Just A Kiss Goodnight

Chapter Sixty

"Kathryn Hiddleston, I am placing you under arrest on suspicion of the murder of Thomas Hiddleston. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence."

I looked around the small room we were seated in; there was a large framed mirror on the wall facing me and I wondered if it was a two-way mirror just like in every cop show I'd ever seen. The furniture was wooden and functional, the décor drab – it all added to the bizarre and disorienting feeling I had. As I stared in confusion at the police inspector I felt a chill begin to seep into my bones, beginning at my feet and working its way slowly up my limbs, bringing with it a strange numbness and the conviction that I would never feel warm again.

He was talking, I realized, struggling to concentrate and wondering where Tom had gotten to. There was a strange smell of cheese sandwiches that made me wrinkle my nose.

"Do you understand this Right to Silence?"

I did understand; I had no idea why he was telling me this or how it related to me, but I did understand the fundamental principle, so I said so.

"You and your husband had an altercation earlier today Mrs Hiddleston?"

"Doctor."

"I beg your pardon?"

"It's Dr Hiddleston."

He glanced through some papers he had in front of him – there seemed to be an awful lot of them. "I see. Dr Hiddleston. You had an argument with your husband this morning?"

"Yes."

"What was the nature of that argument?"

I frowned, trying to remember. It seemed so long ago. "Money," I eventually muttered.

"Money? Did you say you argued over money?"

"Yes."

"Would you elaborate please?"

I sighed, irritated at the questions and still wondering where Tom was. "We found a house we want to buy. We were arguing over who would pay for it."

"You wanted your husband to pay?"

"No, I wanted to use my money, he wanted to use his."

"I see."

I was glad someone did, I had no idea what was going on or why they were asking me these inane questions. "I want to see my husband."

He gave me an inscrutable look that I simply returned, quite happy to play a staring match with him if that was what it took for me to see Tom and find out what was happening. After a minute he excused himself and went out the door, leaving me alone. I stared into the mirror, noting that my reflection looked pale and tired at the same time I realized I was hungry. I need to eat for the baby's sake ... and where the hell is Tom?

When the door opened again I heard a new voice mentioning the words 'delusional' and 'elaborate act' before the inspector returned and once more sat opposite.

"So after you argued with your husband about money," he continued as if there had never been a break in our conversation, "what happened next?"

"Tom got a phone call to say he had an interview to do in Warwick."

"He wasn't expecting that interview?"

"It was meant to be tomorrow but it was brought forward."

He wrote something down. "How soon after the telephone call did he leave?"

"He had a shower and dressed, so about half an hour."