Ebrey watched the scene in the barracks. Everyone was remaining so unnaturally civil it was almost comical. But not with this crime, he told himself. Dear God, this oaf couldn't have hurt us harder if he was in collusion with KillBoy himself. Only then did he think about the girl, and shudder. Ebrey Zhang had a daughter of his own.
'Send someone round to her house,' he told the aide. 'Get that fucking collateral necklace off her.'
'Yes, sir.'
Hal stirred in discomfort when the ceiling light came on. There were a lot of excitable voices nearby. A hand shook his shoulder.
'Piss off,' he mumbled. He was still half dreaming about Avril.
'On your feet, Private!'
He lifted his head. Sergeant Wagner was standing above the bed, his face hard and contemptuous. Captain Bryant stood just behind him, looking furious and possibly just a little bit scared. There were other people crowding into the hotel room, two of them in local police uniforms.
'Whaa— Sir.' Hal pushed the quilt off and clambered to his feet. He didn't salute. He only had his shorts on; it would have looked ridiculous. His heart started hammering. Oh, shit, they found out that I broke curfew.
'Detective,' Bryant said with a sharp nod at one of the policemen.
The detective came forward. 'You are Halford Grabowski?'
'Er, yes, sir.' He glanced at Wagner, hoping for some kind of support. The sergeant's stare was fierce.
'I am arresting you on suspicion of rape.'
'Ung.' Hal's jaw dropped in astonishment.
'In accordance with the Perlman declaration I am advising you to say nothing at this time. I am entitled to take you from this place to an officially sanctioned holding area, where you are to be questioned with your legal representative present. Please put some clothes on.'
'You've got to be fucking joking. Sir?' He turned to the captain.
'Get dressed,' Bryant ordered.
'I didn't do nothing. Not that!'
The detective produced a pair of handcuffs. 'Come on, son, don't make it any worse.'
'You can't do this!'
'Oh, yes, I can.'
Hal turned to the captain, pleading. 'Tell him.'
'While you're here, you are operating under local civil law, Grabowski. We made that quite clear during your briefing. Now put some damn clothes on, or you'll be taken to the station as you are.'
Sergeant Wagner held up a pair of trousers. Hal managed a dazed laugh and took them from him.
'I want this room sealed,' the detective was telling Captain Bryant. 'Our forensic team will need to examine it later.'
'I understand. Nobody will come in here.'
It wasn't real, Hal was telling himself, none of this was real.
Lawrence Newton came into the room, dressed in a short gray toweling robe. He raked at his disheveled hair as he yawned widely.
'Sarge,' Hal yelled. 'For Christ's sake, help me.'
Bryant held up a warning finger. 'You are not active in this case, Newton. When an arrest is being made, nobody from the suspect's platoon is to be involved. Standard procedure. Now get out.'
Lawrence gave the captain a reasonable nod, as if the facts were obvious. He turned to the detective. 'I'm the kid's NCO. What's the charge?'
'Newton!' Bryant stormed.
'We're taking him for questioning concerning an alleged rape.'
'Really. When was it supposed to have taken place?' Lawrence asked.
'Early this morning.'
'Okay.' Lawrence looked directly at the frantic kid. 'Did you do it?'
'Be quiet,' Bryant demanded. 'Grabowski, I'm ordering you not to reply.'
'I didn't, Sarge. Not that. For fuck's sake, you gotta believe me.'
Lawrence studied his face for a moment. 'I do.'
'Oh, thank you, Jesus.'
'Hal, finish dressing,' Lawrence told him. 'Then you'll have to go with the police.'
'Sarge!'
'Do it. We'll get a lawyer sorted out for you at this end. Clear this crap up quickly. Meantime, you do as you're told. Understand?'
'Yes, Sarge.'
Hal finished dressing and reluctantly let the detective cuff his hands. As he was led away down the corridor all his platoonmates were waiting outside their doors. They shouted encouragement, slapped him reassuringly on the shoulder, told him they'd be on his case right away, no worries. He even managed a few sheepish grins. The last thing he heard as the elevator doors shut on him and his escort was Captain Bryant hissing furiously: 'My office, Newton. Five minutes.'
