’s been about the same, really. Thankfully.”

Q: If you could bring her back to life, would you?

“Again, not my call, but if I could? Yes.”

Q: Are you hiding something from the people of Hyland? From your family? From me?

“I like to think that I’m the most realest person you’ll ever meet.”

Q: Have you been telling the truth this entire time?

“Nothing but the truth. Sorry again about the glue gun joke.”

Q: Did you kill Morgan Parrish?

Q: I’m gonna’ start light. I hate interrogators who go straight into the hard stuff, ya’ know? I find it impolite. So, tell me a little about yourself. Give me your full name. 

Bridget rolled her eyes at the question, eying Booth suspiciously, “I feel like you should know that already if you’re interviewing me.”

Q: Alright. Tell me your date of birth and age. 

“I’m 20, I was born on November 27th. I’m a Sagittarius, if you want to know.” Her voice was cold and her expression remained neutral, waiting until she could leave the precinct.

Q: Where did you grow up? What was your home life like? Tell me about your family and your upbringing. Give me your story.

“I grew up in Saratoga Springs. My life was fine. Talk to my parole officer if you want more detail.” She finished harshly, not wanting to talk about her past in any capacity. Her parole officer was more than likely behind the window, showing other detectives her file and briefing them on her previous interactions with law enforcement.

Q: Tell me about the most impactful people in your life. I’m not picky – they can be good or bad impacts.

“Just read my file, it’ll tell you more than enough.” She could mention her ex, but it was too painful of a memory to bring up. Plus, there was no way that they weren’t already aware of the situation. She was still wearing the skin from the first time she was hit. The first bruise, even if it wasn’t visible it would always be there to her. Each new one, despite fading to others, they still remained. As she looked at the two-way mirror, she could see every time she was hurt, every scrape, every cut, every scar before it even scabbed over. Even though it was still visible, it wasn’t something she wanted to say out loud.

Q: What are your goals in life? What would be your ideal final ending? What would help you reach these goals? 

With a smile, Bridget raised an eyebrow, “Is this a police interview or a first date, Detective?”

Q: How would you describe yourself?

“Now this really feels like a date. Why don’t you describe yourself for me?” she leaned forward, resting her arms on the cool table and making direct eye contact.

Q: What do you do in your free time? What’s your idea of fun? What sports or extracurriculars are you in at Hyland University? 

“I play ultimate frisbee and I’m in SAGE and DIAC. For fun, I like to have sex. Do you, Detective?” She looked over at a very unamused Detective Booth and laughed to herself, looking once again past him at the two way mirror.

Q: Do you drink? Smoke? Take drugs of any kind? Answer carefully on this one, kid. 

“Of course not, drugs are bad and I’m underage. I’m a good girl, sir.”

Q: Tell me about the relationships in your life. Friendships, romantic, everything in between. 

“I have a lot of friends, I’m a popular person. As for romantic relationships, let’s see...” she tapped her chin and clicked her tongue, considering rattling off names in hopes of annoying them all, but eventually deciding against it. “You could always be added onto the list, Booth.”

Q: What’s the best thing that has ever happened to you? What’s the worst?

“This doesn’t seem relevant.” She responded almost immediately, her poker face still going strong.

Q: Let me throw in a fun one, lighten up the mood. Would you rather only be able to tell the truth or only be able to lie? 

“Only be able to lie. But if I can only lie, wouldn’t that answer itself be a lie?” Tapping her fingers on the table, Bridget cocked her head and clicked her tongue.

Q: Did you kill Morgan Parrish? 

“No.”

Q: Let’s get some background information on this. How do you know Morgan Parrish?

“The first time I met her I was standing over her dead body,” She responded coldly before breaking into a laugh at Booth’s open mouth, “I’m fucking kidding. I was a freshman, rushing her sorority.”

Q: Explain the extent of your relationship with her. Was it platonic? Civil? Rocky? Romantic? 

“We were friends, I guess.” A shrug accompanied her response and she mentally 

Q: In your own words, describe Morgan Parrish to me.

Exhaling harshly, she shook her head, “She was a cunt. But she was still my friend.”

Q: Would you say your life got better or worse upon meeting Morgan Parrish?

“I don’t know. Next question.”

Q: What was your favorite thing about her? 

“She could hook me up."

Q: What was your least favorite thing about her? 

“She got anything she wanted, no matter what it cost other people.”

Q: Where were you the night of her murder? 

“Drinking at a frat party. I was with Aleks.”

Q: Where were you the day before? 

“Thursday? I went to my classes and did homework like a good student.”

Q: Where were you after? 

“Doing homework. It was a Sunday.” 

Q: How did you feel about her passing? 

“It sucked, but so it goes.”

Q: What do you think about the way she died? Just as a refresher, Morgan Parrish was drugged, strangled, beaten, and then shot. 

“Yikes.”

Q: Did you make any sort of tribute to her death and put it on social m-

Another interrogator walks into the room. She’s holding a folder with your picture clipped to the front. She opens it in front of Detective Booth and whispers something into his ear. He shoots you a look and then excuses himself from the room. He returns twenty minutes later, features stony. He quickly writes something down on his notepad and then caps the pen.

Q: Change of plans. I’m going to scrap the questions I had prepared and ask you what I see fit. Where were you exactly the night Morgan Parrish died? 

“It took you 20 minutes to come up with that question? I told you, I was at a party.”

Q: Tell me all the details you can remember from that night.

Rolling her eyes, Bridget shook her head, “I already told you. And you can see the statement I made when it first happened, I’m sure it’s in your little file.”

Q: Were you intoxicated at any point?

Was this supposed to be a trick question or something? She was pretty sure that there would be a statute of limitations on how long ago one could be penalized for underage drinking; plus, that wasn’t really the issue at hand, “Yes.”

Q: Are there any witnesses able to corroborate your story?

“Ask Aleks. I was with him upstairs most of the night.” She paused to wink at Booth, “want to be my alibi if anything happens tonight?”

Q: I feel like you’re leaving things out. Tell me all the details you can remember from that night.

Shooting daggers at the detectives in front of her, she pursed her lips and shook her head, staying silent.

Q: … are you telling me the truth, kid? We got six other students we’re talking to today – sure would suck for you if one of ‘em was able to prove that something you’re saying is false. 

“Don’t call me kid, it’s patronizing.”

Q: What was the last thing you said to Morgan? 

“I don’t remember, probably “goodbye.”

