Page 85 of Inbetweeners
The police were already moving Emmett and Nix out of the room. It was obvious they thought they were involved. They showed their driving licences and the policeman took the details. Not good, but there was nothing they could do.
“How do you know him?” the policeman asked.
“We don’t know him. We met him in a pub,” Nix said. “The Red Lion in Lewisham. He was interested in buying my bike. We’d brought it over to show him. Emmett knocked on the door and it just fell open. We came in and found Trevor lying there. Emmett was on the phone to the emergency services as you arrived. We’ve literally just got here. We saw an old guy outside. We were talking to him about his Harley. I think he lives next door. Ask him. He said something about a big flash Lexus being here a short while ago. We haven’t done anything.”
They were made to wait, and sat on the stairs under the eye of a policeman who looked to be in his teens.
Trevor was still calling out from the other room. “I’m not dead. Why isn’t anyone doing anything. I need more CPR.”
“Maybe we just found another reason someone doesn’t move on,” Nix said quietly. “An inability to accept reality.”
“Could you imagine clinging to the belief that you’re still alive when they put you in a coffin, then load you into a furnace, or bury you?” Emmett shuddered.
“That’s a good incentive to get people to move on.”
Emmett glared. “We can’t tell them that.”
“Why not? It would make me move on. It would be fucking awful.”
“So…” Emmett said. “Was it awful last night? You haven’t said anything.”
“Fishing for compliments?”
“You already gave me one.”
“Did I? That’s unlike me. Either you misheard or I was babbling.”
Emmett slumped. “You are such a fucking arsehole. When they let us go, we’re going shopping for chains.”
Nix laughed, then pressed his lips together when he caught the young policeman staring at him.
Eventually, they were told they could leave. The next-door neighbour had returned home and backed up their timeline. Since the murder weapon hadn’t been found and they’d had no time to dispose of it outside the house, and neither of them were splattered with blood, they were no longer under suspicion. Nix was allowed to wash his hands in the kitchen sink.
Trevor was still complaining. “Unzip this bag. I can’t breathe. Help me someone. Please. You’re not supposed to wrap people in plastic. For fuck’s sake, let me out!”
“Do you mind if I say a few words over the body?” Emmett asked one of the policemen.
“As long as you don’t touch it.”
Emmett crouched down and Nix hid that Emmett had put his hand on Trevor. “I’m sorry we weren’t here in time to save you.”
“You can hear me? Let me out!”
“You might not havediedotherwise.”
“I’m not dead.”
“Phoenix gave you CPR, but it was too late. I’m sorry.”
“Someone’s made a mistake.”
Nix rolled his eyes.
“I hope you’re happy in the next life,” Emmett said. “I know how hard you tried to cling on, but you need to let go now.”
The policeman frowned.
“Do they know who did it?” Trevor sounded more resigned. “The grey-haired guy? Tell them.”
