The sleepy seaside town of Broadchurch was recovering from the traumatic events and shock of the past two weeks. It had been so touching for Beth and Mark Latimer to see so many people lighting beacons of fire in their son's memory. It had been many weeks since young boy and local resident, Danny Latimer had been found dead on the beach. It had looked like and accident until the police started to uncover signs of murder and the investigation had well and truly gotten underway. The place hadn't been the same since either, everyday was dull, the nights freezing cold and tonight was no exception.

A familiar face had returned to the little town and was back in usual routine of being out at three in the morning, walking her dog. Susan Wright was back. After being questioned by the police last week in connection to the murder she had disappeared and the residents thought the creepy women who knew way too much about everyone's business despite having no friends was gone forever. But now that they had caught the killer she felt it safe to return with out being suspected of having any involvement.

As the residents of the town slept all snuggled in their beds, Susan Wright retraced her steps from that night, making her way up and across the cliff top and then down and onto the beach. Her dog at her side pacing along as slowly as she plodded, an almost finished fag in hand as approached the spot upon where Danny's body had been discovered. Stopping she stood still, stared down at the spot and then out across the bay. She dropped the cigarette butt down into the sand and reached into her pocket for another. Pulling one out and placing it between her thin lips she cupped her hands and sparked the lighter. Holding it to the end of the white stick of tobacco she breathed in a drag and held it in her mouth letting it have its calming and relaxing effect on her body. Seconds later she puffed it out, downwards as she stared at the spot in the sand again. It held so many secrets that now would never be told.

Up on the cliff top, unbeknown to Susan below she was being watched. Young Tom Miller had snuck out after his mother had fallen asleep and taken a walk up on the cliff top where he'd been told his friend was last seen alive before supposedly being murdered by his father. He didn't want to believe it but the whole town believed it was true. At first he had stood back at from the cliff edge, freezing cold as the night air whipped through his flimsy little jacket. Pulling up his hood and shoving his frozen hands into his pockets he slowly dared to edge forward. As he got closer to the edge he felt his nerves acting up, it really was a height if he fell. Carefully he leant forward, not getting too close that he might slip and stared down at the beach. He expected to see nothing but an expanse of sand stretching from one end of the beach to the other, but then he saw the flicker of light from Susan's torch and the dog milling around the beach just to one side of her.

He gasped and jumped back feeling unsteady as he did so and terrified that he would fall the wrong way and plunge to his death. The sight of Susan Wright on the beach had scared him enough to make his heart thump away in his chest almost painfully as he ran as fast as his feet could carry him back to Becca Fisher's hotel where he was now staying. Panting heavily as he reached the front door of the hotel he leant against the wall and tried to catch his breath. Confused by what he had just seen he shook his head and tried to shake the thoughts away. Why had that women, who he had to admit had seemed nice but he was wary because she was a stranger been standing in what he was sure was the exact spot his best friend had been found in.

Having calmed down enough to have returned his heart rate and breathing back to normal Tom stepped back into the hotel and passed the unmanned reception desk. He moved briskly to get back to the room before someone caught him awake and out at this hour. Sneaking under the duvet of the other bed he started shaking with fright for no real reason. He screwed his eyes up tight and for the first time since Danny's death had flash backs of the last time they spoke. It hadn't been pleasant and it seemed so much worse now, he was sorry and longed to tell Danny. Eventually he fell asleep but it was somewhat disturbed and he thrashed about in the double bed for at least another hour.

Susan Wright eventually left the beach after half and hour or so. As far as everyone in Broadchurch was concerned she was gone and in the morning the whole town would be shocked to see her hanging around again. She was cool and calm as she sauntered back to her caravan just around the corner of the bay. Tomorrow was another day and she fully intended to get back to normal, as did everyone else in the town.

Morning came and bright light streamed into Ellie Miller's hotel room. It illuminated the little room and seconds later the alarm on her mobile phone started ringing out. Gradually it got louder as she stirred and then realised if she let it carry on she'd have two children awake at the crack of dawn, driving her round the twist in the box of a room she temporarily had to call home whilst her beautiful house was still taped up and off limits as a crime scene. She stumbled over to the desk and quickly silenced the little tune playing. Taking a deep breath and rubbing her own tired eyes she looked at her beautiful children sleeping, little Fred on her bed and Tom cocooned in the duvet on his own bed. What had Joe done to their little family? He was going to be convicted of murder and her children would grow up without a father.

Upset by her latter thought Ellie clasped her hand to her mouth and tried to stop herself from breaking down in tears. She needed some air, time to clear her head and think things through properly. Grabbing her phone from behind her and with tears in her eyes she stepped just outside the door and made a call. As a result of all this she'd lost any friends she had there and so only had one person she could call on. Ringing Lucy she asked her to come over, she knew full well that it was an inconvenience for her sister at this early hour, but she'd just done her a favour and now it was time for her to return it.