Q: Have you ever gotten into a physical altercation with Morgan before? 

“No.”

Q: Have you ever fought verbally with Morgan? 

“People fight, it’s human nature.”

Q: Would you say you felt safe around Morgan? 

“If I was close to her then I was less likely to get hurt by her, so I guess.

Q: Do you wish you had never met Morgan? 

“Don’t you ever wonder about your life taking a different path?

Q: Do you own a gun? 

“No of course not.”

Q: Have you handled a gun before? 

“No.”

Q: Do you know someone who owns a gun? 

A lump grew in Bridget’s throat at the question, her breath was stuck and she knew that her discomfort was evident, “...No.” She refused to elaborate on it, that person wasn’t even in her life anymore.

Q: Have you gotten into physical fights before?

“Not ones in which I fought back.” She responded coldly, pointing to a scar on her jaw from a surgery last summer after her ex learned that she was back in Saratoga.

Q: Is there anyone who can prove where you say you were on the night of her death? 

“You already asked this like three times. Are you trying to catch me in a lie or something?”

Q: Do you think Morgan deserved to die? 

“No, but she did anyway.”

Q: Do you wish she was still alive? 

Scoffing, she answered weakly, “Ha, most of the time I don’t.”

Q: Do you miss her? 

“Not really.”

Q: Has your life gotten better or worse since her death?

“It’s been calmer, for sure.”

Q: If you could bring her back to life, would you? 

“Mmm probably not.”

Q: Are you hiding something from the people of Hyland? From your family? From me?

Shaking her head, Bridget decided not to entertain them any more. It wasn’t benefitting her at all and it wasn’t as if her emotional unavailability was anyone’s business.

Q: Have you been telling the truth this entire time? 

“Obviously.”

Q: Did you kill Morgan Parrish? 

“No means no, detective. Do you need to go back to sensitivity training?”

Hello, Mr THEODORE GRAYSON. My name is Detective Booth and I’m handling this case. I don’t need to go into details; you know why you’re here, and we already have you down as a suspect in her death. We’ve got witnesses to corroborate and a budding timeline, but we need more information from you directly. Make my day easier and cooperate with me on this, will ya’? I just need you to answer these questions for me. Do me a favor and don’t lie – you’re talking to a trained professional right now, I’ll be able to pick up on certain things whether you realize it or not. Lying will only come back to bite your ass later on. Just some food for thought. Let’s begin.

Q: I’m gonna’ start light. I hate interrogators who go straight into the hard stuff, ya’ know? I find it impolite. So, tell me a little about yourself. Give me your full name. A: Thedore Grayson but everybody calls me Teddy

Q: Alright. Tell me your date of birth and age. A: july 18th 1996 and twenty three almost twenty four Q: Where did you grow up? What was your home life like? Tell me about your family and your upbringing. Give me your story. A: teddy grew up in Michigan with his mom and dad. he had a pretty normal childhood, his dad expected a lot out of him and he rebelled hard core in high school. when it came to college he knew that he wanted to move out of the state. when he found hyland he didn’t think he was going to get in, when he did he knew it was the school for him. he has three sisters and one brother. he is the oldest and very close with his family. “Why does my family and home life have to deal with morgan dying”

Q: Tell me about the most impactful people in your life. I’m not picky – they can be good or bad impacts. A: My boys, my squad and friends... family obviously... people... Q: What are your goals in life? What would be your ideal final ending? What would help you reach these goals? A: to graduate college, get a job... not being a fuck up would help me reach my goals probably but who has time for that right?

Q: How would you describe yourself? A: decent human being. *laughs*

Q: What do you do in your free time? What’s your idea of fun? What sports or extracurriculars are you in at Hyland University? A: i’m in a fraternity and play baseball... partying and hanging with friends is fun

Q: Do you drink? Smoke? Take drugs of any kind? Answer carefully on this one, kid. A: yup, yeah, maybe... why does this have to do with anything?

Q: Tell me about the relationships in your life. Friendships, romantic, everything in between. A: i mean a couple of my best friends slept with her, i guess i'm really close friends with Bridget i think they got along... dominique and i were fairly close... i guess she was always just somehow roped up into my life somehow by somebody... girl was everywhere and in everybody

Q: What’s the best thing that has ever happened to you? What’s the worst? A: best thing, probably being a big brother.. worst blacking out the night of morgan’s death

Q: Let me throw in a fun one, lighten up the mood. Would you rather only be able to tell the truth or only be able to lie? A: tell the truth, i don’t sugar coat anything

Q: Did you kill Morgan Parrish? A: no but she had it coming, everybody couldn’t stand her *rolls eyes*

Q: Let’s get some background information on this. How do you know Morgan Parrish? A: i guess you could say we were ‘friends’ but that didn’t last long, girls crazy.

Q: Explain the extent of your relationship with her. Was it platonic? Civil? Rocky? Romantic? A: i guess you could call it frenemies, didn’t care for her if i’m being honest

Q: In your own words, describe Morgan Parrish to me. A: dead to me... *coughs dramatically*

Q: Would you say your life got better or worse upon meeting Morgan Parrish? A: isn’t everybody's life worse?

Q: What was your favorite thing about her? A: she had hot friends

Q: What was your least favorite thing about her? A: manipulative and selfish

Q: Where were you the night of her murder? A: *shrugs* a party?

Q: Where were you the day before? A: at school and at a friends dorm room

Q: Where were you after? A: at the frat house with sawyer, jack and emma

Q: How did you feel about her passing? A: i guess it didn’t surprise me

Q: What do you think about the way she died? Just as a refresher, Morgan Parrish was drugged, strangled, beaten, and then shot. A: karma’s a bitch isn’t it...

Q: Did you make any sort of tribute to her death and put it on social m- A: nah i don’t use social media and wasn’t close enough to do a tribute to her

Another interrogator walks into the room. She’s holding a folder with your picture clipped to the front. She opens it in front of Detective Booth and whispers something into his ear. He shoots you a look and then excuses himself from the room. He returns twenty minutes later, features stony. He quickly writes something down on his notepad and then caps the pen.

