Linger

He couldn't concentrate on this, not properly, not like he should be.

It was important though, it proved Neil's innocence which is what he had wanted all along, but he hadn't thought that the outcome would be so devastating for Mickey.

Interviewing Liz shouldn't take too long any way, then he could concentrate on other things, it was difficult though, knowing that Mickey was watching and listening to this right now, all the facts that he hadn't been privvy too, all coming out as she confessed to what she'd done and how she'd been involved.

She sounded different now to the times he'd spoken to her before, like she realised what she'd lost and it was a great deal. Not only her career, but possibly the man she imagined her future with. Maybe Mickey would stick by her. Jack believed that she was a good person, she'd lost her way and rather than talk about it, she had tried to sort it out, but it had been the wrong choice, a bad decision. Jack had found a small mercy that she hadn't dragged Mickey into it. Of course, he was involved and his boss would have to make sure that he didn't have an hand in the whole thing, but Jack was confident that they'd find out what he had known all along, that Mickey was innocent.

But that wasn't strictly true.

He had accused him of being the bent officer. He had never been fully convinced, but Phil and Susie were pretty sure the evidence the had was enough to talk to Mickey, confront him and see what he knew.

Really, they pressured him to do it. He should have waited, seen what else came of it but he didn't want anyone to think that it was due to his friendship with Mickey that he was delaying talking to him.

Mickey had been mad, well, he was more hurt at first. Jack could tell that he really didn't think that he was being accused like that, especially by Jack, but he had no choice. He was angry at the pub. Probably been thinking about what Jack had said, really thought it through and realised just how insulted he was by the accusation.

Even though Jack still doubted Mickey when he arrived at the pub, and him being there was pretty damning in itself, the way Mickey told to just get on with it and wasn't worried about hearing the tapes with his DCI made Jack wonder what the truth really was. He was sure that the evidence did point to Mickey being the leak, but it didn't fit right with the way he was acting.

Jack guessed he knew him about as well as anyone out there and this wouldn't have been how Mickey would have handled the situation in his mind, if he'd truly been guilty. It was too late by then to take it all back and tell Mickey he thought it could be someone else, he had to stick with it.

His instincts had told him all along to stick with Neil, that he was innocent and he'd been proved right, but that didn't make it any easier to hear.

The door slammed with force as Michael storms from the room, my experience of working with him tells me he won't go far, I know he just needs a minute to cool off.

Jack Meadows turns to me and I can see the confusion clearly. He asks why Michael responded in the way he did and I explain about his relationship with Liz.

To be honest, I'm very surprised.

I've heard a great deal about Jack from Michael and assumed that he'd have been one of the first to know of his planned marriage to Liz. I put away my own wonders for now as I watch Jack leave and go straight after him and I can see the bond that's there, although not to the degree I had expected from what I'd heard.

Nethertheless, it's still there and Jack's need to see Michael first and have a moment or two of privacy. It's not for me to disturb them from the connection they have, but I still have a job to do, so although I don't follow immediately, I still do follow.

I hear Jack mention Liz and then ask if he knows where she is.

Michaels expression shows the shock he's feeling. I can tell his reeling from what he's discovered and although I had to ask a difficult question, whether he knew about Liz, I can see now that it's clear he had no part in it. I'll stand by him, I know he's a good officer, the same way that Meadows knew Manson wasn't corrupt.

The drive to the church passes surprisingly quick, Michael travelling with me along with Jack, while the other two officers, Hunter and Simm take another car.

I can almost feel the dread that Michael feels having to go into the church, to confront Liz when he cares so deeply for her. I always respected that even though they were involved they could maintain a professional relationship, they never brought any personal problems with them, assuming they had any during their brief affair. Michael goes in first and I allow him that moment, those fleeting seconds where he can imagine that this could have been for real. Jack and I make our way in, Jack stopping short of me to cover another of the aisles. I can see in her face that she knows the games up when I appear and she spots Jack too.

I didn't expect her to run, if I had, I'd have had the other exits blocked, but it seems I really don't know Liz as well as I thought I did. Jack immediately chases her and sends me round the other way, I run past Michael and hope that he follows too, we may need his help as he's a lot speedier than I am.

I was the last to arrive when Liz was finally caught and I can hear Mickey demand to know why she did it. It's the first thing I'd have said too.

