Some Things Never Stay Secret

"I don't want to get up," she groaned.

"I'm afraid you have to we've both got work soon," he sighed.

"I should have never left the police to work in a shop," she groaned. "Then I could just come in with you."

"Well I'm sure Innocent would take you back. You could be Lewis's Sergeant with me," he said.

"James you know she'd never go for that," she said.

"Well no one at the station knows about us so it could be possible," he said.

"Barley anyone knows about us," she muttered.

"Yeah well when we first got together you were still working with me at the station and then we broke up. Then you left and then we got back together," said James.

Before she could respond his mobile rang.

"Hathaway," he answered.

She lay there and listened to his conversation.

"Yes sir," he said. "Where sir?" "Yeah I'll be right there."

At this she got up to dress, someone had been murdered and it was time for him to go to work and find out the who's, what's, where's and whys. So it was time for her to go to work also and make sandwiches. To make matters worse it was a Friday, the boss wasn't in on a Friday and it had been a long, long week. The other colleagues just didn't get on with her, they did when the boss was there. She seemed to work ok with the boss there but with too many things going wrong she went in with presumption that something would go wrong and thus with the tension and the nervousness it did – always. She would have to start looking for somewhere else soon she didn't know how much longer she could take it.

"Murder?" she asked.

"Yeah up your way do you want a lift?" he asked.

"Then I'd have to get the bus home," she answered.

"I'll come pick you up at half two," he said.

"Yeah sure," she answered. "I'll have to grab my breakfast from my car though."
"A breakfast bar isn't enough for a breakfast," he said.

"James shut up," she answered.

"Come on lets go," he answered. "I need to get to the scene."

At the scene.

"No Hathaway this morning?" asked Hobson.

"He's on his way," said Lewis. "Sounded like I'd just woke him up."

Minutes later Hathaway was at the scene, after dropping Hannah off at work down the road.

"We need to go down the row of shops," said Lewis.

Hathaway nodded.

It was an hour later when Hathaway got round to Hannah's shop and by that time Lewis had joined him.

"I'm Detective Inspector Lewis, this is DS Hathaway were investing a murder up the road," said Lewis. "I need to know if any of you saw anything on your way into work this morning."

"Where about's?" asked Hannah.

"Up the road car park in Charles Street," said Lewis.

"Well I come past there in the car but I didn't see anything sorry Lewis," said Hannah.

"And in the hours of midnight to four?" asked Lewis.

"Asleep in bed," said Hannah.

"I come up from town. Between midnight and three I was asleep I get up between three and five," said one.

"So do I and I was asleep then," said the other.

"I didn't see anything and I was asleep then," answered the third.

"Thank you," said Lewis.

"Oh um there was a note that links to this place. We can't divulge the information at the moment," said Lewis. "I'll have a ham salad sandwich."

"You James?" asked Hannah.

Everyone, apart from Hathaway and Lewis, looked at her.

"What?" she asked.

"He didn't mention his name," said her colleague.

"I know them," said Hannah.

"I'll have a chicken salad all salad with salad cream," said Hathaway.

"Hannah can we have a word with you?" asked Lewis.

She nodded and walked out the shop with them.

"Hathaway you can deal with this can't you while I go wait for the sandwiches think I'll get two coffees as well," said Lewis, heading back in.

"The note wasn't about me was it?" she asked.

"What no it was just the number to here we think he was a regular customer. He had a menu," said Hathaway.

"Oh," she answered.

"Ok I have to say this you look awful have you drunk anything this morning?" asked Hathaway.

"Not a lot," answered Hannah.

"I'm going to go get a bottle of water for you," said Hathaway.

He headed back inside.

"If its information about customers we're more informed she's only been here a few months," said one person.

"DS Tate is more than capable of insisting in our enquiries," said Hathaway, as he purchased the bottle of water.

"DS?" asked one of the them.

"Detective Sergeant," said Lewis. "We'll need to borrow her for a while she knows how our minds work. I'm sure you won't object while she's assisting in police inquires."

