Scattering Lilac Ashes

Chapter One Hundred and One

"Lila Moloney?"

Lila blinked, looking up at the two distinctly imposing adults standing outside. One was a blond male, who clearly worked out quite a lot, given how his muscles stretched his business-like suit, and the other was a brunette female, dressed smartly in a black blazer over the top of a blue button-up shirt and matching suit pants.

It was the man who had spoken. He squinted at her for a second before nodding in apparent satisfaction. "And I assume you're Asher Wagner?"

"Y-Yes, sir," Asher replied, his voice quivering with anxiety. He stepped forward, extending his hand to grasp the male's hand. They shook hands, and the female offered her own. Lila also shook hands with the officers. Once the pleasantries were over, the male spoke again.

"I'm Detective Sergeant Nick Collins, and this is Detective Sergeant Belinda Lee-Shaw."

Both Detective Sergeants displayed their official-looking police badges before stowing them away in their blazers.

"O-Okay," Lila uttered.

"Do you know why we're here?" Belinda's voice was soothing, unlike the gruff, grating voice of her coworker. Lila shook her head.

"We'd like to speak with you both separately about an incident that's occurred recently," Nick interjected vaguely.

"Specifically," Belinda added, shooting Nick a sharp look, "regarding Piper Baker. Is that name familiar to you at all?"

"Ye-" Lila's reply was interrupted by the severe voice of her Dad from behind her.

"Excuse me, who are you?"

The Detective Sergeants reintroduced themselves, complete with another display of their badges.

"May I speak with you two alone, please?" Lila's Dad's tone indicated that this was not a request but rather a demand.

"Of course. Mr Moloney, I presume?" replied Belinda. The sound of their continued conversation was cut off as Lila's Dad closed the front door, sequestering himself outside with the Detective Sergeants.

Lila turned to Asher, her face a ghostly pale.

"What just happened?" she whispered, horror reverberating in her question.

"I don't know," Asher replied, rubbing his face – seemingly as a self-soothing gesture.

"Lila," her Mum's voice made her jump, and Lila stiffly turned to face her. Her Mum looked distinctly unimpressed, and simultaneously terrified.

"Mum," Lila said plainly, casting an uncertain look at Asher.

"Lila, come with me. Asher, please stay by the door. Let us know if they want her back," Lila's Mum instructed, her tone steely.

Lila obeyed her mother without question. There was something about her Mum's current demeanour that made Lila nervous over and above the fact the police wanted to talk to her about Piper.

Lila's Mum lead them into the kitchen, where both Clare and Daniel were sitting. They jerkily readjusted their postures into prim, upright ones – which, to Lila, meant that they were absolutely eavesdropping.

"Shoo," Lila's Mum said, waving them both away. "Upstairs with you two, before I ask the police to arrest you both."

They didn't need to be told twice, instantly rushing to make themselves scarce. Lila's Mum pursed her lips, not saying a word until the sound of two doors slamming filtered downstairs.

'Alright... scratch what I said before about being in trouble with the police being a whole 'nother level. I'd rather that than what's about to happen with Mum right now,' Lila thought as her Mum pulled out a chair at the small kitchen table and threw herself into it.