Free Falling (36 page)

I frowned, stepping forward too.
Surely they can cut him
a little slack. What difference does it make when he answers those stupid
questions?
“Aww come on, we need to go so we can study. Can’t you just ask
him your questions tomorrow? What difference will a few hours make?” I
bargained.

“Get on the bike, Maisie,” Zach ordered, shifting forward in
his seat to make room for me behind him.

DI Neeson took another step, her hand coming up in a halting
gesture, so I stood fast, shocked by her stern expression. “I can’t allow you
to leave with him, Maisie,” she said, before turning to Zach again. “Are you
going to come with me willingly?” she asked him.

A cocky smile slipped onto his face. “Maisie, get on the
bike, we’re leaving. I’ll talk to these lovely people tomorrow,” he said,
smiling politely.

The officers moved before I could. The one in uniform
stepped to the other side of the bike as DI Neeson reached out, planting her
hand on Zach’s shoulder. “Zachary Anderson, I’m arresting you on suspicion of
harassment, threatening behaviour, breaking and entering, and cruelty to
animals,” she stated, shoving on Zach’s shoulder as the other officer grabbed
Zach’s arm, twisting it behind his back while they continued with the arresting
spiel that I’d only ever heard on TV.

I stood there watching with wide eyes, just dumbfounded as
the words sank in. This wasn’t about Sandy… it was them wanting to question
Zach about my case instead. “What? You don’t think… he’s…” I stuttered, unsure
what I wanted to say as I watched Zach’s jaw tighten as he leant forward over
the bike, not resisting arrest.
No. He wouldn’t have…

The officer helped Zach off of the bike, holding him to her
side as she cut the engine and shoved Zach’s keys into her pocket. I frowned,
looking at Zach, confused. He hadn’t said anything, but his eyes locked onto
mine. As he stood there with his hands cuffed behind his back, his expression
was resigned, relaxed even, like he’d been through this a hundred times and was
just one of those things.

“I don’t understand. What are you arresting him for?” I
asked desperately.

DI Neeson stepped to my side, placing a reassuring hand on
my elbow, squeezing gently to get my attention off of Zach who was still just
looking at me with that same bored expression. I gulped and looked up into the
kind green eyes of the police officer that I’d met the other day, not the one
with the stern expression from moments before.

“We have the fingerprint reports back in full. We’re just
conducting our investigation based on some new evidence. I’ll call you when I
know more,” she said. Movement from behind her caught my attention and I looked
up in time to see Zach being led away towards a waiting squad car.

“You think it’s Zach that was sending me that stuff?” I
asked. My eyes prickled with tears as I hugged myself against the chilly breeze
that blew across the parking lot.

“At this time I’m not at liberty to discuss it. I’ll call
you once we’ve conducted more investigations.” She squeezed my elbow one more
time before turning on her heel and marching over to the squad car, sliding
into the open passenger side.

I couldn’t move. Zach turned in the seat, looking out of the
window, his gaze locking on mine. In that moment I was totally lost. I had no
idea what to think. Was it really Zach that was doing it all? What possible
reason could he have for wanting to hurt me? I could think of none. Luke’s
words rang in my ears again,
‘how much do you really know about him?’
Apparently I didn’t know him at all based on DI Neeson’s assessment of his
character.

Chapter 23

I watched as the squad car pulled out of the parking lot. My
feet seemed to be welded to the floor, my eyes wide and my brain scrambled. Had
that really just happened? ‘New evidence’ she’d said – what kind of new
evidence would make them arrest Zach like that?

A cold wind blew across the parking lot; ruffling my hair
and making my skin break out in goosebumps. I didn’t know what to do or think.
Was it really Zach that poisoned Chester? DI Neeson seemed to think so. There
had to be some evidence linking him to it in order for them to arrest him. My
stomach churned with worry and nerves. I’d trusted him. I’d defended him when
Luke had suggested him, and now this? I felt a little betrayed. But at the same
time part of my brain just refused to believe it. He seemed like such a nice
guy, and he’d had plenty of opportunities to hurt me if he wanted to, but he
hadn’t raised a finger. I felt guilty for even considering the possibility that
it was him. I had always believed in innocent until proven guilty. I just tried
not to believe that him being arrested wasn’t solid proof that he’d done it,
after all, mistakes were made all of the time. And she hadn’t actually wanted
to arrest him in the first place, just speak to him, but because he refused to
talk to her she had no choice. My mind was whirling so fast it was practically
spinning out of control.