The boss shook her head and Lewis headed out.

Later that morning Hathaway was trawling though paperwork when his phone started to ring. He reached for it but then came across something. So stuffing his phone in pocket he headed out to find Lewis. Not remember the call till half an hour later. When he and Lewis were called into Innocent's office.

"I had a phone call about twenty minutes ago from Detective Sergeant Tate wondering if what I said when she left was true. There'd still be a place here for her if she ever wanted to come back. She's back tomorrow she'll be working with you two until a Detective Sergeant post becomes available we can afford to take her back but there's not really a place for her," explained Innocent.

The pair nodded and headed out.

"Would you excuse me sir I need to go and make a phone call," said Hathaway.

Lewis nodded and headed to there office wondering how they'd fit another desk in it.

Outside with a cig in his mouth Hathaway checked his phone to find a missed call from Hannah. He phoned her back.

"They said I was useless and told me I should think about handing in my notice at that point the boss walked in. So they started talking to her, I went to serve but I was almost crying so I turned around, walked to my bag to get my notice because I've been thinking about it for a couple of months. I handed it, said I'd probably be back to ask more questions and walked out," she said. "Then I phoned Innocent."
"And she gave you your job back and your working with us," said James. "We've just been in her office."

"Yeah you can get me up to speed on the case tonight," she said.

"Where are you now?" he asked.

"Walking home," she answered. "I didn't want to get the bus."

"I'll come pick you up," said James, turning round to head upstairs and clear it with Lewis.

"No I'm walking to you well the station I need to come in and see Innocent get a badge and everything," said Hannah.

"Ok," said James. "Pop in and see us."

"I quit," she said.

"Where abouts are you now?" he asked.

"Just down the road," she said.

"Stop I'll walk and meet you," said James, before he hung up and headed back out the way he had just come.

Hannah stared at her phone he'd hung up on her and was walking to meet her. She started walking again but didn't get very far when she felt an arm stop her. She looked up to see James and all but threw herself into his arms.

"I quit," she whispered.

He nodded and held her. "Come see Innocent and I'll take you home."

"How are you going to explain us turning up at the same time?" she asked, as they walked along.

"I met you outside while I finishing my cig and phone call," said James.

She nodded and they walked into the police station. James dropping her at Innocent's office.

Later into the week.

There had been another murder in the night, but Hannah and James had left there phones downstairs so never heard Lewis's calls. Nor heard him knock on the door. It wasn't until James heard Lewis shouting his name he realized what time it was.

"Hathaway," he shouted.

"How did he get in?" mumbled Hannah.

"I'll go find out before he finds you," said James.

"We left a trail of clothes in the lounge and up the stairs," she said.

"I know I'm hoping that puts him off coming upstairs," said James, as he pulled on some pants and t-shirt before heading downstairs.

"Sir how did you get in?" asked James.

"The spare key you gave me," said Lewis.

"Oh," said James.

"Never took you for a dress guy James," he said.

"Oh yeah um," said James, rubbing his neck. "I have company."

"Oh right I'll see you at the station. There was another murder in the night," said Lewis.

"Well I'll get there as soon as I can," said Hathaway.

"See if you can rouse Hannah on the way. She's not answered her phone either," said Lewis, as he headed out of the house.

Hathaway locked the door after him and headed back upstairs.

"We need to go," he said, sitting next to her.

She groaned into the pillow. "Do we have to?"
"Unfortunately," he muttered, stroking her bare back.

She smirked and rolled over. "A quickie, quickie will make me feel better."
"Defiantly maybe quickie," he answered, hovering over her before lowering his lips to kiss her.

A few hours later.

"Does Hannah have bruises on her neck?" asked Lewis

"Love bites?" asked Innocent. "Hannah."

"Affectionate nibbles," said Hathaway, walking past smiling to himself.

"Reckon he had anything to do with it?" asked Innocent.