Q: Change of plans. I’m going to scrap the questions I had prepared and ask you what I see fit. Where were you exactly the night Morgan Parrish died? A: a party... and my dorm... what else do you want from me? *sighs* Q: Tell me all the details you can remember from that night. A: nothing that has to do with morgan Q: Were you intoxicated at any point? A: wasn’t everybody... Q: Are there any witnesses able to corroborate your story? A: yup! i checked into the fraternity and my friends signed them in as guests Q: I feel like you’re leaving things out. Tell me all the details you can remember from that night. A: *studders and stops* “I was at a party with some friends, it was a great night“ that i remember Q: … are you telling me the truth, kid? We got six other students we’re talking to today – sure would suck for you if one of ‘em was able to prove that something you’re saying is false. A: i don’t have to prove anything... hope you get more information with the other six students Q: What was the last thing you said to Morgan? A: stop being a bitch *laughs* guess that wasn’t the best thing to tell an almost dead girl Q: Have you ever gotten into a physical altercation with Morgan before? A: almost, reid and aleks a stopped me.. bitch was blackmailing my friends again Q: Have you ever fought verbally with Morgan? A: isn’t that all we ever did? Q: Would you say you felt safe around Morgan? A: there’s nothing safe about that girl Q: Do you wish you had never met Morgan? A: life would be simple if i hadn’t met her Q: Do you own a gun? A: nope Q: Have you handled a gun before? A: nope don’t mess with that kind of stuff Q: Do you know someone who owns a gun? A: nope Q: Have you gotten into physical fights before? A: i’ve had my fare share of fights Q: Is there anyone who can prove where you say you were on the night of her death? A: sawyer, jack and emma, they were all at my place Q: Do you think Morgan deserved to die? A: i wouldn’t use the word deserve.... Q: Do you wish she was still alive? A: doesn’t make much of a difference

Q: I’m gonna’ start light. I hate interrogators who go straight into the hard stuff, ya’ know? I find it impolite. So, tell me a little about yourself. Give me your full name. A. [rolling his eyes] “Bradley Evans, the same name you just used to start this conversation.”

Q: Alright. Tell me your date of birth and age. A.  “November the fourth, 1998. And I’m 20.”

Q: Where did you grow up? What was your home life like? Tell me about your family and your upbringing. Give me your story. A. [Brad shifts uncomfortably at the question].  ‘Well, I grew up in Italy. Most of my childhood was there. It was all right, I suppose. Can’t complain. I was well cared for, had the best schooling, and we had everything we need, really. “ [Brad shrugged]  Q: Tell me about the most impactful people in your life. I’m not picky – they can be good or bad impacts. A. “Uhhhhhh.” [Brad shrugged, shifting where he sat. He was highly annoyed.] “What does this --- my personal life, have to do with Morgan?” Brad hated talking about himself. Q: What are your goals in life? What would be your ideal final ending? What would help you reach these goals? A. “Well, I want to be a neurosurgeon. One of the best, really. My ideal final ending? Life has a funny way of not going the way you expect. I may want things, but fate and the universe decides, not me.” Q: How would you describe yourself? A. [Brad frowned.] “Again, my personal life has --- what to do with this?” Q: What do you do in your free time? What’s your idea of fun? What sports or extracurriculars are you in at Hyland University? A. “Baseball. Or baking. Or research. That’s mostly it.” Q: Do you drink? Smoke? Take drugs of any kind? Answer carefully on this one, kid. A. [Brad scoffed at the use of the word kid.] “No. Drinking? Maybe if there’s a party or something?” Q: Tell me about the relationships in your life. Friendships, romantic, everything in between.  A. “I have neither of those.” Q: What’s the best thing that has ever happened to you? What’s the worst? A. “Nothing, and ......... nothing.” Q: Let me throw in a fun one, lighten up the mood. Would you rather only be able to tell the truth or only be able to lie? A. “I’m not a dishonest person. So this question is quite moot. I’m already always telling the truth.” Q: Did you kill Morgan Parrish? A. [Brad rolled his eyes.] “Again. No I did not.” Q: Let’s get some background information on this. How do you know Morgan Parrish? A. “We have -- had a few classes together. She was always --- almost --- outwinning me. We were neck and neck, honestly. We were academic rivals. She kept me on my toes. I miss it.” Q: Explain the extent of your relationship with her. Was it platonic? Civil? Rocky? Romantic? A. “Civil and platonic.” Q: In your own words, describe Morgan Parrish to me. A. “Annoying, witty. Cute. Always in your face. Hard-headed. Annoying. Smart. And annoying.” Q: Would you say your life got better or worse upon meeting Morgan Parrish? A. [Brad shrugged.] “Didn’t really have that much of an effect to warrant either feeling.” Q: What was your favorite thing about her? A. “How smart she was. Besides being miss popular, she wasn’t also miss airhead.” Q: What was your least favorite thing about her? A. [Brad shrugged]. “Never really paid that much attention.” Q: Where were you the night of her murder? A. [Brad pouted. He was with a client.] “I was out at a night club. They were having happy hour and I thought, why the hell not?” Q: Where were you the day before? A. “At school. Where else would I be?” Q: Where were you after? A. “The day after? At home. Well, in my dorm room. I had assignments due.” Q: How did you feel about her passing? A. “It’s sad. Someone lost a daughter, a best friend, a sister ..... it’s sad, honestly. I’d never want to go through something like that.” Q: What do you think about the way she died? Just as a refresher, Morgan Parrish was drugged, strangled, beaten, and then shot. A. “It’s morbid. Killing someone in any way is fu- morbid. How else do you suppose I would feel about it?” Q: Did you make any sort of tribute to her death and put it on social m- A. “Social media? Just retweeted stuff and shared her memorial photo.”

Another interrogator walks into the room. She’s holding a folder with your picture clipped to the front. She opens it in front of Detective Booth and whispers something into his ear. He shoots you a look and then excuses himself from the room. He returns twenty minutes later, features stony. He quickly writes something down on his notepad and then caps the pen.

logan, quite frankly, was already bored of this conversation. he had plans with a girl (( and she was a french exchange student, so it’d a real fucking tragedy if he couldn’t make it )), and he was anxiously glancing at his watch every two minutes. she didn’t seem like the type of girl to reschedule.   

Q: I’m gonna’ start light. I hate interrogators who go straight into the hard stuff, ya’ know? I find it impolite. So, tell me a little about yourself. Give me your full name.

“logan wagner.” he glanced down at his watch and then looked back up at the detective, grinning, “but my friends call me the notorious a.s.s.” booth didn’t look amused, but logan just snorted. that made two of them, buddy.  

Q: Alright. Tell me your date of birth and age.

