The three officers went back to the station with the information that Alexander had given them, Alex went home to be with her family.

"Right everyone can we have your attention please?" Jack shouted round CID as he walked in with Sam. The Super had gone to give the same information to uniform. "As you all know the victim of the shooting came round last night but refused to give us any details. Well this morning Alex went to the hospital to speak to him, and has persuaded him to give us the information we need; although that doesn't necessarily mean he is going to testify. His name is Alexander Cross and is the nephew of Archie Foster and it was Archie who shot Cara." Jack explained to his team. He went on to tell them exactly what Alexander had told them about the events before and after the shooting, and that he thought someone had been watching them.

"When everyone was making their enquiries, did anyone tell you they saw someone close by looking suspicious or anything that could help us identify whoever was near the docks?" Sam asked.

"Well there was this one gentleman Stuart and I spoke to at number 42 Heatherly Gardens, Mr George Beltham; he seemed really nervous and I thought he was hiding something Gov'." Jo explained to her senior officers.

"What makes you think that then Jo?" Jack asked with curiosity.

"He was very agitated and kept contradicting himself. At first he told us that he hadn't been out all night, but later he let slip that he'd taken his dog for a walk at around 5.30am. He reckoned that he was nowhere near the docks or surrounding area, saying he'd gone along Bellfield Avenue away from the river; but when we looked at the shoes on the front step they were covered in reasonably fresh mud. Now no one has been allowed near the docks since Cara was found so he couldn't have picked it up then, but it was too fresh for it to have happened before." Jo explained as she looked at her notes.

"Right good he might know more than he is letting on. Is it possible he is part of it?" Sam asked.

"I don't think so ma'am, we checked him on crimmint and he's clean. It's possible that he did see Foster shoot Cara but is too scared to say so." Stuart explained.

"Do you think we could get him to come to the station to answer some questions?" Jo asked. "I mean he might feel safer and more comfortable here than at home."

"I think it might be worth a shot, but if he doesn't come willingly there's not a lot we can do. We can't arrest him until we have evidence that he is lying to us. So if you two want to go speak to him after the briefing that would be great but let me know what the outcome is first." Jack said to his two officers before turning his attentions back to the rest of his team. "Finally, Cara's funeral is tomorrow afternoon and Alex and Smithy have said that if any member of the relief wants to go, then they are more than welcome. DI's Nixon and Manson will be there along with me and the Superintendent. There is a collection going to be going round later today to buy a wreath from the station if you want to chip in. Right well that's it for now." Jack added as he ended the briefing.

Jo and Stuart headed straight to Mr Beltham's house, hoping they could persuade him to help them. Stuart turned the car into the narrow road that lead into Heatherly Gardens and drove slowly as they looked at the house numbers.

"36....38....40....42!" Jo said as she looked out of the window, squinting at the house numbers.

Stuart stopped the car before they pulled out their warrant cards and approached the door. Jo rang the doorbell and at once heard the gruff barking of a large dog. Mr Beltham opened the door slightly, but struggled to hold back the dog that was fighting hard against him to ward of the people at his door.

"Can I help you?" The gentleman asked once he'd secured the dog in his living room.

"Hi Sir, I'm DC Masters and this is DS Turner we spoke to you before about the shooting on the river side. We were wondering if you wouldn't mind coming down to the station to help us with a few enquiries." Jo explained politely.

"Why do you want me to come down to the station? I've not done anything wrong." Mr Beltham replied.

"No Sir you haven't done anything wrong; but we believe you may be withholding some important information that we need to discuss with you." Jo said.

The gentleman thought about it for a few seconds before he grabbed his coat from the hook beside him, and followed the two officers to their car.

Once they had arrived at the station, Jo took him into the soft interview room. She made them a cup of tea before she began to question him.

"Ok Mr Beltham, we believe that you saw something on the river side when a young girl was shot dead. We have reason to believe you were there walking your dog around the time of the incident, and we believe that you haven't been completely honest with us. I can't begin to stress to you Sir how important it is that you help us." Jo explained to him.

He looked at her for a few seconds and thought about what it was he was going to say.

"I'm sorry; I wasn't trying to be deliberately difficult. I was scared about what would happen to me if they found out I had seen them and said something to you." Mr Beltham explained cautiously.

"Alright Mr Beltham we understand you were scared, but please help us now. We want to stop these men from doing this to anyone else." Stuart said.