"Hannah and James, no we would have noticed," said Lewis. "Though he did have company this morning. Left his phone downstairs and I saw a trial of clothes leading upstairs when I went in with his spare key. Heard him talking to someone he clearly didn't want me to see," said Lewis.

"Be observant and watched them then you'll know," said Innocent.

"What you mean sly glances in the office?" asked Lewis.

"Things like that yeah," said Innocent.

So for weeks, with three different cases, Lewis watched so did Hobson, even Innocent and none saw nothing.

"There watching us again," whispered Hannah, as she and James poured over research.

"I know," answered James.

It wasn't until there were about to catch the killer in the third case that anyone really found out the truth.

They were running, chasing a suspect around a lake. She was running out of breath, she stopped for a second to catch her breath. But then became aware of the pounding of her heart, the dizziness in her head and the unsteadiness in her body as her vision started to blur and then it went black and she toppled over and into the lake.

Hathaway who was meters in front of her heard the splash, turned to see no Hannah and a rippling of water. He sighed, his heart picked up and he turned and ran back. Shedding his jacket, he dived in to pull her out.

"James!" shouted Lewis.

James waded in the lake, his hands waving about under the water as he tried to grasp Hannah's form.

"James what happened?" asked Lewis.

"I don't know one minute she was behind me then there was a splash. I turned round and she wasn't there," answered James, as he pulled Hannah out of the lake.

"She's still breathing," said Lewis, as he heard Hannah's rasping breaths. "Ambulance is on the way."

With in the hour Hannah was in hospital, on a drip – severely dehydration and exhausted but nothing else. However James kept vigil at her beside waiting for her eyes to flutter open.

"I should have noticed," he said, one day as Lewis came in.

"Don't blame yourself James you couldn't have none you see her as much as we do," said Lewis. "Unless there's something you two aren't telling us."

"She lives with me moved in last week but her house up for rent. We've been dating for about two years with a two month gap in the middle," answered James.

"We thought there was something going on," said Lewis.

"We're police officers sir we know how to hide things," answered James.

"So that morning at yours?" asked Lewis.

"Er yeah it was Hannah upstairs," answered James, rubbing the back of his neck.

"James," came a soft voice.

Both men turned their heads to see Hannah's eyes fluttering open.

"I'll go get the doctor," said Lewis, walking out.

"Was that Lewis?" asked Hannah squirting past James.

"Yeah," answered James, pushing her glasses on her face. "He knows. I think he, Hobson and Innocent have been speculating for a couple of months."
"What happened?" asked Hannah.

"You fainted and fell in the lake," answered James. "Dehydrated and exhausted."

"Did he get caught?" yawned Hannah.

"Yeah Lewis got him," answered James.

"Wait they know," said Hannah, sitting up but the sudden movement started her coughing.

"Yeah Lewis told me not to blame myself because I see you as much as they do unless there was something we hadn't told him and I had to tell him," said James.

"Well considering I moved in with you last week and I had to change my address at HR I wouldn't be surprised if it was all over the station," said Hannah.

As James leaned in the doctor bustled in and the moment was forced to wait.

"Well everything looks fine and congratulations," said the doctor, before he left the room.

"Congratulations?" asked Hannah.

Since the doctor was outside talking to Innocent and Lewis he headed and popped his head back around the door. "You're pregnant has no one been to tell you?"
"I've only just woke up," answered Hannah, looking towards James.

"I'll send someone to give you an ultrasound," said the doctor, heading out.

"Pregnant," mumbled Hannah, staring at James.

"Um yeah, "said James, rubbing the back of his neck. "Apparently you're um pregnant about four weeks. I've had a few hours to process the news."

"Pregnant," said Hannah. "Is that ok?"

"Is that ok? Of course it is," answered James, pulling her into his arms.

Within a few minutes he pulled back, leaned in a kissed her before pulling back and leaning his forehead against hers.

"Thank you," he whispered.

The End

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Gabriella Somerfield