Once the impromptu convoy reaches the city's police station they enter the private parking area in the back of the station instead of the front. Where Lucia parks in one of the empty spaces.
After which she headed to the car where the prisoner is being kept. Most of the police officers that were in the convoy also headed there. Though one or two-headed inside to report the capture.
Officer Nolan approaches Lucia and Thomas. ”Come inside so that we can report to the police chief. The cops here should be able to take care of the suspect.” He says, and Lucia nods and starts to follow Nolan inside the police station. Thomas follows behind her though he doesn’t say anything.
The three of them make their way to the Police chief's office where Chief Fox is sitting at his desk nervously twiddling his thumbs. “So what happened, I know that there was a case of gunshots, but I hoped that it wouldn’t involve you, folks. Since that just means that the situation is getting more complicated.” The Chief finishes with a sad sigh.
The next fifteen minutes are spent with the trio filling the chief in on the information. With the report covering the incident and the captured assailant and the suspicious individuals spotted after the incident.
This causes Chief Fox to slightly lean back in his chair as he takes in the report. “This does complicate things. As this incident is most likely related to the past incidents. Which can only prove that it is a group of individuals involved in this situation. Well, we can only wait until our captured suspect regains access.”
The group then spends some time speculating on several theories. When they hear the door being knocked.
“Come in,” The chief says. To which the door opens and William and Jerry enter with a police officer being seen closing it behind them.
“Well, it seems that you had a more interesting time than we did,” William says cheekily, attracting a smack on the back from William and an eye roll from Lucia.
“While that may be true, it has only left us with more questions than answers. Though we have found several leads to work off of. So did you find anything during your investigation?”
William then gave a summary of what they found which was short. Was just as Henry claimed, was that the first disappearance started in 1906, and from then until 1917 there were about one to two disappearances a year. A low enough number that no one thought that they were connected. That changed in 1917 however when the number of disappearances increased to one to two a month. Then in mid-1917, the murders started and they increase in pace. They haven’t slowed down since then. They two noticed that except for a few outliers, most of the victims were poor and relatively unconnected. Though that wasn’t the biggest clue they found. It was the backgrounds of the few outliers of people from the middle and upper class being targeted that William and Jerry found which they found most damming. Is that after some digging they found out that nearly all of the outliers had been in disputes with the Brewer family before their disappearances of murders. They also tended to be the ones that disappeared earlier, before the uptick started in 1917. Besides that, they found relatively little on who was actually behind the murders.
Though that was enough for Lucia as it gave her all the evidence she needed to start digging deeper into the Brewer family. It also led to Lucia's thinking about the situation deeper. Though her thoughts are disrupted when the knock is heard at the door.
Then after being let in, an officer opens the door. “ Sir, the suspect has woken up and is ready for interrogation.” Before closing the door and leaving.
Chief Fox is the first to talk,'' Ok, head down and conduct the investigation, Officer Nolan.” Before turning to Lucia and her team. “Ms. Belladras you can be in the interrogation room though Officer Nolan will be conducting the interrogation. The rest of you will have to wait outside. I will have to make a few calls since I suspect that we will need reinforcements.” At that both Lucia and the others all nod and Lucia and officer Nolan head to the interrogation room while her team heads to one of the other rooms on the first floor to wait.
The interrogation room is in the basement near the holding cells which they pass. The holding cells are not what Lucia is used to as there are two types of cells Lucia sees. The first is two large rooms that have a few benches in it. The front of the room is jail bars that allow for sight within the room. The other is a row of single-person jail cells that look like an actual jail rather than a holding room like the other type does. They also have a similar front to the holding room with stereotypical jail bars as a front and door.
On the other side of the set of cells are two interrogation rooms and then another secure room that seems to lead to evidence lockup as there is a guard by it and the door seems to be reinforced to prevent break-ins.
Though Lucia and Officer Nolan finally reach the interrogation room the suspect has been brought to. Outside of it are two officers who are guarding the entrance. One of the officers guarding the room approaches. “We went through the man's belongings but besides the gun and an additional magazine, the man had nothing on him. Especially no forms of identification. So unfortunately you're going to have to go in blind.” The officer then returns to his position near the door.
They nod and open the door for the two. Lucia walks in to see the suspect awake and his legs are cuffed to the metal chair that seems to have been welded to the floor. At least that is what it looks like from Lucia's point of view. In the center of the room, there is a heavy wooden table in the center of the room. Which is where the suspect's hands have been handcuffed to the center of the table.
There is another guard in the room, keeping an eye on the assailant. Though after Lucia and Nolon enter he is dismissed by Nolan and leaves the room. To wait outside in case something happens.
Nolan takes a seat at the table while Lucia stands at the side of the wall to listen in on the conversation and wait until Nolon gives her the chance to ask questions. Though Nolan soon begins his interrogation.
“I can only assume that you know what you're here for. However, I feel that it would only be proper if I should list out everything that you can be charged with. Which will happen, unless you tell us why you attacked Mrs.Lamb's house along with your dead co-conspirators.” Nolan paused to see if the man would respond, but he didn't remain silent. So Nolan continues on with his spiel.