“october 8th. twenty-one.” he leaned back in the chair and placed his hands behind his head, “but what you should really write down is that i’m a libra. i’ve been told that makes me very happy, and happy people don’t kill people. that’s like legally blonde 101.”  

detective booth squinted at him, “is this a joke to you? you’re being interrogated for murder.”

logan leaned forward onto his forearms and shook his head, face somber, “sir, i never joke when it comes to reese witherspoon.” 

Q: Where did you grow up? What was your home life like? Tell me about your family and your upbringing. Give me your story.

he didn’t really see how his childhood was relevant to morgan’s death, but there were few things he loved more than talking about himself. “i’m what you call...a scientific marvel. my mom was inseminated by some guy i don’t know––make sure you write that part down––and then i was raised by a string of nannies and my grandma. mom popped in from time to time to express her disappointment in all of my life choices, so don’t worry. you know, come to think of it, i think she’d like you. i could give you her number, but be forewarned, she’s kind of a ballbuster.” 

Q: Tell me about the most impactful people in your life. I’m not picky – they can be good or bad impacts.

“kanye west changed my life.” he glanced down at his watch again and tapped his foot against the ground to the beat of the ticking clock in the background. 

“do you have somewhere to be, mr. wagner?”

sighing, logan nodded his head and drummed his fingers on top of the cool metal table, “yes, actually, i was supposed to meet this girl at my place, and she was going to bring chocolate sauce and whipped cream––and we weren’t having ice cream if you catch my drift, so i’m sure you understand why i’d appreciate it if we could hurry this up.”  

detective booth stared at him for a long time before sighing and turning the page in his notebook, and logan couldn’t help but grin. 

Q: What are your goals in life? What would be your ideal final ending? What would help you reach these goals?

booth already looked sorry he asked, and logan supposed that was fair. he didn’t really seem like the kind of guy who had goals, but that was just objectively not true. “don’t laugh ‘cause it’s kind of a sensitive issue for me, but i’ve always wanted to get my name to the top of the scoreboard on the galaga machine at the movie theater. i’m this close, but this little fucker comes in with his babysitter on sundays and steals my spot every time. now, i know what you’re wondering, and the answer is yes, i did sleep with the sitter, but i’m not proud of it. i don’t want to win like that.”    

Q: How would you describe yourself?

“i think scientific marvel just about covered it.” 

Q: What do you do in your free time? What’s your idea of fun? What sports or extracurriculars are you in at Hyland University?

“i’m on the hockey team, but my main passion in life is puppetry.” he paused and tapped the table, “write down that i said that ‘with impish mirth in my eyes’. i don’t want people thinking i’m a serial killer.” 

Q: Do you drink? Smoke? Take drugs of any kind? Answer carefully on this one, kid.

“i dabble in the art of tequila and weed.” he cleared his throat and leaned closer to the camera, “allegedly.” 

Q: Tell me about the relationships in your life. Friendships, romantic, everything in between.

he cracked his knuckles and hummed thoughtfully in the back of his throat, “where to begin, where to begin. i like to refer to myself as a serial short-term monogamist because that sounds better than being a hoe.” tapping his fingers on the table, he shrugged his shoulders slightly, “i have one best friend. eden rose. you’ve probably already interrogated her, and i agree with your assessment: she’s way too good to be hanging around me.”    

Q: What’s the best thing that has ever happened to you? What’s the worst?

he hummed and leaned back in his chair, wishing that he had something to comfortably rest his feet on to completely sell his pose. “best thing? rachel monroe. worst thing?” he paused and pulled a face, “rachel monroe.” 

Q: Let me throw in a fun one, lighten up the mood. Would you rather only be able to tell the truth or only be able to lie?

“i’m a firm believer that lying always solves all your problems.” he cleared his throat and scratched the back of his neck, “except for, you know, in a murder investigation.” 

Q: Did you kill Morgan Parrish?

“uh,” logan blinked and stared at the detective, “are you actually serious?” booth didn’t say anything. “no, man, of course not. i didn’t have any reason to kill her.”

Q: Let’s get some background information on this. How do you know Morgan Parrish?

“she’s my cousin. don’t you have a file on her family, my dude? it seems like you guys don’t really know shit about her life––which is weird ‘cause morgan made sure everyone knew everything about her life.”   

Q: Explain the extent of your relationship with her. Was it platonic? Civil? Rocky? Romantic?

“we talked at christmas and easter. that was about it. she kind of cramped my style with her ‘no fucking my friends’ rule––and before you ask, no, i didn’t kill her over it. i just fucked her friends anyway.”

Q: In your own words, describe Morgan Parrish to me.

“a real pain in the ass, but she was my first pick for flag football at thanksgiving. she was ruthless.” 

Q: Would you say your life got better or worse upon meeting Morgan Parrish?

“i mean, i pretty much met her from the day that she was born, so...i guess better because i wasn’t potty-trained yet.”   

Q: What was your favorite thing about her?

“she had really hot friends. have you interrogated bridget flores yet? total smokeshow.”  

Q: What was your least favorite thing about her?

“she told my mom that i was the one that broke her lalique vase just because i spilled hot sauce on her dress. what an asshole, right? i had to miss homecoming because of that stupid vase, and my date was stephanie madsen. stephanie motherfucking madsen. she won homecoming queen, you know, with jason poyfair.” he pulled a face and shook his head, “total bullshit.”  

Q: Where were you the night of her murder?

logan squinted as he tried to recall his whereabouts, but he honestly couldn’t remember what he did yesterday, so it was a bit of a lost cause. “i was probably with a girl. maybe eden. if there was a party that night, then i was definitely there. i’ll check with my receptionist and get back to you.” 

Q: Where were you the day before?

 “i would say class, but that would be a fuckin’ lie. i was probably asleep until three in the afternoon, and then i probably hit up eden for some cookies.” 

Q: Where were you after?

he clenched his jaw and swallowed hard, “i was at a meeting. for hockey. i, uh, i had to leave early.” 

Q: How did you feel about her passing?

 he sighed, finally feeling the agitation of going over his cousin’s death again and again creep into his tone. “i don’t know. what do you think? it fucking sucked. my grandma couldn’t stop crying.” 

Q: What do you think about the way she died? Just as a refresher, Morgan Parrish was drugged, strangled, beaten, and then shot.

logan looked down at his hands and swallowed the bile rising in his throat. he wasn’t sure why, but every time he imagined her corpse, she always looked like she was five years old again. “it was fucked up. what else do you want me to say?”  

