Disclaimer: i own all character's apart from
DCI Tom Barnaby
DS Ben Jones
DC Gail Stephens
George Bullard
As Day 4 Started, still no progress had been made, Forensics's where going through the house like a Fine Tooth Comb would through Hair as the had been Suggested that it be best to stay away from the scene. This meant they could search a little more For the Twins Dad and get them to sign there statements from the morning of the event.
"not again" Jones said as he looked at a bunch of flowers on his desk.
"thought you would be happy Jones someones taking an interest to you" his boss said with a smile, knowing he wasn't happy, he couldn't help it he just thought it was funny.
"too much of an interest, they seem desperate" Hailey and harry was sat at Gail's desk laughing at the reaction, they had been sat waiting for Ben to arrive so they could sign their statements, as they watched him chuck his keys to the table, Ben turned when her heard the snickering "morning guys"
"morning Jones" they said both smiling, ben just looked at them with one eyebrow raised before he sat in his chair and leaned back in it, his elbow on his desk whilst his thumb and finger rest in the side of his face as he thought.
"morning guys" Gail said as she walked in and then clocked Ben and the flowers. "O are mystery gift sender is back, i thought this stopped"
"it did for about a month and now" Gail laughed.
"its not funny" he said as gail walked to her desk
"I'm not laughing at your expense trying to think who it it is" Gail said.
"we are" both Harry, Hailey and Mr Barnaby said this, as Ben just focused on Harry and Hailey whilst Gail quickly changed back to what she was saying.
"I'm simply laughing at the fact there really desperate" she looked in her draw "if their sending them to you" harry and Hailey cracked out laughing as Ben looked at her.
"thanks is it pick on ben day today" normally ben would bite back with, well why did you send them? or something that gail couldn't comment back on, but he didn't. Ben was in a bad mood and got up and walked out as gail looked at Barnaby.
"what was that" he asked.
"i don't know, but i think i just pushed a bit too far." Gail said. Not long after ben came back in with coffee some paper files with a set of keys.
"right you two move" ben said you could tell he was in a mood.
"what's the magic word" harry said.
"look i haven't got time to mess around now move" he picked up more files and started walking out, as hailey and harry got up and followed not want to annoy him any more than what he seemed to be. They walked out by some rooms.
"right, Harry first hailey just sit their until i'm done." hailey just nodded and sat down, she waited 6 minuets before harry came out.
"your turn" she stood up and was gonna walk in "oh, don't wind him up" harry said.
"I'm not stupid, i think i want to keep my head thanks." she said as she walked in, ben was just sorting papers out making sure he had the right ones.
"sit" he said as hailey moved towards to sit down.
"like i said to your brother and you the other day, I'm gonna read this back too you any mistakes let me know, then you sign ok" hailey nodded and ben started to read her statement about what she did the morning of her mothers death. He finished it and looked at her.
"all right no mistakes"
"yep right no mistakes" she didn't like the statement cause it brought back the memories.
"ok you need to sign each page and mark your initials were i have made punctuation mistakes." she picked up the pen in her left hand and scooted the paper to the right so she could sign it, when done she placed the pen down.
"can we go now" she said.
"yes you can go back up to the offices, i will be up in a minuet." hailey got up and walked out to harry but instead of stopping just carried on.
"you ok" he asked.
"yes he said we can go back to the offices" she clearly wasn't, they walked back up and Hailey walked back to gail's desk and sat to the right hand side of her whilst she did paper work.
"how did it go"
"all rite" she said just leaning into her arms on the desk.
"have you got some scrap i could draw on" she asked.
"yeh sure here" she handed her some paper and a pencil. Hailey sat a drew for a while and gail noticed her wipe her eyes as she closed her folder and moved them out the way and leaned on her arms facing hailey.
"you sure you ok" she asked as hailey nodded.
"I'm fine"
"positive, cause eyes don't tend to fill up if your fine" she looked at gail and started putting the pencil down.
"come on tell me"
"it's just when ben was reading the statement back with my exact movement i just didn't want to remember" gail just took a breath before she spoke.
"i know its hard but, the more we know the better, plus maybe ben wasn't the right person to read you them cause he will of been in a get it all done mood and not realised it got to you" as she said this ben walked in taking the flowers of his desk and letting them drop in the bin.
"someones paid good money for them" Mr Barnaby said harry was sat next to him, the statements had got to him too as ben looked at his boss.
