Page 128 of Butterfly

Teddy’s eyebrows twitched, and his eyes watered. He cupped Ollie’s cheek, stroking a thumb over one of the bruises. The distress he was feeling didn’t wane, it got worse, and he began shaking his head, and screwing up his face, getting lost in whatever horror plagued his thoughts.

“He can’t hurt you anymore,” Ollie whispered.

Teddy stilled as he sucked in a breath.

“He can’t hurt me either.”

Ollie’s eyes fluttered shut when Teddy stroked the bruise beneath Ollie’s eye again.

“He can’t hurt anyone again. Ever.”

“Ollie…” Harrison said.

Ollie glanced his way and saw him shaking his head. He didn’t want Ollie telling Teddy what had happened to Pichard, and Ollie nodded in response.

“Mr Saul, you’re going to be taken to a holding cell,” Harrison said loud enough to pierce the bubble Teddy was in. Teddy didn’t take his eyes off Ollie but turned his head slightly to show he was listening.

“You’ll continue talking to detectives tomorrow morning. Ollie needs to come with me.”

Teddy growled, boxing Ollie in against the wall with his arms.

“Please, Teddy.” Harrison exhaled a breath. “Once we’re done, I will accompany Ollie to your cell, and you can have five minutes.”

By the looks on the other two officers’ faces, they didn’t like that idea at all.

Teddy let out another rumble to show he wasn’t happy with that arrangement either.

“He says ten minutes,” Ollie said with a small smile.

“Fine.” Harrison rubbed his brow. “Ten minutes.”

Ollie curled his fingers into Teddy’s T-shirt. “Don’t kick off. Promise.”

Teddy rolled his shoulders. His gaze shifted as he eyed the officers approaching from the sides.

“Please,” Ollie whispered. “They won’t let me see you if you do.”

Teddy pressed his forehead to Ollie’s, then backed away a step for the officers to grab his arms. They tried to pull him away further, but he didn’t budge.

Ollie pushed off from the wall and went to join Harrison.

He knew Teddy wouldn’t leave until he had, but he did glance back at Teddy as he headed down the corridor.

Tears shone on Teddy’s cheeks. His face cracked just before Ollie stepped from view.

Harrison asked him to change into a pair of black joggers, a black hoodie, and a pair of socks that might’ve been white once but had turned grey. His clothes were taken away in bags to be examined. They took his fingerprints, swabs, and hair samples. He knew he must’ve gone through the process before when he murdered his father, but he couldn’t remember.

Harrison said they didn’t need to take a mugshot because he hadn’t been accused of anything yet. Theyetfilled Ollie with unease, but he didn’t let it show.

He was pointed into a room where two other officers sat, then Harrison closed the door behind him.

Ollie exhaled a long breath, then started talking.

He told them everything that happened that night.

They asked him whether he’d had any interactions with Pichard before, and Ollie told them about the incident with Keith and Pichard driving him home from Hollybrook.

The officers stayed emotionless throughout until Ollie brought up Rory, the jacket and the fire. They became more invested after that, both leaning forward in their chairs.

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