Since Alec was just barely talking to her and letting her go on about wedding venues, she decided to call it a night.
''You'd best leave with me tonight, you can walk me out then you can go.''
''Fine with me, how is he even putting up with you making wedding plans?''
''Because unlike you, he's actually interested and he's not been married before, unlike you.''
Rose bit her tongue, wishing she hadn't come out with that. ''Sorry, that was low.''
''That's something coming from you. Look, no more talk about weddings and I might actually be seen with you tomorrow and Sunday. Call over for me in the morning, after ten and you can tell me where we're going.''
''Don't you have shopping to do?''
''What for?''
''Groceries and things?''
''I'll manage until Monday, thanks for your concern. Come on and don't kiss me on the way out or I may have to retaliate.''
They said goodnight as Rose was about to go upstairs to her room, risking his wrath and giving him a kiss on his nearly smooth cheek. If anyone were to see him, he would pretend he was just getting some fresh air before retiring for the night, no-one would see him crossing the footbridge back to his chalet.
Rather than have breakfast on her own the next morning, Rose figured she would just go over to the café and wondered if Alec would like to join her. It was almost time for James to be ringing and she was wondering just how to put it to him before it all hit the news headlines he was seen in a Dorset coastal town when supposed to be filming in the Nevada desert.
Rose answered his call. ''Hey, how's things in the desert?'' Rose asked cheerfully.
''Full of sand, what do you expect? Miss me?''
''Yeah, like crazy. You know about the press trying to guess where we'll get married?''
Rose told him briefly of her plan and that she had roped in a local police detective on sick leave to be his double.
''Are you crazy Rose? He's playing along?''
''Only until Monday when the paper prints the interview and don't worry, he hates me, he's only doing it because he's bored on sick leave and he's got a hearing to attend in just over a week. He's just going to be seen in a few places with me, he did an interview with me and on Monday, we tell the local paper we've found somewhere nearby then I can go off and not have them follow me around and they'll leave you alone when you get back.''
''Great but just one thing, how do you explain me going away again?''
''Easy, you came over during a filming break and you have to go back for a few weeks.''
James didn't sound that enthusiastic over it but he was thousands of miles away. ''So it's only until Monday and only for interviews?''
''Yes Jamie, don't worry so much babe. When are you coming home?''
''Well they're running behind now, they had some problems earlier so it's looking like two weeks at least.''
''I thought it was more like ten days at the most?''
Now she was going to be on her own for longer than she had thought. They talked a while longer but before ending the call, James asked more about Alec Hardy.
''He's the one from that murder case last year, right? So what's he like?''
''A disagreeable grump, complains because he has to follow me around to wedding venues all weekend, he's not like you.''
''Glad to hear it, I'll call you tomorrow night.''
The next morning, Rose found her way over to Alec's chalet and knocked on the door. She heard a noise inside and what sounded like 'Who the hell is knocking on my door on a Saturday morning' and saw him pulling a face when he found out it was her.
''I said after ten.''
''It's one minute past, geez grumpy, lighten up some. You want to go get breakfast?''
''You mean with you?''
''Well yeah, that was the idea of being seen together. Have you got any other clothes than your suit? Only James doesn't wear suits all the time.''
''No and it's only until Monday, why would I want to go and buy any more clothes?''
''Ok, forget it, are you ready to go out?''
''I suppose I have to eat but I'm not going to one of those stalls and have the whole town watching me eat my breakfast, we'll go where we went yesterday and don't keep holding on to me all the time, got it?''
''Yes Sir. I suppose it's my turn to pay?''
''You can bet on that.''
After an uncomfortable breakfast, Rose trying to make small talk about wedding plans to keep up with the charade and Alec trying to look like he was answering her, Rose drove them out of town so he could at least relax somewhat and not have some of the residents trying to decide who he was and they ended up across the border into Devon at a small resort, walking along the seafront. Alec needed to sit down, she was pulling him around everywhere and he knew sooner or later he would have to admit there was something wrong with him but surely she had read up about him?
They sat on the wall at the far end of the promenade, Alec turning to her. ''Rose, I have to slow down, I can't keep up with you, don't you know anything about me?''
''Only that you solved that boy's murder last year, why? Oh, wait a minute, you got a reprieve over some other case that went wrong, that's why you said you were looking back into it. Have you changed your mind about letting me help you?''
He was tempted to say yes and what harm would it do? It would get him out of being bored next week before the hearing and give him someone to talk to, not that he was going to go any easier on her, she was engaged.
''Well maybe but there was one other thing though it wasn't widely publicized, there's something wrong with my heart.''
''What? Oh Alec, I'm so sorry, I didn't know. I remember something about you'd been taken ill, is that why you're teaching recruits?''
''Yes, they don't trust me to be on active duty, I collapsed chasing a suspect, two days before I got put on medical leave. Now can we slow down a bit?''
''Yeah, that goes without saying, I'm so sorry but you never let on.''
''I don't go around telling everyone I meet.''
''No wonder you were being so grouchy, that explains a lot but if you're going to pose as James the rest of the weekend, just try not to look it.''
''So I'm not getting let off the hook then? You'd best hope I don't pass out on you then and go easy on me.''
''Right, gotcha, come on then Jamie, let's go have some lunch, my treat.''