"why don't you take them home to Mrs Barnaby sir" he said picking out the flowers and passing them over.
"what am i gonna do with flowers any way." he said as he sat back down and got on with his work. Barnaby watched as Hailey got up with Gail and walked into the locker room and decided to get up and followed them in to see what was wrong.
"haven't you got school today" ben asked as he looked up to see harry.
no, its saturday and monday we have a week off." he was annoyed and tried not to show it.
"what's up with Hailey"
"i don't know why don't you ask her" harry was annoyed at bens attitude as he got up and walked out the office, Barnaby had saw him walk out.
"well done Jones, 2 with 1 stone, but you just had to through more." Barnaby walked out to follow harry as ben watched him and then saw gail come out for her drink.
"what's wrong"
"you should know" gail said
"well i don't" ben couldnt help but snap back
"well snap out of the mood and we might tell you" she walked back into the locker room, whilst ben sat at his desk and thought about it and then realised, he leaned forward placing his arms on his desk and head in hands whilst groaning, he got up onto his feet and walked into the locker room to see hailey sat by gail, as he walked over slowly and knelt down in front of them.
"I'm sorry hailey, i forgot what i was reading you and cause i was that annoyed didn't think to see if you was ok" hailey just nodded at him not speaking, as ben felt guilty he looked at gail who he could see was mad as he smiled at her to test the ice.
"don't smile at me Benjamin Jones" ben looked at her she was mad and she used his full name. Not his full name like his mother used, with middle name and all, but Benjamin he hated his full name Benjamin, that's why he's so used to being called ben for short anything but Benjamin, as gail moved her gaze to Hailey ben got the picture and got up and walked back out as he left he heard hailey ask her a question.
"will it be like this when i have to say what Zack did" gail nodded slightly.
"and you will have to tell a judge" she was sat down next to her and hugged her.
"the sooner he is put away, the better" gail just smiled as hailey nodded. Ben was walking out to his desk and saw harry walking back with Mr Barnaby.
"harry you ok mate" ben asked harry just looked at him not even smiling.
"what would you care" he said as he walked over to the locker room.
"harry I'm sorry" ben said this but harry just carried on walking into the locker room. "realised what you've done now" said Mr Barnaby.
"yes i have been an idiot" ben said as he sat down and leaned on the table. Another officer walked in and over to Mr Barnaby.
"sir we managed to find about 6 men Mrs Thomas dated when she was 18 from before the twins were born"
"ok thank you and good work" Barnaby picked up the the folder and took a look ben watched as his face went blank.
"what is it sir"
"your names down in this list"
"what it must be a joke a wind up or another Ben Jones" Barnaby passed the folder over his reaction still shocked as ben just took the folder wanting to see if it was another wind up, but as he read it his face turned to shock as well as he looked at his boss.
"this can't be right i don't even know Lacey Thomas, i think i would remember sleeping with her" ben said as Barnabyshook his head.
"you didn't know her as Lacey Thomas, back then you would of known her as Lacey Davenport."
"but still, one of them other men must be their dad, i can't be the folder must be wrong"
"ben this information of you is down to the tick, your birthday, your age and were you lived back then. It also tell's me your full name Benjamin Thomas Jones."
"that maybe. I might of been with her but i don't think there mine"
"Jones your shocked your not the only one but remember, what did hailey say, all she knew about her dad was that they had his last name" ben just nodded.
"your the only male on this list with the last name Jones." bens head sunk into his arms on his desk, part of him aching hoping this was all a dream, and he just passed out. "that's it a dream i'll be awake possibly on the floor with gail and the twins around me with sir stood by" he thought his eye's closed and he opened them again still looking at the table, as he then pinched him self witch was a bit too hard. It made him regret it and jump slightly as he watched Barnaby pick the phone up and dial a number.
"what you doing"
"settling this once and for all" ben just nodded as he got up and went to the toilet, he went pale at the news he wasn't ready to be a dad and to thirteen year olds, as he rushed to the cubical, all this stress that had started piling up. Making him feel sick until he was. When done he moved out from the toilets and went to get a soft drink he walked back up with a bottle of Oasis. As he saw Mr Bullard and a case waiting by his desk.
"come on the twins have all ready done theirs" he said.
"their what" ben wasn't playing dumb. His mind really did go blank for a second.