I swallowed loudly and looked around the rapidly emptying parking
lot. Some people were standing around, watching me; their faces wore excited
expressions so I knew that they’d just seen Zach get led off into a cop car
too. It would be all around school by tomorrow lunchtime.

I needed to leave. I reached into my pocket, trying to
ignore the fact that my hands were shaking as I pulled out my cell phone. The
first person I thought of, as always, was Luke. Struggling with my trembling
fingers on my screen, I finally got his number up and pressed call. He answered
after a couple of rings; I could hear his car radio playing in the background,
so he was obviously on his way home.

“Luke, is there any chance you can come back to the school
and get me?” I croaked, my voice barely working because my mouth was so dry.

“Come and get you? I thought you were tutoring,” he replied.

I closed my eyes, turning and perching on the seat of Zach’s
bike. “I was but… please? Can you come back here and take me home? I’ll explain
when you get here,” I mumbled.

There was barely even a second of decision time before he
answered. “I’ll just be a couple of minutes.”

I smiled and ended the call, slipping my phone back into my
pocket and ignoring the stares that were directed at me. A couple of minutes
later Luke’s Jeep rolled into the parking lot, stopping in front of me. Luke’s
concerned face peered through the windscreen as he popped his seatbelt and moved
to climb out. I waved a hand and quickly jogged to the passenger side, climbing
in.

“Thank you,” I gushed, settling into the familiar seat and
closing my eyes.

“What happened to Zach?” he inquired. “Thought you were
tutoring?” His eyes flicked to Zach’s bike still parked there, and he frowned
in confusion.

I groaned and turned in my seat to face him.
He’s going
to go crazy when he finds out!
“The police just arrested him,” I replied,
wincing and waiting for his reaction.

A smug grin crossed his face. “I knew that dude was no good.
What did they arrest him for?” he asked, obviously happy that someone who he
saw as a rival for my affections was now in trouble.

I licked my dry lips before answering. “For the notes and
stuff that I’ve been sent, and for poisoning Chester,” I told him.

His eyes widened in shock before his teeth snapped together
with an audible click. “What the hell? It was him?” he growled, tightening his
hands into fists.

I shook my head quickly. “It might not be. They only wanted
to talk to him, that’s all,” I countered.

He made a half scoff, half growling sound in the back of his
throat. “They don’t arrest people for nothing, baby. Son of a bitch! I can’t
believe it was him the whole time!” he ranted.

I frowned at that, still not wanting to believe it. I always
liked to see the good in people. “Luke, they’re just conducting their
investigation. He might be innocent.”

He shook his head, scrunching his nose up angrily. “Doubt
it. I told you it was him, didn’t I?”

“Can you drive me home? My dad’s home and he was picking up
Chester this afternoon, I really just want to go home,” I asked, wanting to
change the subject. By the sound of it, Luke didn’t believe in innocent until
proven guilty and I didn’t want to sit here debating it with him.

“Yeah,” he sighed, twisting the key to start the engine.

The ride home was practically silent as I became trapped in
my thoughts again, trying to link up Zach to all the things that had happened
recently. He had the time and the ability, but I couldn’t think of a motive at
all. It didn’t make sense.

By the time I got home my brain hurt from thinking about it
so much. When we pulled up Luke moved to get out but I shook my head and leant
over the middle of the seats, planting a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you for the
ride, but I don’t think you should come in. My dad’s still pretty angry with
you and I just can’t deal with anymore arguments or distasteful looks right
now,” I said, willing him to understand. “You know he takes a long time to
forgive people.”

Luke nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I guess.”

