Extradited Read Free

speaking to?’
    I was startled by one of the officers who I caught staring at me through the window at the front of the house. I didn’t say anything for a short moment, lost for words. ‘Andrew,’ I said.
    ‘Well, it’s actually you who we need to speak to.’
    I had a feeling that I knew what it was about. Chris and Charlie had told us about the incident with the police in Greece, and I was aware that they’d been forced to sign something with my name in it. I wasn’t worried though. I was happy to answer any of their questions. I hadn’t witnessed any violence on my holiday in Zante – I’d only been told of Chris and Charlie’s experience in the police station.
    I asked the gentleman on the intercom to show me his badge and he held something up to the camera. I couldn’t really make out what it was – it could have been a library card for all I knew! I opened the front door and saw my mum and Sophie walking up the driveway behind them. My mum looked at the officers, her jaw dropped and her eyes squinted in confusion. Before she had the chance to question what was happening, one of the officers said, ‘We’d better go inside.’ They made their way into the house and I sat down on the sofa in our living room.
    ‘We have a European Arrest Warrant here. You’re under arrest for the murder of Jonathan Hiles; you have the right to remainsilent; anything you do say can be used as evidence in a court of law. You have the right to a lawyer…’
    It’s very difficult to describe exactly how I felt in that moment. It was too much information to take in at once, and I couldn’t even begin to comprehend how much my life was about to change. It was a numbing sensation. I found it far easier to ignore my surroundings, so I stared at the television screen and watched blurred coloured images move around while the officer continued to read me my rights. I felt like a frozen statue, and as soon as I moved a muscle I’d have to accept it as true – that I was being arrested for murder.
    I was snapped out of my frozen state by the sound of my frantic mum attempting to talk the officers out of it. ‘Let’s all sit down, I’ll make everyone a cup of tea and we can talk about this! Who would like a tea?’ She ran into the kitchen to put the kettle on, as though the officers would have a cup of tea then leave us alone. I picked up the bowl of pasta, continuing to eat it as though they weren’t really there.
    ‘You have to put the bowl down, Andrew,’ an officer said to me. He took the pasta out of my hands and placed it on the table.
    My mum then realised that the officers had no interest in delaying their job for a cup of tea. She picked up her mobile phone and called the solicitor we’d spoken to almost a year before. When Chris and Charlie had told us about their terrible experience at the hands of the Greek police, we’d eventually decided to speak to a solicitor and ask for his opinion. After all, I may have been implicated as being involved in a serious crime! The solicitor advised us that we (myself and the people I had been with on the night in question) should make statements of our whereabouts that night. We’d also collected photographs of the night – just in case anything were to happen.
    Floods of tears ran down Sophie’s face as they forced my wristsinto handcuffs. Our eyes met for a moment and hers reflected the desperation in mine. I flicked my attention to one of the officers. ‘Do you know what’s disgusting about this!?’ I managed to blurt out. The reality of the situation had started to kick in, as did the trembling nerves and tears.
    ‘That someone’s dead?’ replied one of the officers.
    ‘That someone’s dead, the killer is out there walking the streets and you’re here arresting the wrong person!’ I cried.
    ‘Andrew, we need to take you down to the station,’ he said calmly, ignoring my assertion.
    ‘How long will I be there for?’ I asked, wiping my eyes with both of my