This is a one shot fic that derived from live-tweeting S1E2. Before Amy says anything, dialogue is not necessarily in the right order, but it's now 1.10! Apologies if anyone does get upset, but that's good for me. Enjoy! X
It was nearly forty years ago, but the case still resounded in Tom Walter's Mind. Something about it ate him up inside, made him feel physically sick, angry and cold. He told himself that he would not resign until the day the man behind the killing of six year old Veronica Hastings, was behind bars. Tom had to retire early after his drinking became out of control. He wasn't sacked, just given a nudge. When the case was deemed unsolved, Tom turned to the bottle. It helped ease the nightmares and the anger that built up in him during the day. But one drink became another, a bottle turned to two, day in, day out. Tom refused to let the case close and forget about it. But after a few weeks of people politely shutting him down, Tom decided that he would not give up and he would get justice for Veronica somehow, one day. He became obsessed, enthralled by it even. It was the only thing he talked about.
Until a few days previously, no one had spoken to Tom about anything related to the police; after he retired, let alone the Veronica Hastings case; he lost contact with most people. So when Janet Scott turned up at his door, out of the blue, he was a little taken aback. He showed her the boxes of case papers he had with delight, grateful and amazed that someone was willing to re-open the case. However, he was uncertain of whether or not she was serious at first. No one had ever taken him seriously, why would they now? He told the young detective before him to take them, as long as she was serious and would get a result.
Tom slept easier that night, knowing that finally there may be the chance he would be caught. He still saw the little girl's body when he shut his eyes. As Detective Superintendent, he was at the scene before the body had been moved. He stayed with her, holding her hand until she was taken to the mortuary for the post mortem. Every detail lingered in his mind. Seeing a figure of a man just strolling away from the child's cold, sleeping body caused him to wake up screaming night after night. Knowing that one day, one day soon he may be caught, meant Tom had the chance of sleeping a little better.
_X_
Two days passed and Janet had begun to make links between murders, with the help of Rachel, and informed Tom of their progress, who in turn informed Geoff Hastings. She worked from home with Gill's blessing, and between herself at home and colleagues Rachel and Gill in the office; they got dangerously close to the killer. A serial killer that dated back nearly forty years. Rachel had burst into Gill Murray's office revealing her suspicions of who the killer was, whilst Janet made Geoff tea in her own kitchen.
"Its Geoff" Rachel announced.
"What's Geoff?" Janet asked down the phone; Rachel having not realised Geoff was there blurted it out, and Geoff being fully aware of this, grew more tense, knowing he was about to be exposed.
From Rachel's end, the next few seconds were silent but she could hear the tense feeling from the kitchen at the other end of the phone.
"He's got a knife Rach, he's cut me" Janet looked unimpressed and disapprovingly at Geoff as he held her face.
"BOSS" Rachel screamed, running into Gill's office. "He's got a knife, he's cut her"
The next hour flew by, and soon Rachel, Andy and Gill found themselves outside the hospital, waiting for Janet to come out of theatre.
"He was right, he was right all along" Rachel stammered incoherently.
"Who was?" Gill asked, her blood stained hand shakily lifting the cigarette back towards her dry lips.
"Tom Walters" she began. "He knew the killer was still out there. His whole theory...he was right"
"Someone should tell him" Andy chipped in.
"Yes. I will" Gill volunteered, not wanting to go home right now. "Does anyone want a lift?"
"No, thanks, someone's coming for me" Rachel replied, trying to hold herself to stop her body from shaking.
"I'll be fine, could do with the fresh air" Andy sighed painfully.
"Boss" Rachel called as Gill began to walk back towards the car park.
"Good Luck" Andy finished, somehow able to read what Rachel was thinking.
'I am going to bloody well need it' Gill thought aloud.
_X_
Gill knocked on the door with conviction, running a few lines through in her mind before Tom answered. She had no idea what to say, or how to say it.
