The ticking of the radiator echoed through the quiet room, almost matching the ticking of my heart as I swallowed my mouthful of water. The sound of the empty glass being placed down drowned out the sound of the radiator briefly and I was glad.
"Ms Tate would you like to press charges?" The woman sat opposite me asked. I watched her carefully as she stared at me with her lips pursed.
I could hear my heart thudding inside my chest and feel it tightening with each breath I took. I really did not enjoy being in situations like this one.
I had no idea how I'd even gotten into this one, there was only ever one outcome with authority like this.
And my fear of authority figures and need to please never really helped.
I couldn't press charges, not for Tommy's sake but it would open up so many other avenues for prying questions. Prying questions that would implicate Harry and the rest of his friends and I couldn't do that.
I didn't want Harry getting in trouble even though I knew he probably had once or twice; I imagined being in a semi well known and quite illegal gang did that for you.
The idea of anything happening to Harry and him being taken away from me was enough to almost induce a panic attack. Nothing was clear with us now and I had found myself almost regretting that we'd kissed.
"No." I finally answered her.
I needed to stay focused right now, letting my mind wander to Harry and all our what ifs was stupid and would get me in trouble.
"I'm sorry, you don't want to press charges against Thomas Scott?" The woman clarified and I swallowed tightly as I nodded.
"Sorry, what was your name again?" I asked, they'd both told me when they'd approached me as I was locking up the cafe. I'd forgotten.
"I'm Detective Inspector Rebecca Miles and this is my colleague D.I James Hutton. We're both from the Criminal Investigative Devision." D.I Miles spoke slowly making me grit my teeth as I nodded curtly.
"Criminal Investigative Devision?" I questioned watching as they both nodded. "I don't understand what that has to do with me?"
I watched them share a look and I wished I had more water.
"Thomas Scott has been on our radar for a while as he seems to be a key player within a much larger organisation and although we can't tell you much, the Met currently have a much larger ongoing investigation into criminal activity within the local area."
I licked my lips as I listened to D.I Hutton, they were obviously referring to the Diamond Snakes which only reinforced my decision to not get involved with the police knowing it would put Harry at risk.
The brief and sudden realisation struck me as I realised that I was protecting a criminal, more so concerned about a criminal being caught. I shook my head at myself, this was Harry. My Harry. He was hardly a criminal, sure I didn't know exactly what he did but I doubted he was someone with a long list of crimes.
"I don't know why I'm here." I admitted shrugging trying to keep my eyes on the two adults in front of me. Both Harry and Mum had warned me that the police wanted to talk to me, I should have known this would happen sooner or later.
"May, is it alright if I call you May?" D.I Hutton asked and I shrugged half heartedly, "May if you don't press charges then Thomas walks away with no consequences, as it was we had to release him twelve hours after the attack."
"Why?" I asked stupidly, I had no idea how the police or criminal justice system worked.
"Because we couldn't get in contact with you." D.I Miles explained. "You left the hospital before we were able to get an officer to take a statement."
"But PC A-" I cut myself off before I said anything else, cursing internally. Matt Atkins was part of the Diamond Snakes, of course he wasn't at the hospital officially.
"Sorry what was that?" D.I Hutton asked and I shook my head.
"There was a policeman at the hospital whilst I was there, he was with another patient something about a car accident." I lied immediately, waving off my slip up hoping they'd believe it.
They shared another look. "Okay May, we're going to show you some pictures and we just want to know if you know any of them. Is that okay?" D.I Miles asked.
I nodded even though I knew I didn't have a choice, they phrased everything as a question, a polite calm question, but I was in a police station with two police officers of course I had no choice but to answer their questions.
I was stupid but I wasn't naive. Or maybe I was. Naive and stupid.
I watched as they flicked through a folder before pulling several pieces of paper and placing them slowly on the table between us. My heart felt like it was in my throat and I had no idea why.
"Do you know this man?" D.I Hutton asked and I nodded as I stared at the photo of Tommy, we'd just been talking about him, what a stupid question.
