Disclaimer: Orange is the New Black does not belong to me. I am merely borrowing the characters.

"Piper, try to remember that none of the Police Officers here are your friends. If they act friendly it is because they think they have a better chance of getting the information they want from you that way." Larry's dad, Howard, was saying to her. "Now have you got any idea what this might be about?"

"Not my friends? Of course they are not my friends! They want to put me away." Piper was shaking. Howard touched her arm. After a deep breath she continued "I haven't told Larry about this yet. I will though."

"Good. I can't tell him anyway but you are going to have to give him an explanation."

Piper nodded. "Yes, I will have to." pause, deep breath and drying of tears. "It happened ten years ago. I was involved in a relationship with an older women, I think she was then about my age now. Her name was Alex Vause. She was involved in an international drug ring. It was lead by a Nigerian named Alaji." She took a deep breath and looked at Howard. He had his professional game face on and was pretty much unreadable. "My involvement with the ring was minuscule. One time and one time only I carried a suitcase of money by train from Manchester to Brussels."

"OK, That will probably get you three to four years. If it is three years you'll probably only spend - maybe 9 months in prison. You'll probably be electronically tagged for a further 9 months and then 18 months on licence."

"Even so it is a ten year old offence." Piper sounded desperate.

"Which is one of the reasons why I think we may be able to persuade the CPS that it is not in the public interest to prosecute you. One of the other reason is that I think you may be more valuable to them as a witness. But given what you have told me if you wanted to pursue an active defence of a not guilty plea at trial you'd have to appoint another Solicitor and lie to them."

"Thank you!" said Piper, she was grateful in the extreme for the small slither of hope.

"Don't thank me yet. It could still go wrong. Let's prepare a statement to give to the Police." He said.

The spent half an hour preparing Piper's statement.

Howard then rang the bell and unlocked the door to indicate that they had finished.

DC Maltby came into the room.

"Before you interview my client can I have a word with the SIO?" Howard asked.

"I'll see if she is free. But first I am afraid I have to escort Ms Chapman back to the cells." Said DC Maltby.

The SIO is the Senior Investigating Officer, the Police Officer in charge of the investigation.

Piper was then lead down to the custody suite and locked back into her cell. After about half an hour Piper heard the door being unlocked. The Custody Sergeant brought in a ham sandwich and a bottle of water for Piper which she gratefully received. The Custody Sergeant then re-locked the cell door.

After another hour Piper heard the sound of the door being unlocked again.

"Follow me" said the Custody Sergeant.

Piper followed him into a room.

"Because you have been arrested I have to take fingerprints and a DNA sample before we proceed further." he said.

When the sample and fingerprints had been taken Piper asked "What happens if I am not charged with anything?"

"Because you've been lawfully arrested we will keep them on record." He said.

"Can you do that?"

"Yes by Code D of PACE we can keep the information on the Police National Computer."

Then the Custody Sergeant informed Piper that she would now be asked to formally sign the statement she and Howard had prepared before being bailed to return in three months time. She did all this and met Howard by the back exit.

"Would you like a lift home?" he asked.

"Thank you, but I think I'll walk. I want to get clear in my head and think about what I am going to say to Larry."

He nodded. "Don't delay that talk. The longer you delay the more difficult it will get."

They parted ways.

Piper walked the mile or so home in bright mid autumn sun. It was about mid-day. When she got back home Larry was waiting, as was Polly.

"Polly came to see you to give you some good news." he said when he opened the door.

"Oh? Can we sit down somewhere and I have something to tell you." she said.

"Would what you have to say explain this morning? I am assuming mistaken identity." His voice had an edge to it.

"No not mistaken identity. Let's sit down."

"OK. Should we ask Polly to go?"

"No, she may as well hear this too." In truth Piper thought Polly's presence might moderate Larry's reactions.

"OK"

They went into the living room. Polly got up and hugged her. Piper started crying. Polly and Piper had been at Durham together. The had hit it off despite being from completely different backgrounds. Polly was an EastEnder from Stratford. Her dad was doing a ten stretch for armed robbery.

"They let you out on Police Bail then? I was expecting to see you in a fucking sweat box on your way to the mags Monday morning for a session before the beak." Polly asked.

"How did you guess? Yes I am on bail. To return in three months when I will be told whether they are charging me or no." said Piper.

Larry's mouth opened but no sound came out.

"What's it t' do wit' then? Fucking twatty cunt and her dealings?" Piper nodded. Polly rose from her chair. "You'll be needing a cup of roasie for this conflab. I'll go and put the kettle on." Polly was on her way to the kitchen to make some tea.

"Thanks" Piper said weakly.

Piper turned to Larry.

"Who is twatty cunt?" He asked.

Piper took a deep breath. "Her name is Alex Vause, We were lovers before I met you, long before. Anyway she was high up in a drug importing organisation." She paused to check Larry's face. It registered shock. "One time she asked me to carry a load of money, cash, in a suitcase from Manchester to Brussels by train. That was ten years ago."

"How much did you tell my dad? And how much did you tell the Police?" He asked.

"You're a bright boy Larry but that was an idiot question, she told both everything. Or she wouldn't be home yet." said Polly.

"This Alex was a girl?" Larry had registered the 'she'

"Yes." answered Piper.

"OK gonna say this one time. I told you fucking twatty cunt was a wrong 'un." said Polly.

"Yes she was. But I got to go to places, travel." said Piper suddenly feeling the need to defend herself.

"You mean your travel after Durham was paid for by drug money?" said a shocked Larry.

"Larry she don't need blame from you, mi old china. She needs both our support." said Polly.

"No there are things I need to know, I mean are there any dead bodies? Have you killed? This feels like an episode of 'Luther'!" Larry was getting up steam. Piper burst into tears.

"Now look what you've done!" said Polly as she hugged Piper close.

Larry couldn't help wondering if Polly was just a friend...