Chapter 12: The Interrogation
By the time morning sunlight streamed across Yvette's lace curtains, I'd already made up my mind.
Today would be different.
No more arguments. No more paranoia. No more pushing Mateo away with sharp words. If I wanted him to believe in me…in us, then I had to start by believing in him. I had to show him that I could be the girlfriend he deserved steady, loyal, grateful. One that doesn't curse or sneezed at his overbearing perfume.
The plan was simple: no complaints, no distractions. Just smiles, gentle touches, soft words.
When I found him outside the dining hall, he looked at me with those careful, unreadable eyes. For a moment, fear twisted in my chest, that maybe things wouldn't go back to the way they had been.
But then I slipped my hand into his and whispered, "Good morning."
His lips curved slightly, almost reluctantly, but the tension eased. Progress.
We walked to class together, his thumb brushing mine in absent-minded strokes. I leaned into that small comfort, every nerve in me determined not to break the fragile truce we'd built.
But the universe, as usual, had other plans.
It was just after lunch when my name rang across the hallway.
"Marquez. You've been summoned."
The person who called me was Headmaster Alistair's secretary and I knew in that moment that detective Harrison was back.
Mateo's grip on my hand tightened. "What do they want this time?"
"I don't know," I whispered, though dread already coiled in my gut.
I turned and began walking towards the office but froze when I got to the hallway, because standing a few feet away was Alexander. Hands shoved casually in his pockets, his uniform tie loose as always, expression unreadable. He'd been called too.
The secretary's sharp gaze flicked between us. "You are here early." She told Alexander with a seductive smile which he returned with a smile smirk.
"I couldn't keep the cop waiting right?" He asked her and she chuckled.
Seeing both of them interact like they were lovers irked me.
I glanced at Mateo, and noticed his gaze was on them too with his jaw tight, "I'll wait for you," he said firmly to me.
"Mateo…"
"I'll be right outside." he told me.
I nodded and followed Alexander into the interrogation room.
The interrogation room was the same as before sterile, suffocating, with a single table under too-bright lights. I sat across from the detective, Alexander at my side.
The man laced his fingers together, leaning forward. "Miss Marquez, I'd like to revisit your statement."
My hands clenched on my lap. "I've told you everything already."
"And yet…" His gaze sharpened. "Certain details don't add up."
Certain details like what? I wanted to ask him hit my mouth had other plans.
I forced my tone steady. "I didn't kill her."
"Didn't you?" His voice was smooth, almost mocking. "You were there. You found the body. Convenient, isn't it?"
Heat rushed to my face. "You're twisting this…"
"Control yourself, Miss Marquez," he interrupted. "Guilt often makes people lash out."
I bit my tongue so hard I tasted blood. He wanted me to snap. He wanted me to crumble.
Beside me, Alexander shifted. His usual lazy demeanor had sharpened into something dangerous, his eyes glinting like steel.
"Enough," he said flatly.
The detective barely glanced at him. "You'll speak when spoken to, young man."
But Alexander wasn't one to follow orders. He leaned forward, his voice low, vibrating with restrained fury. "We both saw the body. Both of us. But you're hell-bent on painting her as the criminal. Why?"
The detective ignored him, focused on me instead. "Tell me more about your relationship with Rose." He told me.
"I've told you everything." I growled out.
Alexander laughed lowly. "You were paid weren't you? They paid you to stall to paint her as the criminal right?"
The room went still.
I turned to Alexander sharply, what was he on about?
"Alexander…"
The detective's face darkened. "Careful what you accuse me of, boy."
In one sudden motion, Alexander grabbed the detective by the collar, yanking him forward across the table. The scrape of chair legs against the floor echoed like thunder.
"You listen to me," Alexander hissed, his face inches from the man's. "I've had enough of your pathetic little circus. Do your fucking job. Find the actual criminal. Because the more time you waste trying to pin this on her, the more obvious it becomes that you're not just incompetent, you're corrupt."
The detective's hand twitched toward his belt, but Alexander's grip didn't falter. His eyes burned with the kind of fury that made even grown men hesitate.
"Let go," the detective warned.
Alexander's lips curled in a mocking smile. Slowly, deliberately, he released him, but not before shoving him back into his chair. "There. Hands off. Happy?"
The detective adjusted his rumpled collar, glaring. "Watch yourself, son. You're walking a dangerous line."
"Am I?" Alexander leaned back casually, but the edge in his voice could cut glass. "You think threats scare me? Try harder."
"You want me to try harder?" The detective sneered. "Maybe I should consider that the two of you were in on it together. Both present, both suspiciously vague in your accounts. Makes sense, doesn't it?"
"How exactly were we vague?" Alexander asked him. "There are cameras everywhere in the school and if you suspect we were lying you could have gone through the footages but you didn't did you?"
"Tell me," the detective said adjusting his clothes. "What would the son of a Duke gain from killing someone in this pathetic little town?"
Alexander gestured at me, his tone scathing. "And you tell me, what would the daughter of the richest tech mogul gain from it?"
"Thats what I want to find out." The detective grounded out.
"Then do your fucking job. Don't paint someone else as the criminal when the real one could be walking round campus with head head held high."
My heart pounded so hard it hurt.
For once, the detective had no immediate comeback. He sat there, seething, but silent.
Alexander rose smoothly to his feet, tugging his blazer into place like a man who'd won a war. He glanced down at me. "We're done here."
Before I could react, he took my hand and pulled me up. My legs wobbled, but his grip was firm, unyielding.
The detective's voice followed us as we headed for the door. "You can't just walk out…"
"Watch us," Alexander shot back without turning.
The door slammed behind us. Immediately we walked out, Mateo stood up staring at our entwined hands with narrowed eyes.
"What's going on?" He asked coldly.