Chapter 16

**Amy's POV**

"Sweetie, it’s okay. It’s okay." Mom tried to console me as she hugged me and continued rubbing my back.

"No mom it’s not." I cried as I hugged her tightly. "He's g-gone... He's gone... They just killed him right there and... and..."

"Shh honey shh... It's going to be okay. I'm so so sorry to hear about what happened but I'm so glad you're safe." mom cooed as she continued rubbing my back as I cried in her lap.

After I snuck out from Lucas apartment, I headed over to my apartment to see of Katie was home. However, she wasn't home and when I tried calling, I couldn't get a hold of her. I didn't stick around long I just changed my clothes, grab some more cash and headed straight to the nursing home. The minute the nurse let me in to see her, mom immediately knew something was wrong. That was how we ended up here in her room with me telling her everything— probably even more than I should— and breaking down. If Lucas or even Mr. Cavelli knew that I was letting out information like this; I'd be a goner.

"I just don’t understand." I sniffled as I kept crying. "I only just got him back and just like that- I had to witness him being taken away. And for good this time. I mean what happened? I don’t get it. Why did they have to kill him?"

"Sweetie, I'm so sorry." Mom continued comforting me.

After crying for hours, I had finally started to calm down a little. I was falling asleep as I laid there with my head in my mom's lap. After dosing off for a few minutes while mom played with my hair, a knock on the door woke me up.

"Who is that?" I whispered as I got up from her lap and sat up on the bed.

"Probably my nurse. I'll go check." Mom said as she got up to open the door.

"Is it your nurse?" I asked after mom opened the door.

"What are you doing here?" I heard mom asked.

"Well hello there Ms. Stewart." I heard a voice said.

I looked up and gasped in surprise at who I saw walked in.

"L-lucas? How'd you.... W-what are you doing here?" I asked as I quickly stood up.

"We need to go." was all Lucas responded. "Now."

"What!?" I asked in surprised.

"Go? Go where?" Mom asked frantically. "I don't think I like the idea of you going anywhere with my daughter."

"Look Ms. Stewart, I'm not sure what Amy has told you but she needs to come with me like right now for her own good." Lucas said before turning to me. "You really shouldn't have snuck out from the apartment. Good thing Greta called the minute she noticed you were gone."

"I'm her mom. She tells me everything that a daughter feels the need to say to her mother." mom replied.

Oh crap mom. Why did you just say that?

"She tells you everything huh?" Lucas said looking at my mom then back at me with a raised brow.

"Exactly and I'm honestly not too comfortable with you demanding to leave here with my daughter. Next thing I know I’ll probably get a news that she's found dead in a ditch somewhere or can't be found any at all." Mom responded holding her ground.

"I see. Whatever Amy has told you is probably true but in case she missed out any important details, if it weren't for me her ass would be dead already." Lucas replied before turning to me. "You, you are wanted by the police for questioning."

"What!?" Mom and I shrieked at the same time.

I was really starting to worry about how all this may further affect her heart.

"The police are searching for you for questioning about Matthew's death. And in addition to that, they also have your friend- you know the blonde."

"Katie?" I whispered in shock.

"That's the one. She's also being questioned about him— since she was also associated with him—as well as your whereabouts. If they pressure her enough maybe, she'll just crack and who knows what may come out of the mouth of a druggie." Lucas said. "You being missing now is only making you more of a prime suspect. So you have two options; stay here and seem like a guilty person and allow them to send out a search party for you. You can have them arrest you and possibly your mom here too or you come with me and get this whole thing sorted out once and for all."

"But I'm innocent. I don't know anything... Well I did saw who killed him and you know it wasn't me. It was those guys." I said panicking.

Could I seriously go to prison for something I didn't do?

"You saw them? Okay great, tell them that and then when they ask you why you didn't phone the police immediately with this information and where are they now or how did you escaped them, what are you going to tell them?" Lucas asked raising a brow as he folded his arms under his chest.

"I... I uhm..." I stuttered not sure what to say.

I didn't know what I would say if they were to ask me that. If I were to tell them the truth, that would mean that I would have to tell them about Lucas and his men. And that would be the worst mistake I could ever make because then it would get him involved and in trouble too. In other words, I'd be dead too- literally.

"That's what I thought." Lucas replied. "So now do you want to come willingly or learn the hard way then?"

"Where are you taking her?" Mom asked him.

