New Girl ➼ (Nate Archibald) [COMPLETED]

Chapter 58// "I don't even touch needles."

Chapter fifty-eight; "I don't even touch needles."
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"Okay, Mr.Archibald. We should run through this again before we let you go. Where were you during the time of the attack?"

"Riley texted me saying she was home–"

"Which was around 6pm, right?"

"Yes. She told me I could come by. I was getting ready to leave and I texted her back asking if she wanted any food to go. She wasn't answering, so I left to go see her anyways."

"You also said the door was unlocked when you entered? You didn't think that was suspicious?"

"I did. Then I thought maybe she just came back to her house and she texted me once she got to the airport. No one was home. It was quiet. I followed the sound of running water in the upstairs bathroom.. then I saw–"

"Her lying there. Did you see anyone else when you were going in the house? Even a person walking by."

"No."

"Okay," the investigator skimmed through the report once more, "so you saw her lying there and immediately called for help."

"Yes."

"Mr.Archibald, it's come to our realization that your girlfriend had been a past addict. Were you ever.. skeptical of a relapse?"

"She's been clean for two years," Nate scoffed at the accusation, "I've been with her. I would know if she had been using again."

"Addiction is.. a difficult disease to deal with. Most people don't even acknowledge it as a disease and Miss Hayward sure knows this. Addicts tend to find ways to conceal their usage–"

"Riley is clean. She did not do this to herself willingly," Nate stated and rubbed his face, "Riley would not kill herself!"

"Perhaps it's something she couldn't confide in you. With her addiction tendencies and mental health issues, we're looking at a suicide. Unless there's sufficient evidence of an attempted murder, then this is what we'll report it as. You're free to go."

Nate walked out of the police station, a thunderstorm following above him. He felt so sick and uneasy. His mind was clouded with all sorts of things; regret and guilt especially.

He blamed himself for this happening to her. If he had just gone back to California with her, then Riley would be okay.

"Nate.." Anne was waiting for her son to finish up with the interrogation.

She absolutely had no words to comfort him with. When she looked at Nate's face, it had so much despair. His eyes were empty and void, as if it wasn't him inside anymore.