Chapter Three

"Hullo," Alec said softly as Campbell looked at Ellie, Tom and Fred and smiled at the confused look on their faces.

"Hullo, I'm Campbell Bain," he said as he stuck his hand out and Ellie smiled, shaking hands with him.

"I'm Ellie Miller. Wait, did you say Campbell Bain? The only Campbell Bain I've heard of is that hysterically funny disc jockey on BBC Scotland," she said and he grinned.

"That's me!" he said and her eyes widened.

"Your cousin is Campbell Bain?!" she asked and Alec sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Aye, can we come in?" he asked and Campbell stepped back to allow them to come in.

"Who is this little guy?" he asked as he waved at Fred and Fred shyly waved back.

"This is my son, Fred," Ellie said.

"How old is he?"

"He's a little over a year," she said. "And this is my older son, Tom."

"Hi," Campbell said as Tom nodded his head and Campbell closed the door after bringing in the luggage. Marcy came out of the kitchen then stopped short as she looked at Alec and he looked at her, tilting his head to one side.

"Ah, this is my wife, Marcy," Campbell said while walking to her and slid his arm around her waist. "Marcy, this is my cousin, Alec, and his friend, Ellie, and that's her sons, Tom and Fred."

"Hullo," she said as they nodded when Eddie and Emma Rose came in the room and Alec turned, looking at them.

"Now, that is my youngest son, Eddie, and that sweetie pie is my daughter, Emma Rose," Campbell said and Emma Rose waved at Alec. "Kids, this is my cousin, Alec, his friend, Ellie, and her sons, Tom and Fred."

"Blimey, he looks just like you, Daddy," Emma Rose said, nodding her head toward Alec and Campbell lightly laughed.

"Aye, he does. See, his mother is my mother's older sister."

"Ah," Ellie, Emma Rose and Eddie said together when Marcy walked closer and looked at Fred.

"How old is he?" she asked and Fred shyly smiled at her.

"He's a little over a year," Ellie said.

"Well, breakfast is ready. Are you hungry?"

"No, we ate earlier," Ellie said as Alec sighed and rolled his eyes.

"You ate. I just had some dry toast and water," he grumbled while Marcy looked at him and sighed. Campbell had told her about Alec' operation as she nodded and Campbell walked closer, picking the tote bag and placed the strap over his shoulder then picked up the suitcases.

"Well, let me show you where you're sleeping," he said as he headed down the hallway and Marcy felt her heart aching as she watched Alec slowly walking away.

Peter sipped on the coffee while walking down the hallway then placed the insolated paper cup in the trash bin. Robert opened the door as they walked in the morgue and Cassidy was standing near the metal autopsy table. Phillip Charles' body was lying under the white sheet as the stitching made a Y-shape across his chest and stomach and Cassidy smiled, looking at them.

"Well?" Peter asked.

"From the tests I've done, I estimate the T.O.D. was around six to eight o'clock last night."

"Any idea what made those stab wounds?" Robert asked as he looked down at the body and Cassidy removed a small, metal pointer from her pocket and extended the small, metal pointer.

"As you can see, he was stabbed repeatedly with what looks like a long blade and his heart and lungs were cut tae ribbons. But check this out," she said as she moved the sheet back and they looked at Phillip Charles' wrists and the lower half of his body. There were welts and bruises on Phillip Charles' stomach and sides as well as his wrists and the bruises appeared to be the size of a fist. "He was also restrained and tortured. From the looks of the bruising, I would say the last time he was tortured was two hours before his death."

"So someone pounded on him then killed him?" Robert asked.

"Looks like," Cassidy said while Peter looked at the bruises and sighed.

"But why torture him, cut off his fingers then stab him?" he asked, running his fingers through his hair.

"And how did they get him back tae his flat without anyone knowing aboot it?" Robert asked. "The neighbor said that no one heard anything."

"I dinnae ken, but I did find some fibers in his hair and under his fingernails. I sent the fibers down tae the lab," Cassidy said as they nodded and she pushed in the small, metal pointer and placed the small, metal pointer back into her pocket. "Did you find out anything?"

"Aye, it turns out the woman in the photo was Phillip Charles' fiancé," Peter said.