"Can you tell us his name?" He asked.
"Tommy Scott." I stated as my eyes flicked up to his before returning to the picture of Tommy. It was old, about two years old now. Back when he was arrested, I remembered that. Monday hadn't the been the first time.
"What about this man?" Hutton asked as Miles placed another photo down and I nodded, my chest tightening, I didn't know he'd been arrested before.
"Zayn Malik." I said, I supposed I could be open about these two or at least open enough that they stayed focused on Zayn instead of anyone else Tommy knew.
"How do you know Mr Malik?" Miles asked and I licked my lips.
"Tommy and him are friends." I explained, hoping that would explain how I knew Zayn.
"Mr Scott introduced you?" Miles asked and I nodded, Hutton writing something down as they nodded at each other and D.I Miles showed me another photo and I immediately felt bile rise in my throat.
"Luke Jones."
"And you've met him?" Hutton asked, and I raised my eyes as they shared another look making my palms start to sweat. What was with all the looks? Was I saying the wrong things?
I was taught to tell the truth and although I wasn't great at that anymore, I always did in the right situations.
"Once," I lied, okay so maybe I didn't always tell the truth. "They're friends." I gestured at the three mugshots. It didn't surprise me, Luke Jones had been arrested before.
Gemma should have pressed charges, but now with my fear for Harry I understood why she didn't.
"Friends?" I nodded.
Should I tell them they work together or was that the wrong thing? I assumed they knew Tommy at least was in the Snakes, Zayn too. But did they know about the Red Syndicate? Considering they were from Liverpool I doubted it.
"You're doing great May, one last photo. Do you know this man?" Hutton said and I licked my lips.
I was doing great? I didn't realise I was going to be judged. I could do better. I should do better.
My throat closed up immediately upon seeing the last photo, my hands shaking as my eyes bore down into the glossy paper. The half lidded green eyes stared back up at me, the lips I'd been kissing two nights ago pulled up in sneer with flaking red marks smeared across his forehead.
Harry had been arrested before.
Oh god, I was suddenly panicking. What was I supposed to say, yes I knew Harry? That he was my best friend and oh by the way that man, Luke Jones wants to kill Harry and they're all in gangs.
"May?"
I jumped as D.I Hutton said my name tearing my eyes away from the photo of Harry. He'd never told me he'd been arrested before, but then again why would he? He barely spoke about work as it was.
"Do you know him?" Hutton asked once more and I swallowed tightly, I had no idea if I was meant to tell the truth now.
I opened my mouth to speak only to close it immediately as I jumped at the sound of a commotion outside the room, the door muffling a lot of it, the three of us unable to make out any words but my eyes were trained on the door regardless; fear drenching my body.
"Sorry about that May, James go and see to that." D.I Miles smiled slowly, I assumed she thought it looked comforting and genuine. It didn't. It reminded me of a sneer, she reminded me a crocodile.
My head jerked in a nod as I watched Hutton smile at me before making his way to the door, I knew Miles wanted me to tell her my answer but I was too worried about what was happening outside the door.
I knew it more than likely didn't concern me but I didn't like commotions or loud noises or unfamiliar places and people. I didn't like the people that were in the room with me. I didn't like the room we were in. I most certainly didn't like the photo staring up at me.
In fact, I didn't like the entire situation I was in.
"How dare you bring my client in without my knowledge or presence?"
I jumped again my eyes focusing in on the door as Hutton stumbled backwards as the door he'd opened partially was thrown open completely and an older salt and pepper haired man marched in, briefcase in hand.
"Ah." D.I Miles pursed her lips as she frowned at the man before glancing at me. "Mr Griffiths you cannot simply just barge your way in here."
"I can do what I please when my client is in here without any representation and without any proper prior arrangements. Are you trying to force information out or are you trying to coerce her?" The man referred to as Mr Griffiths demanded.
Client?
Was he talking about me? I most definitely was not his client, in fact I'd never seen him before.