"DNA swap like i said the sooner we know the better" the kids were still in the locker room and didnt know it was ben being tested. When they took their swap gail was stood by Barnaby when he showed her bens name and gail too was shocked, but not as much as ben, he gave his swap and sat down trying to remember anything from his teen years.
"Lacey Davenport" he said as he looked at his desk "i cant remember a Lacey Davenport"
"she might of done something too you that you didn't like, that's why you don't remember her" ben shook his head.
"no don't think so, have we got a picture of her back then" barnaby looked at the folder and nodded.
"yes we do" he passed it over as ben looked at the picture. "do you remember her ?"
"yes i do know and i remember what she did wrong."
"what was it ?"
"she was going to have an abortion without telling me" as he was finishing the last word and the tone went down as he realised what he was saying. "holy ... how the hell did i forget that" bens hands now covered his face.
"what happened ?" Barnaby asked
"we had been dating about a year, my mother didn't like her thought she was a bad influence so did my dad after a while. But we were teens and in love. We had been out for her birthday one night when we were drunk and had sex, we still knew what we was doing cause i used a condom. After about 3 month she didn't show no signs apart from getting bigger, i noticed none of these until she told me she said she was pregnant and was gonna have an abortion said she was too young i understood, i was too young, but was angry at her choice told her there's more options than to kill it but she was adamant, she wanted rid that's when we split"
"didn't you tell your parents ?"
"no, they would of killed me. My sister had my nephew Peter when she was 19 going twenty and she mentioned abortion and my mother went nuts about it so i daren't say anything"
"didn't you feel guilty or sad, that she was killing your child ?"
"yes my sister and her husband had decided to have another child and got pregnant same time and as i watched her grow all i could think about was the guilt, thinking a happier family could of taken the baby in" ben still leaned on his table with one arm whilst he rubbed his head with the other.
"now I'm being told i could possibly have two kids"
"well results will be in soon" ben nodded and just waited, the clock turned twelve lunch break and still no news, hailey and harry was now out of the locker room sat with gail.
"right i will see you lot this after noon" Barnaby stood up grabbed his coat and went out, ben sat and looked at his watch before standing himself and turning to face the three sat at the desk.
"do fancy going to the sandwich shop for dinner" he said this and noticed harry's face he still was annoyed at him hailey looked and saw Harry's face before looking at bens she knew he didn't mean to make them remember and like gail said if he hadn't of been in a mood he would of realised then and there rather than when they was in the locker room.
"yeh ill come" hailey said getting up and grabbing her coat, this made harry come and all,
"fine i will too"
"gail you coming" ben asked as gail looked at him trying to decide paperwork or sandwich shop
"I'm buying"
"well in that case" gail smiled as she got up and ben gave a laugh, as they all went down. The shop wasn't far and it was nice out so they walked there. They stood and ordered there sandwiches and ben paid.
"here" gail said handing him some money.
"like i said I'm paying put it away"
"you've paid for sandwiches, I'm gonna get the drinks and some crisps what do you want" ben just smiled he knew if he argued he would lose so gave in, as he held the carry bag.
"i will have, a coke and packet of salt and vinegar please" gail smiled
"hailey what would you like to drink and what flavour crisp's"
"same as ben please"
"ok harry"
"i don't know"
"tell you what, you come with me we shall look at what they got" he nodded and walked in with her, whilst ben and hailey waited for them by the wall, both leaned against it hands in pockets looking down at the floor quite bored, as gail walked out she saw them both stood their and smiled at them in the same pose they both carried whilst waiting, as ben looked up he smiled, whilst standing up straight.
"there done" ben said to hailey as she stood up too, they walked on a bit further to the park to sit down and eat hailey and harry was walking ahead.
"your trying to deny the fact your not there dad and you clearly are" ben was confused.
"what i might not be" he said
"back at the shops when you was both leaning you had the same pose"
"she would of copied me"
"ben it looked too natural to copy you"
"ok i see your point, but can we steer away from this subject, I'm still trying to come to terms with it my self" gail nodded as they walked up to the tables in the park, hailey and harry had already sat down they both reached the table just as harry was testing hailey.
"so if a red man lives in a red house, a green man in a green house and a yellow man in a yellow house, who lives in the White House"
"The president" hailey said as harry's face fell, he was hoping he had caught hailey out but he hadn't, ben just looked confused.