I sighed and looked up at him gratefully. “Thank you for the
ride home. You’re always there when I need you. I don’t know what I’d do
without you,” I cooed. The honesty of the words rang in my voice. I really
didn’t know what I would do without him.

He smiled, his eyes soft and tender. “Good thing you’ll
never have to find out, huh?”

I chuckled, straightening up and grabbing my schoolbag from
where I’d stored it at my feet. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Thanks again for the
ride.” I hopped out; waving at him as I practically ran to the front door in a
bid to get in quicker.

As I slid my key into the lock, the familiar barking sounded
from inside the house. An excited giggle slipped out of my lips as I shoved the
door open, stepping in and dropping my bag as Chester came strutting up the
hallway. He didn’t run like he used to, but just the fact that he was here made
my heart ache. I dropped to my knees and took his face in my hands, laughing
and stroking him excitedly.

“He’s been waiting for you.”

I looked up, seeing my dad standing there in the kitchen
doorway, arms folded, lazy grin on his face as he watched me. My breath came
out in one big gust at the sight of him. I didn’t realise until that point just
how much I’d missed my dad and how much I obviously leant on him while he was
here. Before I knew it, a sob rose in my throat. I pushed myself up from the
floor, crossed the hallway and threw myself at him as I burst into tears,
letting all the stress, worry, confusion and fear leave my body at once.

It took a couple of hours for me to go through everything
with him, to tell him all that had happened since the start of it all. Of
course this time I got the lecture that I should have told them the first time I
got a silent phone call and that I was to tell him everything in the future. It
felt nice to offload to him actually.

When I’d told him about Zach being arrested at school he’d
gone quiet and thoughtful. I’d told him that I didn’t think it was Zach, and that
the police must have made a mistake, and he hadn’t had any answers for me about
it. After we’d finished talking, he’d tried to call DI Neeson but she was busy
and hadn’t returned his call. That was why we were now sat in one of the small,
dull and empty rooms at the police station. Dad had driven us down here a
little while ago so that we could try and get an update on what was going on
with the case and Zach. We were now just waiting for DI Neeson to come down and
meet with us.

Just after nine thirty the door to the room opened. I looked
up quickly as she walked in, folder in hand, smile on her face that seemed a
little forced. She probably didn’t like being dragged away from whatever she
was doing to come down and update us, but my dad had been insistent to the
receptionist, who finally agreed to put in a call to her.

“Maisie,” she greeted before turning to my dad. “And you
must be Mr Preston, Maisie’s father. I’m Detective Inspector Neeson.” She
extended her hand, shaking his firmly.

He nodded. “Nice to meet you.”

She motioned for the chairs that were placed around the
table in the centre of the room. “Shall we sit? I’ll do a quick update meeting
but then I need to get back,” she suggested, her tone brisk and slightly
annoyed. I sat down, looking at her expectantly, as did my dad. She placed her
file down, clasping her hands together on top of it. “We’ve arrested someone in
connection to your case.”

I nodded, my mouth dry. “Zach.”

She gave a curt nod. “That’s right. As you know, we were
waiting for the recognition department to finish their report on the
fingerprints that I took from your house,” she explained, raising one eyebrow.
I nodded, waiting for her to continue. “Well, we found Mr Anderson’s prints on
your bedroom door handle, and we also ran your dog’s collar for prints, and
found a partial print on there too.”

I swallowed, waiting for her to continue, but she didn’t.
That’s
it? That’s all they arrested him for?
“And that’s it?” I asked, my tone
coloured with disbelief. “He’s been to my house. We went into my bedroom, he
petted my dog. Is it not possible that the prints could have gotten there then?
That seems kind of weak evidence for you to arrest him for! This is all just
silly. You should let him out and start looking for the real person who sent
it,” I ranted as anger built up inside me.

Lines formed between her eyes as she frowned at me. “Mr
Anderson has previous history with the police. I asked him for a few minutes of
his time, but he refused,” she countered, her tone belittling and harsh.

Whoa, wait, Zach has a police record? I didn’t know that…