You've chosen to question Dr. Hart, the coroner! If this isn't the decision you wanted, feel free to return to Chapter 87!
__________

The story you are about to read was written by Tana, MT_Reade

__________

Logan sat on one end of the small, rough wooden table. He stared at the empty chair on the other end of it, hands folded in front of him. The dark lighting of the room was meant to be intimidating, and it cast a gentle golden glow across the whole room. The dark walls and floor looked even darker, and the lighting made even the detective a little uneasy. Even though he was the one doing the questioning. His foot tapped the floor lightly, but even the small sound echoed and amplified throughout the empty room. The lamp above swung a little, adding to the unnerving atmosphere. Logan had solidified many confessions in this room, adding to his ever-growing collection of solved crimes.

"Logan? What's going on?" A voice came from behind him.

Logan turned, to see Constable Roman Kingsley holding the arm of the city coroner: Dr. Patton Hart. Logan took in a deep breath, as he looked into Patton's worried brown eyes. He had a soft, and admittedly attractive face. The doctor was still wearing his apron, tied around his neck, and various medical tools and gloves tucked into pockets on the front of it. The doctor wore light pants and a blue button up chemise underneath it. His hair was a little tousled, likely from the coroner running his hands through it while thinking.

Patton was an undoubtedly cheerful man, whose energetic and bubbly nature was almost infectious, spreading a smile to face of anyone around him. It still baffled Logan how someone so lively, would choose to spend so much time around the dead.

"Please take a seat, Dr. Hart." The detective said, motioning to the chair across from him.

Patton looked confused, and a little afraid. Roman let go of him, and the coroner walked slowly over to the chair, and sunk into it hesitantly. "What's all this about, Logan?"

Roman raised his eyebrows at the doctor's use of the detectives first name, but left without a word after the detective dismissed him.

"I'm sorry to bring you here under such unfortunate circumstances, Patton. But, a young man has disappeared."

"Disappeared?" Patton raised a hand to his mouth. "How awful!"

Logan nodded. He placed the picture of Virgil on the table so that it faced Patton. "Do you recognize this man?"

Patton gasped, and nodded. "Yes, that's Virgil Sanders." He looked up at Logan, wide eyed. "What happened to him?"

"He went missing sometime last night."

"Oh... oh dear..." Patton looked down.

"You know him?"

Patton nodded again. "I met him about a year ago, I've been working with him since." He looked up. "He has a lot of fear, you know. He lives in a constant state of panic and anxiousness. Poor thing, he's troubled. He's such a sweet boy below the surface, I was doing my best to help him. I was always interested in psychology, you know. I've dabbled in it."

"How often did you see the victim?"

"Virgil... I saw him about once a month to try to help him. He would come by the morgue, and we'd walk together down to Marian Bridge. He'd always liked it there. It was quiet and peaceful."

"I see." The detective had been to Marian Bridge once or twice himself, however only briefly. It was relatively undisturbed, and had little traffic. "And where were you last night?"

Patton looked confused for a moment, before understanding dawned on his face. "Logan... you don't think I had something to do with this, do you?"

Logan hesitated, he struggled to admit it. "We... must consider all possibilities, Dr. Hart."

Patton reached out, and placed his hand on the detective's. "I promise you, I would never hurt Virgil. Never."

Logan drew in a shaky breath, looking down at their hands. "I believe you, Patton. However, I have to do my job. If you weren't involved, you have nothing to worry about. We don't even know for sure that it was a kidnapping."

"You think it was a kidnapping?" Patton withdrew his hand.

"I-I... no, my apologies. I said too much." Logan hesitated. "Thank you for your assistance, Dr. Hart."

Patton nodded, falling silent.

"I'll contact you if I have any further questions."

Patton stood, and left the interview room quietly, wringing his hands. The door didn't close, though. Roman came into the room as soon as the coroner had walked out.

"Sir." He said. "What did he say?"

"You were right, Kingsley. He knows Virgil. He was his... therapist, of sorts." Logan kept his gaze on the table. "They had their sessions down at a 'Marian Bridge'."

"Okay..." Roman walked to stand beside the detective, thinking. "Um, sir?"

"Yes?"

"Dr. Hart, he called you Logan." He paused. "I was wondering if maybe..."

Logan's eyes narrowed. "No, constable. You can't call me Logan. I'm your superior."

Roman looked down, a little disappointed. "Right. Sorry, sir."

The two stayed in silence for a moment. Roman scuffed his heel on the ground. "So... what now?"

Logan drummed on the table with his hands for a moment, before standing and turning to the door. "I suppose we should go take a look at this Marian Bridge."

"Yes, sir." Roman rushed out of the room after him.
.
.
.

Go to Chapter 94