Q: Did you make any sort of tribute to her death and put it on social m-

Another interrogator walks into the room. She’s holding a folder with your picture clipped to the front. She opens it in front of Detective Booth and whispers something into his ear. He shoots you a look and then excuses himself from the room. He returns twenty minutes later, features stony. He quickly writes something down on his notepad and then caps the pen.

Q: Change of plans. I’m going to scrap the questions I had prepared and ask you what I see fit. Where were you exactly the night Morgan Parrish died?

logan quickly placed his carefully crafted smirk back onto his face and held out his hand,  “enchanté, mademoiselle. logan, logan wagner, but you can call me james bond––and what might i call a fine lady such as yourself?” 

her stern face didn’t move. “detective. answer the question.” 

he sighed and retracted his hand, “you know what, i’m just going to call you karen. you look like a karen; you have a very karen-esque face. it’s a good thing; karens are hot.”

she tapped her pen against her pad of paper, and logan held up his hands. “jeez, relax, karen. i just wanted to get to know you a little better before we got down to business. i just told detective sunshine that i’m pretty sure i was at a party.”    

Q: Tell me all the details you can remember from that night.

“i don’t really remember anything from any party i’ve been to. i’m a big fan of patron.” 

Q: Were you intoxicated at any point?

“uh ,,, just the entire night.” 

Q: Are there any witnesses able to corroborate your story?

“probably the entire hockey team. greek row, too, if they can manage to remember anything past breakfast.” 

Q: I feel like you’re leaving things out. Tell me all the details you can remember from that night.

logan smirked slightly, “are you asking for the explicit version ‘cause i could come up with something if you’re interested, or we could just create our own version of events.” 

detective karen something held up her hand, “that’s enough, thank you.” 

Q: … are you telling me the truth, kid? We got six other students we’re talking to today – sure would suck for you if one of ‘em was able to prove that something you’re saying is false.

“i’m not really sure, but i believe what i’m saying, and nietzsche says that means it’s the truth, and we all know that philosophers never lie.”  

Q: What was the last thing you said to Morgan?

logan frowned and scratched his cheek, “i...i don’t actually know. probably something stupid.” he kind of wished that he had known at the time. not that he had any idea what he’d say to her if he knew that he’d never see her again, but it probably would’ve been better than whatever bullshit he said at the time. 

Q: Have you ever gotten into a physical altercation with Morgan before?

“past the age of five? no. and i want it on the record that no matter what my grandma says, i won that fight.” 

Q: Have you ever fought verbally with Morgan?

“yeah, ask booth about laliquegate. it’s a real page-turner.” 

Q: Would you say you felt safe around Morgan?

“emotionally? no. physically?” he paused and shrugged his shoulder, “probably not.” 

Q: Do you wish you had never met Morgan?

“i like to focus on the future, karen. for example, what are you doing tonight because i’m a big fan of donuts and being handcuffed.” 

Q: Do you own a gun?

“yes, but it shoots strictly nerf foam, and i only use it in case of emergencies.” 

Q: Have you handled a gun before?

“i just explained that i’m very well-equipped to handle any nerf gun model made after 1997.” 

Q: Do you know someone who owns a gun?

“me, but i got my license to carry from toys r us before they went bankrupt.”  

Q: Have you gotten into physical fights before?

“i’m a lover not a fighter, karen. i thought you knew that about me already.” 

Q: Is there anyone who can prove where you say you were on the night of her death?

“probably eden, but don’t hold me to that. i might’ve been with a girl i don’t remember.” 

Q: Do you think Morgan deserved to die?

“what the fuck? no. people don’t just deserve to die.” he titled his head and paused,  “except maybe chris martin. fuck that guy and his dead fish eyes.”  

Q: Do you wish she was still alive?

“obviously, but despite popular belief, i’m not god.”

Q: Do you miss her?

he shoved away thoughts of a little girl with pigtails and pink dresses that skipped rocks with him in their grandma’s backyard. it was...easier not to have substance, far less painful. “i mean, she was an asshole, but she was family. it’s weird not seeing her at reunions anymore. i guess that’s kind of missing her, right?”

Q: Has your life gotten better or worse since her death?

“honestly, the same. i didn’t really talk to her that much. she was kind of a downer most of the time.” 

Q: If you could bring her back to life, would you?

“again, i’m not actually god.” he grinned and winked at the detective, “but i think i could make an exception for you.”

Q: Are you hiding something from the people of Hyland? From your family? From me?

“i’ll be honest, i haven’t exactly been forthcoming on exactly how much i like one tree hill––but i’m going to come clean now. i think that one tree hill is a gift to mankind, and i cried when nathan told haley that he loved her for the first time.” he paused and shrugged his shoulders,  “twice.” 

Q: Have you been telling the truth this entire time?

“i’m more than a little hurt you don’t trust me after all we’ve been through, karen. deeply hurt, and that’s on you. i hope you think about that for the rest of today and consider how your actions affect other people.” 

Q: Did you kill Morgan Parrish?

Hello, Mr SAWYER HAMMOND. My name is Detective Booth and I’m handling this case. I don’t need to go into details; you know why you’re here, and we already have you down as a suspect in her death. We’ve got witnesses to corroborate and a budding timeline, but we need more information from you directly. Make my day easier and cooperate with me on this, will ya’? I just need you to answer these questions for me. Do me a favor and don’t lie – you’re talking to a trained professional right now, I’ll be able to pick up on certain things whether you realize it or not. Lying will only come back to bite your ass later on. Just some food for thought. Let’s begin.

Q: I’m gonna’ start light. I hate interrogators who go straight into the hard stuff, ya’ know? I find it impolite. So, tell me a little about yourself. Give me your full name. 

“My name is Sawyer Aidan Hammond.”

Q: Alright. Tell me your date of birth and age. 

“I’m 22, born on October 14th”

Q: Where did you grow up? What was your home life like? Tell me about your family and your upbringing. Give me your story. 

“I grew up in Boston. My family’s pretty rich so things were always comfortable. I don’t know what else to say, really. I wasn’t spoiled but I never struggled. i don’t really have much of a story, detective.”

Q: Tell me about the most impactful people in your life. I’m not picky – they can be good or bad impacts. 

“Uh, the guy who sold me drugs in high school impacted me. I guess that was a bad way though, huh? The best person is my little sister, she’s 17.”

Q: What are your goals in life? What would be your ideal final ending? What would help you reach these goals? 

Sawyer sighed and leaned back in his chair, “I just want to get a job, man.”

Q: How would you describe yourself? 

