Ugly(141)
“Police? Why are they here? Oh my God, Max, I need to call him make sure he’s okay. And Shayne, and Liam.” I’m starting to go into a panic, and I can’t believe how badly I’m reacting.
“Calm down. It’s okay. I can get them, and be here with you.”
I nod my head vigorously unable to actually say anything.
Peter goes around to his side of the desk and picks his phone up. “Dale, there’s two police officers who need to talk to Lily, down by the cashiers. Could you go and get them and bring up a bottle of water? I don’t have any in my fridge, I’ve run out.” He listens for a second, then adds, “In a moment.”
“What do they want?” I ask Peter. Of course, my asking him is useless. I know he’s not aware, because he would’ve told me if he knew.
“Lily, do you want me to call your boyfriend and have him here, too?”
“He’s working, but what if it’s him? What if something’s happened? Oh God, I feel sick.” I clutch my stomach as I take deep, short bursts of breath.
“Lily, this is Detective Harris, and Detective Jones, they have some questions to ask you,” Dale introduces the two female police officers. “Peter.” Dale flicks his head, telling Peter to leave.
“NO!” I shout too loudly. “Please, they don’t have to go, do they?” I ask Harris and Jones.
“Ma’am, if it’s more comfortable for you to have them stay then that’s fine by us. But what we have to ask is of a very delicate nature,” the one identified as Harris says.
“They can stay.” I look at Peter and Dale and beg them, “Please, will you stay?”
“Of course,” Dale says and goes and stands in the opposite corner of the room. Peter sits down in his chair and the two police officers step inside.
“Would you prefer to close the door?” Jones asks as she looks behind her.
“No one comes up here except for me and Lily, and sometimes Dale,” Peter answers.
“Okay, are you alright, Lily, you’re looking really pale?”
“Are Shayne, Liam, and Max alright?”
The two women look at each other then back to me. “We’re sorry; we don’t know who they are.”
Instantly, I relax. My shoulders slump and I exhale a big breaths. “Please, go on,” I say after the few seconds it takes me to calm.
“Do you know Trent Hackly?” one asks.
And as quickly as I relaxed, it takes less time for every single muscle in my body to tense again. “He’s my ex-husband,” I say as I look between them.
“Lily, you okay?” Peter asks. I nod my head, but I’m feeling ill.
“Can you tell us about the relationship you had with Trent?”
I’m shaking my head before she even finishes the question. “I don’t want to,” I whisper. “I can’t…go through that again.”
“Go through what, Miss Anderson?” Harris squats down in front of me and asks in a gentle voice.
“Why are you asking me about him?”
“We need to know some details, because it’ll help us with our investigation.”
“Investigation?” I ask and look at Peter then Dale. “Am I part of this investigation? Have I done something wrong?”
“No, not all. Trent’s gotten himself into trouble, and we need to know how he was with you.”
I shake my head and shrug my shoulders. “I don’t understand, what’s he done?” I won’t tell them anything which can cause me further embarrassment without knowing what they’re actually doing here.
Harris turns to look at Jones, and Jones gives her a small nod. “Trent beat his wife.”
“Wait, what? His wife? Our divorce only went through about two months ago. Who…how?” The questions I’m asking are more like me thinking out loud. I don’t actually expect a response.
“Do you know an Audrey Miller, now Audrey Hackly?” Harris asks.
“Oh my God.” I feel ill. “I knew her from high school.” I suspected she and Trent were having an affair back then. “She married him?”
“They’ve been together for a number of years. She moved out here to be with him.”
“While we were still married,” I whisper as all the pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place.
“Yes. I’m sorry,” Harris says from the other side of the room.
“Lily, anything you can tell us which can help us in our investigation against Trent would be helpful.”
“What did he do to her?” I ask in a soft voice as I look the detective straight in the eyes.
“He broke her jaw, her pelvis, lacerated her arm, and smashed her head to where she needed stitches.”