Page 133 of Butterfly

For over thirteen years, Teddy took the blame for something he didn’t do.

Teddy’s truth was stacked on Ollie’s bedside table.

There were pages all over his bed too; surrounding him as he slept were letters from Teddy. It wasn’t once a week; it was every day. He didn’t write much. It was mainly ‘miss you’, ‘can’t wait to see you’ and ‘visit me’, but Ollie loved them.

A month had passed.

A month where Teddy had to stay in Hollybrook while the case of the caravan fire was reopened. It was so long ago there was no longer any evidence to collect. They had Teddy’s truth, Ollie’s statement about what Pichard had said to him, and they both matched.

There were records of Pichard working at the hospital when Teddy had been receiving treatment, and for two years, the travellers were content to stay living outside the front doors. Pichard had been working his placement the whole time and was regularly seen with Teddy.

He left the hospital a few days after the fatal fire.

Teddy wanted everyone to know it was Pichard, not just the fire, but Ryan too.

He’d been seen on the wing that day, seen going into the cell, but no one had witnessed Pichard giving Ryan the pill.

It wasn’t until the police scrolled through hours and hours of CCTV footage from the prison that they hadevidence.

Rory, despite knowing he shouldn’t, had let Ollie see the video.

Teddy had twisted his knee after attacking Keiron, the prisoner who’d propositioned Ollie on the wing. Pichard had been ordered to the segregation unit to check on him, and the segregation unit had cameras with audio in the cells.

Pichard asked Teddy what he’d done to hurt his leg.

Teddy had remained statue still.

Then he mentioned Ollie. He said he hoped it wasn’t anything to do with him, and that Teddy had a track record of bad things happening to people he cared about and hadn’t learned from his previous mistakes.

Pichard had been indirect, but the threat had been there in the way he towered over Teddy on the bed and the way Teddy had curled away from him.

That had been key in getting Teddy released.

Captain tapped on the bedroom door. “They’ll be here soon.”

Ollie sprung up and started tidying the bed. Captain opened the door, tutting as he scanned the room. “The wardrobe and chest of drawers are for clothes; the floor is for walking on…” He eyed the bedsheets. “And have you ever heard of ironing?”

“Teddy’s not going to care about a few wrinkles on the bed.”

Captain snorted. “So you’re admitting as soon as he’s through the door, you’re going straight to the bedroom?”

Ollie’s cheeks reddened.

Captain sighed. “And that is why I’m staying with Rory and Sebastian tonight.”

“They have sex too.”

“I’m sure they do, but their walls are a lot thicker than mine, and I’d rather not hear snarling and growling as you two get reacquainted.”

Ollie swallowed. “You don’t have to do this. Teddy was offered a room—”

“They are dirty and disgusting, and I’d much prefer you do…whatever it is you do here. Just…” He held up a finger. “One night of animalistic sex, okay? And then you’ll do the decent thing and only do it when I’m out.”

Ollie pouted. “You’re jealous.”

“Of?”

“Me getting some.”

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