To Tell An Altswood Lie (The Altswood Saga #3)

Chapter 2 - Doppelgänger

Chapter 2 - Doppelgänger

I dug my fingernails into the underside of the chair, forcing myself to keep my hands steady. I wouldn't let them see me shake.

"Where's my dad?" I asked. Jolene had escorted me into one of the small back rooms in the police station to be interrogated by Officer Louws, of all people. I expected Jolene to leave immediately so she could see to where Gabriel was being held, but she remained, a silent shadow in the corner of the room.

"Your father's presence here would be a conflict of interest, you understand," Officer Louws replied.

"He's a professional—"

"No one has forgotten about his non-sanctioned mission with you and the Kingston boy," Officer Louws continued. "The police force had strict instructions to avoid confrontation and yet he went ahead in instigating a meeting—"

"We caught Joshua, didn't we?" I interrupted. My grip on the chair was so tight that I was gouging out chunks of the pleather material.

"Yes, you did," Officer Louws said, rather bitterly. "Tell me, Luca, do you hold ill will towards those who haven't been punished for their involvement with Rebekah Gray and Joshua Koi?"

I slowly pried my hands from the underside of the chair and tucked them together in my lap. I had a feeling that Officer Louws was trying to catch me in a lie.

"Why don't you get to the point?" I sniffed. "Tell me about this alleged video footage you have. Gabriel and I didn't do anything."

Officer Louws turned around and looked pointedly at Jolene. Jolene didn't respond; she only stared back. Perhaps that was a detail she had been expected to keep to herself.

"When did you leave the basketball game, Luca?"

"I don't know," I replied. To be honest, I wasn't sure if the insolence in my voice was my inner child making an appearance or if I was purposely trying to make Officer Louws' life harder. "I didn't check the exact time."

Officer Louws narrowed his eyes. "Take a guess."

"Six? Ten past six?"

"And where were you during six to seven tonight?"

"In Greenfield—"

"Liar!"

I inhaled sharply, my pulse thudding in my ears. "I'm not... lying," I managed tightly.

Officer Louws wrote something into a small notebook on his lap. I couldn't read any words because the table blocked my sight, but by his vigorous scribbling, it was very detailed. When he looked up, he saw that I was watching, and adjusted the table lamp so the beam shone right into my eyes, preventing me from seeing anything at all.

"You know what I think?" Officer Louws said. It wasn't a question he wanted me to answer. He was just a disembodied voice now, speaking from somewhere inside the bright glare. "I think all the murders have broken you. I think you found out about Maire Reeve's donations, and you blame Maire for all the bloodshed that has surrounded you. I think you and Kingston took it on yourselves to get rid of her."

It took every inch of my self-restraint to resist reacting. That was their working theory? The police force had at last discovered Maire's monetary deposits then, but I didn't blame her—I never did.

"I would never do that—"

"Then Gabriel made you do it."

"Gabriel would never do that either!"

Officer Louws scratched his beard. He let the silence draw out. When he spoke again, his tone had flattened.

"You don't think it's suspicious that the two of you skipped the bonfire tonight of all nights?"