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On the other hand, I wanted to make Richard mine as soon as everything was over with Katherine’s murder. I was looking forward to meeting them both. They sounded as though they cared very much for Richard and wanted him to be happy. They had accepted him for being gay and I couldn’t have been happier for him and for what it meant for us. I knew my family wouldn’t be so accepting, and that was something that I would have to deal with, especially with what had happened.
We were currently sitting together on the sofa, watching a movie. It was amazing to find out that we both loved the classics despite our very different backgrounds, so we were currently watchingGone With the Wind, which I hadn’t seen in years. We were snuggled together when the intercom buzzed.
“Do you want me to stop the film?”
“No. I’m sure it’s just a cold caller. I won’t be long.”
Richard gave me a quick kiss, got up from the settee, and headed out to the front door. I couldn’t hear the conversation very clearly, but it was obvious that it wasn’t just a cold caller. What worried me more was that Richard was still standing in the hallway, which meant whoever was downstairs was now coming upstairs to see either him or me.
I heard the front door open, and I went to get out of my chair, but stopped dead when I heard his voice. I would have recognised it anywhere: Detective Stevenson. He must have had police officers with him, as he asked them to wait outside, which only meant one thing.
They were here to arrest me.
I watched as a solemn and worried-looking Richard walked back into the front room with Callum walking in behind him.
He gave me a sad smile before he spoke to me. “Hi, Daniel. Sorry I’m not here under better circumstances.”
I looked at Richard, who had suddenly realised what was about to happen and immediately came to my defence.
“Callum, you know that Daniel hasn’t done anything wrong. You can’t arrest him, please. I’ve just found him. I can’t lose him now.”
I could see that Richard was starting to lose it. If I was honest, I was moments away from tears starting to fall as well. I got up from my seat and walked over to Richard, pulling him into a hug to calm him down. Inside, my heart was beating twice as fast as normal and I was shaking, but I couldn’t let Richard see that. I had to be the strong one right now.
Pressing a kiss to his cheek, I spoke. “You know Callum is only doing his job, Romeo. It doesn’t matter if, deep down, he feels I’m innocent. If the evidence points to me, he has to do his job and let the courts decide. You know that.”
I looked as the tears poured down his face and he gave me a slight nod of his head. As I turned to leave, Callum stopped me and spoke.
“Let’s sit down for a moment so I can explain why I am here. Yes, it is to arrest you, but not just for your wife’s murder.”
Both Richard and I looked at Callum confused. If I wasn’t being arrested for Katherine’s murder, then what had I done now? We all walked towards the settee and chairs and sat down, Richard instantly took my hand in his, for his own sake I was sure of it. We both sat there waiting for Callum to explain everything.
“As I said, I do have to arrest you, but it is due to events that happened yesterday afternoon. Kevin Wright was involved in a car accident and is currently recovering in hospital. He says that you were the one that caused the accident, and from the surveillance cameras in the area, we can see that it is your car that ran him off the road and into a lamppost and wall. Mr. Wright has been quite badly injured and will be remaining in hospital for quite some time.”
I sat there completely dumbstruck for a moment. I hadn’t been outside the apartment since lunchtime yesterday. I hadn’t driven my car since I’d come back from the hotel yesterday morning. Then, when I went out just before lunchtime, I had walked down to the deli.
“Detective Stevenson, my car was parked down in the car park under this apartment building since around eleven o’clock yesterday morning. I only went out to the local Italian deli yesterday just before lunch, and when I did, I walked. In fact, I was attacked by someone in a grey hoodie who placed a knife in my back when I was on my way home. I didn’t cause an accident. I’m not sure I would even know what car Kevin drove. I never really met him, except at business meetings and functions.”
I could feel the panic rising, my heart continuing to beat in my chest. The brave front I had put on for Richard was starting to crumble around me at the thought that I could be spending time in a prison cell. I’d heard what they did to the likes of me in those places, especially if they knew I was accused of murdering my wife and her unborn child. That would be worse than them finding out I was gay. I felt Richard squeeze my hand, trying to give me some comfort, even though he was breaking himself.
Callum gave us both a reassuring smile. “I’m sure you didn’t cause the accident, Daniel, or murder your wife. Unfortunately, as you said to Richard, all the evidence I have is pointing directly at you, and I cannot ignore it. I have to make an arrest. I will help Richard and the rest of Kings with anything I can to prove your innocence, but I have to take you with me down to the station now.”
He got up from his seat and stood in front of me.
“I’m sorry about this, Richard.” Callum gave Richard a sad smile again as he spoke before he turned to look at me. “Daniel Cooper, I am arresting you on suspicion of the murder of your wife, Katherine Cooper, along with causing injury in a traffic collision that you did not report. 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.”
It was at this point that Richard totally lost it and flung his arms around me, sobbing. “I’m not going to let them take you, Daniel. They can’t take you from me.”
I held him for a second trying to calm him, then pulled away after a short while.
“Romeo, you know I have to go with Callum. I have no choice. There is a card in my Filofax over there for my solicitor, James Forsythe. Give him a call and tell him what happened.” I looked over at Callum. “I assume you are taking me to the Yard again?”
Callum just nodded.
“Tell him I am at New Scotland Yard and get him to ask for Detective Stevenson. I know you will get to the bottom of this. You and the rest of the team will prove my innocence. Because if you don’t, I’m not sure that either of us can live with the consequences.” I turned to Callum. “Do you need to put me in handcuffs?”
He chuckled slightly before he replied. “I don’t think we need them, do we, now? You’re not going to make a break for it, are you, Daniel?”
I laughed slightly and shook my head. I knew there was no point. The more I was helping, the better they would treat me. At least that was what I hoped.