“You will be charged with breaking and entering, attempted murder, battery with a deadly weapon. All of which can get you sent away for a long time. I mean decades or even the rest of your miserable life. Though I suppose that even that is a better fate than you co-conspirators who are all dead.” Nolan finishes his initial spiel and then takes a moment to look at the many expressions and he notices how the man still looks unwilling to speak, though he has started to get a bit more nervous. So Nolan continues to press, though he asks his first question before that.
“Well, I suppose I should ask for your name since it would be rude to address you as a man, criminal, future inmate, or any other nickname I think of,” Nolan says and this gains a brief nearly missable sneer that briefly flashes across the man's eyes as he hears the nicknames Nolan has called him. Though he does answer the question.
“Keith Plante” He simply states, though Nolan happily nods at the progress.
“Well Mr. Plante, that's a start, though I should ask, do you have a family, a wife, kids?” Nolan prods, looking to find a weak spot in Keith’s mental armor. Something that the mention of wife and kids succeed in bringing up. As Keith's eyes seem to light up in fury at their mention. It is something that neither Nolan nor Lucia miss.
“I see that you do have at least a wife and most likely kids as well. What would they think if you tried to brazenly storm an innocent lady's house and kill them? One who I might add has several young children who thankfully were not present at today's scene. Just think of what tragedy might have happened if they were there today and got caught in the crossfire. You would be going to prison a lot more than you already will be.” Nolan pauses to add tension to his next words.” You would be missing out even more on watching your children grow up. Missing their birthdays, Christmases other holidays with them for years. As you would be behind bars for years if not decades.” Nolan finally stops speaking to let it sink into Keith. Before making the offer.
“That doesn't have to happen though. If you agree to tell us everything you know we can cut you a deal as while you may have tried, no one was actually hurt in the incident. Though you will not fully escape prison, it will be for a lot less time than if you remain silent. Also, the police will be more than willing to provide protection for you and your family from retaliation. You just have to tell us what you know.” Nolan says sincerely, trying to earnestly convince Keith. Who after hearing it sighs and then finally gives in.
Keith says that he reports to a man named Jacob Abbot who is a local moonshine producer and runs the local gang. He was also the person who told him and the others to kill Margaret. Though at least according to Keith, he never said why. Though Keith admitted that Jacob terrified him and that he was a man he didn’t question. He lists the headquarters which is an abandoned mill a few miles outside of town. That Nolona recognizes as formerly belonging to the Brewer family. That closed down in the mid-1910s due to it becoming unprofitable. At least according to the Brewers themselves. He also names a property that they used in the city which is a restaurant that seems to have a secret salon in the basement of the building that seems to be the base of operations in the city. Though besides that Keith didn’t know much other than that. Though it was more than enough for Lucia and Nolon.
As the information contained information on the criminal organization that is operating in town. That may or may not be behind the serial killings, but they do seem to be connected to whoever is. Though Lucia suspects that while the gang may not be a part of the killings, she doubts the same could be said for Jacob Abbot. Who Lucia suspects to be a part of the killings if not behind them. Along with the person who connects the gang to the more mysterious behind-the-scenes group.
Though lastly the involvement of property that may or may not still belongs to the brewer family does stick out in Lucias’s mind at least.
Either way with the interrogation over. Lucia and Nolon leave the room and inform the officers waiting outside. With one returning to the room to bring Keith back to a cell. Lucia and Nolan then head first to the room that the rest of Lucia's team is waiting in before heading back to the Chief fox's room. Where the chief is still on the phone. Though when he sees the group enter he says something to the person he is speaking to, before hanging up.
“So what did you learn?” He inquires about the interrogation.
“We learned a lot though we still don’t have much on the serial killings. We did find out two major clues.” Officer Nolan briefs the Chief and at this, the police chief nods happily while officer Nolan continues to speak. “ The first thing is a name, Jacob Abbot, we suspect that he is a part of the serial killings through our suspect is most likely not involved. Jacob seems to have a separate organization, a gang that he used to commit the murder. This leads to the second point that Jacob seems to be operating a sizable gang that has somewhere between 30 to 50 members. With their headquarters at the old Brewer’s abandoned lumber mill outside of town where they seem to be distilling alcohol. There also seems to be an illegal drinking establishment at The Mapple, which seems to be the gang's base in town.” Nolan concludes.
Chief Fox looks down and sighs “How much bigger will this case go?” He asks, mostly to himself.
“I assume reinforcements will be needed, though I have been in contact with the Massachusetts state police about what has been going on, though I suppose we can reach out to the Boi for assistance as well.”
At that both Lucia and Nolan nod, and Chief Fox responds. “Well prepare to raid the illegal speakeasy once we get some reinforcements. Also, get some cops to take the suspect's family in for protective custody. Lastly, Ms. Belladras, make sure you have someone have a look at that wound.”
The group nods and goes their separate ways to prepare for the upcoming raid.