Sneaking back inside Ellie quickly got herself dressed and put on her coat ready to leave straight away. She was amazed she'd even managed to get any sleep last night after discovering her husband was a murderer. Suddenly she couldn't breathe, Lucy needed to hurry up and arrive before she drove herself mad at being confined. She soon arrived and all Ellie could say was watch the kids as she pushed passed her out the door as she tried to come in. Her actions were out of character, usually she was so much better at handling situations like this but this time it was personal. It affected her differently. Outside the cold morning air hit her in a most refreshing way. She zipped up her coat and slowly wandered off down the high street in the town centre as she headed for the beach. For her own peace of mind she needed to go down to the beach and properly pay her respects. She had been very fond of Danny and good friends with the family until Joe had decided to destroy it all. She no longer felt welcome in the community, she had been branded untrustworthy and needed to get away as soon as possible. A fresh start for her and the children.

Shoving her hands in her pockets she slowly sauntered to the edge of the beach and hesitated with proceeding any further for just a moment. Taking a deep breath she looked across at the vast expanse of sand, that now looked strange with no police tent, or tape surrounding it. Putting her foot onto the sand she felt it sink down amongst the grains and then with effort proceeded to plod along the beach until she reached the exact spot in which Danny had been found. She stood blankly and looked out across the bay, the water was rough, the morning breeze catching it and causing small waves to lap up on the shore. Shutting her eyes she took a moment to remember Danny.

Detective Inspector Alec Hardy was very much getting ready to disappear the same as his colleague Ellie Miller but this morning something was niggling him to go down to the beach. He wasn't quite sure what it was but he couldn't resist the urge to find out why he felt this. Grabbing his coat he pulled it onto his shoulders in a hurry and suddenly felt dizzy. He held onto the sideboard in the room taking a moment to collect himself with some deep breaths. It perhaps wasn't the best of ideas to go following his intuitions when he had been medically advised to take it easy but he was a stubborn man. Pressing on he headed outside, following the route down the high street taken by Ellie not ten minutes earlier.

As he approached the beach he could see the roughness of the sea and dull grey skies that hovered above. It looked as though it was about to pour with rain, he sighed at the thought. It was such a picturesque little place and would be so much prettier with the sun shining but he feared, given recent events that it would be a long time until it actually shone here again. Scanning the beach he noticed, in the distance a figure stood alone in the middle and just seemed to be staring into space.

Suspicious he slowly crept over in that direction but upon approaching and with closer examination he recognised the figure as Ellie. She hadn't noticed anyone creeping up behind her and he didn't mean to frighten her but he had to make his presence known.

"Alright Miller?" he asked casually.

Ellie jumped, the sudden harshness of his blunt voice and question cutting through the quiet like a knife. Quickly wiping away the tears trickling down her cheeks, she turned to see Alec, knowing full well it was him, after all he was the only one who addressed her as Miller. Nodding she looked at him.

"Why do I get the feeling something is still not right with this case?" she asked him, now respectful of his superior knowledge.

"I don't know Miller, I was thinking the very same myself" he admitted reluctantly. He had really hoped that after convicting Joe Miller of his crimes yesterday that this was all over but something was playing on his mind, a missing puzzle piece he was convinced exsisted.

Looking down into the sand, a confused expression on his face he noted that they stood amongst a littering of fresh cigarette butts. Crouching down he took a closer look. They were the exact same ones that had been found surrounding Danny's body the night he died. Only one person in town smoked that brand and she had reportedly fled town. Was Susan Wright back, and if so was she the clue that would lead them to a darker knowledge of something more that happened that fateful night?

"What is it Sir?" asked Ellie suspiciously as she watched him, bent down closely staring at the beach.

"The cigarettes Miller, were they here when you arrived?" he asked, standing back up and looking at her with an expression of scrutiny.

"I didn't really notice" she said honestly.

"Well...it will depend how long you have been here but these are fresh. Probably left in the last few hours" he stated smugly.

"and...?" asked Ellie, once again confused by his cryptic nature.

"And Miller..." he proceeded. "The brand of these are only smoked by one person in town. They match those that were found beside Danny"

Ellie's eyes widened in shock. Those cigarettes had belonged to Susan Wright, but she was gone so how could they have gotten there this morning and why here she thought.

"That only means one thing, she is back!" he declared.

"You think she has got something to do with it Sir?" asked Ellie innocently.

"I don't know Miller, but we are going to find out" stated Alec pulling a tissue from his pocket and reaching down to grab one of the butts as evidence. He wrapped it up tightly and deposited it back into his pocket as he turned to walk away. Ellie stood still as she tried to get her head around what they had just worked out, could it be that there was really more to Danny's death than they had discovered?

Rolling his eyes as he realised Ellie hadn't yet moved Alec turned and glanced over his shoulder at her. Taking a deep breath he shouted back to her.

"Come on Miller"

He couldn't do this alone, he was going to need her support and co-operation if he was going to convince the Chief Superintendent that this case needed reopening and further investigation.