Seventh 2 Survive (WAYHAUGHT)

30-3

Alone in an interview room the tears came. This was worse than a nightmare. At least she could wake up from a nightmare. But this, whatever this was, she was awake, fully awake, staring at three empty chairs.

A woman entered, accompanied by two men. The younger of the two introduced himself as the duty solicitor. She vaguely remembered nodding when asked if she required legal advice. He came and sat beside her, Waverly unable to stop her body shaking.

"I didn't do it," she whispered. "I don't know how..."

Seated directly opposite, the woman began by explaining she was being interviewed in connection with the murder of Professor Wheeler. "Can you tell us why you were in the house?"

"I don't know. I just...please, I don't know what happened. I don't know how..."

"A neighbour said she heard raised voices."

Waverly glanced at the duty solicitor, then the woman. "I don't remember."

"What was the purpose of your visit?"

"I told you, I don't remember. I woke up, and then I saw him." Tears came again. "Please, you've got to believe me. I would never do this. It's not me. I never..."

The woman opened a folder in her possession, revealing the photo of a pistol beside the body. "Do you recognise this weapon?" she said, pushing the photo in front of Waverly for her to view.

"It can't be. It was stolen."

"The inscription reads: Ward Earp."

"My...my father."

"Fingerprints found on the weapon match yours."

Waverly stared at the photo.

"The weapon was found next to the victim. The bullet in the victim's body matches those in the weapon."

This had to be a sick joke.

Returned to her cell there were no more tears. There was no way to explain, no way to understand, no way to undo what had been done. Her favourite professor was dead, supposedly killed by her with a gun her father once owned, and she had absolutely no idea why.

She didn't know how long she'd been in custody. The only way to tell the passing of time was by the arrival of food, none of which she touched. Led back to the interview room, she waited for another round of questions. All the while her brain whirred. How had her father's gun come to be in Wheeler's house? How had she come to be in Wheeler's house?

The door opened, a woman entering, closing it after her. She took the seat opposite. "I have been assigned to this case. Are you happy for me to provide you with legal advice?"

Waverly nodded, wondering what happened to the other guy.

"Can you tell me what you remember?"

Waverly stared at her. "Nothing, absolutely nothing."

"And, before arriving at the victim's house, what is your last memory?"

She sat and thought. "I'm not sure. I was late for my lecture. I must have overslept."

"Then you woke up in Professor Wheeler's house."

Waverly was still trying to fit together the missing pieces of her memory. "I don't know where he lives," she said, becoming teary. "I would never kill him. I should never have been there."

The woman stopped writing, lifting her eyes to meet hers. "I know. Waverly Earp, this is going to sound crazy, but..."

After everything that had happened, crazy seemed to be the new normal in her world.