"I took my dog out at the usual time, five o'clock, for his walk. We walked a long Broad Lane, Helmsbury Avenue and then into the waste ground at the back. We then walked through to Woodside Crescent and down on to footpath that runs above the river bank. I didn't see anyone around and everything seemed quite until I heard footsteps running below me; that's when I heard the first gunshot a few meters away from me. I ducked down behind the wall and heard a young girl cry out in pain. She wasn't too far away from me but they couldn't see me because it was dark and higher up, but I could see her and I saw a man approach her and then shoot her in the head. She pleaded for her life you know and he just calmly pulled the trigger. I waited for a few moments and watched as the man walked off out of sight, then two other men approached but I think they saw me and ran off before they got a chance to do anything else." He explained nervously.

"Do you think you could identify any of the men you saw?" Jo asked hopefully.

"I don't think so I'm afraid. It was just beginning to get light so it was still too dark for me to be able to get a clear view of who it was." He replied genuinely looking saddened.

"Would you still be willing to do a video identification?" Stuart pressed.

"Yes of course I will. How is the girl's family? The papers are saying she's the daughter of an officer at this station." He asked.

"Yeah that's right she was, her Mum and Step Dad both work here and we're doing all we can for them." Jo said with a slight smile before heading back up to CID.

As she closed the door again behind her, the DCI approached her looking hopeful that they'd got something.

"Well has he given you anything?" Jack asked quickly.

"He was there at the time of the shooting and saw a man shoot Cara, two other men then approached her but they saw him before they got a chance to do anything further. He doesn't think he can identify any of them though because it was still too dark to make them out clearly." Jo explained.

"Damn it!!" Jack exclaimed. He was clearly beginning to feel the strain of the investigation. "Well we've had some good news of sorts, Fosters car was caught by CCTV driving towards the docks just minutes before Cara was shot. Unfortunately without a positive identification we can't prove anything." He added.

"Well he's agreed to do a video parade anyway just in case he saw more than he thinks."Stuart added.

"Right well once you have the computer set up come and get me, I want to be there when he does it." Jack said before heading off towards custody.

Jo and Stuart headed up to CID to get the laptop sorted with mug shots of various suspects amongst which were photos of Foster and well known associates.

Elsewhere at the seven bells, Alex was organising the food and drinks for the wake. Her family were worried about how much she was taking on with the funeral. She hadn't stopped since the coroners had released Cara's body. She had even started shutting her family out and they all knew that once the funeral was over it was going to hit her hard.

"Do you think we have enough food?" She asked her Mum as Gina came in with Nicola close by her side.

"Yeah I think you've got more than enough." Gina replied cautiously. She had been trying to find the right moment for a few days to tell her daughter to slow down, but realised that there never was going to be a right time. "Sweetheart don't you think you should take it easy for a while? There are plenty of other people to help out here, you should get some rest."

"Rest? I don't need to rest I'm absolutely fine." Alex insisted as she continued to move plates and glasses.

"Alex we're all worried about you. You haven't stopped in the last few days and you look exhausted; Smithy has said that you haven't been sleeping and I don't think you've eaten properly since Cara died. You are going to end up making yourself seriously ill if you carry on." Gina said slightly more firmly than she had intended.

Alex looked at her for a few seconds before replying.

"So what do you suggest I do? Curl up in a corner somewhere and crumble into a heap? I don't do crumbling heaps and public breakdowns, you of all people should know and understand that." Alex replied fiercely.

"That wasn't what I meant and you know it; but you can't expect me to sit back and do nothing as you make yourself ill and run yourself into the ground." Gina replied more softly.

"I'm really sorry I don't mean to be so harsh to you or anyone else, but especially not to you. I know everyone means well but I have never liked getting help or sympathy. I wonder where I get that from." She replied more calmly with a slight smile.

"I have no idea where you get it from, certainly isn't me." Gina also smiled. "Come let's go through and get a sit down and a drink." She added as she led Alex in to the main part of the pub.

Alex sat at a table in a quiet corner and looked around her. The pub was surprisingly quiet for a Tuesday afternoon. Some people were sat around having lunch or a chat. Gina had gone up to the bar to get the three of them a drink and something to eat before returning to her daughters.

"They're gonna bring over some chips for us when they're ready." Gina said as she handed Alex and Nicola a glass of orange juice each.

"I want to say I'm sorry again for the way I've been the last few days. I'm just finding it hard to let go I guess." Alex said as she looked at her glass.

