Page 3 of Skulk of Foxes
I smiled serenely. I was an uber villain; I deserved to be locked away. But if I could bring Rubus down with me, you could bet my curvy, gorgeous arse that I’d do it.
After Morgan reluctantly departed and the door closed firmly behind him, I fixed my attention on the police. ‘He did have a point,’ I said. I jiggled the handcuffs. ‘I have no lawyer and I’m completely vulnerable and helpless. This is not a good place for an interrogation.’
‘We’re not here to interrogate you,’ the policewoman told me. ‘We’re just here to find out what happened. You’re very welcome to get legal advice before we proceed but, honestly, we’re on your side. This is merely an exploratory chat.’
‘Exploratory? Then you’re saying you’re like Christopher Columbus.’
She appeared slightly discomfited. ‘Not exactly but…’
‘Because he was an incompetent tyrant.’ I raised an eyebrow. ‘I’ve not had dealings with the police in the past but I’d rather hoped for better than that.’
Rather than unbalancing my pair of PC Plods, they both seemed to brighten. Uh-oh. Maybe I did have direct experience with the arm of the law. It was entirely possible. Thanks to my ongoing amnesia, I couldn’t remember.
‘I can assure you that we are not tyrants.’ The policeman smiled as if he were my brand new best friend. That could not be a good thing. ‘Let’s start over, shall we? I’m Detective Inspector Mulroney and this is Detective Constable Jones.’ The policewoman smiled thinly. ‘Our records indicate that you are Madrona Hatter.’
I beamed. I couldn’t help myself. ‘Madrona Hatter? That’s awesome.’ Then I realised what I’d said. ‘What I mean is, yes.’ I coughed. ‘I am Madrona Hatter.’
‘Where are you from, Madrona?’ Mulroney’s expression was friendly enough but there was something about his tone of voice that gave me pause.
‘Er … is that relevant?’
‘You are not registered as a British citizen. Neither is there any information at border control about which country you arrived from. Are you here illegally?’
I stared at him. Before I could answer, DC Jones stepped in to tag-team him. ‘You’ve been in trouble before now, Madrona. Anti-social behaviour…’
I spluttered. ‘I’m a very social person! Everyone who meets me loves me!’ That was a blatant lie. Oh well. She wasn’t to know that.
‘Drunk and disorderly…’
‘Being drunk is a crime? Come on!’
‘Public disorder…’
I shook my head. ‘You’ve got the wrong person. Ordering the public around is very important to me.’
Jones was not amused. ‘That is not what public disorder refers to. There is a litany of petty crimes attached to your name but we haven’t been able to follow up any of them because you’re an illegal immigrant who thinks she’s above the law. Isn’t that correct?’
I considered possible responses. Really, there was only one way to go: the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
‘I thought I was above the law for a few days,’ I agreed. ‘That’s because I thought I was a superhero. It’s not true, though. I’ve got amnesia so I don’t remember my background or where I came from. However, I have it on good authority that I’m really a faery. I come from a place called Mag Mell and I’ve got special magical powers. So I probably am here illegally but, you see, I can’t leave. Mag Mell is closed off. No faeries can return. Like it or not, I’m stuck here.’ I tried to shrug but it wasn’t easy, given my supine position. ‘I’d go home if I could.’
Mulroney didn’t blink. Maybe he was actually a lizard rather than a man. Frankly, these days nothing would be surprise me. ‘You’re telling us that you have amnesia?’ he said.
‘Yes.’
‘And that you’re a faery?’
‘Yes.’
‘But you’re trapped here?’
‘Yes.’
‘And you have magical powers?’
I beamed. ‘Now you’re getting it!’
He leaned down. ‘Tell me, Madrona. Do these magical powers extend to the ability to chop off someone’s head? Because we have evidence that’s what you did.’
