Slipknot Read Online Free Page B

Stephenson.
    ‘My client has no comment.’
    ‘Did you intend to
kill
him?’
    The question brought the wild look into the lad’s eyes. For one brief second everyone in the small interview room held their breath.
    The solicitor was the first to regain his equilibrium. ‘My client has no comment,’ he said but he knew the damage had been done. They had all seen and interpreted the expression in Callum Hughes’s eyes. These were the same mad eyes which had stared out of his face as he had driven the knife into Roger Gough’s lung. And if his arm had not been restrained by a teacher who knows what might have happened next?
    There was a knock on the door and a tall, slim detective entered.
    Gethin Roberts spoke into the tape recorder. ‘Detective Inspector Randall has entered the room at 19.46. Interrogation suspended.’
    The two policemen shut off the machine and muttered to the detective in the corner. Once or twice Alex Randall glanced across at Callum, his intelligent eyes appraising the situation, resting on the lad with interest.
    Paul Talith muttered something under his breath and Alex Randall looked again – at Shelley Hughes this time. Shepretended not to notice his scrutiny but when Randall had turned his gaze back to his colleagues she stole another glance at him.
    ‘Tasty,’ she thought, before scolding herself. What was she thinking of – fancying a copper – and the one that had her son in custody at that.
    ‘You’d better charge him,’ Alex Randall was saying. ‘We’ll keep him here overnight and get him in front of the magistrates in the morning. Get some paperwork together.’
    Paul Talith said something and they all heard Randall’s reply. ‘Attempted murder. If that doesn’t stick we’ve got plenty of other charges. Come on, Talith. You know the score.’

    Randall approached Callum then, stopping right in front of the interview desk, his long figure leaning in towards the boy. ‘Listen, son,’ he said, ‘take my advice. Don’t make this any more difficult for yourself than it has to be. You’ve got a tough enough time ahead without making enemies of the coppers who will treat you well and make sure you get a fair trial.’
    Callum lifted his eyes without hope. He shrugged and said nothing. Randall put his hand on the door then turned to speak to Roberts. ‘Have you rung the hospital?’
    Roberts shook his head.
    ‘Well – I suggest you do.’
    When Alex Randall had left the room Paul Talith stood up. ‘I’ll get you some drinks,’ he said to Shelley, Callum and Stephenson. ‘Give you a chance to have a bit of a chat.’ He jerked his head towards the door and the two officers filed out.
    As soon as the door had closed behind them Shelley spoketo Callum. ‘Tell that Inspector Randall the truth,’ she said. ‘He looks a decent sort, as though he’d believe you. Tell
him
about DreadNought and the others. He’ll understand. I know he will.’ She appealed to the solicitor then. ‘If they can say Call was
pushed
into it surely it’ll make a difference?’
    The solicitor cleared his throat. ‘Some,’ he said. ‘Not quite as much as you might think. But we can explain about the provocation later on when the case comes to the Crown Court. It doesn’t alter the facts of the crime, Mrs Hughes.’
    She looked fiercely at him. ‘But it makes
all
the difference. If that little rat hadn’t picked on my son none of this would have happened. If the school had stopped DreadNought in his tracks he wouldn’t be in hospital today. And Callum wouldn’t be here,’ she finished viciously.
    The solicitor tried to pacify her. ‘True – true but we’ll have time enough to gather some information on that later.’
    Shelley pressed her lips together and satisfied herself with a rebellious stare.
    Callum touched his mother’s hand. ‘That detective won’t be able to do anything for me, Mum. I don’t know why you trust him. You know what these coppers are like. They’ve got their