"Nobody is saying you have to let go, but you have to let yourself grieve." Gina explained. "Are you going to say anything tomorrow?"

"I wasn't going to but I think I will now. I also chose a poem, Autumn rain which Smithy is going to read out with Molly. She wanted to say something bless her. What about you? She was really close you and I still think you should say something." Alex said.

"Like you I wasn't going to, but your Dad and I were talking about what he was going to say and decided that we'd quite like to do it together." Gina said sorrowfully. She still couldn't believe Cara had gone.

They sat and talked for a while, comforting each other, before Davey came to join them; Smithy also joined them later on in the afternoon. They stayed together in the pub until closing time and Alex dreaded going home; partly because she knew Cara wouldn't be there to greet her, but also because she knew that the next day was drawing ever closer.

Once they arrived home Smithy went to say goodnight to the kids. His Mum Pauline had been babysitting for them for a few hours. Alex went into the kitchen to stick the kettle on.

"Would you like a drink Pauline?" Alex asked politely but sounding exhausted.

"No thanks Alex, I should be heading home. If you need anything tomorrow, just let me know ok?" Pauline replied as she kissed her daughter-in-law on the cheek before making her way out to the car.

Smithy walked into the kitchen, he also looked exhausted and felt emotionally drained. He walked over to his wife and wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him. Alex looked up at him with a weak smile and placed her hand on his cheek.

"I'm sorry for the way I've been lately, I haven't been very fair to you or my Mum in the last couple of days." Alex said to him.

"It's ok I understand how you feel and I know how you deal with these situations, but Gina was right you know you should take it easier and let us help you." He replied, kissing Alex on the forehead.

"I know, I know; but firing on with everything it's blocking out the pain and helping me to forget that my baby girl is never coming home. I feel like someone has removed one of my limbs." Alex explained quietly as she sobbed.

Smithy held her closer and didn't say anything more but let her sob for a while. He hated seeing her like this, but he realised that she needed to do this in order to move on.

"Come on let's get you to bed. It's going to be a really hard day tomorrow and you need to get all the rest you can." He whispered as he led her out of the kitchen still holding her tightly.

Alex hadn't told David when the funeral was going to be taking place or where. After everything he had put her through she couldn't bear the thought of having him anywhere near her or her family. She still couldn't believe he had put his own life before his daughters', and that thought made Alex feel sick to the pit of her stomach.

At 11 o'clock the next morning Alex was wearing a knee length black dress and cardigan. She had her blonde hair tied up into a short ponytail. She was trying to get the kids ready but they were more interested in running round playing cops and robbers. Alex couldn't help smiling as she watched Smithy grab hold of 22 month old Alexander and tickle him playfully.

"Come on you, we have to get ready because we're going somewhere very important." Alex heard him explain.

She took hold of Molly and helped her get dressed into her favourite pair of dungarees. Alex always thought she looked really sweet and innocent when she wore them, but she knew that Molly always had the habit of climbing things in them or rolling in the mud. Molly was a proper tomboy just like her Mum had always been. Baby Gina was a little bit more girly and liked wearing anything that was pink. Alex loved being a Mum and loved looking after her family, and that was what made losing her child even harder.

By the time 12 o'clock came everyone was ready to leave. Gina, Davey and Nicola arrived shortly after and they made their way out to the cars that were waiting for them. Alex and Smithy sat silently in the back holding tightly on to each other with their four children sat beside them. The cars pulled into the church yard and drove towards the few people who had arrived already.

Alex composed herself before she got out of the car. Smithy helped her out followed by Molly, baby Gina, and the twins Esther and Alexander.

"You alrigh'?" Smithy whispered to her subtly as she looked uncomfortably at the few people already there.

"Yeah I'm ok. I was looking to make sure that David wasn't here." She replied once she was satisfied her ex husband wasn't around.

Gina, Davey, Nicola, Ruth, Heather and Andy joined Alex and Smithy in front of the church as more and more people arrived. A number of people joined them from the station; most of uniform and CID and turned up to pay their respects.

At five to one Alex was preparing herself for the arrival of the hearse, but instead of seeing the black car coming towards her she saw David walking up the church path. Feeling furious she marched up to him ready to punch and hurt him as much as possible.

"What the bloody hell do you think you are doing here?" She shouted.

"I've come to the funeral of my daughter, I have as much right to be here as you Alex." He replied defensively.