“Pretty easy going, I’m confused a lot of the time though. Some people call me dumb.”

Q: What do you do in your free time? What’s your idea of fun? What sports or extracurriculars are you in at Hyland University?

“I play football and lacrosse here. I don’t know what I do for fun, I just sort of do things.”

Q: Do you drink? Smoke? Take drugs of any kind? Answer carefully on this one, kid.

“Look, you have my file. I’m sure you know that I went to rehab, but I’ve been clean for going on two years.”

Q: Tell me about the relationships in your life. Friendships, romantic, everything in between. 

“Teddy’s my main man. Uh, I’m good friends with Eden, Dora, Caroline, Noah, and Galilea. Alex and Arwen are my exes, and Shiloh fuckin’ hates me. I think I’m cool with everyone else.”

Q: What’s the best thing that has ever happened to you? What’s the worst? 

“The best thing? I guess going to rehab. The worst was probably rehab too, to be honest. It sucked ”

Q: Let me throw in a fun one, lighten up the mood. Would you rather only be able to tell the truth or only be able to lie? 

“Tell the truth.”

Q: Did you kill Morgan Parrish? 

“Nah, man.”

Q: Let’s get some background information on this. How do you know Morgan Parrish? 

“I met her at a party, that’s how most people know her. She liked to party.”

Q: Explain the extent of your relationship with her. Was it platonic? Civil? Rocky? Romantic?

“I guess rocky... We were sort of friends, but then things went downhill.”

Q: In your own words, describe Morgan Parrish to me. 

“Uh, she was a big party girl, basically took as many drugs as she could get. She was good at school, though.”

Q: Would you say your life got better or worse upon meeting Morgan Parrish? 

“When I first met her it didn’t change, but worse when she ruined the life of my girlfriend at the time.”

Q: What was your favorite thing about her?

“I mean... she was hot? That’s basically it. She was good in bed, too.”

Q: What was your least favorite thing about her? 

“She was manipulative and a bitch. She walked all over people and only cared about herself.”

Q: Where were you the night of her murder? 

“I was at a party off campus.”

Q: Where were you the day before?

“In my classes, duh.”

Q: Where were you after?

“Dude it was almost two years ago, I stay in and do homework on Sundays so I was probably there.”

Q: How did you feel about her passing?

“Uh, weird, I guess. I don’t really know anyone who died other than old people.”

Q: What do you think about the way she died? Just as a refresher, Morgan Parrish was drugged, strangled, beaten, and then shot. 

“It’s shitty, I don’t like to think about it.”

Q: Did you make any sort of tribute to her death and put it on social m-

Another interrogator walks into the room. She’s holding a folder with your picture clipped to the front. She opens it in front of Detective Booth and whispers something into his ear. He shoots you a look and then excuses himself from the room. He returns twenty minutes later, features stony. He quickly writes something down on his notepad and then caps the pen.

Q: Change of plans. I’m going to scrap the questions I had prepared and ask you what I see fit. Where were you exactly the night Morgan Parrish died?

“I told you, I was at a party off campus.”

Q: Tell me all the details you can remember from that night.

“I remember getting to the party and drinking. I didn’t blackout, but I smoked and decided to go home when I got bored.”

Q: Were you intoxicated at any point?

“Of course I was, it was a Friday night.”

Q: Are there any witnesses able to corroborate your story?

“Anyone else who went to the party. I don’t know, I didn’t go home with anyone, though. It was pretty soon after Alex and I broke up, I didn’t want to be with anyone.”

Q: I feel like you’re leaving things out. Tell me all the details you can remember from that night.

“I already told you, I went to a party. I got drunk, and then I went home. There are security cameras outside my apartment, you can check them if you don’t believe me.”

Q: … are you telling me the truth, kid? We got six other students we’re talking to today – sure would suck for you if one of ‘em was able to prove that something you’re saying is false. 

“I don’t really care how many other people you’re talking to, because I’m telling the truth.”

Q: What was the last thing you said to Morgan?

“I don’t know, probably that I never wanted to see her again. The last time we spoke it was after we hooked up and I left to throw up.”

Q: Have you ever gotten into a physical altercation with Morgan before?

“No, just regular fights.”

Q: Have you ever fought verbally with Morgan? 

“Of course, but everyone did.”

Q: Would you say you felt safe around Morgan?

“Why would I feel safe around someone who blackmailed me?”

Q: Do you wish you had never met Morgan? 

“Sometimes, yeah. –– actually, a lot of the time.”

Q: Do you own a gun?

“No, and neither does anyone in my family.”

Q: Have you handled a gun before?

“Nah, they freak me out.”

Q: Do you know someone who owns a gun? 

“Probably. I mean, I’m white and rich, most of my parent’s friends probably have guns.”

Q: Have you gotten into physical fights before?

"A few times, mostly in high school.”

Q: Is there anyone who can prove where you say you were on the night of her death? 

“Didn’t you already ask this?”

Q: Do you think Morgan deserved to die? 

“No one deserves to die.”

Q: Do you wish she was still alive? 

“No.”

Q: Do you miss her?

“Not really.”

Q: Has your life gotten better or worse since her death?

“It’s been the same. She died but it doesn’t change the fact that I cheated with her.”

Q: If you could bring her back to life, would you? 

“Probably not. Things happen for a reason.”

Q: Are you hiding something from the people of Hyland? From your family? From me? 

“I’m not hiding anything, man. I don’t tell people I went to rehab though.”

Q: Have you been telling the truth this entire time? 

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I?”

Q: Did you kill Morgan Parrish?

alex didn’t break the rules; that was her thing. she always did the responsible thing, the practical thing, the right thing. she was dependable. i.e.: she wasn’t the kind of girl that you’d expect to see being questioned in a police station. maybe that’s why her palms couldn’t stop sweating––or maybe it was because she broke the rules everyday, and she just hadn’t been caught yet.  

Q: I’m gonna’ start light. I hate interrogators who go straight into the hard stuff, ya’ know? I find it impolite. So, tell me a little about yourself. Give me your full name.

she cleared her throat and wiped her palms on her jeans before quietly murmuring, “alexandra penelope taylor.” she twisted her mother’s opal ring around her finger a couple times, looking up from her hands when the detective didn’t respond. he was looking at her expectantly, pen carefully perched in his hand, so she cleared her throat again and added, “i, um, i’m on the soccer team. my major is biochem. i don’t know...i’m not really that interesting.”   

