Free Legacy by Ian Haywood Page A

scapegoat. Now that one of our own is a victim, I’ll get no rest until we catch whoever did this.”
     
    Short was amazed at how candidly his superior had spoken. In the time that they had worked together, he had never seen Harran so tense and he stood too and spoke as he did so.
                  “Well, Sir. The one major factor in these killings is sitting in the room opposite. As long as we have her under watch, then we could catch whoever is responsible.”
     
    Harran nodded in agreement.
                  “Believe me, when she leaves this building, I’m going to have her under 24 hour watch. That woman won’t be able to fart without me knowing! We have nothing at all to charge her with, but I’m sure she is hiding something from us and I’m willing to keep harassing her until she gives in and tells us – and this time Short, you won’t be holding me back this time! Now, bring that Gallagher woman out here now so she can see the CCTV footage for herself. I really hope she can explain what the Hell we have both witnessed.”
     
    Short knew from Harran’s tone that he meant business.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER NINE
     
     
    Every inch of my body is beginning to ache and I can’t seem to find an end to my tears.
     
    These last twenty four hours have been the worst of my life and the only hope I can cling onto right now is that all of this is one of my nightmares and very soon I am going to wake up in my warm comfortable bed to relative normality.
     
    But I have to face the harsh reality that all of this is real and I have to face it all alone – I have no family and my only friend seems to have done a runner just when I needed her most.
     
    I know those policemen are trying to pin all of this on me.
     
    I look across at the female officer opposite and notice a window behind her – at least I’m not in a cell, so I can catch a glimpse of the outside world while being cooped up in this building.
     
    But the world outside is far from how I am feeling right now.
     
    The world is full of life and laughter and beautiful sunshine, while I feel flat, scared, unhappy and full of darkness.
     
    I watch the cars drive past and wonder when I could travel in one in order to escape from all of this shit in some far away beautiful tropical island where all your cares just drift away.
     
    And just when it feels like my mind is starting to clear, the door opens and Detective Sergeant Short enters the room.
                  “Miss Gallagher,” he says sharply, “follow me please. Detective Inspector Harran would like a word.”
     
    That was all he said and he waited in silence for me to get off my seat and walk towards him.
     
    The female officer accompanied me as we followed Short to the front desk, which I thought was a strange place for us to be. I expected some kind of Interview Room, but at least here was a lot less claustrophobic.
     
    I heard a buzzing noise and the door at the side of us opened, allowing us to walk behind the desk where Harran was sitting.
     
    He was of course his normal arrogant self and he hardly looked at me as he directed me to sit in the empty chair next to him, which I did, with Short standing between us – the female officer hadn’t come in with us.
     
    I felt really uncomfortable right now and the silence between the three of us was broken by Harran, who spoke in a professional manner, but still with an undertone of hidden anger.
                  “I would like you to watch the screen in front of us, Miss Gallagher. I am about to play you the CCTV footage of the police station car park. It is imperative that you watch it carefully and when it is finished, I will ask you a few questions.”
     
    Harran pressed a button and the monitor came to life.
     
    I could see the man who helped me leaving the building briskly, but he comes to a sudden stop a few yards later and