She makes things a million times worse for him by telling him she loved him and that he wasn't involved in all this, but she'd so very wrong. Him not knowing the truth just makes it more of a betrayal rather than a act of love.

Jack asks Michael if he wants the arrest, but he declines and I can see his hurt right then for what it really is, raw and unrelenting. He can't hide his pain, it's clear for us all to see and I watch as he walks away from us, to get some distance between him and Liz, even try to work out what exactly has happened.

When we get to the car, Michaels waiting there for me but looking at some far off point. Jack wisely travels back with his officers and Liz. The trip back is very quiet, neither of us speaking. There really is nothing to say.

The interview follows much the same route as the car journey, both myself and Michael listening intently to what Liz has to say. I don't look at him during the interview, he deserves as much privacy as you can get in a room with three other people.

Liz's resolve has been broken by now, she sees what she's done and probably thinking how her future have changed dramatically in a matter of hours. He r voice does nothing to hide the sorrow she feels and her almost desperate plea to see Michael is one last thing he just has to do for her.

"Victor." DCI Bryce looks round to see DCI Jack Meadows walking towards him. "I was wondering if you'd seen Mickey?"

Bryce smiled a little, surprising considering the day he'd had. "How did I know you were going to ask me that?" He'd stopped his forward pace for Jack to catch him and now the man was level he conytinued slowly.

Jack returned the smile."I just want to make sure he's alright."

"I know. Will you join me for a chat first?" Victor asked as he motined to a dark room where they could speak freely.

Jack nodded his head. "Yeah, sure."

Victor flicked the switch, illumenating the room instantly. The room smelt of stale coffee, but it had chairs and a door and that was the main thing. Victor sat heavily on the nearest chair and rubbed a hand over his face tiredly.

"Rough day." Jack commented. He'd have felt the same if it had been Manson guilty at the end of it.

"I've had worse." Victor admitted, watching as Jack nodded his head in agreement. "I have to ask something, Jack. What made you suspect Michael of being corrupt? And why didn't you mention it when I asked you?"

Jack sat down on another of the empty chairs. "We had an OBBO on St. Mary's church. We had surveillance footage of Mickey Webb going there and when Cassidy was killed, Neil Manson found the name of that church by his body. We assumed that whoever was the mole had been meeting with McGowan there. Suffice to say, when Neil and Susie said that Mickey had gone there, I was more than surprised."

"You went on just that?" Victor asked, sounding a little amazed by the statement.

"Well, Mickey's re-apperance didn't help matters. I have to admit that I really couldn't see how it could be him, but I had to follow it up. If I was sure it wasn't Neil and believed him that it was someone in NCS, I couldn't exclude Mickey. I wanted to though."

"Yes, I understand you've been through a lot together." Victor added.

"Maybe too much." Jack said. He had a strange look on his face, distant.

"He'll be OK, you know." Victor said, confidently.

"Oh, I don't doubt that." Jack said, agreeing with Bryce.

"Well then?" Victor pressed.

Jack remained silent, looking down at his lap.

"I'll guess then, shall I? You're worried that he won't forgive you for accusing him."

"Trust means a lot to him." Jack said offhandedly.

"I think you'll find that he's come on along way from when he was a Sun Hill, Jack. Of course it would upset him that you accused him, but he knows it's just you doing your job and I think he'd have less respect if you hadn't said anything, hoping it would go away and the guilty party would just turn up."

"Yeah, but it's not the first set back he's had." Jack continued, not quite ready to let the idea go yet.

"I know he'd gone through a lot, I haven't experienced it first hand like you have, but I still know. And he'll handle this. He'll get through it and he'll move on. And you and he will still be the same."

"You don't understand, he was never like this. His changed." Jack said, frowning a little.

"His moving on. He won't let life pass him by because of a few incidents, but to move on he has to change." Victor stood up and moved over to the door. "Look, I can't reassure you, go and speak to him and put your mind at rest. He's outside, by the river. Just... just let him deal with it his way. He will get over this."

Victor turned the handle and walked away, leaving Jack alone.

He considered things that had happened over the last few days. He was moving outside before he even knew it. He stood and looked at the man for a few few moments, just watched him as he considered his life, his future now it had been altered drastically.

He left their past behind as he decided to join Mickey where he was right now.

Looking to the future and not longer lingering in the past.