"I don't know what you've done to Jo, but you've really managed to annoy her." DS Turner grinned at the young DC, perching on the edge of her desk.
"I didn't mean to, Sarge." She replied with a shrug. "I was just doing my job."
"Well you managed to get a big-time drug supplier off the streets, so I'm not complaining." He told her with another broad grin.
"Oh… did the market guy get released yet?"
"Just, I think… he tried to leave one of those jewellery boxes for you to say thank you, but Inspector Gold told him it wasn't allowed." Stuart told her with a shrug. "Listen, Hannah, d'you fancy going for a drink? Celebrating your first day and first success at Sun Hill?"
The pretty red-head's face fell slightly and she shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "Oh, sorry, Sarge… I can't."
"Not even a quick one?"
"Sorry."
Never one to give up, Stuart looked at her as though trying to read her expression. "Boyfriend wouldn't like it?"
"It's nothing like that; I don't have a boyfriend… I just can't, sorry."
With a smile she stood up, shrugged on her jacket and headed towards the doors. Hannah's mobile started ringing before she reached them and she answered quickly.
"I'm just leaving now…" She said in a low voice. "I need to go to the shops, so I'll tell you about it when I get home."
"There's something odd about Hannah McKay that I can't put my finger on." Jo muttered, moving to stand next to Stuart as they both watched the young woman heading out of CID with her mobile clamped to her ear. "Anderson knew who she was before she showed her warrant card."
"Maybe she's dealt with him before?" He reasoned.
Jo shrugged. "She told him it wasn't a social call."
"Well she had a point."
"And she had a strange call earlier... it seemed like she didn't want me to hear it."
"Maybe she didn't."
The brunette glared at him. "You're annoying me as much as her now. She's totally unbelievable; wandering in and out of interviews, not telling me about information she's found, not to mention being rude to suspects and witnesses and looking completely disinterested most of the time."
"See, now I think you're over-compensating." Stuart chuckled. "She is very pretty; I wouldn't blame you for having a little crush, Jo. Besides, you might be in with a chance."
For a moment Jo just stared at him, then she narrowed her eyes and jabbed a finger into his chest. "You tried it on with her and she turned you down, didn't she?"
"Not at all. I just asked her out for a friendly drink."
"Whatever you say, Sarge." The woman replied with a grin. "Anyway, she's not my type; she has too high an opinion of herself, if you ask me."
x-x
"I'm home!" Hannah shouted, closing the front door with a bang as she tried to juggle several bulging bags of shopping. With a wince, she put the bags down and rubbed her hands together.
A small boy launched himself at her from the fourth step of the staircase, almost knocking her backwards as he barrelled into her. Hannah laughed and hugged him, only just managing to plant a kiss on the top of his head before he ran off again.
"Max?" She called, peering up the stairs. "Girls?"
A teenage boy appeared on the landing above her, leaning over the banister to look at the woman. "Alright?"
"Give me a hand with the shopping would you, babe?" Hannah requested, carrying one of the bags through to the kitchen. She smirked at the annoyed growl that her little brother aimed at her in response.
"Mum?" A tall, red-headed teenage girl called, poking her head around the doorframe between the kitchen and the room beyond it. "Oh, it is you."
"Of course it's me, Els... who else would it be, idiot?" Hannah grinned.
"No one…" Ellie agreed. "It's not like you have any friends or family except us. And I doubt that's going to change any time soon."
Rolling her eyes, the detective knew better than to take offence. "My daughter the optimist, ladies and gentlemen."
"So? Are you going to tell me about your day? How many nutters did you hunt down?"
"I'll sort dinner first, so go and finish your homework." She commanded, still unpacking the bags that Max had unceremoniously dumped on the kitchen table before disappearing back to his bedroom. "Where are Freya and Molly?"
"Molly's watching In the Night Garden in the living room and Freya's doing an essay."
Hannah nodded, stifling a yawn. "OK, babe, thanks. Did you manage to pick Moll up OK? I did warn Jasmine that you'd be coming, but you know what she's like."
"Yeah, yeah, fine…" The teenager agreed. "And Freya picked up Theo. Mrs Sanderson said to tell you that there's a school trip letter in his book bag that needs to be back by Friday. She said she knows you've got a head like a sieve."
The woman pulled a face at the mention of her son's teacher. Mrs Sanderson had been Hannah's teacher when she was six, the same age as Theo was now, and she still scared her. As the sixteen-year-old left the room, her mother yawned again. She filled the kettle and flipped the switch, waiting impatiently for it to boil and pouring herself a mug of strong black coffee. Realising she didn't have the energy to prepare much for dinner, she put a couple of pizzas in the oven and went in search of Theo's book bag.
"Are we boring you?" Freya demanded across the dinner table, raising an eyebrow as Hannah stifled her fifth yawn in as many minutes.
"Hmmm? Oh, sorry, babe… I'm exhausted; first day and all that."
"Go on then, Hans…" Max prompted, leaning forward interestedly. "What did you do today?"
"Paperwork…" She told him with a shrug. As his face fell, she grinned. "Nah, I'm only joking. The DCI asked me to work on a drugs case, which led to someone being arrested and charged. I don't think the DC I was working with particularly likes me, though."
"Surprise, surprise." Ellie muttered.
Freya sighed. "Hannah you could at least try and make friends at this station."
"Yes, Mum." The woman joked, rolling her eyes. "Since when have you been giving me advice?"
"Since I decided that you need it. You might be my older sister, but sometimes you need telling." The teenager told her. Standing up abruptly, Hannah started clearing the table. As she passed her sister, the blonde reached out and gripped her arm. "Don't get all defensive, Hans. I know it's been hard for you, but me and Ellie aren't kids anymore; we're sixteen."
"I'm not a kid either!" Max added.
"You're thirteen, Max, so you are still a kid."
"I'm only a year younger than you were when you had Ellie." The boy shot back at his sister.
Standing still at the sink with her back to the table, Hannah squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her jaw. She was too tired for this conversation and she definitely didn't want to have it in front of her younger children. Deep down she knew that her brother and sister and older daughter were just thinking of her, but she was so used to be the one looking after them that she felt like she was losing control as the tables started to turn.
Taking a deep breath and fixing a smile on her face, Hannah turned and walked back to the table, scooping Molly out of her high chair and ruffling Theo's hair. "Come on, it's nearly bedtime."
"Hannah…" Freya started, but the woman cut her off, firmly changing the subject.
"You know the deal; whoever finishes their homework first gets control of the remote. So off you go."
A/N: Hello lovelies. Just wanted to say thank you to everyone who read the first chapter! I hope you enjoyed it... care to review? :)
