I wave.
He gives me a strange look.
Oh no, what’s happened?‘Ash, what’s going on?’ I’m going to have to explain about who Sophie is and what she’s doing in my house. He’ll think I’m stupid for welcoming her into my home, but I can’t worry about that. I hope he hasn’t arrested Sophie, thinking she’s some kind of trespasser. Ash still hasn’t answered my question, although he is coming towards me.
The male officer gets out of the car – I don’t recognise him, but he’s joining Ash. The female officer also exits the vehicle, but she stays by the car and watches me. I vaguely recognise her from school; I think she was in the year below me. I nod, but she doesn’t react, which is a little rude. Maybe she thinks that because she’s a policewoman now she doesn’t have to be polite.
‘Kelly,’ Ash says as I draw closer, ‘I’m sorry to have to do this, but I’m arresting you on suspicion of false imprisonment of another person.’
I think I must have misheard him. But now he’s doing that thing you hear on TV where they caution you and read you your rights, like I’ve done something wrong! ‘Ash, what’s going on? Is this a joke? It’s not funny, my kids are here.’
‘Ryan and Sonny?’ He frowns and glances around. ‘Where?’
‘I saw the ambulance and police car, so I told them to wait at the end of the road.’ I crane my neck to peer into the house to see if I can spot Sophie. ‘There’s a girl staying with me at the moment – Sophie. Is she okay?’
Ash gives me another strange look.
‘Tell me what’s going on, Ash. You can’t really be arresting me? You said something about false imprisonment. Was itGreg? Was he here? He’s the one you need to speak to.’ I’m not taking his threat of arrest seriously because there’s obviously been a mix-up. Some misunderstanding where Sophie’s husband has tried to pin something on me so he looks innocent.
‘Who’s Greg? Look, I’m sorry, Kelly, but I have to follow procedure. I have to take you in, and then you’ll get a chance to tell us your side.’
‘My side ofwhat?’ I feel like I’ve stepped into an alternate universe. And I still can’t help thinking that this is some elaborate prank. Although who on earth would think this was funny?
Ash speaks into his radio and the female officer gets out of the car. He points down the road and she starts heading in that direction.
‘What’s she doing? Why is she walking towards my children? Ash, talk to me.’
‘I’m sorry, Kelly.’ He doesn’t look me in the eye.
‘You’re my friend! And anyway, I don’t even know what I’m supposed to have done.’
‘We’ll look after the kids while you come down to the station with us.’
‘What do you mean, you’ll look after them? You mean you personally?’
‘Uh, no. We’ll place them in temporary care.’
‘What! No you will not!’ Tia would be my natural go-to person to look after the kids, but being Ash’s sister, I’m reluctant to get her involved. ‘Let me call Fiona. She’ll have them for me while I sort this out.’
Ash shakes his head. ‘You can make a call when we get to the station.’
‘Please, Ash! They’re my kids. At least let them have some normality while this is being straightened out. I don’t want them going off with some stranger.’
He sighs and nods. ‘Okay, quickly.’
With trembling fingers, I take my phone from my bag and call Fiona’s number. She answers immediately, thank goodness. ‘Fi, it’s me.’
‘Kelly, are you okay?’
‘No. I need your help.’
‘My help? Of course, what do you need?’
‘Can you come over to mine right now and pick up the boys.’
‘Uh, sure, what’s happened?’
‘I’m being arrested.’
