Page 70 of Artful Deceit
“Depends. If the money was obtained legally and if the forged passport was never used, then things will be slightly better.”
“I’ve never used it. I’ve never travelled on it or anything. At least not as far as I know. I swear I only knew about it when Uncle Derek died.”
Flynn looked at her sadly. “Even having a forged passport in your possession could get you ten years in prison.”
“You can’t be serious?” Her heart pounded even more furiously. She felt dizzy, and slightly nauseous. “I can’t go to prison. I didn’t do anything.”
“Are you telling me the truth?”
“Yes.” She hated that he had to ask, and was about to comment on that when the walkie talkie on his desk let out a shrill tone that was impossible to ignore. “What’s that?” she asked as he set off to the desk.
“Someone’s pressed the red button.”
“What does that mean?”
“Either an officer is in trouble and needs immediate backup, or they pressed the button by accident.” He lifted the radio and muttered a curse as he looked at the display.
“What’s wrong?” Lily asked.
“Wait here,” he said, running for the door. “Just stay here. I’ll be back.”
Stunned, Lily stared at the door for a minute. Then she sank onto a chair to await her fate.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Flynn was vaguelyaware of how hard his boots hit the pavement as he ran full pelt down the road. His eyes were fixed on the shape of the sergeant, sitting slumped against a wall.
At the speed Flynn ran, it was a struggle to stop when he reached him.
“Sarge!” he called out, dropping in front of him. “Graham, can you hear me?”
The sergeant’s hand, which had been loosely clutching his walkie talkie, fell away as Flynn felt for a pulse.
Swiftly, he moved him onto his back. Both of their radios emitted chatter from the control room.
Flynn pressed the button on his own walkie talkie. “This is PC Grainger. I’ve found Sergeant Proctor. He’s unresponsive. I suspect a cardiac arrest. Send an ambulance immediately. I’m starting CPR now.”
With the message received, he mentally blocked out further response from the control room and focused on counting chest compressions.
Chapter Thirty-Five
After five minutesof sitting in the eerily quiet police station, the sound of sirens had Lily venturing to the door and peering out at the street. With nothing to see, she was about to retreat inside when a figure caught her eye.
“Maria!” she called as the woman hurried towards her.
“I came as soon as I got your message.”
“Thanks. Did you hear sirens?”
She nodded. “There were flashing lights at the end of the road, but I came from the other direction. What’s going on? Have you been arrested?”
“No. The sergeant just wants to interview me for now. But he left, and then Flynn got some emergency call and ran off. I’m supposed to stay here… I don’t know what’s going on.”
Maria ushered her back inside. “Tell me about the money and the passports,” she said as they sat side by side on the bench seat that ran along the wall.
“I found it when Uncle Derek died. He had a bunch of cash. Lots of it. And forged passports for both of us. I got rid of his. I’m not sure why I kept mine. Part of me wondered if I might need it… he must have had it for a reason. But I really wish I hadn’t held onto it. According to Flynn, I could be looking at a decade in prison.”
“Surely not,” Maria said. “Not when you didn’t know anything about it. Once you explain you had nothing to do with it – that you just found it in your uncle’s things – everything will be fine.”
