Page 77 of The Truth Will Out
“No, it’s fine. Go, I won’t be long behind you.”
Her colleagues reluctantly left the station. Jason, the desk sergeant, had put Rhys in an interview room. Sam collected two cups of coffee from the vending machine and went to see him.
“I still can’t believe you’re not allowing me to go home, Sam.”
“I’m sorry. Had you needed medical care, this would have been delayed. I need to get down the facts of what happened while they’re still fresh in your mind.”
“What? That’s insane, as if I’m likely to forget. Why are you treating me like a criminal? They abducted me and, I believe, had you not shown up, they would have killed me. I’m thankful for your intervention. I’ll be forever in your debt.”
“You’re welcome. My team and I were only doing our jobs.”
He stared at her, bewildered, and shook his head. “Have you heard yourself? I’m your fiancé, but you’re treating me like a stranger. I want to know why.”
Ignoring his question, she said, “Rhys, the quicker you start telling me how you were abducted and what happened during your time spent at the hands of those criminals, the sooner you can go home.”
“You and notwe? What does that mean? Aren’t you coming with me?”
Her gaze dropped to her notebook. “No, I’ll stay at the station tonight. I have two suspects I need to interview. Shall we get on?”
Half an hour later,Rhys finally finished telling her how he’d been abducted and the level of violence he had suffered at the hands of Penn and Turner. Sam arranged for a patrol car to drop Rhys home. She hated the way she felt, but until she had the chance to figure out her emotions, Sam knew she would struggle to be in the same room as him. Maybe she would feel differently once she had interviewed Penn and Turner, although she had grave reservations if that would be the case.
She spent the night at her desk, going over the facts and pulling together the missing pieces that she had discovered since they hadmade the arrests. Eventually, around three in the morning, after making copious notes for the upcoming interviews, she curled into her jacket, surrounded by empty coffee cups and plenty of ghosts, and fell asleep at her desk.
Sam always kept a change of clothes at work. After having a wash in the ladies’ toilet, she returned to her office, ready for her day to begin. Rhys rang her mobile at seven and every fifteen minutes after that, until she finally accepted his call.
“Where have you been?”
“I’ve been busy in the interview room. Why?”
“Sam, why are you avoiding me?”
“I’m not. Sorry, I have to go now. I need to hold my morning meeting with the team. Enjoy your day.”
“Sam… Sam…”
She ended the call and swallowed down the lump clogging her throat.
The only bright spark to Sam’s morning was the fact that Bob had joined them. He knocked on the door to her office and poked his head in. “Good morning. Do you need a coffee?”
She tore out of her seat and kissed him on the cheek. “How are you?”
“No lasting damage done. I threatened to do all sorts to the doctor if he didn’t release me.”
“You didn’t?”
He grinned. “You know me too well. No, I didn’t, but I would have if he’d tried to keep me in. How are you?” He studied her warily.
“I’m fine. I think. I’ll let you know once I’ve interviewed the suspects. You can’t be involved. I’ll get Nick to sit in with me, if that’s all right?”
“I was about to suggest the same. No offence taken. It wouldn’t be right for me to be there. Umm… are we all right, Sam?”
Her smile slipped. “I think so. I’m still trying to process everything that’s happened.”
“I know I shouldn’t have to remind you—you’re getting married in a few weeks. The quicker you get your head around things, the better.How’s Rhys? I was surprised that he didn’t join me at the hospital. I asked the staff if he had been admitted; they told me there was nothing on the system.”
“I think he’s all right. He seemed so last night… when I took down his statement.”
Bob’s brow wrinkled. “You did what? Hang on just a second. You said you hadn’t seen him since last night. That means either you came in super early this morning, or you never went home. Please don’t tell me you spent the night here?”
