Chapter 68 Damian's arrest
Damian didn’t expect the knock at his dorm that morning. He’d barely slept, Tessa’s face kept flashing in his mind, along with the roses on her chest and when he finally dragged himself out of bed, two uniformed officers were standing at his door.
“Damian Reyes?”
“Yes?”
“You need to come with us.”
He froze.
The hallway fell silent.
Someone down the corridor whispered, “It’s him.”
His stomach twisted.
“Is this about Tessa?” he asked weakly.
“Let’s discuss that at the station,” one officer replied.
He didn’t resist. He didn’t even speak.
He just followed them down the stairs, through the lobby, past the students staring like he was some kind of monster.
“I didn’t do anything,” he told himself.
“Someone has to believe me. Someone has to.”
But no one looked like they did.
He was forced into the parked police vehicle and taken to the police station.
The interrogation room was cold. A gray metal table. Two chairs. A recording camera in the corner. And no windows.
Damian sat with his hands on his knees, fingers trembling so badly he had to press them into his thighs to steady them.
Detective Mara walked in first. She looked tired, worn down by too much death. But behind her came Detective Dave, the sharp-eyed one who always seemed like he was waiting for a lie he could pounce on.
Dave shut the door. “Sit still, Mr. Reyes.”
Damian already was, but he nodded anyway.
Mara placed a folder on the table. “Damian, we’re going to ask you some questions about Tessa Blake.”
His throat tightened. “I didn’t kill her.”
“We haven’t accused you of that yet.” Dave smirked. “Not officially.”
Damian’s pulse hammered.
“Where did you go after the party last night?” Mara asked.
“Straight to my dorm,” he said. “I showered, studied a bit, and went to sleep.”
“What time?” Rowan pressed.
“Around twelve-thirty. Maybe a little before.”
“You seem unsure.”
“I didn’t check the clock!” Damian snapped, then winced. “I..I mean… I don’t remember the exact time.”
“Did anyone see you come in?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did anyone see you leave?”
“I didn’t leave.”
Dave’s pen tapped the table rhythmically. “That’s convenient.”
Damian clenched his jaw. He wanted to slam his fist on the table, but he kept still.
“I’m telling the truth,” he said quietly. “I didn’t leave my dorm all night.”
“Except you had a public fight with the victim,” Dave said. “Witnesses described shouting and accusations. She said you told someone she was trying to sleep with you.”
“She was lying,” Damian whispered. “And she was drunk. She was upset and she wanted attention.”
“And when she stormed out of the party?”
“I didn’t follow her.”
Dave leaned in. “Damian, guys like you, athletes don’t like being humiliated.”
Damian’s heart kicked painfully. “I didn’t hurt her.”
Dave’s eyes narrowed. “But you could have.”
Mara shot Dave a warning look, then turned gently to Damian. “Damian, you look terrified.”
“I AM terrified,” he whispered, voice cracking. “Someone is killing red-haired women and now everyone is looking at me like I’m…like I’m some monster. But I swear, I didn’t touch her. I didn’t even see her leave the field house.”
Dave folded his arms. “Who is your next victim?”
“I don't have any victims.”
“Think carefully.”
“I’m not the killer.”
“Not even a certain girl you’ve been spending time with?”
Damian froze.
Dave’s eyes glinted. “Lila.”
Damian’s breath caught painfully. “Don’t…don’t bring her into this.”
“That’s an emotional reaction,” Dave said. “Interesting.”
“I’m reacting because she has NOTHING to do with this!” Damian’s voice cracked, raw and desperate. “Don’t drag her into this hell!”
Mara watched him more closely now. Her expression barely softened.
“Damian,” she said gently, “is someone threatening you?”
“No.”
“Threatening her?” she pressed.
His lungs squeezed, panic climbing up his throat.
He swallowed. “No. No one threatened anyone.”
Dave tapped his pen again. “You hesitated.”
Damian shut his eyes, cursing his own nerves. “Stop shaking. They’ll think you’re guilty. They’ll think you’re lying. Breathe. Breathe.”
Dave stood. “Let me paint the picture, Damian.”
Damian lifted his head.
“You’re seen fighting with Tessa at the party. You’re the last known person she argued with.You have no alibi after midnight.And you have a history of.. let’s call it temper issues.”
“I never hurt anyone,” Damian whispered. “I never even shoved Tessa. I walked away from her.”
Dave leaned close to his face.
“Then why are your hands shaking?”
Damian looked down. He hadn’t even realized how violently they trembled.
Because I’m scared… because the killer keeps choosing girls like Lila…because if they think it’s me, they’ll stop looking for the real one.
He didn’t say any of that.
Instead he whispered, “Because this feels like a nightmare I can’t wake up from.”
Mara exhaled slowly. Dave didn’t flinch.
“You’re hiding something,” Rowan murmured.
“I’m not.”
“Then tell me,” Rowan said quietly. “Why would someone want to frame you?”
Damian swallowed hard. His mind flashed, Lila’s face pale in the bleachers, roses scattered beside Tessa, the typed notes, the chocolate, the red hair.
Because he likes tormenting people.
Because he enjoys watching us break.
Because he knows I can’t protect her.
But he said none of that out loud.
“I don’t know,” he whispered. “I don’t know why this is happening.”
Dave didn’t look convinced.
He walked toward the door.
Two officers stepped inside.
“Take him to the cell.”
“What? No….wait!” Damian stood, panic surging so fast he felt dizzy. “I didn’t do anything!”
The officers grabbed his arms.
Damian struggled not violently, but hopelessly. “Please, Detective Mara, please, you know I’m not lying.”
Mara’s eyes were full of guilt. She said nothing.
Dave stood in the doorway as Damian was dragged past him.
His voice was low, almost conversational yet it froze Damian’s blood.
“Funny thing, Reyes,” Rowan murmured. “Beckett failed you once, didn’t he?”
Damian stiffened.
Dave continued, “Maybe this was your payback, but you finally got caught.”
Damian’s heart stopped.
Dave leaned closer, voice dropping to a whisper meant only for Damian:
“Or maybe someone out there wants you to take the fall, while they finish what they started with girls like Lila.”
Damian’s knees nearly buckled.
As the officers pulled him away, one horrifying thought crashed through his mind.
Lila is next.