“We're going to the police station. On the way I'll brief you on what to say so that you can be cleared of being a suspect." Lucas replied.

"Can I come back here afterwards?" I asked with a pleading look.

"We'll see how that works afterwards." Lucas responded.

"Mom..." I said turning to her.

"I get it," Mom said as she came to hug me and kissed me on the forehead. "Go, and please be safe."

"Yeah." I nodded as we pulled away.

"Ms. Stewart, I'm sure you're aware by now that it is best for everyone if you just forget everything Amy told you."

"I'm not stupid, I'm not going to say anything to anyone." Mom replied.

"Very well," Lucas nodded and headed to the door. "It was nice seeing you again Ms. Stewart."

"I'll come back as soon as I get the chance okay?" I said hugging her once again before leaving to catch up with Lucas.

I followed Lucas out to his car as he opened the door and let me in. As we were on our way he spoke again.

"Now on to business." Lucas said. "This is what you're going to tell the police..."

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"So Ms. Stewart, I see that you have finally decided to show up. You know why you're in here right?" The police man said to me.

"I'm not sure but I think so." I nodded nervously.

I was here in an interrogation room at the police station waiting for this guy to ask me whatever questions he had. Usually a person who is a suspect wouldn't be interrogated without a lawyer but I told them that I had nothing to hide so anything I am to say is legitimate. Lucas had followed me here and the guy had surprisingly allowed him to sit in on the interrogation.

"I'm Matteo Johnson. I'll be interrogating you today, taking your statement and all of which will be recorded." he said to me. "Since you don't have a lawyer present, be sure to know that anything you say will be used to determine your involvement or not in this case, understand?"

"I understand sir." I nodded.

"Alright Ms. Stewart, what was your relationship with Matthew Cohen?" Matteo asked.

Just hearing his name made me started to tear up once again but I tried keeping calm for this interrogation to be done with quickly.

"We dated for a few months. He was my boyfriend." I said sniffling.

"And how did you meet Matthew?" Matteo asked again.

"We met at the bar— at the club where I work." I said to him. "He came in as a customer one night and we just started talking from there on."

"How long have you known him?” Matteo asked again.

" Uhm... About nearly three months." I responded.

"I see," Matteo nodded before looking down at a paper. "During the time you guys dated, you became really close I presume?"

"Yes, we did. I guess you could say that." I replied.

"So that means that you've been over to his apartment or he's been over to yours?" He asked me.

"Yes, we've both been over to each other apartment." I responded.

"Which meant you slept over then at times? Am I right?"

"Yes I did." I nodded before looking over at Lucas who was standing just a few steps behind me. “But what does this have to do with his death?”

I didn't know why but I was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable answering these personal questions with Lucas here. He already knew that I was a stripper and a pleasure girl at Alfredo's despicable strip club but I didn't want him judging me further. Seeing that I've only known Matthew a few months but was already sleeping with him- some would think that I was too easy. Although I wasn’t sure why it would matter what Lucas thinks.

"During the time you were with Matthew, did you noticed anything about him?" Matteo asked.

"Sir? I'm not sure what you mean." I responded in confusion.

"In terms of his behavior or personality. Did he ever display any form of weird behavior around you? Was he aggressive towards you in anyway?"

"What? No. Matthew was always the perfect gentleman around me and no he has always been normal." I replied. “He was the sweetest and most caring guy I’ve ever known.”

"Perfect gentleman you say? Ms. Stewart were you aware of Matthew's involvement with nonprescription drugs?" Matteo asked.

At first, I hesitated. I wasn't sure whether I should say or not but Lucas already told me to admit knowing that he took drugs if they asked.

"Uh...yes. I've noticed a few times." I finally responded.

"Were you aware of what kind of drugs he used?" Matteo asked.

"I'm not sure, but I've only saw him with some pills a few times." I responded though that wasn't quite true.

"Pills? What kind of pills were those Ms. Stewart? Do you have any idea?" Matteo asked.

"I'm not sure, one time I think he said they were called ecstasy." I told him.

"Ecstasy? The commonly known 'love pill'?” Matteo asked. When I didn't respond he continued. "During those months together, did you ever took part in using any of those pills?"

"I... Uh... I... One time." I admitted sheepishly without looking back at Lucas.

"Really, what was the purpose of indulging in or taking this pill? Why did you take it?" Matteo asked.