"She's been contacted and hopefully will be at the station when we get back," Robert said and Cassidy nodded.

"Well, here's a copy of the autopsy report and I'll contact you when I find out what those fibers were," she said as she handed Peter a folder and he nodded. Cassidy watched them leave the morgue when she sighed then looked down at the body and blinked her eyes a few times.

The interrogation room door opened as Peter and Robert walked in and Robert closed the door. Sitting at the table was a tall woman with a round face and a small nose. She had hazel eyes, which were red from crying, and her black hair was tied back in a ponytail. She had a slender build and was wearing a blue blouse, jeans and brown boots. Peter remarked how pretty she was as he slid the box of tissues across the table toward her and she silently nodded her head, taking a few tissues.

"You must be Vicki Patterson," he said after he turned on the recorder as he sat down on the chair across from her and she nodded her head. "I'm DI Carlisle and this is my partner, DI Kincaide."

"Have you…have you found out who killed Phillip?" she asked then wiped her eyes with the tissue and Peter sighed, sitting back against the back of the chair.

"No," Robert said as he sat down and placed the folder on the table. "Do you ken anyone who might want tae hurt him?"

"No," she said, shaking her head.

"What did he do?" Peter asked.

"He is, uh, was a construction manager."

"And you're sure he didnae get into rows with anyone at work?"

"No, he and his team are, uh, were like family."

"What is the name of the company he worked for?" Robert asked as he took a pen out of his pocket and moved the notepad on the table toward him.

"He works, um, worked for Blue Star Construction," she said and he nodded his head, writing on the paper.

"And he got along with his bosses?" Peter asked.

"Aye, why do you ask?" she asked with a confused look on her face.

"Well, it appears that he was tortured before he was killed," Peter said and she gasped.

"What?!" she asked as Robert sighed and opened the folder.

"I must warn you. These are pretty intense," Robert said and she nodded her head. He slid the folder across the table as Vicki looked at the photographs then sighed and Peter got up, walking around to the other side of the table. He knelt down on his haunches when he placed his hand on top of her hand and she slowly turned her head to look at him.

"I am so sorry," he said softly then looked at the photographs and Vicki sighed. "Uh, I hate tae ask, but when was the last time you saw him?"

"I havenae seen him in a few days. He was working on this job out of town," she said.

"Would his bosses ken where that job was?" Robert asked.

"Aye, they would."

"Again, I have tae ask, but where were you from six to eight o'clock last night?" Peter asked and saw the confusion in her eyes.

"I was with some friends at a club."

"Which club?"

"It was the Shooting Star," she said and Robert nodding, writing on the paper. "You're nae suggesting I had something tae do with…."

"No, we're just covering all the bases," Peter assured her and she sighed, looking down at her hands.

"We were going tae be married tomorrow," she whispered while Peter looked at Robert and Robert nodded his head. Vicki didn't move while Peter softly rubbed her back and titled his head to one side.

"We will find this arsehole. I promise," Peter said softly as she glance at him and slowly nodded her head.

"You all settled in?" Campbell asked while he leaned on the doorframe and looked at Alec lying on the bed. Campbell noticed how pale and tired he looked as Alec sighed and continued to look at the ceiling.

"As settled as I can get," he said while Campbell softly kicked off the doorframe and walked toward the bed. "Whose room is this?"

"This is my older son, Logan's room."

"Ah, where is he?" Alec asked.

"He's at university."

"What's he studying?"

"He's studying psychiatry and mental illness. Guess having a loony for a father…."

"Campbell," Alec said with anger in his eyes.

"Hey, I ken what I am. I'm nae ashamed of it," Campbell said with a grin.

"And he's coming home for the wedding?"

"Aye, he'll be home in a few days."

"Where's he going tae sleep if I'm in here?"

"He's going tae sleep on the air mattress in Eddie's room."

"I feel like I'm putting you out," Alec sighed and Campbell frowned, folding his arms across his chest.

"No, you're nae putting me out. In fact, I'm glad you're here," he said and Alec saw the seriousness in his eyes. Alec knew that Campbell was manic, but he never saw the depressed side of him and he blinked his eyes a few times. He had also seen the look in other people's eyes when he looked at Ellie or any of the others who came to see him while he was in the hospital and Alec sighed, looking back at the ceiling.

