Hi all! Yet another chapter is upon us…I would have updated quicker but I just had to watch Doctor Who, The End of Time. Goodbye David Tennant! :(
Just to make things clear to make this story work I'm making it so Alex is in hospital. I'm basically ignoring Season 2.
Oh! I would love someone to beta this story for me! If you're interested please PM me xD
Disclaimer: Don't own Ashes to Ashes no matter how much I wish I did. Don't own the song lyrics I used below, they belong to Pink.
'I'm not dead just floating
Underneath the ink of my tattoo
I've tried to hide my scars from you
I'm not scared just changing
Right beyond the cigarette and the devilish smile
You're my crack of sunlight'
I'm Not Dead – Pink
Back at CID, there was a flurry of activity. There were files everywhere, paper was strewn all over the place and it seemed as though everyone was doing something.
"What's going on 'ere?" Gene said, astounded that was actually progress occurring.
"I believe they're working Guv." Alex said, smiling as she sat down at her desk. She was glad everyone was involved with this case. The last thing she wanted was another mutilated teenager turning up.
"Brilliant deduction Sherlock," Gene said sarcastically, taking a couple of steps towards his office. He was still unable to believe that his team was actually working properly without him having to kick them up the backside, "I 'adn't figured that out just yet. I assumed that everyone was 'aving a tea party."
"Ahh now that's your problem right there Guv. To assume is to make an ass out of you and me." Alex teased. Not that she would admit it but she rather like arguing with Gene. Perhaps that's why she did it so much.
"I think you can make an ass out of yourself already wi'out my 'elp DI Drake." Gene retorted. Not that he'd tell anyone but he was enjoying arguing with Alex. Maybe that's why he did it so much.
"Well excuse me…"Alex snapped. Then she stopped. Something wasn't right. This was weird. Everyone had the lights began to sputter. "What the…?!" Alex slowly moved around the room. Everyone was frozen. She waved a hand in front of Gene's face. Nothing. Not even a flicker. Okay…what on earth is happening? Alex was used to creepy clowns jumping out of her wardrobe and people talking to her out of the television; but her entire construct world freezing? What the hell is wrong with me?
The phone on her desk let out a shrill tone and Alex leapt about a meter into the air. Once she had regained her dignity and realise no-one had actually seen her – as they were still frozen – she cautiously walked over to the ringing phone and picked it up. "Hello?" She said tentatively.
"Mum? Can you hear me?"
Alex gripped the phone tighter. "Molly?! Is that you??"
The phone line crackled. "Mum?" The voice on the other end repeated. "Can you hear me?"
"Yes! Yes I can hear you! Molly! I…"
Molly, or rather, Molly's voice interrupted her. "I'm so sorry mum. We don't have a choice."
"I..what? What choice? What do you mean? Molly!"
"The doctor's said you're unresponsive. The bullet went in too deep mum. They said you're brain dead."
Alex nearly dropped the phone in shock. "Brain dead?? What the hell?! Molly! You can't be serious! Get better bloody doctors! I'm not brain dead!" To prove her point Alex jumped up and down. "See?!"
The voice on the other end grew quiet. "Evan's given them his permission to turn off your life support Mum. I'm so sorry. I love you." The phone line went dead. Furious, Alex threw the phone across the room, thankfully not hitting her frozen constructs.
"No! No! No! No! No! I'm not supposed to die! How will I get back? Please! Someone! Don't let me die!" But it was futile and Alex knew it. She was going to be stuck here forever.
Alex closed her eyes and images of Molly flooded through her mind. Her first steps, first day of school and that fateful car ride to school that had started this mess. She savored each one, knowing they would soon fade. I'm stuck here. Fanbloodydabbydozi. She thought bitterly. I'm stuck! Here! And I will never get to see Molly. A fresh wave of tears began to fall from her eyes. God I'm crying. Again. That's all I seem to be doing lately. Another image, of Molly catching the last kiss Alex had blown her, flashed in front of her eyes and stayed there. With a heavy heart Alex knew it would be that last time she ever saw Molly.
When Alex reluctantly opened her eyes she was surprised to find herself lying on the floor below her desk. She was even more surprised to find Gene, Chris, Shaz and Ray crouching around her.
