Chapter 12 - THE POLICE INTERVIEW CLAIRE DIDN'T FAIL
Months after the silent-pen disaster, Harris interviewed Claire again.
Not because he doubted her now.
Because prosecution needed a clean final statement.
He placed the original false confession on the desk.
Same room.
Same fluorescent light.
Claire stared at her own signature.
Harris asked:
“Did you write this?”
“Yes.”
“Did you know it was false?”
“Yes.”
“Why sign?”
Claire answered carefully.
“Daniel threatened me with taking the blame himself? No. He threatened that I would suffer if I refused. Lorraine physically restrained my arm. They told me I had to protect him. I believed the recording pen captured them admitting he drove.”
“Did it?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“The memory card had been removed.”
“By whom?”
“I believe Daniel and Lorraine, based on recovered evidence.”
Good.
No overclaim.
Then Harris asked:
“Were you driving?”
“No.”
“Did you strike Marcus Reed?”
“No.”
“Did you arrange the quarry meeting?”
“No.”
“Did Daniel have access to your email?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know whether he intentionally hit Marcus?”
Claire paused.
“I know he hit him. I don’t know what was in his head.”
Harris nodded.
That was the answer he wanted.
Not dramatic certainty.
Credibility.
Then he slid the confession away.
“This document almost buried you.”
Claire looked at it.
“No.”
Harris frowned.
Claire continued:
“The story around it almost did.”
The paper was only ink.
Daniel and Lorraine had built:
timeline,
motive,
prepared language,
and Claire’s fear.
The confession worked because everything around it looked plausible.
Then Harris smiled slightly.
“You’d make a terrible suspect now.”
May you like
Claire laughed.
First time in that room.