Q: Alright. Tell me your date of birth and age.

“august 29th, 1999––so i just turned twenty.” these were supposed to be the easy questions. she wasn’t sure why she could feel her heart jumping up her throat.   

Q: Where did you grow up? What was your home life like? Tell me about your family and your upbringing. Give me your story.

alex shifted in her seat and reached for her ring again, stroking the pad of her pointer finger over the smooth surface of the iridescent stone. “i don’t really see how that’s relevant to morgan’s death,” she mumbled. detective booth gave her another blank stare, and alex sighed softly under her breath. “i’m from here. i grew up with my dad, my sister, and my brother. my childhood was pretty average, you know, peewee soccer, skinned knees, homemade volcanoes...the usual.”   

detective booth arched his brow and stopped writing, “and your mother.”    

alex set her jaw and tried not to look too defiant, “she wasn’t around.” booth started writing, and alex’s heart started creeping up her throat again as she went through every serial killer with an absentee parent in her mind, bottom lip tucked between her teeth. the detective waited for her to continue, but alex kept her lips firmly pressed together this time. she didn’t need to get into her family trauma in order to prove that she wasn’t a murderer.   

Q: Tell me about the most impactful people in your life. I’m not picky – they can be good or bad impacts.

she wanted to protest the relevancy of the question again, but detective booth didn’t look like he was in the mood for her technicalities anymore, so she folded her arms over her chest and leaned back against her chair, “gerty cori, marie curie, audrey evans...” her cheeks flushed as booth cleared his throat, scratching the back of her neck. “i suppose if you meant people i actually know, that’d be my best friend shiloh sinclair’s parents. maura took me prom dress shopping and taught me how to use a tampon, and piers took me to cubs games and taught me how to fish.” she smiled a little at the popsicle-stained memories and bit down on the inside of her cheek,  “...and shiloh, too. he makes me a better person. he makes me want to be good enough to be his friend.” she forgot for a moment that she was talking to the man investigating shiloh’s dead girlfriend’s murder. she quickly wiped the dopey, lovesick smile off of her face. 

Q: What are your goals in life? What would be your ideal final ending? What would help you reach these goals?

“i want to be a surgeon. ideally, chief of my chosen field.” alex smiled a little and shrugged her shoulders slightly, “i’m kind of an overachiever. i already have a ten-year plan set in place, so i don’t really need to worry about how i’m going to reach my goals.”  

Q: How would you describe yourself?

alex blinked a couple times and chewed on her bottom lip. she hated that question with every fiber of her tiny being. she knew what she wanted people to think about her, and she knew what people actually thought about her––but she had no idea what she actually was. she’d been playing pretend for such a long time; it was hard to remember which face was real.  “responsible,” she finally said, brushing her fingers through her hair, “and tenacious. i’ve been told that i’m more than a little stubborn sometimes, too.” 

Q: What do you do in your free time? What’s your idea of fun? What sports or extracurriculars are you in at Hyland University?

detective booth’s impatience be damned, alex sighed and pursed her lips, “i really don’t see how this is helping you figure out who killed morgan. i play soccer––does that make me a killer? do all psychos have a penchant for futból and science, or are they more into golf and chess?” 

Q: Do you drink? Smoke? Take drugs of any kind? Answer carefully on this one, kid.

alex had to put a lot of effort into not looking guilty, into not thinking about the bottles of pills stuffed underneath her nail polish drawer. for someone who lied all the time, she was really bad at it. “coach would kick my ass if i jeopardized state.” 

detective booth narrowed his brows, “is that a no?”

she narrowed her brows back at him and met his gaze, keeping her chin steady, “that’s an emphatic and resolute no.”  

Q: Tell me about the relationships in your life. Friendships, romantic, everything in between. 

she bit down on the tip of her tongue to keep herself from letting out a large groan. he was almost as bad as the shrink her dad made her see after her mother left. “i’ve been kind of seeing this guy. it’s not serious––and i really only have one friend. shiloh’s been my best friend for as long as i can remember. he’s the only person i can count on no matter what.”    

Q: What’s the best thing that has ever happened to you? What’s the worst? Q: Let me throw in a fun one, lighten up the mood. Would you rather only be able to tell the truth or only be able to lie?

arching her brows, alex drummed her fingers on top of the interrogation table. she hadn’t been sleeping well, and she was beginning to let her irritation get the best of her. “are you using psychology as your main source of evidence ?? because it’s totally bullshit. you should really get your forensic team in here to ask me relevant questions that could actually catch a killer.” 

Q: Did you kill Morgan Parrish? 

alex folded her arms over her chest and leaned back in her seat, snorting, “has that ever actually worked for you?” detective booth didn’t look impressed, so she sighed and added, “no. of course not.” 

Q: Let’s get some background information on this. How do you know Morgan Parrish?

it didn’t seem wise to mention all the ways that morgan had ruined her life before she was murdered, so alex twisted a strand of her hair around her finger and said, “we met on the cheer squad freshman year. we were friends, good friends. she kind of took me under her wing.” it wasn’t a lie. she just...wasn’t telling the complete truth.    

Q: Explain the extent of your relationship with her. Was it platonic? Civil? Rocky? Romantic?

“like i said, we were friends.” she paused at booth’s almost isdecernatble frown, “we sort of drifted apart the couple months before she...passed on.” 

the sound of his pen on paper was really doing a number on her heart-rate. “define drifted apart.”

“it’s pretty self-explanatory, and it happens all the time. life just got in the way, and we didn’t really have much in common after i quit the squad.” 

“except her boyfriend.”

alex’s eyes went sharp for a brief moment before she painted a docile expression on her face,  “we were all good friends, yes. ask anyone. we used to hang out together when i wasn’t too busy at the lab or with homework.”

Q: In your own words, describe Morgan Parrish to me.

“she was...unforgettable. a real force of nature, you know?” that wasn’t even a lie. it was one of the many things that alex was jealous of. it was no wonder why people gravitated to her. she had her own gravitational pull, and alex would always be stuck in someone else’s orbit.   

Q: Would you say your life got better or worse upon meeting Morgan Parrish?

“depends on the day.” she tried for a wry grin, but detective booth didn’t look convinced, so alex added, “if it weren’t for her, i would’ve have met a lot of the most important people in my life.” she also wouldn’t have lost a lot of the most important people in her life, but that seemed irrelevant.   

Q: What was your favorite thing about her?