"This is a voluntary interview, no one is coercing anyone here." Hutton sighed rubbing his forehead but I kept my eyes on Mr Griffiths who nodded subtly once our eyes met and I licked my lips. "We didn't know you wanted your solicitor May."
"Don't care what you didn't know but clearly not a lot considering you're resorting to harassing my client. May let's go." Mr Griffiths turned his attention to me and I stood hesitantly grabbing my bag.
I had no idea what was happening and a small part of me told me I really needed to stop blindly trusting random people but I really didn't want to be here any longer and besides, he knew my name and was getting me out of here. How bad could he be?
"If you wish to interview my client again please contact me before taking further action otherwise we will be filing a complaint for harassment and coercion and anything else I can find to stick to you." Mr Griffiths snapped and nodded for me to follow him.
I trailed behind him not looking back once as I followed his brisk steps down the stairs and out into the cold dark evening air. No words were exchanged between us but I had too many thoughts to worry.
Harry had been arrested, Tommy was being investigated, in fact all four of them were being investigated, I was apparently this mans client and more pressingly I was extremely concerned for Harry.
"My apologies for the cloak and dagger." Mr Griffiths spoke once we out of the grounds of the police station and on the street, pausing for a moment whilst he checked his phone and I hovered awkwardly.
"I'm Dean Griffiths, one of the solicitors for the Diamond Snakes. I look after the day to day members more specifically Paul and Harry." Dean informed me as I tightened my arms around myself the best I could.
"I don't understand." I shook my head as I tucked a fly away strand of hair behind my ear.
"Me either kid but hey I stopped trying to." Dean laughed and if he didn't have such a friendly face I would have found being called kid annoying. "Harry'll be here soon."
"How did you know I was there?" I asked as I tried to stop my teeth chattering, it was most definitely not this cold when I went to work this morning.
"Matt heard chatter over the radio and Calum was on the look out and spotted you being brought in. Called Harry who called me and here I am, pretending to represent someone I've never even seen before." He grinned.
"That would be fine if I only I knew who Calum was." I laughed slightly, trying to make my awkwardness evaporate. Dean seemed nice, and I supposed anyone who knew Harry had to be somewhat nice.
But then again, Tommy. And Zayn. And Luke Jones.
I shook my head at my traitorous thoughts just as a familiar black Range Rover screeched to a halt on the curb and I heard the drivers door opening and slamming shut before Harry appeared next to me with a face like thunder and I shrunk into myself.
He was mad.
I had fucked up somehow, I just knew it and now Harry was mad at me.
"I didn't get a chance to watch anything from the tape, Calum only got it to me just before I went in. From what I could see there were a couple of photos they were discussing, Scott, Malik, Jones and you." Dean informed Harry who nodded curtly.
Harry hadn't even looked at me and I could feel my chest and throat tightening as I tried not to let my thoughts run away with what I had done to make Harry so mad at me.
"Do they want to see her again?" Harry asked, referring to me as if I wasn't standing right next to him and I kept my eyes down as I tried to regulate my breathing.
"Not sure, gave them the usual about filing a complaint if they tried it again. Here you go." Dean handed Harry a VHS tape before closing his briefcase and I shifted on my feet trying to regain feeling in them.
When had he gotten that? Was it from the police station?
"Thanks." Harry's voice was rough making me swallow as I felt his eyes on me and I risked glancing up at him and for a moment all I saw was the mugshot staring back at me and I blinked trying to see Harry as he was.
"Let's go Sunshine." Harry said, an instruction and a demand in his words and I nodded mutely, my eyes glancing to Dean who smiled easily.
"Nice meeting you May, if you ever need a good lawyer you know where I am." He grinned before giving me a static wave and I watched as he crossed the road towards a sleek Mercedes.
I yelped as the passenger door I was standing next to was pushed open and thudded into my hip sending an aching shock up into my still bruised torso. I licked my lips as I slipped into the warm car, Harry not sparing me a look as he roughly pulled away from the curb.
I kept my gaze on my boot covered feet as Harry drove and I was left wondering when he was going to hit me.