Page 98 of Burning Your Lies

My fist comes down on the table. “This is bullshit. This is part of the plan. They are setting me up to go down for a crime I didn’t commit!”

Ignoring everything I said, she continues. “Shortly after the argument, they saw you leaving the property.”

“There was no argument! I spoke to him and then left just after nine o’clock. I drove home to my girlfriend and daughter. I showered, ate dinner and went to bed.” Silence. “This is ridiculous. What reason would I have to murder him?”

Finally, the other officer speaks. “You called him an old acquaintance. How did you know Mr Pruitt?”

“He was an old friend of my mothers.”

“Friend?”

My mother at it again; fucking ruining my life.

“Yes.”

“Is there a reason you felt your mother's friend would be in danger from this stalker of yours?”

“He’s dead, is he not? My concern was very much well placed.”

She jots something down. “And where is your mother?”

I remember the death certificate I created for her. “Dead.”

“When was this?”

“How is this relevant?”

“I’m just curious why an oldfriendof your dead mother would be a cause of your worry. That’s all.”

“May 2014.”

“And where is she buried?”

The walls are closing in on me. The room is too bright. The air is too thick. Their untrusting stares are too burning.

“I don’t know,” I stutter. “We weren’t in contact at the time of her death.”

“If you were estranged from your mother, why would you be concerned about the welfare of her friend?”

No matter how hard I wrack my brain, I can’t think of a logical answer.Because there isn’t one.“The man lost his family after the affair he had with my mother. I felt bad for him.”

“You felt bad for the man who caused a crack in your home?”

“Mymothercaused that crack. He was just a tool she used.”A tool that Savannah is now using to crack me.

“Where does your father sit in all this?”

“A grave,” I bark. “He died in June 2015.”

She flicks through her papers and sighs. “A dead mother, father, wife and now old friend. There’s also an allegation of a murdered girlfriend. It seems people around you die, Mr Rivers.”

“Perhaps there’s someone around me that is making that my unfortunate reality.”

“Perhaps.” She clears her throat. “That is all for today. Thank you for your time and co-operation. Please remain in the country and contactable via telephone. Just in case we have anymore questions.”

“Have a good day,” I say snidely before leaving.

“What are you—”

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