"Oh bloody 'ell! Sleepin' beauty 'ere has woken up!" Gene said, voice dripping with sarcasm as he stood up and held out his hand.
Taking his offered hand Alex sat herself up. "What happened?" She asked, rubbing her forehead, even though she knew exactly what had happened, just not how she got onto the floor.
Seeing that Alex was okay, Shaz stood up too. "You keeled over Ma'am. Feel right off your seat!" She supplied.
"Took a right fall you did boss..er…Ma'am." Chris said, returning to his desk.
"Too many late night and too much…" Ray mimed downing a glass of alcohol.
"Well thanks, all of you, for your touching concern." Alex said, gingerly standing up. She teetered for a few steps, trying to regain her balance and fell over. Alex expected to hit the floor again and braced herself for the ground and the many laughs she was bound to receive, along with comments about her 'too-high high heels.' Instead she felt arms grab her around her waist.
"Christ on a bike Bolls! Stand up or sit down! Make up your bloody mind!" Gene said as he made sure she was stable before he grudgingly let her go. Bloody 'ell she's skinny! What the 'eck does she eat? Air? Gene thought.
Is it weird that I was sorry when he let go? Alex wondered as she sat down at her desk before she could embarrass herself any more. I'm brain dead anyway so what the hell do I care?
"Here you go Ma'am." Shaz was holding out a glass of water out for her. Alex took it and drank it greedily.
"Thanks Shaz," Alex wiped her mouth and cleared her throat. "Now, what's everyone found out? Anything?"
Now it was Gene's turn to clear his throat. Loudly. "A-HEM! Last time I checked Bolly I was in charge. You should go 'ome!"
Alex scoffed. "Yeah because that's going to happen. Anyway, Grace is coming here later and we both need to interview her." She grinned innocently at Gene.
"Fine but if you keel over one more time Dizzy Knickers I'll leave you on the ruddy floor!" Gene turned and flounced into his office with the air of a man who knows he's the boss.
Alex rolled her eyes. "Men!" She leant forward on her desk. "Someone please tell me what's what!"
Shaz placed three files in front of Alex. "We studied your drawing Ma'am." A round of sniggers echoed through the room, "And then we looked through unsolved murders where the victims bared the same injuries. These," Shaz gestured to the three files, "are the only ones we could find. They went back to 1979 Ma'am!"
"Okay thanks Shaz." Alex opened up the first file on her desk. It was for 19 year old Paula Lewis. Staring back at her was a cheery, blonde haired girl. She was smiling a broad smile. The photo tugged on Alex's heart strings. Such a promising life had been cruelly cut short. The next photo was taken by forensics of Paula's body; the day it had been found. She was lying down, legs sprawled out and her hands and been bound behind her back. Thankfully, her eyes were closed but her throat was sliced open and the ends of her blonde hair were soaked in blood. Wincing, Alex put the photo on her desk and opened the next file. The first photo of Jemma McCoy showed a solemn eighteen year old. According to her file Jemma had been a very smart and promising student. Until her body had been discovered. Like Hannah and Paula, Jemma was bound and her throat had been split. But her top had ridden up, revealing a large, gaping wound in her lower abdomen. Alex opened the third file. Erin Thomas was twenty years old. She had been bound and died from a slit throat. She bore the same abdomen wound as Paula but her heart was gouged out, a wound that only her and Hannah had. However these files only gave more questions than answers. Why are some wounds on Hannah not on the other three? Why does Hannah have more wounds than all three? Why do all their wounds differ yet they all died the same way?
"That's strange." Alex stated, closing the Jemma's file.
"What's that Ma'am?" Chris asked, looking vaguely interested.
Alex took the photo of Jemma and placed it next to the photo of Paula. Then she added the photo of Hannah's body that had been delivered earlier that day.
