Page 118 of Heart of The Night

I felt like an intruder on their private grief, my heart fracturing with each of their sobs. It was unbearable to watch.

‘I don’t understand,’ John said, his voice unsteady. His eyes met mine, searching, pleading for some semblance of an explanation.

‘None of us do,’ Andy murmured, his face twisting with frustration and sorrow.

Jason returned, his face a mask of pain, eyes red-rimmed from held-back tears. ‘Mum, Dad,’ he choked out, his voice thick with emotion. He stretched out his arms, enveloping them both in a tight, protective embrace, his shoulders shaking as he tried to hold himself together.

‘Jason.’ John took a small step back, placing a hand on Jason’s shoulder. ‘Has Will mentioned anything to you? Any threats?’

Jason wiped his cheeks and shook his head. ‘No, nothing.’

‘Did the receptionist have any updates?’ Alex asked Jason, looking concerned.

‘Just that he’s still in surgery. They’ll be doing some scans afterwards.’

John turned to Daphné, rubbing her arms soothingly and kissing her forehead. ‘They’ve caught his assailant, Daphné,’ he said. ‘He’ll be locked up for a long time. And you know Will – he’s a fighter. He’ll bounce back in no time.’ Listening to him, I could tell his words were as much for himself as they were for her, a mantra to steady his own fears.

‘Here, Mum, take a seat,’ Jason said, guiding her gently to a chair beside Ivy and Alex.

As we all settled down together, the conversation veered back to speculation about the attack. John worried it could be his fault, a vengeful strike against William by someone looking to hurt John. Frankly, the idea that John might have made some enemies as he amassed his empire wasn’t preposterous.

Yet, I remained sceptical. My thoughts kept wandering back to the gala, to the charged exchange between William and Nigel Ashcombe. I was certain Nigel’s words had carried a veiled threat. Although Andy had described the assailant as a dark-haired man in his thirties – unlike Nigel with his grey locks and aged features – it didn’t clear Nigel of involvement. Considering what I knew about Gastronomy Group’s unscrupulous tactics, the thought that they might engage someone else to do their bidding wasn’t entirely far-fetched. Could they have hired a third party to target William? Had Nigel merely approached William to assess him, only to order a hit when he proved incorruptible?

As I dwelled on the possibility, two police detectives arrived. They pulled Andy aside for a private interview in another room. Anxiety knotted in my stomach, but I reminded myself of Andy’s legal skills; he was well-equipped to handle their questions.

When he finally came back, he said it was my turn. A lump formed in my throat as I got up. I had never spoken to the police before. Though I wasn’t expecting any charges, the prospect of being interrogated was unnerving.

I looked at John. ‘Should I have a lawyer with me?’

He held my gaze, likely seeing the panic in it. ‘It wouldn’t hurt. I can accompany you if you like.’

‘Yes, please,’ I said. ‘I’d like that.’

He stood up, placing a supportive hand on my back as we approached the plainclothes detectives.

27 | what happened

CARA

‘Could you state your full name and date of birth for the record, please?’ DC Shelby Collins asked, her tone both gentle and authoritative. Beside her, DC Nathan Okonkwo sat, ready to document the details on his laptop.

I complied, my voice trembling slightly with nerves.

‘Please, tell us what happened tonight, Miss Darby,’ Shelby continued, her pen poised to write supplementary notes in a pocketbook.

I glanced at the small digital camera mounted on a tripod in the corner of the compact room, then at the voice recorder placed in the centre of the white table before me. A sense of gravity settled over me, knowing that every word I uttered might later echo in a courtroom.

Taking a deep breath, I began recounting the events of the evening, from when William and I arrived at the hotel to the moment I accompanied him to the hospital. My voice broke occasionally as I paused to collect myself, the persistent ache in my chest a constant reminder of the night’s trauma. Beside me, John sat still, his hand over mine as he listened. I glanced at him now and then, seeing his bloodshot eyes and the silent tears that escaped him.

After allowing me a brief pause, Shelby asked gently, ‘What’s the nature of your relationship with William?’

I swallowed, my eyebrows furrowing. ‘Well, strictly speaking, I’m not his girlfriend yet, but it’s heading in that direction.’

Shelby tucked a curly, copper-coloured lock behind her ear, a bemused expression on her face. ‘Could you elaborate a bit more on that?’

I bit my lip, struggling to find the right words. ‘We’re involved, but unofficially. We haven’t really defined what we are to each other yet.’

Nathan leaned slightly forward, his brown, doe-like eyes seeking mine. ‘Could you clarify what you mean when you say “unofficially”?’

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