"David you have no rights to be here. If it wasn't for you she wouldn't be dead in the first place. You knew who had her all along and you never said anything. I don't want you here; I don't want you anywhere near me so just go." Alex shouted more angrily as she tried to push him.

"No Alex I'm staying." He insisted.

Smithy walked angrily towards David and defended his wife.

"She doesn't want you here now just go." He said.

"David I'm here today to bury my baby girl, who because of you is dead. You've never done anything but cause me pain and hassle and now you won't even let me bury my child in peace. Please David just go before I do something I will regret." Alex said more calmly.

Smithy stared at David for a few moments before Smithy made a step towards him.

"You heard her; now go before I do some serious damage." He said threatening as the hearse drove towards them.

Defeated David walked slowly out of the church yard and back out on to the main road. Alex joined the rest of her family once again as the hearse pulled up. Smithy, Davey, and Alex's brother's Cameron and Andy, took hold of the white coffin and placed it on their shoulders. They all marched slowly into the church, closely followed by Alex, Gina and the children. The other mourners from Cara's school, friends, family, neighbours and anyone else who had the pleasure of knowing her followed the family in to the church and sat quietly down. Cara's coffin was placed at the front along with a wreath of her name and a large photo showing her happy smiley face.

The ceremony started with a few prayers and speeches from a couple of Caras' class mates. Alex sat quietly clinging on to Smithy as she listened to what was being said. The whole situation felt very surreal and she didn't think the day's events would ever truly sink in. When her turn to speak arrived she gingerly went to stand up before she felt a hand on her wrist.

"Would you like me to come with you?" Smithy asked lovingly.

"No thanks, I think I'll be ok." She replied with a weak smile.

She walked steadily towards the coffin and stood at the lectern at the front of the church. She looked round at all the people in front of her and then at her family who were sat on the front row. She saw Smithy give a slight smile and a nod.

"First of all I would like to thank you all for being here today. I never thought I'd live to see this day, never live to see the day when I'd have to bury my own child. Even in my worst nightmares I could never have imagined this. Cara was a great child, and she had her whole life ahead of her." Alex said as she struggled to fight back her tears. "Cara and I had our differences and we had our disagreements but she was still my pride and joy, my life. I will always be really proud of her no matter what and she will always be my little girl. She'd have hated me talking about her like this, she'd have been like oh shut up now Mum; but that was her all over, she hated attention, hated being in the spotlight and was always really modest...." Alex began to break down as she thought about her daughter's personality and started to consider all of the things she would miss.

Smithy stood up and walked over to her, placing his arms around her shoulders he guided her back to her seat where she began to cry uncontrollably. Smithy held on to her tightly as he comforted her, and seeing their Mum so distressed made Alexs' other children upset.

As the service came to an end Smithy staid with Alex and let her Uncle stand in his place as the coffin was taken outside and led towards Caras' final resting place. At the graveside one last prayer was said before her coffin was lowered into the ground. The other mourners gradually left and headed towards the Seven Bells for refreshments.

Alex couldn't bear the thought of leaving the graveside; she didn't want to leave Cara on her own. Gina, Davey and Smithy staid with her as the kids ran round playing with each other. Ruth and Heather walked back towards them when they realised that they had not followed.

"Is everything ok?" Ruth asked Gina quietly.

"Yeah I think everything's ok, it's just Alex needs a little more time. Do you think you could take the children to the pub and we'll meet you there shortly?" She said to them quietly.

"Of course we can no problem at all." Heather replied.

They walked off together with the five children in tow, leaving the other three to comfort Alex. Smithy wrapped his arms round Alex as she stood looking at the grave. No one said anything for a while but stood silently thinking and looking at the freshly made grave. Alex glanced over to the grave beside Cara's and read the words engraved on the gravestone...

James Fraser

Born 30th of June 1993

Died 24th of March 1994

Alex had decided to bury Cara next to her brother Jamie who had died in a car accident when he was nine months old.

"He'd have been 15 by now." Alex commented. "To bury one child is bad enough, but two..." She added before breaking off.

"I know this is really hard for you Alex but you have to let yourself grieve and we're always here for you to talk to." Gina said as she hugged her daughter comfortingly. "Come on let's get you into the warmth." She added.

The four of them walked the short distance to the Seven Bells where everyone sat enjoying the food and a drink. Alex didn't want to be bothered by anyone at the moment, so she quietly went upstairs into one of the bedrooms to rest for a while.