"what are you two doing" he asked now curious.
"he was asking me a question to see how dumb i was"
"that's not nice" ben said looking at harry.
"no its just one of them questions to fool people like what do you put in a toaster"
"toast" gail said without really thinking as harry shock his head.
"no bread goes in a toaster then when cooked its toast" ben laughed and hailey looked at him
"lets see how smart you are, Without using a calculator - You are driving a bus from London to Milford Haven in Wales. In London, 17 people get on the bus. In Reading, six people get off the bus and nine people get on. In Swindon, two people get off and four get on. In Cardiff, 11 people get off and 16 people get on. In Swansea, three people get off and five people get on. In Carmathen, six people get off and three get on. You then arrive at Milford Haven. What was the name of the bus driver?"
"how am i supposed to know you didn't say" hailey smiled st him.
"i did, i said you are driving the bus so his names ben" gail laughed at this as ben passed the sandwiches out.
"dinner" he said as hailey and harry just smiled.
"see not everyone can say they out smarted a police officer" hailey said to harry.
"dinner" ben said he couldn't help but smile and slightly go red. As they finished there dinner and talked hailey and harry decided to go on the swings and mess around for a bit witch left gail and ben just sat Chatting.
"oh ben long time no see" a woman came over and gave him a hug.
"yes" was all he managed to say before being pulled towards her, she had long blond hair her face was all done up with makeup, and she had a dog on a lead as ben looked down it was a tiny jack Russell "you remember sparky" she said.
"yes how can i not forget sparky" he said sorting his shirt collar out, whilst looking at the dog in a slight frown as he yapped at him.
"pathetic little mutt"ben thought as he yapped at him more and all ben could imagine was the likes of gail's dog Joey eating the dog for breakfast.
"so are you still a single man"
"yep have been ever since you left Jessica"
"well who's this pretty young thing" you could hear the sarcasm in her voice, gail didn't like it but just gave a smile.
"this is my colleague and good friend Gail"
"I'm surprised you haven't tried to get of with her already"
"I'm not like that Jess you know that" ben said quite annoyed. Hailey and harry was watching from the swings.
"looks like bens found a date" harry said as he watched.
"how rude of you Benjamin you haven't introduced me properly" Ben cringed at her using his proper name out of all the girls he dated she used his proper name most of the time, that's what started to put him off her. Their was only a couple of people who could get away with calling him Benjamin witch was his mother but she very rarely used it and his Grandma who used it all the time she never really called him Ben.
"Gail this is Jess My Ex" Gail nodded and was forced to shake hand, when Jess outstretched hers and Gail did this with a polite smile, Ben was still looking at the dog that was yapping at him still.
"sparky that's no need to shout at Benjamin like that" she smiled as she turned to Gail.
"some reason sparky never really got along with ben and he didn't seem to get along with him either, so that's when we had to call it off" Ben kept looking back at harry and Hailey just swining on the swings, hoping one of them would realise they was stuck and come to help. They knew they was stuck as Ben looked over to them Hailey waved with a smile that said it all.
"little bugger" Ben said directing it towards hailey but at perfect timing as the little nipper was chewing on his foot and ben could feel one of his teeth as Jess heard this she looked down more scared her dog would choke.
"oh no sparky don't naughty" she said as she picked the dog up just in time as ben had almost lost his patience, what with the day he had so far and felt like kicking the dog were the sun don't shine. This wasn't like ben he didn't like dogs but got along with them, never had he wanted to kick one until now. Jess was just about to start and tell gail about one of the times ben met her parents and it went wrong, when ben realised what conversation was coming up and quickly butted in.
"whoa would you look at the time best be getting back" he stood up and turned.
"Harry,Hailey time to go" he turned to jess.
"its been lovely meeting you again jess, but unfortunately me and gail have to get back" harry and hailey had ran over and hailey had now stood in front of ben as she saw the dog and just looked..
"what sort of dog is that" she asked as jess looked at her.
"it's a Jack Russell and his names sparky" she didn't take too kindly to the comment of hailey not knowing the dogs breed.
"but its tiny Joey would have him for" ben knew were this was heading after not long been thinking the same as he wrapped his hand over her mouth "for a friend yes he would totally" jess wasn't that convinced considering the reaction of ben.
