Noëlle Zabini; murder twat (widowed) wrote in disorderic, @ 2018-06-02 23:17:00 |
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Jasper was late to the interrogation room on purpose. It was a standard tactic to intimidate suspects, leave them in the most uncomfortable chair in the room alone, sweating it out. And he was taking his time with Noëlle Zabini, enjoying it thoroughly as he sipped on his espresso as he entered the room. Behind him trailed Hitwizard Arnold Peasegood, who he’d picked for their poker face and willingness to follow his lead. “What’s the matter, Zabini? Got somewhere else to be?” he asked, as he sat down across from her, relaxing into his chair. Hw Peasegood plonked the folder down onto the table and started up the recording. “This is Hw Peasegood and Ar Williamson interviewing witness Noëlle Zabini. It is 11:42am on Saturday, 2 June 2018.” Noëlle straightened, forcing a pleasant smile onto her face as Jasper entered the room. She placed her intertwined hands on the table, showing off the Williamson wedding and engagement rings that she’d put back on just for the occasion. A painful reminder of the rings she’d never receive from Rabastan, even if she’d previously come to terms with a marriageless relationship with him, but something that she hoped would get under Jasper’s skin. “I’m not sure why you’ve summoned me here, Jasper,” she said, tone polite and even despite her discomfort. Jasper raised his eyebrows slightly upon seeing Noëlle's rings, and he recalled the moment during the wedding ceremony, when Octavian had slipped the gold band onto her finger, pledging to love her until death do them part. Had she laughed on the inside as he made the vow, solemnly, hopefully? But he didn't comment. "I have some questions to ask you regarding your allegiances to known, unmasked Death Eaters. In particular, Rabastan Lestrange," Jasper began, using his official and professional Auror voice. There was a twist in her stomach at the mention of Rabastan, grief flickering across her usually passive face. “I thought the Ministry wasn’t pressing charges for association with known Death Eaters.” "I'm not pressing charges for dating Lestrange, that wasn't a crime. Questionable, but not necessarily criminal," Jasper clarified. "Did Lestrange tell you anything about his criminal activities? People he may have tortured or murdered?" “We didn’t discuss murder over dinner.” At least, not always. “It may surprise you, but he had a range of interests that weren’t criminal that we talked about instead. Unless you think knowing his favourite issue of Auror Adventures will help you connect him to a case, I don’t think I can help you.” And even then, recalling the name of the series he’d enjoyed was as far as her knowledge went. "Perhaps this will jog your memory." Jasper motioned for Hw Peasegood to open their folder and push over a very important piece of paper. And then he leaned back, crossed his arms and waited. Noëlle’s heart hammered. The problem with seizing an opportunity to try and kill someone meant that it wasn’t always as well planned as she usually liked. Which would have been fine if it had actually worked, but Jasper was still alive and now had evidence. But she wasn’t going to let him use that against her so easily. “I’m not sure what your lawyer has to do with any of this,” she said, pushing the letter she’d forged back towards him. “Did someone murder him?” Smiling, Jasper reached for his wand, leaned closer and read the note out loud. It was the condolences note he'd received with the poisoned bunch of flowers; until he tapped it with his wand. The letters melted away as new ones bled through the paper, ink firming up until it read out a letter, dated several months back, addressed to one Ms. Noelle Zabini. "How exactly did a letter addressed to you and only you, of which there are no other copies save the one in the correspondence files at the law firm, come to have a note addressed to me, consoling me on my loss?" Jasper probed. Jasper was, unfortunately, more intelligent than he looked. But Noëlle wasn’t about to confess, especially when Jasper had already given her a scapegoat in Rabastan. Even if he were still alive, she doubted he would mind. He’d already claimed to be responsible for her accidental cat murder. “I can’t be sure, but it’s likely that Rabastan found a copy at my place,” she quickly improvised. “He’d witnessed some of your more heated rants directed at me, after all.” "So he chose to send poisonous flowers? Doesn't seem his style. Also, the motive doesn't really line up, does it?" “Doesn’t it?” She asked, ignoring his first point. “I think verbally attacking someone he cared about is motive enough.” "Nah, he'd just use the Killing Curse and be done with it, or torture me with Cruciatus and then go for the Killing Curse, not something so passive. Not his m.o." “From what I’ve heard, you’re not the easiest person to get to to kill,” Noëlle pointed out, not ready to let go of this chance to pin her crime on someone else. “Isn’t that why your son’s mother was murdered instead of you?” After Evelyn, Jasper was more emotionally prepared for this underhanded tactic and forced down the urge to react. He could keep his cool. He had to, Amethyst and Luca needed him to, he could stomach this. "Is that why you sent the flowers? Thought Yaxley and Keats Avery hadn't finished the job properly?" “I didn’t send any poison flowers, Jasper.” "So, you weren't mad that you didn't get all of Dad's gold, then?" “You taking everything of his from me was rubbing salt in the wound left by your dear father’s death, but it wouldn’t drive me to attempt murder.” "Felt entitled," Jasper pushed. "Felt like I stole from you, right?" “You did steal it from me!” "And how did that make you feel, like you wanted to hurt me? Punish me for stealing from you?" Noëlle took a deep, slow breath. “I told you. I didn’t send those lilies.” Aha! Jasper lifted an eyebrow and cocked his head to the side, looking her over curiously. "How did you know what kind of flowers they were? I never told anyone." Fuck. Noëlle pursed her lips, realising her mistake and desperately trying to think of a way to backpedal but coming up short. Even saying that Rabastan had told her would make her an accomplice. “I’d like my lawyer,” she said instead. Jasper nodded to the Hitwizard at his side, who muttered the arresting spell before finally speaking clearly for the first time since entering, "Noelle Zabini, you're under arrest for the attempted murder of Jasper Williamson, and animal cruelty towards the half-kneazle — Lucifer McFuckface? You do not have to say anything. But, it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on before the Wizengamot…" The chains wrapped around her arms and she found herself wishing she could swap the fortune Rabastan had ended up leaving for her for him having time to have properly murdered Jasper for her before he’d died. “Jasper,” she met his eyes, deciding to try one last tactic to avoid being held before her only option was jail while letting her lawyer fight this battle for her, “We can do this more civilly. You’re a parent, don’t be the cause of another child being with neither of his parents around.” At this Jasper laughed. "Okay, firstly, Blaise is of age, secondly, you're not around for him anyway, and thirdly, don't worry. I'll check in on my ex-step bro for you." He gathered up the file and the copy of the evidence. "Have fun in the holding cell!" Noëlle was silent as Peasegood led her to the holding cell, already dreading every part of what she hoped would only be a temporary stay. Five murders that she’d easily gotten away with and Jasper Williamson was her undoing? If there was any argument for never marrying someone who already had children, no matter the size of their vault, this was it. |