"Nolan was arrested."
Those were the words that woke me up from my pity party. My insides turned cold, tears clogged up in my eyes.
I jumped off the couch and ran to Mara shaking her. “What do you mean arrested? Tell me!”
“Calm down.”
“I can't calm down, Mara. What happened to him? Is he hurt?” I yelled almost begging. I hadn't seen Nolan since last night when we fought. The thought of him getting arrested was so foreign, confusing and not to mention terrifying. He has a perfectly clean record. Why would he do something to get him arrested?
“No, he is none of that. He was arrested for arson, something about a building on fire.”
“Nolan is innocent. He wouldn't do something like that.” I blurted out. Mara guided me back to the couch setting me down.
“Not everyone thinks so,” she muttered, “A detective is coming to ask you some questions.”
“But why?”
“King Richard ordered an investigation to prove if he is innocent or not. The media knows about it already so there is no covering this one up.”
I sighed and bit my fingernails worried. I stood up pacing around. Nolan, what have you got yourself into?
“Where is he? I want to see him.” I asked Mara still pacing back and forth.
“He is under tight security. No one can visit him.”
“Is he in the palace?”
“No, but a maid in the King's suite told a maid in the Queen's suite who told the cook who told-" she rambled using a finger to tap her jaw.
“Mara!” I yelled legs akimbo.
“The point is he is somewhere inaccessible, okay? Calm down and get ready for the detective.”
It wasn't until later I got the full news that it just wasn't any building but the royal gallery just outside the palace grounds.
Why would Nolan burn that down?
“Good day to you, Your Highness. I'm Detective Blake.” the detective greeted. He sat across from me on the sofa with a pad in hand. A pen hooked itself on his shirt's breast pocket. His casual attire accentuated his lean but built body. He had a calm demeanor, unlike his partner who roamed the parlor.
“That is Ian.” Detective Blake said nodding at his partner. Ian searched the room with his eyes occasionally using his hands to check between objects.
I could only nod looking from the calm and confident detective in front of me to the restless hulk beside me.
“Your Highness.” Ian finally sat and steepled his fingers. He brought out his phone, “Everything said here will be recorded.”
“Hi. I understand why you are here and I just want to say that Nolan is innocent. He must have been framed or something. Why would he put a building on fire?” I spread my arms looking from one man to the other.
“That is what we want to know. From you.” Ian glared making me shrink in my seat.
“For now, he allegedly put the building on fire because his fingerprints were found on the armed objects used.” Blake said smoothly. “We asked the Crown Prince some questions and most of his answers pointed to you."
“What?” My eyes popped. What do they mean by that?
“At exactly, 10:30am this morning, where were you?” Ian asked.
“In my room. I haven't left all day.”
“Doing what?”
I bit in the insides of my mouth and sighed, “Crying. Nolan and I fought last night after the prom. When we first married, we agreed to divorce after he becomes King. I started to like him and then Aubrey gave me an envelope at the Prom.”
“Aubrey?” Blake asked.
“Aubrey Lancaster,” I said and watched as he wrote the name down.
“Continue please.”
“In the envelope were the divorce papers. I asked Nolan about it and he got angry. We exchanged some words and he left. I haven't seen him since.”
“Your phone, please.” Ian stretched out his hand. I eyed him warily before giving it to him. Knowing he wouldn't give an explanation, I turned to Blake.
“His Highness said he sent you a message at 9am to meet him at the Stables at 10:30am but you weren't there.” He explained.
“But I didn't receive any message.” I frowned.
“From his phone, he did send you a message but from yours, there is none.” Ian looked skeptical still scrolling down the screen of my phone, “The last message from His Highness was last night. Did you give your phone to anyone or did you leave it lying around?”
I rubbed my forehead thinking hard, “It was just once. I dropped my phone on my dresser before using the toilet.”
“Was anyone with you?”
“Yeah, one of Genevieve's maid brought me an early graduation gift. I told her to drop it on the dresser before I left for the toilet.”
“Could you describe her?” Blake asked.
I did as they asked waving my hands around trying hard to describe her. “This still doesn't make any sense.”
“His highness thought you were in the fire because you replied you would be there, the royal gallery.”
“I haven't been there in days. Mara, my personal maid, and the guards can vouch for me,” I said, “I promise you I was not there and Nolan did not set the gallery on fire.”
Blake sighed putting the pad away and rub his hands together. Ian got to his feet and questioned some of the guards.
“What we want to understand is why the royal gallery was set on fire and who did it. Thank you for your help. We might come back to ask more questions.”
I nodded and got to my feet as he did and shook hands. I watched them leave the doors and frowned.
I really hope Nolan is okay. I never received any message. If I did, who deleted it and why? Who set the royal gallery on fire and why frame Nolan and I?