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Wait, what?Shelifted her finger, which petrified into the shape of a small hook, ready to strike again.Shedidn’t lower her arm.Herwhole body shook as adrenaline coursed through her.
‘HowdoIknow you’re not here to kill me?’ she shouted.
Theshort one, who was scooping foam off his face and shaking it onto the floor, shouted back: ‘We’rehere to get a statement from you.Aboutsome hard drives we found in a raid.’
Harddrives…they must have caught the burglars!Andeven better, they weren’t going to kill her!Shelowered her arm, tilted her head back, and raised her eyes in thanks to the ceiling.
Andthen she started laughing.
Onceshe started, she couldn’t stop.Shewas so overcome with relief that she had to hold her stomach with both arms.Christon a rollercoaster, it felt good to be alive.Shewanted to run right now and findKrish, throw her arms around him, and never let go.
Shecaught sight of the police man covered in paint.Withhis bulbous eyes and red skin, he reminded her of a creature from a sci-fi movie.Shelaughed even harder, tears rolling down her face.Thetall one chortled, too, earning himself a withering look fromShorty.
‘What?Youdo look ridiculous,’ the taller one said.Hedidn’t have a mark on him.Hemust have used his partner as a human shield.
‘Sorry,’ saidFrancesca, wiping away tears. ‘Butyou did sneak up on me.’
‘Areyou in the habit of assaulting police officers?Wecould charge you with possession of an offensive weapon,’ saidShorty, examining the effects of the dye on his sausage-like fingers.
Thatsobered her up.Gettingarrested would not be ideal right now.
‘Leaveit off,Niles,’ said the tall one. ‘AreyouFrancescaMarch?’
Shenodded.
‘Doyou know oneLarryBonneface?’
Herhand went to her throat, and all remaining joviality disappeared. ‘YoumeanChuckles?’
‘Soyou do know him.’
‘Well, we’re not mates, if that’s what you’re asking.Ishot his daughter’s wedding.’
Thedetectives exchanged a significant look. ‘Wefound property belonging to you on a raid at his house a few days ago.We’vereviewed the material and found incriminating evidence recorded in the audio.Hewas bragging about at least five unsolved murders that he claimed to have committed.’
‘Holyshit.’Sheshivered.Krishwas right.Chuckleshad been dangerous.Sheremembered how he had tried to hug her at the end of the wedding and she’d stomped on his foot by ‘accident’.Gangsterskilled people for less. ‘Ishe…is he in custody?’
‘Yes, we’ve got him.’
Evenas relief washed through her, something botheredFrancesca. ‘ButIspoke with his daughter earlier.Doesshe know about this?’Jenny’sanger had seemed authentic.Buteither way, she could forget about that refund.
‘No,Bonnefacedoesn’t want his family to know.Theythink he’s no longer involved in crime,’ saidShorty.
Thetall one pulled a notebook and pen out of his inside jacket pocket. ‘Anyways, we just have a few questions.’
Itdidn’t take long for her to answer them, which she did as succinctly and accurately as possible.Shedidn’t want this to last any longer than necessary.Afterall, she had a boy to win over.Tenminutes later, they wrapped up, taking her phone number in case they needed her again.
‘WhencanIget my hard drives back?’ she asked.
‘Whenour investigation is over.’
Sheassumed that meant ‘never’.
Afterthey left, she grabbed her things and the full bin bags, depositing them in the skip.Shecouldn’t wait to take a shower and wash off the past couple hours.Shecould feel the residue of fear all over her body.
Butfirst…
Thedesire to tellKrishall about her crazy day made her pull out her phone.Sheopened her contacts and scrolled toDONOTCALL.Smiling, she changed it back toKRISH.Andthen for his last name, she wroteICE:Incase of emergency.Hewas her person, after all.
