Solve Me

(6), In Which Accusations Are Made

So everyone was safe. Except, it seems, Miss Smith, who had been murdered by the same creature that killed Miss Peckett. The worst part, in Lily's opinion, was that she and Tad were the primary suspects. They just so happened to be the only people in the building at the time, except for the person at the desk, who managed to sleep through the whole thing. The police had no alibi for Lily and Tad, only the word of them, and Marcus was too busy investigating the scene to say otherwise. He was the one who called in the police in the first place, since it was the quickest way to get them there.

Lily was now sitting in the back of a police car, separate from her employer, and on her way to the station. Her first full day in her new home and she was already getting arrested. She fidgeted uncomfortably in the handcuffs, wondering if she should tell the truth. They all thought Tad was crazy already, but none of them knew her. What would they think? They would send her off to a mental hospital, surely.

Thoughts similar to those were flickering through Tad's head as he sat in the back of his own car. This wasn't his first rodeo, but as of now, he was more worried about what was to happen to Lily than anything else. He knew they would brush his accusations off, they had little time to worry about his beliefs. But if Lily told them the truth, they could easily diagnose her with some kind of mental illness and ship her off to the nearest asylum. When the cars rolled to a stop, he nearly leaped from the transportation, glancing around for his newest employee. He caught a glimpse of her coffee-brown hair disappearing into the station. He walked a bit faster, practically dragging the police escorts after him, rather than the other way around.

"Listen, it wasn't us. Do you really think that we're capable of something like that?" Tad was pacing in the cell, frustrated. He glared at Harvey, who was standing on the other side of the bars. He had ordered for Lily and Kennett to be held in separate cells within the station while they tried to figure out whether or not they were guilty. Well, as separate as it could get. They were in cells facing each other, across the hallway. Lily was standing in her confinements, clutching the iron bars so tightly that her knuckles were white. Tad could see the panic in her face.

"I think you're capable of more than I realize, Kennett. You have no alibi, and you were at the scene of the crime. Look at all of the blood on your clothes! If you didn't do it, who did?" Tad looked down at himself, just now noticing that blood that had stained his clothes. There was quite a lot of it actually. Lily didn't have much, as she hadn't been in the room when Miss Smith died.

"Listen, you prick! We had nothing to do with this! We were trying to save her from the creature!" Lily stomped her foot, and Tad flinched. There was no turning back now. Harvey raised an eyebrow, turning to face her instead.

"The creature? Is that so?" He signaled two officers to help him. They unlocked the door, and forced a struggling Lily into a pair of handcuffs. "Please, take a walk with me, and tell me all about this monster." Lily threw a frightened glance Tad way, meeting his deeply concerned gaze. The officers shoved her ahead a bit, and her heart leaped into her throat as she turned the corner and realized where they were going.

Once she was tightly secured in her seat within the questioning room, handcuffs nearly too tight, she leaned forward, glaring at Harvey.

"I don't have to tell you anything."

"On the contrary, Miss Valdez, I believe I am the one in the position of power here. I think you'll find that you do have to tell me. Everything." Lily's blood ran cold at his chilled tone, and the intensity in his eyes. He was leaning in so his face was inches from hers. Lily swallowed, frowning.

"You'll think I'm crazy. I thought so too."

"Try me. I bet I've heard worse." Lily took a deep breath, leaning back. She looked down at her handcuffed hands, fidgeting slightly.