She got up and held out her hand, he took it. ''I'm not that bad Rose, I'm supposed to be your boyfriend.''
When they got back to Broadchurch, Rose asked if she could go back to his chalet and look over the Sandbrook files, to which he reluctantly agreed after admitting he would have to go to the local mini-market to get some milk and teabags and Rose getting some coffee. Almost missing dinner, Rose was engrossed in the case files, Alec had managed to get quite a lot of information and Rose had papers all over the coffee table and was considering pinning them to the wall, meaning to check with him first.
Alec was stretched out on the sofa, letting her get on with it as she sat on the floor by his feet.
''Enjoying yourself?''
"What? Oh yeah, heaps. I suppose you're tired of looking through all this but it's given me an idea of what you went through. Seriously Alec, was it this that made you ill? What exactly is wrong with you?''
''Heart arrhythmia, need a pacemaker operation but I'm not expected to survive it, well not unless I go private and have the best heart surgeon money can buy and I'm on sick pay.''
''Alec, haven't you got medical insurance, you being in the police?''
''No and if I had, I doubt it would be covered, I suppose I may have some sort of cover but nothing that will be anywhere near the cost of a pacemaker operation, I'll have to call the health service, the letters are piling up, they never stop reminding me.''
Rose was appalled. ''What if someone were to offer to help?''
Alec sat up, putting his legs down and almost knocking Rose. ''If you're going to suggest you pay for it, you can leave now.''
''You are so awkward Alec Hardy. I offered to make a donation to the newspaper to get me out of being followed around, why don't I make a donation to the local hospital heart unit on the provision they take care of you?''
Alec got up and went to his jacket pocket, getting his pills out and going into the kitchen for some water. Rose began to tidy the files.
''I guess you want me to leave then? Do you want to get something to eat?''
''No, I'm fine, I have food, thanks for looking at the files, I'll turn up for that interview on Monday, go look at your wedding venues tomorrow and I'll back you up then you'll be going back to London or wherever. Don't worry about me.''
''You don't get out of it so easily Alec, I was going to stay.''
''Why, what possible reason have you got to stay?''
''To see you get your operation, to help you solve Sandbrook, need I go on?''
''Why not? You admitted you were just using me for a decoy, now's your chance to do that and not have to put up with me for any longer.''
''Well tough, I'm not leaving. I'll go get some food, can you eat Chinese?''
''Only chicken and rice, do you even know where it is?''
Rose smiled. ''Enlighten me.''
''I'm not going to get rid of you, am I?''
''Nope, so tough, I don't give up that easily so when I get back, we talk about where you were going to go for your operation and we pay them a visit.''
''Do you want to know why I kept putting it off?''
''Yes and I suspect it's because you don't want to admit you need it, you look like you want to dictate when your time's up but do you know something? None of us know when our time is up, I had a friend, before I met James and we thought we had all the time in the world but we got separated, when those Cybermen came along, you just never know. Take a chance Alec, just for once because it may be over sooner than you thought.''
''What happened? Did your friend die?''
''No, he got trapped where the Cybermen went to when they left here, a bunch of us tried to stop them, we got separated and the gateway they opened to cross from here closed before he could get back, he's never coming back. I never even told this to James, it's classified but you're the police, I'm allowed to tell you.''
''We're you close?''
''Yes but I left it too late to tell him, he never knew. Now what's the address of that Chinese?''
Alec found the number using the internet on his phone and Rose was back twenty minutes later, Alec having plates set out on the table by the window.
''You didn't get spotted by the press then? Only I wouldn't want you to get in the papers without me.''
Rose smiled. They finished their meals, it was after eight and Rose decided to call it a night on the case files, at least they were still sort of talking and she didn't want to overstay her welcome.
''So I'll see you tomorrow, I can come over later, yeah?''
''If you must. Bye then.''
Rose gathered her things, wondering if he would actually go for the operation even if she did make a donation to the heart unit. He was a tough cookie.
Rose walked through the gate and was almost at the end of the footbridge, it was getting a bit chilly so she put the hood up on her jacket and glanced over at the pub, seeing bright lights coming from the front car park then suddenly she saw some figures with what looked like cameras – the press had found her. She wondered how, since the interview wasn't supposed to go out until Monday, then she wondered if that reporter had put it out online. She would have to get Alec to find out but what was she going to do? She only had a key for the side door and they would see her.
She turned around and headed back to Alec's chalet and back through the gate. Alec heard it from his bedroom and looked through the wooden window blind. He went to open the door.
''What are you doing back? Can't stay away?''
''The front of the pub is swarming with photographers, there are floodlights out there and I saw someone with a camera, how did they find me Alec?''
''Seriously? Maybe they followed you from the Chinese? Rose, you've been walking around with me, what do you expect?''
''Yeah but how do they know where I'm staying? That reporter didn't even know I was actually staying there.''
''I think I know how. Some of the locals hang around in there, they must have seen us and called one of the daily papers, you'll have to move out. Can't you get in around the back?''
''No, I only have the key for the side entrance and of course I can get in through the front and maybe during the day the back door is open but the landlord knows who I am and he probably knows you weren't booked in and is a bit annoyed though I am paying for a double room. Can I stay here tonight?''