"Look at these photos. There is a distinct pattern emerging here." Alex pointed to the photos. "All three were bound in the same manner and died because their throats were cut. Now as a way of killing goes, slitting someone's throat is actually not very effective. You have to dig the knife deep behind the windpipe. Anyway Paula Lewis died in…" Alex checked her file, "1979. Bound and her throat was slashed. One year later Jemma McCoy was found. Throat slit, bound and her lower abdomen was slashed too. In 1981 Erin Thomas died from a slit throat. She was bound and her lower abdomen was slashed. Her heart was also gouged. And Hannah James. Found yesterday. She was bound; her heart and lower abdomen slashed and her ring finger had been cut off. Her throat had also been slit." Alex looked around the room. "These murders are essentially the same, yet all four victims have different injuries. Now what does this tell us about the murderer?"
Chris took a look at the photos of the four victims on Alex's desk. "That each time he kills he increases in violence?"
There was a shocked silence. "Er…yeah Chris is right." Alex said. Blindingly brilliant moment Chris! Why can't he be like that all the time? She wondered.
"Aww baby." Shaz said proudly, as she gave her boyfriend a kiss.
"Poof." Ray muttered. It was his favourite word when it came to anything to do with Shaz and Chris.
"Anyway," Alex tactfully interrupted as Shaz shot Ray the evils, "I want you to…to…to…" Alex stopped, unable to think of what to say next. Is this me dying in 2008? Am I really brain dead? She shook her head and tried to focus. "To get a list of all the people questioned in connection with all these murders."
There was a murmur of approval. Sighing heavily Alex re-opened the case files and pulled out a notepad. She began to take notes.
Paula Lewis – 6th of July 1979
Jemma McCoy – 6th of July 1980
Erin Thomas – 6th of July 1981
Hannah James – 6th July 1982
"Oh shit!" Alex hurriedly stood up and knocked on Gene's office door. How the hell did I miss this?
"Come in." The gruff voice inside commanded.
"Guv look at this!" Alex shoved her notepad under Gene's nose.
"What the 'eck's this? I can't read your scrappy writing Drake!" Gene squinted at the notes in front of him.
Snatching it back Alex read through her notes. "Paula Lewis died on the 6th of July 1979. Jemma McCoy, the 6th of July 1980. Erin Thomas, the 6th of July 1981. And Hannah James died on the 6th July 1982."
"So yer sayin' this bastard kills once a year on the 6th of July?"
Alex nodded and told Gene about the injuries sustained on Paula, Jemma and Erin in relation to Hannah. She also told him about how the killer was increasing in violence each time he killed. "Chris figured that out." She added.
"Bloody 'ell!" Gene opened his filing cabinet and pulled out a bottle of whiskey. He poured a small amount into a tumbler and downed the amber liquid. Alex didn't know whether it was because of the slow pace the case was moving at or because of Chris working something out.
There was a knock at the door and Chris entered. "Ma'am here's the list of people that were questioned in connection to all three murders. No-one's been questioned about Hannah's murder yet." He handed to list to Alex who scanned the list of names. There weren't many. About five in total.
"So we 'ave no witness to any of these murders?"
"Nobody ever came forward if they did see anything Guv." Chris said, waiting for the list.
Alex handed it back. "And nobody was ever arrested?"
Chris shook his head. "Everyone on the list 'as been questioned but they all 'ad wa'ertigh' alibis." He turned and walked out of the office with the list.
Gene slammed a fist onto his desk. "Dammit!" Then he seemed to perk up. "Although Bolls that Brett may 'ave something to do with these murders, what with him being with Hannah and now Grace."
Alex shook her head. "I don't think it's him Gene. He must have only been about 16 when the first murder was committed and this killer is cold, calculating and very good at covering his tracks."
"Still maybe e's a copycat or something?"
"Guv the best thing we can do is wait for Grace to get here and maybe she can give us something to go on." Alex said soothingly.
"Well I 'ope so Bolls otherwise we might 'ave to wait another year to catch this bastard." Gene tutted.
Remembering her earlier encounter with Molly and her impending fate in 2008, Alex sighed reproachfully. "Well it looks like I've got all the time in this world now Guv."
So this chapter is kind of short. I just wanted to focus on the development of the case and Alex's phone call from Molly, which I did xD
Sorry if you thought Grace's interview would be in this chapter…I can assure you it happens in the next chapter which will be posted in a day or two.
Thanks to all who have stuck with this and especially to those who have reviewed. You are actually amazing!!
-VerdeTerra