After the Storm by G. D. Wright

Author:G. D. Wright [Wright, G. D.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-07-03T05:20:00+00:00

Chapter 29

ANDREW

Thirteen Days After

‘You do not have to say anything but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.’

The blood drained from Andrew’s face.

‘I… I… I don’t understand,’ he stuttered. ‘I told you everything I could the other day.’

‘Don’t say anything now please, Andrew,’ DS Willmott replied. ‘Save it for when you’re on tape. Would you like to go and tell Sophie what’s happening or do you want me to go and speak to her?’

‘No, no, I’ll do it,’ Andrew said quickly, marching into the lounge.

‘I’m just going with DS Willmott, love,’ he said to Sophie. ‘Got to help them out with a couple of bits. I’ll be back as soon as I can.’ The blood still hadn’t returned to his face. He was deathly pale, and he was acutely aware that DS Willmott would be making a mental note of it all.

‘Are you alright?’ Sophie asked. ‘Can’t it wait? We’ve been through enough, haven’t we?’ She may have been looking at Andrew, but her question was clearly aimed at DS Willmott.

Andrew gave her a kiss. ‘It’ll all be fine, love. Maria, look after your mum for me until I’m home, will you?’

‘Don’t go, Daddy,’ Maria said. She ran up to him and wrapped her little arms around his thighs, clinging on tightly.

Andrew looked at DS Willmott, but her face was granite.

‘I’ll be back soon, princess,’ he said. ‘I promise.’

Sophie lifted a crying Maria from her embrace with Andrew, and he saw DS Willmott nod to his wife. All he’d received from her was a raised eyebrow and his rights being read.

He trudged behind DS Willmott as she led him away from the house, wondering if they were going to slap some handcuffs on his wrists. He didn’t know what the procedure was. These just weren’t the circles that he ran in. He sat in the back of the car, and looked at the male detective who was sitting next to him. He didn’t know his name, and so he fixed his eyes on DS Willmott as she drove away.

‘What’s changed?’ Andrew asked, quietly.

‘Better for you that we don’t speak until you’re on tape,’ DS Willmott said, staring at him in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were smouldering, and Andrew looked away.

The rest of the journey passed in silence. Andrew looked out of the window as they navigated roads that he knew well. From the inside of the police car, though, they looked dirty. Tainted. His heart was pounding so much that he had to force himself to breathe, to concentrate on inhaling, exhaling, inhaling, exhaling, until it was muscle memory once more. He was petrified and then so much more.

‘I know you haven’t been arrested before, so we’ll take it one step at a time?’ DS Willmott said as they got out of the car at the police station.

Andrew nodded, but remained silent. As they walked into the custody suite, the first thing he noticed was the smell.

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