She Wasn't You

Chapter 27

The plain clothed police officers left me no option but to allow them to follow me into the house. Fortunately, Ellie was at work and the kids at school by the time I returned home.

I braced myself as I offered the two male officers a seat at our kitchen table which they accepted but declined my offer of tea. Thought that was quite rude, I make a great cup of tea.

I think they were taken a back slightly at how easily I allowed them in and without questioning why they were here. I thought that was my best approach, if I acted like I had nothing to hide, they would be caught on the back foot and from the looks they were passing between each other, it looked as though my plan was working.

Pulling out my own seat, I sat down and decided to push this as much as I possibly could. "I can only assume this visit is regarding Nicola?"

Now at that point I did second guess myself for a second. Imagine if that's not what they were here for? My confidence drained ever so slightly until they confirmed with a nod each.

"You have been expecting us?" The heavier set officer asked. His short brown hair and sticky build wasn't intimidating in the slightest. He was clearly the muscle of the two of them, only here for intimidation purposes, which I wasn't falling for. I had my story and I was sticking to it. I've been over and over it in my head since reading your message, Katie.

Yes, I know you're the reason these two officers are currently taking up two spaces at the table I feed my family. Very intrusive.

"Well, yeah. I assumed I would be prime suspect given that we had arranged to meet up the evening she went missing." I sat back confidently on my chair with my arms folded.

"So, can you account for your whereabouts that evening, if you weren't with Miss Price?"

I nodded. "I can indeed, I was working and I have the security guard on-site that evening to vouch for me, I was on a late night meeting with my colleagues in L.A. Unfortunately, I drew the short straw that evening so had to stay behind alone. We also have an entrance and exit pass, which I'm sure you're fully aware of given the majority, if not all offices have the same clocking in system?"

The skinny officer, pushed his glasses back to the bridge of his nose with his knuckle as he noted down my words in his little black book. He was clearly the brains of the operation and his colleague sent as the muscle to intimidate any potential weak human who sat opposite him. Unfortunately for them both, I wasn't easily intimidated and I had played this conversation out over and over in my head, there were no gaps in it, no cause for panic.

I had this, Katie. I'm still disappointed in you but I'm sure in time, I'll forgive you.

"And you're sure this security guard can back up your story?" Muscles looked at me with a glint in his eye, like he had already cracked me.

I nodded slowly. "Yeah, we even bumped into each-other in the gents at one point. I think I made him jump as you don't expect to be joined in the bathroom by someone when you're used to working a nightshift, do you? Although seeing him jump didn't fill me with confidence about my safety in the office with him."

My joke must have missed them completely.

"And this security guard. What's his name?"

Jesus, skinny boy does speak. I turned my attention towards him. "Steve. I'll be honest, I don't know his surname but as far as I know he is the only Steve on security so he shouldn't be too hard to track down."

He nodded and proceeded to write the information provided into his book.

"So, do you have any leads as to who might have done this? Me aside, obviously."

"I'm afraid we can't divulge any information on the case especially to a suspect. I'm sure you understand?"

Yes, muscles. I know.

He continued. "Before we leave, we were told that Nicola and yourself didn't really see eye to eye back in your school days, so why would you plan to meet her? That doesn't make sense to me. I know I wouldn't want to go and see someone I didn't like..."

He let the question hang and in fairness it was a good question. One I would have asked too but unfortunately for him, I was already prepared for it.

I nodded. "It's true, I'll be honest, we didn't get along in school and everyone knew it. I had an on-off relationship with one of her best friends throughout the time we were there and she was a bit clingy and always there! I wouldn't say I hated her, she just annoyed me because she never gave us any space. A bit like an over-bearing Mother in law. I'm sure, man to man, you can both understand that?"

Muscles nodded. "I get it. You haven't met my mother in law but I fully understand why that would have been annoying, especially as a teenager."

I nodded along. "And it was 20 years ago, I wouldn't hold it against her for that long. I bumped into her where she worked a few weekends ago with my wife and she seemed more grown up, she was the one who came up with the idea to meet and as we're all grown ups now, I couldn't say no. I'm not that rude."

Both officers seemed to buy my story, well at least it looked like they had. Muscles nodded towards skinny and they both stood up, skinny placing his book back inside his pocket.

"Thanks for your time, Mr Gardner. I'm sure we'll be in touch again with any further updates or if we need to ask any further questions." Muscles placed his hand out which I shook, firmly.

"My door is always open, sir."

Both turned and I saw them out of the door. Knowing they'd be back and that I'd have to make sure I stuck to my story.

Sorry Katie, nice try but I think I'm going to get out of this one.

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