Page 70 of Play Our Song

Sophie felt her skin flush. She swallowed and said nothing. What would she have done if Tilly had walked into the room, she wondered.

“I needed to get more information from your dad before I came and talked to you,” Max went on. “But I think I’ve got the lay of the land more or less now.”

She wanted to protest, wanted to scream that she knew her dad and Gio hadn’t done anything. But the police had come. The police had seemed so sure, and now she was less sure. They hadn’t done anything, surely they hadn’t?

Her mouth was dry. She wished she’d accepted the tea now. “What happened?” They weren’t the words she wanted to use, but they were the ones that came out.

Max sighed. “Well, your dad and Gio are both protesting innocence, but that’s to be expected.”

Sophie stared at him, and he pressed his lips together and closed his eyes for a second. When he opened them, he seemed to have come to a decision.

“Alright, let’s be honest with each other, shall we?”

“I never considered being anything else,” Sophie said because she really hadn’t. She was worried now, worried that maybe her dad and Gio had done something. She just couldn’t figure out what and how and the logistics of it all.

“Okay,” said Max. “In that case, your dad and Gio are both saying they haven’t done anything, and you’re backing them up. We, however, got solid proof that at least three stolen cars have been driven down that back lane toward the rear door of the garage.”

“Proof?”

“Video,” Max said. “Indisputable. That’s what gave us cause to come in like that.” He paused, collected his thoughts, and went on. “We found nothing in the garage.”

Sophie’s stomach jumped. Max held up a hand.

“But we found plenty in the storage shed behind the garage.”

“We haven’t used that place for years,” Sophie said without thinking. She sat up straighter. “Max, seriously. I don’t remember the last time I set foot in it.”

Max looked at her long and hard, and then grinned in relief. “I was hoping you’d say something like that,” he admitted.

“Like what?”

“That you didn’t know what was inside. It’s exactly what your brother said. And I believe you both. Your dad, on the other hand, was a bit less forthcoming.”

“He hasn’t been in there,” Sophie said, desperately racking her brains to think of answers. “The shed came with the garage, but dad and Gio can only work on so many cars at once. Theykeep two in the garage and then whatever else there is gets parked out front for convenience. No one goes in there, really.”

“That’s what your dad said,” said Max. “And then he admitted to renting the place out under the table.”

The truth suddenly all came together. Sophie closed her eyes and shook her head. The extra money that was lying around, her dad was collecting illegal rent. Property prices in Whitebridge were horrific. He’d have been raking it in. “Shit.”

“Perhaps,” Max said as Sophie opened her eyes. “Or perhaps not.” He eyed her. “I think the lot of you are telling the truth. You and Gio are innocent. Your dad’s guilty of being a bit stupid. But on the whole, I’ve found my chop shop but I haven’t found the car thieves.”

Sophie’s whole being filled up with relief. “So what happens now?”

Max scratched at his chin. “Your dad and Gio are staying here. At least overnight. We need to check out their stories. I want to make sure that there’s plenty of evidence of other people being in that shed. As soon as I’m comfortable, I’ll let them go. Though I’m expecting your dad to help with inquiries.”

Sophie sniffed at that. Max might be expecting it, but she didn’t think her dad would be thrilled with the idea.

“You can go though,” Max said. “Unless there’s anything you want to tell me?”

Sophie shook her head. “Nothing, except I’ve definitely not been in that shed for yonks. I’m sure the others haven’t either. And Gio and dad have definitely not been spending nights chopping up cars, I can swear to that.”

“Sure you can swear to that? You’ve been spending half your nights in my granny flat,” Max said, a little twinkle in his eye.

“Yeah, well, I won’t be any longer, will I,” Sophie said, standing up. “So I’m free to go then?”

Max looked like he wanted to say something, but in the end he just got up too. “Jules is here,” he said. “I thought you might want a bit of moral support, and she was bringing sandwiches from the pub for the boys anyway.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

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