Page 76 of The Freshman

There was a knock to the door, andAlfie closed his eyes in relief.

“Sounds like the cavalry,”Martin said.

“You better go let themin.”

“Yeah, Ibetter.”

Alfie opened his eyes and hopped upthe final few steps. He dropped the crutch and crawled over the bedto get to the drawer. He tugged it open, but before he could grabwhat was inside, there was heavy pressure to his back, someonepinning him down.

He yelled out in pain as his ribsscreamed in protest. He couldn’t turn to see who pinned him, butanother police officer strolled around the bed and peaked insidethe drawer.

“I didn’t believe themwhen they said Nate Mathews was a good artist. Interesting subjecthe chose...”

He snapped on a glove, reached inside,and pulled the picture out for Alfie to see.

Chapter Nineteen

They didn’t have enough evidence tolink Alfie to the escape plan, but after twenty-four gruelinghours, they did charge him for his sexual relationship withNate.

He denied it, shook his head and toldthem they had got it wrong, but when they seized his phone they hadall the evidence they needed to prove they had slept together. Thefirst time Alfie heard Nate’s voicemail, his heart clenched, and hescrunched his eyes shut.

Nate was concerned for him, worried,thinking Alfie was traumatized, thinking he regretted it. Alfiewished he listened to the messages earlier, basked in Nate’sconcern one last time, but instead he was forced to listen in frontof two police officers eyeing him with disgust. They sat with theirarms folded, and they flared their nostrils each time Alfie refusedto answer a question.

Alfie reached across the table, toplay the message again, but it was snatched away and slipped into aclear plastic bag. There were other bags, one with the post its,and one with the picture Nate had drawn of him. They didn’t find aphone in Nate’s cell, or any drawings of Alfie. It was clean ofsuspicion. The evidence came from his side. He couldn’t argueagainst the charge. He accepted the crime and begged forbail.

They were still convinced he knewabout the escape, but Alfie argued he had no idea they were goingto be rammed off the road down some country lane. If he knew hewouldn’t have climbed into the car in the first place and puthimself in danger. He would’ve warned Mike and Dave and not riskedthem getting hurt. The officers dismissed the latter argumentimmediately and sneered at him like a traitor.

They granted bail under certainconditions. He wasn’t to contact any of his colleagues at Larkwood.He had to stay at his address and give up his passport. He noddedalong to the conditions, but nothing sunk in until he was back athis house, curtains drawn and lights off.

He was going to prison.

Tia appeared at the front door, herfigure a silhouette against the backdrop of daytime. She sighed,then rushed to the curtains and threw them open. Alfie drew hiseyebrows together and ducked his head to avoid the sign forLarkwood outside.

“So why you hiding in thedark? I told you the day before, if you didn’t answer, I’d comeover.”

“I’m really not in themood.”

She walked into the kitchen with ahuff. “Surely you’re in the mood for coffee.”

“I’m not, and I doubtyou’ll want to drink it with me once you’ve read this.”

He held up his charge sheet, and shefrowned, moving closer.

“You’ve spoken to thepolice.”

Alfie flapped the paper in impatience.“I’ve been charged by the police.”

She snatched it from his hand andglared at it. “Charged with what….”

Alfie knew from her shocked expressionshe had read the relevant part. She shook her head and widened hereyes before circling the sofa. “You-you didn’t?”

Alfie bowed forward and gripped hishead with both hands. “It just happened. I wasn’t—”

“You had sex with NateMathews! He’s all over the news. What he did ten years ago, it’ssick, and you slept with him.” She dropped down on the sofa andgripped Alfie’s knee. “He didn’t force you, did he?”

“No, it wasn’tforced.”

She snatched her hand back. “Then Idon’t understand. He’s a murderer, a deranged animal, and you hadsex with him.”

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