"right best be off bye" ben started walking first letting go of Hailey and moving her with him "you don't necessarily say that to someone like Jess and yes joey would possibly have him for breakfast" hailey smiled as ben said this a long with a small chuckle from them both, they hadn't moved that far away from her yet as gail said bye and took harry up. Ben and hailey waited by the gate for them to catch up.
"she seems interesting Benjamin" gail smiled knowing he doesn't like it.
"you know i don't like Benjamin"
"how come ?" harry asked
"i don't know i like my name Ben but just not Benjamin"
"but Benjamin's a nice name"
"don't push it guys, there's only two people, no three that can get away with calling me Benjamin" "who"
"My mother even though she very rarely does my Grandma who always does and Gail when shes annoyed at me" harry and Hailey looked at gail.
"you call him Benjamin"
"yeah i did earlier, i was waiting for a comment back but i always have if i haven't been impressed with him" Hailey just nodded as they walked on.
"so who was she" harry asked
"that was one of my ex"
"she seemed a bit too full on for you" gail Said
"she always was, never wanted to stay at home when i got back all i wanted was to rest at night and she wanted to go for dinners, that's why we split not cause of her precious dog" they stood by a crossing and it all seemed clear as hailey was going to cross over when a speeding car came racing down.
"watch it" Ben said as he quickly pulled Hailey's shoulder moving her out of the way, just in time. She landed on the floor as ben tried to grab her before she fell, Gail was trying to get the plate of the car.
"you ok ?" ben said kneeling down next to Hailey, as he lifted her head and checked her she gave a slight laugh at Ben's actions before speaking.
"yes I'm fine thanks for pulling me away"
"no problem" he said his heart was going like the clappers "that was so close" he thought as he helped her to her feet and turned to gail.
"did you get anything ?"
"no all i got was the make it was too fast to get the number"
"we will mention at the station" they heard sirens as a cop car came passed.
"they might be going in same direction" ben said they crossed over and walked back to the station ben took them back up to the offices and gail let the patrol officers know, as gail walked back up she sat down and did some paper work as ben sat with harry and Hailey playing Hangman, when Mr Barnaby walked in.
"i heard you had a near encounter this dinner, you ok ?" he asked as Hailey looked and smiled
"yes I'm fine don't know about ben he seemed shook up" she said looking at him.
"i would be too in Ben's shoes"
"Ah Tom just in time results are back" said the man walking in it was Doctor Bullard and he was waving an envelope.
"oh why thank you George" he looked at the two teens just sat looking at him, now even ben took a glance.
"is that from are swob ?" asked Hailey
"yes is it is let me take a look" he said this and started opening the folder, as gail now made her way and stood behind them. Ben had his left hand to his mouth and was going to bite his nails as Gail swatted his arm.
"don't bite them" she said as ben just nodded and moved them under the desk and was just fiddling with them, he was now nervous at what the test would say, half hoping it was a match for Hailey and harry but half not, as he wouldn't know what to do. As Barnaby looked through the papers then he looked up.
"its a match" at these words ben just nodded as gail had her hand on his shoulder he could feel the gentle squeeze.
"well who's the man then? who's are dad?" asked harry.
"they guy who is your farther is Ben" he looked at ben as he said this and hailey and harry just turned to face him.
"hi" ben said as hailey gave a slight laugh "is that all you could think of hi" ben looked at the contagious smile and couldn't help but smile back, he expected dummy's flying out of prams followed by toys and bottles but he wasn't complaining.
"i don't know what to say to be truthful"
"your not the only one are you sure..." harry asked that's the reaction he was waiting for ben thought.
"before he gets all teary eyed and what not" he didn't expect that on the end though as gail smiled.
"cheeky little... I'm not going to start crying" harry just laughed.
"good us men we don't cry" he said as he saluted them.
"well your not a man cause if seen you cry" hailey said
"that's different mum died" he said
"not on about that time you idiot" harry realised.
"but still that's different you would too being punched there" he indicted with a nod down to his privet parts.
"you shouldn't of taught him how to fight"
"sorry for showing my little brother how to stick up for him self"
"hey no arguments you two" ben said
"yes dad" they both said sarcastically as Ben just shook his head with a smile.
"I'm gonna love watching you take care of these two" gail said as ben just looked at her with a raised eyebrow followed by a smile.
Major Shock in this one Poor Ben its been a long day for him so far and it only 1:15 pm
And Who is this Mystery Admire sending ben the gifts?