"Do I really need to answer that?" I asked embarrassed of getting into these details especially with Lucas here.

"Yes it is important that you answer every question that I ask." Matteo said to me. "So again, what was the purpose of you indulging?"

"Matthew and I were uhm...we were getting... A bit I intimate and he suggested that if we took the pill it would make the experience a whole lot more exciting and so we both took it. That was the one time but in the morning, I regretted it." I said to him.

"Why was that?"

"I felt guilty that I gave into trying a drug like that and was worried that I may even start indulging in something stronger. So I was upset at myself and I even broke it off with him." I said.

"Wait, you broke it off with him? But I thought you said before that he was your boyfriend. You never said you guys broke up." Matteo asked.

"No I didn't because we were just starting to sort out things and..." I stopped as a lump formed in my throat and tears started again. 

I wasn't supposed to say I was there last night when he got killed and the truth almost slipped out. If it wasn't for me getting emotional and needing to take a moment to breathe I would have told him everything.

"Are you able to continue?" Matteo asked to which I nodded. "Why did you guys broke up Amy?"

"I just told you. I b-broke up with him because I told him that I couldn't keep seeing him if he kept handling any form of nonprescription drugs. I just couldn't do it anymore. I told him that as long as he was still involved with it then we couldn't see each other anymore." I said as tears rolled down my cheeks as I replayed the whole thing.

"How did he take it when you told him that?" Matteo asked.

"He was sad. He kept trying to talk to me and get us to work things out but I let him know that I was serious that we could no longer see each other if he continued to be involved with it." I sniffled.

"Did you hear from him again after that?" Matteo asked.

"Yes." I nodded.

"And when was that Amy?"

"Last night... Last night he called me and said that he was done and that he wanted us to start again since he has finally decided to put away this whole drug thing." I shook my head crying.

"Then what happened after?" Matteo asked.

"I was just so happy and excited. I decided to go over there at his apartment to surprise him and make up with him since we've been broken up for weeks." I said to him.

"So what happened when you went to his apartment? Was he there?" Matteo asked.

"Yes, he was. He was there and really surprised to see me but he was also acting strange." I said to him.

"What do you mean by strange?" Matteo asked me.

"I don't know, he was acting a bit jumpy and even though he had called to tell me that he wanted us to start over, he seemed a bit... frightened or I don't know… guilty or something."

"Guilty? What exactly did he do or say to give you that impression?" Matteo asked again.

"Well for starters he seemed to be on edge and was just trying to get rid of me as quick as possible." I responded.

That is so not what happened.

"He kissed me and said that tomorrow he'd see me but for the night I should probably just go home and he'd get back in touch. He said he had to go out to take care of something so I couldn't sleep over last night. With the way he was acting, I became suspicious. I thought that maybe he had another woman there with him. I didn't confront him about it though. I just decided to leave after he walked me back to his door. I figured he'd have to explain himself this morning or I was going to do something that would spite him too. So I left."

"And you went back to your home afterwards?" Matteo asked.

I was already briefed that the police already went to Katie and I's apartment and knew that I hadn't been home since last night so I knew not to say yes or lie about going home.

"No, I left with the intention to go to a bar and buy a drink or something before going back to the apartment. I unfortunately broke a heel so I had to take off my shoes and walked for a while but I must've accidentally stepped on a broken bottle and my foot was injured. That's when I saw Mr. Ackles and he helped me and took me back to his place."

"So you weren't aware that Matthew had gotten shot last night?" Matteo asked.

"No, I hadn't learnt that until this morning when.... When I heard the news." I said as I started crying harder.

The fact that Matthew was dead and I had to be lying about what really happened was just too much.

"I don't think she's able to continue anymore Mr. Johnson." I heard Lucas said.

"I still have one last question though." Matteo said to him. "Ms. Stewart, Amy... If you saw the news this morning and saw that you were considered a person of interest and wanted for questioning, why didn't you come in sooner? Where did you go?"

"I w-went to visit my mom at the nursing home. I-I needed a shoulder to cry on." I said crying and sniffling all the while.

"Alright. Thank you Ms. Stewart. That'll be all for now." Matteo replied.

"Can I go now?" I asked sniffling.

"Yes, you can go now. We'll contact you if there is anything further." Matteo said as I stood up. “Sorry about your loss Amy.”

"Can you just take me home now?" I asked as I turned to Lucas. "Please?"