Twist Of Fate

Sixty Three

INTERVIEW ROOM TWO, GREATER LONDON METROPOLITAN POLICE STATION, SOUTH EAST LONDON

"Emergency services, which service do you require?"

"Um, police. I need to speak to the police."

"Connecting you to the police now... "

*ringing*

"You are connected to Thanet police, what's your emergency?"

"I - I killed someone."

"You killed someone?"

"Yes."

"Are you with them now, can you check if they're still breathing?"

"No I'm not with them now. It happened a few weeks ago. I'm on the run - this happened in London, we're in Broadstairs now. You're looking for Harry Styles, he's wanted in connection with the murder. But it wasn't him, it was me. I killed Christopher Henshall."

"Can I take your name?"

"My name is Chloe Lewis."

"And where are you Chloe?"

"I'm in the car park at Joss Bay in Broadstairs."

"Are you armed?"

"What - no, no of course not. I'm not a violent person. He - Chris - he threatened me, he said he was going to rape me. He was on the ground, Harry had beaten him up but he was alive, he was starting to come round. He tried to grab me, he was asking me to call for help. And I was going to, I swear I was going to. But I was afraid, I was frozen to the spot, and then he started getting nasty, threatening to finish me off... he threatened to rape me next time..." *sobbing*

"OK Chloe. Take a deep breath for me. The police are on their way to you now."

"Hurry, please. I don't want to have to face Harry. He's going to be so angry with me."

"Are you in danger?"

"No, no, I don't mean like that. Harry wouldn't hurt me. I just mean... he doesn't know. He thinks he killed Chris. Because he beat him up. And then he ran away. He doesn't know I was the one who finished Chris off."

"Are you sure you're not in any danger?"

"No I swear I'm not. And Harry isn't a threat, he isn't dangerous to anyone, I promise. He'll be here when you get here. But he's not the one you want, I am."

"OK, just stay where you are. The police are on their way."

"I need to explain - I didn't remember." *Gasping*

"What didn't you remember?"

"Any of it. I'm so sorry. Everyone thought Harry did it; he thought so, I thought so. I didn't remember it was me. I think my mind blocked it out. But you have to believe me, I didn't mean to deceive anyone. I didn't know it was me. I never would have let Harry take the blame."

"Take deep breaths for me Chloe, try not to panic."

"I'm trying." *Crying* "Are the police going to be long? Will they arrest me?"

"They'll be there soon. They'll take you to a police station and take a statement from you."

"I want to tell you, please can I tell you? Is this recorded?"

"This call is recorded, yes. Wait for the police to speak to you properly -"

"Chris made my life hell. I slept with him a couple of times, a few years back. We didn't use protection, he got me pregnant and then he forced me to abort his baby, he said that if I didn't, there were ways he could get rid of it himself and make it look like an accident. He was going to hurt me. He bullied me, turned everyone on the estate against me because I didn't want to have sex with him. Not that I had any friends there anyway, but he made them laugh at me, he made my life a misery. I was too weak to stand up to him, too weak to stand up for my baby. I got rid of it like he wanted, but he still carried on terrorising me. Every time he was in the pub - the Flute and Fiddle - he made crude gestures to me, he made my skin crawl. I could never escape from him." *Muffled sobs*