"Just how mad at me are you?" he asked then looked at Campbell and saw the slightly stunned look on his face. "Come off it, Shadow, I ken when you're upset. Talk tae me."

Campbell lightly laughed over him using his childhood nickname as he thought for a few seconds then ran his fingers through his hair. He knew how he felt, but he didn't want to just yell at Alec because Ellie told him that Alec couldn't handle that yet.

"I….," he started then pressed his lips together while Alec waited for him to continue and folded his arms across his chest, glaring at him. They looked deeply into each other's eyes when Campbell saw something just behind his eyes that told him it was ok and took a deep breath, letting it out. "Fine, you want tae ken how mad I am?! I'm furious! You bloody, selfish, insensitive bastard! Do you ken how scared and worried I've been over these last four months?! We're family and I had no clue that you were even sick!"

"Well, tae be honest, you never told me you were sick," Alec said as he reminded Campbell about his brain tumor and Campbell sighed, nodding his head.

"Aye, you're right, but at least I took care of it before it got so bad that I would have died on the bloody operating table. Unlike you! Why didnae you do something sooner?!"

"I was…I…Um…" Alec said then trailed off and sighed. "I was scared."

"You were scared?! What the hell were you scared of?"

"I was scared of losing my job! Do you have any idea how hard I had tae work tae get tae where I am now? I am, or was, a DI and a damn good trouble shooter! Then I mess up one time and end up in some tiny beach town!"

"And you got involved in a murder case that nearly killed you."

"Right and it was my decision tae ignore what was wrong tae get the job done."

"But that's stupid."

"Aye, it might have been, but it was my decision nae anyone else's," he said with a nod of his head. Campbell saw that he was breathing hard as Alec titled his head and gave him a confused look. "What?"

"You're getting upset," he said as he started to get up when Alec clenched his jaw then grabbed tightly onto his wrist and Campbell looked down.

"Aye, I am getting upset. My doctor says it is ok for me tae get upset in short spurts, but Miller won't let me and it's fucking frustrating. I am grateful that she's taking care of me, but I have had it with being babied! True, I liked it at first, but now it's bloody irritating! All this eggshell walking is getting on my bloody nerves! So do me a favor and sit down," Alec growled and Campbell sat down.

"I guess I'm the only one who really understands what's going on in your head right now. I didnae ken what I was going tae do either before or after my operation. I didnae think I could do my job or if I still had one and I nearly convinced myself that I was still going tae die. That's why I was stuck in a wheelchair for months. My brain thought I was still dying and there was no reason tae get better. But it's different with you. YOU knew what was wrong and was ready tae die!" he said and Alec nodded his head.

"Aye, I spent a lot of time thinking aboot it. I thought about all the bad stuff in my life and I was able tae forgive myself for nae being able to fix them. I forgave my parents for all the shite they put me through. I forgave my wife for what she did, but us nae telling our daughter the real reason we got divorced was our choice. I forgave whoever it was who did the killing in Sandbrook. I also forgave myself for nae taking my health more seriously. I was at peace and was ready tae move on."

"And you are moving on."

"What are you on aboot?"

"Ok, you're nae a DI anymore, but there is a way you can still be a cop. You could teach at the police academy or take a desk position or…."

"I am nae becoming a desk jockey," he said, rolling his eyes and Campbell smiled.

"Um, what's that other position? It's when a retired cop comes in and helps out on cases once in a while?"

"You mean….?" Alec asked then thought for a minute and his eyes widened. "Campbell, you're a genius!"

"I am?"

"Aye, I never thought aboot being a police consultant."

"Ah, that's what I was thinking of! You'd be perfect!" Campbell said and smiled. "Now that we figured that out, want tae go for a walk? Ellie said that's what you do this time of day."

"Get my cane," Alec said as he carefully got off the bed and Campbell went to get him his walker cane. They slowly went down the hallway when Alec gently nudged him and Campbell looked at him.

"What?" he asked.

"Race ya," he said and smiled at the stunned look on Campbell's face.

"And people call me loony," Campbell said then rolled his eyes and his laughter echoed behind them as they headed down the hallway.