Confession (~END~) - Part (2/2)

Jenny pressed pause on the clip. “Frank Tucker claimed he borrowed a co-worker’s jeep without his knowledge. The forensic unit confirmed, the vehicle not only had Frank Tucker’s trace DNA and hair, it also had Sarah Tucker’s. We even followed the jeep’s GPS record and discovered an unlicensed medical clinic in downtown. This verifies Frank’s statement he often used his co-worker’s vehicle to avoid attention or being tracked. After dinner with his wife, Frank Tucker drove the jeep to refuel before returning to his friends place.”

She then tapped her screen and remotely brought up a security camera photo, showing Frank Tucker inside a gas station. “Attendant said he paid in cash, while during that time someone else took Frank Tucker’s real car and intentionally broke the speed limit to be caught on the dash cam. This was an illusion to make the police believe he was the one who killed Sarah Tucker.”

Felicia stared at the video. She softly pulled any hands and fingers off the touch screen table, keeping them on her lap. The muscles in her jaw rippled as she rubbed a thumb across her wrist.

Inspector May tapped a finger on the edge of the table. “Is there anything you like to tell us?”

“I have nothing to do with it. There, happy?”

“You know.” The inspector let out a huff as she adjusted her position in her chair. “Love triangles, are often seen as a game. You win some, you lose some. And it’s impossible to win it all, without someone getting hurt in the process, right?”

“Frank Tucker and I broke it off. I don’t care about him.”

Inspector May slapped a hand onto the table. The touch screen automatically splashed a series of scanned documents and digital images across the screen like a new game of Spider Solitaire. Certificates, diplomas, degrees, awards, letters of recommendation, too much to list out in a single paragraph. The inspector continued while tapping her finger on each documents on the table.

“Felicia Harvey. Masters in Business Administration from University of Zurich, Switzerland; PhD in Insurance and Risk Management in Temple University, Philadelphia U.S.. Both magna cum laude, with distinction, and honorable mention. Top of the class AND valedictorian – in which, I quote ‘Wrote a 35 page letter to the Dean of the university to convince them why you should be elected as spokes person of the graduating class’. Number 1, Number 1, Number 1.”

“...”

“Look. I don’t know what you see in Frank Tucker. The man doesn’t even have a high school diploma.” Inspector May opened her hands, gesturing a confused expression waiting to be answered. “Has a wife who had been bullying him for 20 years, yet to have any kids. He relied on his partners to get his company off the ground and when they started to quit his company his business started to dig its own grave. Has zero carpentry experience. Renovations? Pffft. I can hire the kid in my neighbourhood to redo my whole patio worth posting on a home design Twitter page – and he’s only 15, hungry for summer jobs.” She turned her open hands into a finger gun point, eyes on the suspect. “So, what do you see in him?”

Felicia clenched her jaw, breathing between her teeth. “I saw him first--”

“I knew it.” Inspector May nodded to herself. “This isn’t about love. This is about finishing what you started: to be number one Frank’s heart. You wanted to beat Sarah Tucker, stealing her man back to your hands. You want that satisfaction that you are number 1 in this love triangle, everything is within your control.” She knocked her knuckle into the touch screen, gesturing all those gold-framed degrees projected across the table. “Frank Tucker has been using you as a life preserver, and you know it! You even counted on it to keep him on a leash. The moment he gave up on you at his wife’s beck and call, you lost! Are you really the type of woman who would walk away from all that? In defeat? Are you really the type of person who walks away when you experience a small hiccup? TELL ME, YOU LOSER!”

Felicia bolted from her seat and swung a hand at the inspector!

Leo lunged to intercept Felicia by the wrist and pinned it down. At the same time, he pulled back her long thick sleeve for everyone to see.

Cluster of hives were welling up across Felicia’s one wrist. Pus smeared with topical lotion, reddened from being rubbed for prolonged hours.

“This is what happens when paint dries on skin, Miss Harvey.” Leo spoke in a low voice. Felicia whipped her hand back and backed away, only to be gripped by Jenny and Jackson from escaping. Leo pulled out a pocket sanitary gel from his pocket, rubbing his hand clean, before resting his palms on his hips. “Jenny and Jackson mentioned you had a watch, expensive Swiss brand. McLamb and I didn’t see it this morning while you were packing, I doubt it was in that cheap cardboard box. Cottage number 13 still had wet paint. Stairs covered in newspapers and furniture protected by sheets. Paint dripped on your watch and wrist, and you tried to wipe it off.”

McLamb stepped in, placing the second evidence bag on the table. It was large, bulging with a thick white cloth that has turned grey from stains, foot prints, sooty hand prints, paint drips, caked saw dust, and other questionable sources. “Out of all the furniture covers in Cottage number 13, only this one had your skin cell sample. You had to rub hard, to get the paint off. This has never been washed, it’s been contaminated by years of work and dirt. You’re lucky it’s just a skin inflammation, or else the hospital would have to amputate your hand.”

