Objects of Virtue

Chapter 07

The three men headed out into the cool early morning. Niall slid into the driver's seat of the Ford Capri and Harry besides him. Louis sat down in the back, wordless, staring out the window as Niall drove down the drive way and on to the road, headed towards the station. It was looking like it was going to be a long tedious day as Harry's eyes slowly gave into the sleep that was badgering him, and he was finally lost, rocking slowly against the glass window pane of his father's car.

The journey back to the station was quick and Harry woke up with a start as Niall parked, rather carelessly, on the curb outside the station. Harry would have made a snide remark, if it weren't for the fact that he felt as if someone had taken a bat to his head. Grimacing, Harry opened the door and climbed out onto the pavement only to see that Louis was already out and watching him with great interest. He was still in yesterday's clothes and he was beginning to feel a little bit icky.

"Good sleep, then mate?" Louis asked, a little smile curling against his cheek.

"Yeah, guess so," Harry mumbled as he smoothed down his shirt as best as he could and swept a hand through his curls. Harry didn't know it, but he looked divine. His curls ruffled up, his cheeky pink and his green eyes still glazed with sleep. But Louis noticed the way his slightly moist lips pouted as he frowned, the way his long eyelashes batted against his cheek as his eyes fluttered opened, the way his green intensified as they flickered in the street lights. He was a distraction that Louis willingly gave into it that moment.

The three men walked into the police station. It was quieter than usual. The usual chatter of people exchanging stories, the general buzz had died down and it was a very welcomed silence. Niall and Harry had left Louis in the waiting room until they were ready to take his statement and he found himself alone with his thoughts once more. Things were very confusing at the moment and Louis didn't know what to make of it. He was sure that the gun was safely locked up a couple of months ago. Who had it been and why? Why was someone trying to set him up? The lock of the vault hadn't been tampered with and if it had been a robbery there were other antiques in the vault that would have been more valuable than his gun. Who ever it was knew about the gun, knew the combination and knew well enough that he wouldn't be checking in on it unless need be it? It was someone close to him and his options were getting slimmer by the moment. As he had told the detectives, one four people had ever been inside the vault. Four people he loved dearly. Four people who he would lay his life down for, so who would dare do something like this? It was tearing his heart apart. He tried to think of an instance that maybe one of the staff had been in the room, and he recalled none. He really needed a cigarette now for fucks sake, and he had non on him. Could it be Liam? Bless him, the man's been by his side since he was a little boy, but one can never be sure? Was this one of those moments that proved the saying blood was thicker than water, because there was no way in hell that one his sisters could have done this. Right? To be honest, Louis didn't know anymore and he felt the onslaught of a thundering headache headed straight for him.

It wasn't long before Louis saw Liam walk into the station. He looked just as distressed as Louis, after all he was family. Almost. Liam approached Louis quickly and sat down besides him.

"You alright mate?" Liam asked

"Yea, yea I'm ok, just a little shook up, you know" Louis replied as he looked down at his shoes, realizing that he had put on a pair that was probably too old to see the light of day. The checkered pattern had faded and all that was left was a faint tinge of blue against a yellowed white.

Harry walked into the waiting room to greet Liam.

"So, Louis, I'd like to get your statement and write up your entry, if that's alright?" Harry said as he smiled tight lipped at Louis.