Disclaimer I do not own Law and Order UK. This story follows on from my previous two L&O UK stories. It may help if you read those. Sort of an AU series 4 I think! Sorry for the naughty words in this, but given the circumstances I think Ronnie was allowed.
Old Habits?
Matt stared at the computer screen as the CCTV footage played out in front of him again. He had watched it a thousand times but he was certain he had missed something. There had to be a clue in there somewhere. He was certain of it. He hadn't heard Angie and Alesha talking quietly in the corner, he hadn't noticed James and Natalie slip into her office. All he was focused on was the grainy black and white image on the screen in front of him. It was only when Alesha placed the mug of coffee on the table in front of him that he took his eyes from the screen.
"Matt"
"Look Lesh, Ron goes outside there" He pointed to the screen to show Ronnie talking on the mobile phone. "That street light was on"
"But it was off by the time we got out there. Coincidence?" Alesha frowned.
"No" Matt shook his head "I don't believe in them"
"I never liked that alleyway" Alesha stared at the screen as Matt sipped his coffee.
"No neither do I"
"James has asked for all the cases Ronnie worked with Joe to be pulled from archives." Alesha watched as Matt turned to face her.
"They started working together in 97. He didn't start here until, well not until ages after that"
"2002 to be exact, the year before you did" Alesha smiled as he nodded. Everyone knew Matt had been fasttracked on the basis of his success at university and training school. Also the fact that he worked harder than most people Alesha knew had seen him end up as a DS on MIU years before most people would have been considered.
"He was still drinking in those days" Natalie spoke as the couple turned to stare at her. "I've known Ronnie Brooks for longer than I care to remember. And yes, before you jump to his defence he is a bloody good copper. Even when he was drinking he was one of the best. In 1997 he was on his last chance. Sober up or loose everything. He was already on his second divorce, his first wife had run off with a copper from the same nick. His second wife had threatened to stop him seeing the kids. He needed to get out, fresh start. And sober up before he lost Sarah and Lucy and ended up on the transplant list"
"It was that bad?" Alesha looked shocked. They all knew Ronnie had been a drinker but neither of them had known how much of a drinker he was.
"Yes" Natalie folded one arm across herself while pinching the bridge of her nose. "Yes it was that bad. But he beat it. For his girls. He always told me it was for his girls"
"His kids are his life" Matt answered.
"Now, yes" Natalie watched as Alesha glanced back at the screen. "You have to remember this was fourteen years ago. Sarah was six, Lucy was a baby"
"He had good reason to get sober" Matt hated hearing about Ronnie like this. They had always been mates but he knew Ronnie was a nightmare when he was drunk.
"Yeah" Alesha smiled slightly "He was stone cold sober when he left us. He was outside for what? Less than five minutes."
"Yeah, look" Natalie rewound the tape. "He wasn't on his own though. That shadow there" Natalie touched the screen. "Angie!"
"Yes Ma am" Angie looked up from her own work as Natalie stood up. "With me"
"Where are you going?" Matt looked at both women as Angie shrugged.
"To see who that shadow belonged to" Natalie watched as Alesha smiled.
"The other CCTV cameras in the area might have picked up who it was"
"Exactly" Natalie was out the door before her junior officers could argue with her.
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"Oi" Ronnie shouted as the thin man walked away from him. "You ain't just gonna leave me 'ere are yer?"
"That DS Brooks is exactly what I am going to do" The man laughed.
"You reckon we met before. That's why you killed Joe. Because we arrested you didn't we? That is what this is all about"
"Getting warm Officer. Getting warm"
"Four counts of murder? One of assault on a police officer. The CPS are just gonna love you mate" Ronnie narrowed his eyes as the thin man walked back to him.
"You carry on talking and that will change to five counts of murder"
"Humor me, if you are gonna off me anyway" Ronnie was terrified but he was not going to let the man in front of him know that. He had to get back to Liz, to his girls, the others at the nick. He could just picture Natalie screaming at the team and Matt going on a vendetta to make sure the man in front of him was caught and imprisoned.
"Go on then" The thin man smirked.
"1997, you reckon you've been waiting since then for this. I was a drunk in those days. Not something I'm proud of I'll grant yer, but a drunk all the same. Now that may mean I am a little hazy on details but three men were murdered in quick succession in North London. One was a teacher, one was a barman and the other was on the dole. Two gay, one straight" Ronnie watched as the thin man glared at him. "I'm right aren't I Jack? You were my first case when I was at my old nick"
"You messed up. It wasn't me"
"Oh come off it. If you were really innocent of those murders you wouldn't have killed the three men and then some after Joe and me. What did those poor bastards do to you? Sod all, that's what" Ronnie realised he had gone too far as the sharp pain in his head led to the world going black.
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James ran through the CID office as Matt and Alesha were preparing to leave. Alesha shook her head in disbelief, she had never seen James run anywhere. She didn't think it was possible. Matt raised his eyebrows as James waved papers at them.
"Got it"
"Got what?" Alesha took the file from him.
"I know who killed those men. I know who has Ronnie" James waited as Alesha and Matt stared at him open mouthed.
"Who?"
"Patrick 'Jack the Stripper' Jones"
"Who?" Alesha repeated.
"Ronnie and Joe arrested him for the murder of three young men in 1997" James watched as Matt smiled. He picked up his phone as Alesha smiled. It was the first real breakthrough they had got since Ronnie had been taken.
"Get me the last known address for Patrick Jones" Matt spoke to the woman in records as Alesha pulled her coat on.
"The only thing is, if I am right" James cleared his throat as two sets of eyes fell on him. "Jack the Stripper, never kept his victims alive for more than eight hours. The post mortem reports say it all"
"Jack the Stripper?" Alesha glared as she tried to push the thought of Ronnie in danger to the back of her mind.
"Tabloids in the 90s" James rolled his eyes. "He worked in a paint factory, liked to use paint stripper to try to conceal his victim's identity"
"Nice"
"Yeah, thats what I thought" James pulled a face as Matt put his phone back in his pocket.
"We have an address, Angie and the Guv are going to meet us there. You stay here" Matt walked towards the door as Alesha and James turned and followed him.
"We are coming with you"
"Lesh"
"Matt"
"Can we stop waisting time we may not have" James ushered them both out the door. He didn't relish the thought of being there when Matt and Natalie made the arrest but there was no way he was staying behind when he knew Alesha was determined to be there too. Ronnie Brooks was coming home, James just hoped it was in one piece.
A/N Again sorry for the delay in updating. More fluff next time. Please let me know what you think.