“Frank Tucker nearly forgot one important info.” Inspector May rose to her feet and pressed out the wrinkles from her suit blazer. “Couple of nights ago, you invited him to one last dinner. To officially break up. Since that was what he wanted, he visited you with no question. Dinner, dance, and then you had him cut the fruit with a kitchen knife... Obviously, you didn’t do the dishes.” She paced around the table with fists on her hips. “You already had a plan, and you had the right materials. Access to Frank Tucker’s closet, your private investigator can break into cars, and you knew the destination. Once Sarah Tucker opened the door and realized it wasn’t her husband she tried to slam the door on you!”

Inspector May took darted over to Felicia with a single step, glaring into her eyes. “All it took was a blow to her head to stun her, you had all the time in the world to walk over, watch her squirm, trying to call for help. Then you removed the last obstacle in your game of love.” She made quick jabs in the air, as if striking an animal. “You stabbed Sarah Tucker 35 times in the back, and traded the real murder weapon with the fruit knife Frank Tucker used. No one would have suspected it. No one would ever think of a second killer. Frank Tucker stood to gain the most in this tragedy, no one else. Even the Jury would have bought it hook, line, sunk. The perfect murder...but.” She then pointed right at Felicia’s face. “You’re here, with us. You lost.”

“...35 times? Was it really that low?” Felicia started to laugh. Her body staggered on her feet. The constables held her as still as possible, but she ended up shaking her head, hair flipping left and right. Like a hound shaking off a little flear. “Why, won’t you let Frank Tucker take the fall? Don’t you hate his guts too? And Sarah? Is she really a victim? Does she truly deserve being seen as an innocent target in all of this? That woman has played more hearts than a pianist. Dr. Malcolm wasn’t her only honey bunny, I know. And what about the dead woman? The one you thought was her? Whose body was chopped up to make it look like Sarah died at the hands of the notorious Splitter? A spectacle that went viral in the news, social media, whatever!? Is Sarah Tucker really a saint worth fighting for!?”

Silence filled the interview room. Even so, the constables continued to hold Felicia as she started to ramble to herself.

“35 stabs. I swore I counted 50. I didn’t even felt tired. She really deserved it, playing everyone for a fool...And that Frank Tucker.” Felicia glared up at the inspector, tears dripping out from her red eyes and bleeding black mascara down her cheeks. “I’ve known him since we were kids, and he’s never taken responsibility for anything in his life. Missing toys, copied homework, skipping school, breaking his mother’s vase – he always blamed it on someone right next to him. And all it takes is a ‘we’re friends right?’ or ‘I love you’ and you can’t help but to forgive him...He always gets away with it.” Felicia Harvey reared her head back and started to stamp her bare foot into the floor, teeth clenching, a cry slowly rising from her throat.

“Why? Why can’t you let that man take the fall? Everything was planned perfectly. I would get to watch him rot in prison, crying out ‘I’m innocent. I’m innocent’ and let it fall on deaf ears. He’s ruined me, he ruined himself. He ruined everything....I’M DOING YOU ALL A FAVOUR, YOU IDIOTS! LET FRANK TUCKER CARRY THE TITLE OF MURDER! LET HIM SUFFER FROM HIS OWN MISTAKE FOR ONCE! JUST LET ME GO! I DIDN’T WASTE 20 YEARS OF MY LIFE ONLY TO BE TOSSED AROUND LIKE A SECOND-HAND DOLL! THE TUCKERS DESERVE TO BURN IN HELL!”

{~~After Report~~}

Dismembered Victim – Identified as Emily Connors. Age 30. Lived alone and worked as a teacher for a local high school. Due to her habit of calling sick on an average basis, her absence was never noticed and no one reported her missing at first. The police searched Tampa Lake and have found her head, pelvis, and some remaining fingers – however they have been seriously decomposed. Her family overseas has been contacted and will take the next available plane to claim her body. The police have offered support to her kin to provide burial services and funding for Emily Connors’ funeral.

Frank Tucker – Pleads guilty for manslaughter of Emily Connors due to a hit and run. Pleads not guilty to dismembering Emily Connors’ corpse, claiming it was all Sarah Tucker’s doing. Charged for: aiding and abetting a crime, negligence in reporting a crime, tampering with the body, and insurance fraud. Sentenced to 15 years in prison with possibility of parole. Shangri-Lah Carpentry Factory has been closed down and rebuilt as a new Amazon Storehouse.

Sarah Tucker – Due to the lack of evidence insinuating Sarah Tucker dismembered Emily Connors and the defendant is deceased, no actions or charges could be made post-humorously. Her husband has been given special privileges to provide her a proper burial ceremony before he starts his sentence, under the supervision of officers. A vigil at St. Marlene was held in her honour, organized by Dr. Samuel Malcolm and close friends.

Felicia Harvey – Charged for First Degree Murder of Sarah Tucker. Defendant continues to plea for not guilty, but all evidences and forensic reports provided by C.I.D. Team B have convinced the jury of Felicia Harvey’s involvement in the crime at Cherry Grove Cottage Number 13. She has been sentenced to life imprisonment, no chance of parole. She has made many attempts of an appeal, all of which had been denied.

Splitter – Still at large.

[== HEADLESS IDENTITY – CASE CLOSED ==]