Allegation

"Are you serious? This has to be a joke!"

"We aren't known for our sense of humour, sir."

Ronnie gripped the door frame, half in anger and half to stop himself collapsing. He could have invited them in, he supposed, but screw that. The room was poly enough as it was. Let them stand out there in the corridor.

The second officer spoke.

“She’s made a formal statement."

Ronnie snorted.

"She's lying. Obviously."

"She does have a pretty significant Injury."

Ronnie peered at the officer, at that bland face. Is she... Judging me? Has she already made up her mind that I'm a liar and abuser? What, just because I'm a man?

"I didn't... I would never... What kind of injury? Has she broken her leg or something? She could have fallen. You have no reason to believe it was me."

The first officer hesitated, and glanced at his partner.

"It's... not that type of injury," he said at last.

His partner said, "Can you think of anyone else who might have harmed your wife?

"No, but..." Ronnie tailed off, frowning. "I've got to do this, haven't I?" he said in a flat tone. "You say I'm being invited to interview like I have a choice. But if I say no, you'll just arrest me, right? In front of...."

The girls hovered behind him, Fern drinking in the details, Aster wary. Tansy was watching the small, crackly television and eating handfuls of sugary cereal out of the box. Policemen turning up was normal now. Things got normal fast when you were six.

"We would much rather it didn't come to that sir," said the second officer.

Ronnie passed a hand through his hair, now thankfully clean of blood.

"I've got to do this haven't I?"

The officers waited patiently.

Ronnie muttered, "damn, she's good at this." Louder, he said, "Look, I'm not refusing or anything, but I have no one to look after the girls."

"Just do your best, sir, and if no arrangements can be made, there is a family room at the station. We'll be in touch with the details, and we strongly advise you to attend."

The door clicked shut. Ronnie leaned on it, blood thundering in his temples.

What the hell had she done now?

The allegation seemed to lurk in the room with them, huge and slippery, but lurking just out of sight, as if in thick, silty water. Glistening and dangerous, and Ronnie knew if he wasn't careful (and maybe even if he was) it could drag him down.

What was he going to have to do to escape her bloody clutches? How far was he going to have to go?

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