"DCI Murray?" he questioned rhetorically, standing in the doorway, holding the handle in his hand for support. "Whatever is the matter?" he asked, this time expecting an answer. He had always been good at reading people; it was part of the job. It was an instinct rather than experience; however, a large part of instinct is argued to be experience. But at this moment, a blind person could see the anguish in her eyes.
"Can I come in?" Gill asked, trying to keep her sentences short, as not to give herself time to cry, or give her distress away.
"Of course" Tom smiled a warm and friendly smile and leading into the living room, despite his growing worry. "Please" he gestured towards the settee.
"We've...I just wanted to let you know..." Gill couldn't find the words.
"You've found him haven't you?"
"Yes Mr Walters, we have" Gill answered.
"Who is it?" he asked, unsure of whether he wanted to know or not, but committed to his decision now.
"Geoff Hastings" she said quietly. Tom staggered backwards, Gill not knowing whether it was the drink or the shock, or a combination of the two, but ran towards him and grabbed his arm and lowered him onto the chair.
"That isn't everything is it?" Tom knew there was more.
"He stabbed Janet"
"Oh my God, the poor woman" Tom grew tearful. "Why? How? Is she...is she alright?" he asked, flabbergasted by the news.
"She's in theatre; she's lost a lot of blood"
"Have you got him?"
"We've got twenty dedicated search officers and uniform doing house to house; we will find him" Gill assured, herself more than Tom.
"I want to be there, when you arrest him"
Gill only nodded, fearing any more verbalising would lead to a complete emotional breakdown.
_X_
"Janet" Tom smiled, holding his arms out as he walked towards her as she left the final interview with Geoff Hastings. "I'm so glad you are okay"
"Thank you sir" she replied as she gave him a nervous hug. At that moment a uniform officer guided Tom by the arm to a chair that was ready for him in custody.
"How is he?" Janet asked Gill, knowing her friend would give her the truth.
"This has meant the world to him. He's kicked the drink, for good I think, not touched a drop in months. But he's old and he's frail, and he knows it" Janet looked at the man hobbling towards custody, with worry and guilt in her eyes. She felt guilty for having a family; stupid she knew, but there were times when she didn't appreciate them, and times like this, when you realise how easy it is to lose someone you love, and when you can see how easy it is to end up alone, she realised how much she did love and appreciate her family. She felt guilty on behalf of all the officers over the years that had not believed him when he told them that the killer was still out there. They should have listened. But she decided she would do more for him, to help him. What or how was unclear, but she was.
"Geoff Hastings, you are charged with the murder of Veronica Hastings. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned, something you later rely on in court. Do you understand?" Gill read sternly, meaning every word, more than she ever had before.
Geoff nodded sheepishly. Not regretting what he had done, more regretting that people had found out. But he wanted them to. No one could make sense of Geoff's mind, and MIT had come to the conclusion that he probably couldn't either.
As the custody sergeant took hold of Geoff's handcuffed arms, Tom spoke quietly "Good riddance" and a single tear escaped his eye.
Janet rubbed his arm comfortingly. Forgetting, she asked "drink sir?"
"A large mug of tea would be lovely dear" he replied, having both Janet and Gill worried for a moment that he had relapsed. "Just got something I need to do first" he said before walking toward the exit of the building. The two women were left standing side by side watching the space he had just been in, anxious about what was going to happen.
_X_
Janet made the decision to go after him, and it didn't take her long to find him. Crouched over a small headstone, Tom was hunched over, stray tears wetting his cheeks. Janet walked slowly up to him as not to startle him and rested a hand on his shoulder. He looked up briefly, but his eyes were torn back to where it read
'Veronica Hastings
Fell asleep at 12.02,
Aged 6.
Sleep well angel'
Tom lifted his hand to his mouth and kissed his fingers, and then placed his hand on the gold engraved letters on the headstone. 'Goodnight sweetheart'.
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