Prisoner

11

He has no idea why he's here. It's not like he's a private investigator or anything. Harry steps into the club where Louis had been that night. He needs answers even if he doesn't think that he will find them here. He doesn't know where to begin and figured this was a good start. He stops in the alley first and looks around. It's just an alley.

It's a Thursday so it's not that many people there. He looks around. It's more of a pub. There's a stair to a floor below, which probably serves as a club on weekends.

Harry steps up to the bar and orders a beer. Takes a seat. He has no idea how to bring it up. Casually. Like, oh, by the way...

He drinks his beer. Tries to find the right angle. Glances at the bartender. Finish the beer.
"Do you want another one?"

"Sure."

The bartender hands him another beer.
"Sorry, I just have to ask. Did you work here when that murder took place?" Wow. That was blunt.

"Uhm, yeah. I worked that night actually." The bartender responds.

"Really? What's your take on it?" Harry asks.

The bartender snorts.
"They caught the wrong guy if you ask me. Louis was a regular. Sweet guy. More of the rescue kittens out of trees kind of guy, you know?"

"Yeah, right." Harry replies. That's the impression he has of Louis as well.

"I don't really know him that well though so who knows? You should talk to that redhead over there. They're friends." The bartender says and nods to his left.

Harry turns his head to look at the man in question. He hesitates briefly before he picks up his beer and walks over.
"Excuse me. Are you friends with Louis Tomlinson?"

The guy looks up.
"I don't talk to reporters. Please go away."

"I'm not a reporter. I'm a psychologist at the Wakefield prison." Harry tells him.

"Really?" He questions.

"Yes." Harry says and shows his prison ID.

"Then you can tell Louis that he's a fucking asshole for not letting me visit him. I'm Oli by the way." The man says.

Harry gesture at the empty chair and Oli nods his head. He takes a seat.
"How long have you known Louis?"

"We met in high school, first year." Oli says. Takes a sip of his beer.

"We're you with him that night?" Harry asks.

"Why do you want to know?" Oli questions, glaring at him suspiciously.

"I'm trying to make sense of it I guess." Harry shrugs.

"Louis hasn't killed anyone!" Oli argues upset.

"Were you there?" Harry asks again.

"Yeah, I mean, no, not in the alley. We were here together that night. Drinking, having fun. I met a girl and he decided to head home. Next thing I know he's arrested." Oli says.

"Did he act differently earlier that night?" Harry asks.

"No, he was the same as always and I don't know where he would have hidden a knife in his outfit. That's just ridiculous. And hate crime? Louis is the most loving person I know." Oli says, sounding upset.

"So you think he's innocent?" Harry has to ask.

"Of course he is! Why do you think I hang here? I'm trying to find witnesses." Oli says.

"I thought the police stated that they weren't any witnesses?" Harry questions.

"Well, they never really investigated that, did they? Look, I saw that guy who got murdered earlier that night. I was on my way to the bathroom. He passed me and bumped into someone who got really pissed. I didn't get a good look at the guy. I was pretty drunk and I didn't think much of it. There must be someone else who saw them!" Oli says, looking at Harry.

"Why didn't you tell the police that?" Harry questions.

"I did! They just dismissed me. Probably thinking I lied to cover for my best mate. I know it's not much but it's something. A start. Maybe that wasn't the guy who actually killed him but that's all I got for now." Oli answers.

They talk some more before Harry returns to his car. He just sits there without turning on the engine.
"Damn it!" He shouts and hits the steering wheel.

He picks up his phone and text Liam, Niall, and Zayn to meet him at his apartment ASAP before he starts the car and drives home.

As soon as they arrive he asks them to take a seat in the living room. He can't sit. Pacing back and forth. Too upset. He looks at his coworkers and friends.
"I'm about to break my professional secrecy and I need you to promise to keep it to yourself or I might end up in prison."

Their mouths fall open.
"No Harry. You can't do that." Liam protests.

"I have to! You're free to leave before I tell you what I need to tell you." Harry stresses.

No one moves. They just stare at him with worried frowns. Harry drags a hand through his hair.
"I need your help. I'm pretty sure that Louis is actually innocent and I'm going to tell you what he said in one of our sessions."

"Harry, you're too involved in your patient. This isn't like you. Are you in love with him or something?" Zayn questions.

"What? No." Harry responds.

Zayn gives him a questionable look.
"Come on! Stop interrupting him for Christ's sake. I want to know what he said. Harry?" Niall whines.

Harry takes a deep breath.
"This stays in this room, okay?"

They nod their heads.
"So, according to Louis, he found the man in the alley. He ran up to help him. He had been stabbed multiple times but was alive. The knife was perforating him and the guy tried to pull it out. Louis did his best to stop him by grabbing the knife, hence his fingerprints on the murder weapon. The guy managed to pull the knife out and he bled out. Louis covered the wound with his hands and yelled for help. He didn't have time to call an ambulance. People came running and he got arrested."

"Shit! But, how the hell could he get evicted?" Niall wonders. Big eyes.

"According to him it was a combination of a lousy lawyer, a police force that didn't investigate, multiple witnesses seeing him covered in blood next to the body, his fingerprints on the knife, a former drug-related charge, and a judge that wanted to state an example." Harry explains.

Liam, Zayn, and Niall look at each other.
"It makes sense." Liam finally says.

"Yeah." Niall agrees.

"Zayn? You've been the one hardest to convince." Harry says.

"Well fuck me!" Zayn grunts.

"Uhm, no." Harry smirks.

They all burst out laughing. When they calm down Harry continues.
"So I went to that club tonight. Asked around. I met Louis' best friend. He says he saw the guy who was murdered getting in an argument with someone earlier that night but he can't remember what he looks like."

"Well, that's a lead! What do we do now?" Niall wonders.

"So you'll help me?" Harry asks.

"Of course." Niall immediately agrees. Zayn and Liam nod their heads.

Harry is glad to have them aboard but he has no idea how to proceed.