“she was brave. she did whatever the fuck––sorry, she did whatever she wanted, and she didn’t care what people thought about her. i really envied that about her.” saying something nice about morgan left a bitter taste in her mouth, but she covered it up with a soft smile. for the first time in her life, alex was grateful for her baby cheeks. people always said that she had a trustworthy face. 

Q: What was your least favorite thing about her?

“she...could be insensitive sometimes. she didn’t think about other people’s feelings when she really wanted something.” or ever. 

Q: Where were you the night of her murder?

“i don’t really remember. probably studying––i’m always studying if i’m not at practice or the lab. it’s probably a safe bet that i was with shiloh, too. do people actually remember where they were on a random day of the week almost a year ago?” 

Q: Where were you the day before?

“like i said, probably studying. i don’t really have much of a life outside of my major and soccer.” 

Q: Where were you after?

alex just stared at him for a long time before he started writing again, hopefully picking up on the fact that she ,,, uh ,,, didn’t fucking remember. 

Q: How did you feel about her passing?

“it was a tragedy,” alex repeated the party line numbly, flashing back to just after she found out. truthfully, she wasn’t sure how she felt. maybe she was a little relieved––happy, even––but mostly she felt sick, so fucking sick at the thought of being turned into someone that could be happy about the death of a person she once knew.    

Q: What do you think about the way she died? Just as a refresher, Morgan Parrish was drugged, strangled, beaten, and then shot.

alex winced as she pictured all the blood and swallowed hard, curling her fingers into her palms. “i think...that no one deserves to die like that...no matter what they’ve done.” 

Q: Did you make any sort of tribute to her death and put it on social m-

Another interrogator walks into the room. She’s holding a folder with your picture clipped to the front. She opens it in front of Detective Booth and whispers something into his ear. He shoots you a look and then excuses himself from the room. He returns twenty minutes later, features stony. He quickly writes something down on his notepad and then caps the pen.

Q: Change of plans. I’m going to scrap the questions I had prepared and ask you what I see fit. Where were you exactly the night Morgan Parrish died?

alex looked around the room wildly until her eyes landed on a very old picture of herself. she looked younger (( if that were even possible )) and frowned at the thickness of the folder. “i, uh, i just told him that i don’t know. i mean, i don’t remember. it was a long time ago.”   

Q: Tell me all the details you can remember from that night.

dropping her head into her hands, alex massaged her temples and closed her eyes to keep the migraine forming at bay. she could really fucking use a pill right now. “like i said before, i was probably studying. maybe i was working in the lab. i’d have to ask my boss for the schedule––if she even kept the schedule from last year.”  

Q: Were you intoxicated at any point?

“of course not. i rarely drink, and if i do i don’t get drunk. i’m not a moron; i have a lot of plans for my liver.”  

Q: Are there any witnesses able to corroborate your story?

“maybe my co-worker steven rich...if i was studying, i might’ve been alone.” 

Q: I feel like you’re leaving things out. Tell me all the details you can remember from that night.

“you can ask me as loudly as you want; that’s not going to magically make me remember a totally insignificant day.”

Q: … are you telling me the truth, kid? We got six other students we’re talking to today – sure would suck for you if one of ‘em was able to prove that something you’re saying is false. 

“only six? i’m shocked. morgan knew everyone on campus. did you even check the greek life roster?”  

Q: What was the last thing you said to Morgan?

alex’s smirk faltered for a moment, and she absently started drawing little circles on her kneecaps. the last thing she ever said to morgan was that she hoped that she dropped dead. sometimes, she still felt a little guilty about it. “probably that i’d see her on campus,” she finally said in a small voice.  

Q: Have you ever gotten into a physical altercation with Morgan before?

she gaped at the detective for a moment and then shook her head, “of course not. she would’ve kicked my ass.” 

Q: Have you ever fought verbally with Morgan?

“...friends fight sometimes. it’s not that weird.”  

Q: Would you say you felt safe around Morgan?

alex would actually say that she never felt more unsafe than when she was around morgan, but she absolutely did not say that. instead, she said, “i don’t...i don’t really feel completely comfortable around anyone.” her lips twitched into a soft smile, “except for shiloh.” 

Q: Do you wish you had never met Morgan?

tilting her head slightly, she pursed her lips together and shrugged her shoulders, “i wouldn’t be the person i am today if i hadn’t met her.” and who didn’t love being riddled with carefully implanted insecurities?  

Q: Do you own a gun?

“what? no. i’m very anti-gun, did you know that in switzerland––” 

Q: Have you handled a gun before?

she glared at the detective as she was cut off and tossed her hair over her shoulder,  “obviously not.” 

Q: Do you know someone who owns a gun?

“i’m pretty sure the president is carrying. why don’t you ask him if he shot morgan. he has quite the temper.” 

Q: Have you gotten into physical fights before?

alex snorted and glanced down at herself, “yeah, ‘cause i look like the kind of person that thinks they could take someone in a fist fight.” she rolled her eyes as the detective waited for her to actually answer her question, “no. i’ve never gotten into a physical altercation––unless you count the time some girl broke my nose on the field, but i’m pretty sure the definition of fight entails that i fought back.” 

Q: Is there anyone who can prove where you say you were on the night of her death?

“like i said about ,,, uh ,,, seven times, check with my boss. i’m pretty sure that i was working. her name is professor stroud.”

Q: Do you think Morgan deserved to die?

“no, of course not.” they really didn’t have the time to get into a deep discussion on the ethics of death, did they? because alex had some complex thoughts on the subject.

Q: Do you wish she was still alive?

“i don’t know.” alex let out a dramatically wistful sigh and shrugged her shoulder, “maybe she’s in a better place.” 

Q: Do you miss her?

she blinked, surprised at the instinct to say yes, and chewed on her bottom lip. there was a time when they had been close. morgan was...awful, you couldn’t deny that, but she also had a way of making you feel incredibly special sometimes just because she was putting up with your miserable existence––or maybe that was just alex. “more than i ever thought i could.” 

Q: Has your life gotten better or worse since her death?

“i don’t know. it’s just different. different different.” 

Q: If you could bring her back to life, would you?

“that’s an extremely illogical question, and i refuse to answer on behalf of rationalists everywhere.”  

Q: Are you hiding something from the people of Hyland? From your family? From me?

she wiped the sweat off of her palms onto her jeans, “nothing pertinent to the investigation.” 

Q: Have you been telling the truth this entire time?

“yes.” 

Q: Did you kill Morgan Parrish?