"How will your parents feel?" Maxwell asked Jo conversationally. He was sat back on the sofa now the shotgun lying across his knees. She was still huddled at the bottom of the stairs.
"Feel about what?"
"Their daughter being such a tart!"
Despite her fear Jo felt anger. "How dare you!"
"I was here the other night. When you were entertaining PC Plod. Stood out there watching the two of you. I recognised him from when he had the nerve to chase me off."
"I made a wrong assumption about something, I offered him a dinner as an apology. Nothing more, nothing less."
"I don't believe you. How long have you and him been a thing then Jo? Whilst you were with me? I always wondered if there was someone else. Did you meet him whilst you were here all those weekends with ma and pa? Was he the reason you decided to move out here?"
"There wasn't - isn't - anyone else. I left you Maxwell, I ended it, because frankly there were times I hated you, times when you frightened me. And it looks like I was right to feel that way about you doesn't it?" Jo paused. "You would never have allowed me to be myself. You would always have wanted things your way, you to be in control all the time. Well, you can't do that Maxwell. I have the right to a life of my own."
"I offered you everything. You wouldn't have ever needed to work again."
"I enjoy my work. And what you were offering, there was too high a price to pay for it."
They both looked up as they heard a vehicle outside. Maxwell moved quickly to the window. "Well," he said, "would you believe, its PC Plod."
Jo looked at Maxwell in fear. "I'll get rid of him," she said quickly.
"You'll stay right where you are and keep quiet!"
Nick did exactly what Maggie had done, try the cottage door and bang on the windows, called out for Joanna, but with no luck of course. He stepped back from the cottage thoughtfully. Next he went to the car which was the one the garage had lent Jo. It wasn't locked. He searched it quickly, including the boot. Nothing.
He went back to the bike and radio'd in to Ashfordly. Phil Bellamy took the call.
"Phil think we've a problem," Nick said. "Jo Weston came up to her cottage to get some things and she hasn't been seen since although her car's here. The door is locked and the curtains are pulled across. I'm going to break in."
"Want some assistance Nick?"
"Yeah, if there's no sign of her and depending on what I find when I get in there, think we're going to have to start searching Phil."
"Understood. Over."
Jo looked at Maxwell as they heard Nick walking back towards the cottage "He knows something isn't right," she whispered. "He's not going to go away."
Maxwell said to her, "Open the door and let him in."
"No Maxwell."
"Do as you're told or I'll shoot both of you anyway!"
As Nick got to the door he stopped as the door was unlocked and opened slightly. He stared at Joanna standing there. For a brief fleeting moment he wondered if the lads had been right, if she really was slightly unhinged. But then he saw the raw fear on her face and he knew.
"Jo, is Maxwell here?" he asked.
"Open the door properly Joanna," said Maxwell's voice from inside the cottage. "Don't be rude, let our friend in."
Jo tearfully whispered to Nick, "I'm so sorry," as she opened the door wider.
Behind her, from within the cottage, Maxwell raised up his gun and fired. Nick saw him bring his arm up, knew what he was going to do and instinctively dived forward, grabbing for Jo and taking her down with him, shielding her. He gasped as he felt the bullet literally clip him on its way past. He and Jo lay across the doorstep of the cottage, dazedly looking at each other as Maxwell brought down the gun saying, "Well do come in Constable. And Joanna shut the door will you."
Jo whispered, "Nick, you're bleeding."
Nick looked down, he had blood soaking through one of his sleeves. "Its okay," he said, "honestly, its a graze that's all. It just clipped me."
"The pair of you, move!" snapped Maxwell.
Nick shakily got up and stepped into the cottage. "Sit down there," Max snapped indicating the floor by the doorway. Cautiously Nick slid down the wall, sitting on the floor as he was told. He had clamped his hand over his injured arm to try and staunch the blood but he didn't think he was badly hurt. He eyed Maxwell warily as Jo closed and locked the door.
"Put that gun down, Maxwell," Nick said "You're in enough trouble. Put it down."
Maxwell ignored him and sat back down on the sofa, cradling his gun across his knees, saying to Jo,"Go and sit back where you were."
She moved back to the bottom of the stairs, shaking with fear. Nick looked over at her. He saw the livid bruise on her face which he hadn't noticed before as her hair was covering it. "Did he do that?" he asked her.
"Shut up!" Max snarled.
Nick looked back at him. "You do know I've got back up coming don't you?" he said. "We knew Jo was missing, we were worried. We were planning to start searching. So you're going to have to make some decisions here Maxwell because there's going to be a lot of coppers outside very soon. And when they work out what's going on in here, then there'll be armed coppers outside."
"Its not going to change anything," Max whispered.
"What's it not going to change Maxwell?" Nick shook his head. "I thought you loved Joanna. Look at her. You've terrified her."
"She made an idiot of me. She had to learn."
"Well, I think she's learned her lesson all right."
"I know you know"
"What do you know?"
"That you and her - have something going on. I saw you here the other night."
"For dinner. Which Joanna insisted on cooking for me by way of an apology because of a misunderstanding. There's nothing going on Maxwell."
"I don't believe you."
"That's up to you. But its true."
Maxwell looked over at Joanna huddled in her corner of the room. He said, "I didn't want to hurt you Jo. I love you. Is there - any chance for us?"
But the truth was in her eyes and he laughed bitterly. "Just give me one good reason," he said turning his attention back to Nick, "why I should let either of you walk out of here."
Nick said. "For one, as it stands, you'll probably find, if you're paying enough, a doctor who can say you were temporarily insane and find you a nice comfortable clinic to hole up in for a few months which will neatly avoid a prison sentence. But if you use that gun on me, on Joanna, it'll be a different story and you know it."
"Won't face prison if I take myself as well will I?"
"The other reason I would really like you to think about this," Nick said levelly, "is that I've a daughter at home and I'm all she has. She's lost her mum, she doesn't deserve to lose her dad as well. So you see Maxwell, that's her life destroyed, Joanna's parents lives destroyed, your parents too. Its so much more than just us, in this room. You must see that."
"I - I was so angry. When - she threw me over. I know, I know I can lose my temper but I did try Joanna. To keep it in check. But sometimes..." Maxwell looked at her. "Do you hate me?"
"I don't hate you," she whispered. "But I am frightened of you. Pease Maxwell, end this now, for all our sakes. Especially Nick, he has nothing to do with any of this."
Maxwell looked over at Nick. "What do I do?"
Nick said "Empty the shells out of the gun, then slide the gun over to me."
Dazedly Max did as he was told, letting the shells fall to the floor. He then slid the rifle over to Nick who picked it up, checked it and then stood it against the door. Getting to his feet he stepped over to Maxwell who sat on the sofa, all fight gone out of him. He offered no objection as Nick handcuffed and arrested him.
Looking over at Jo, Nick said, "I'll come back to you Jo. Let me deal with him. I won't be a moment. Maxwell, come on."
He led Maxwell outside, As they reached Nick's bike to Nick's relief the Ashfordly station car pulled in. It was being driven by Phil and Sergeant Blaketon was with him.
"Rowan!" Blaketon took in the scene noting that Nick seemed to have been hurt. "What the hell's going on?"
"Maxwell Cartwright Sarge. He was holding Joanna hostage in the cottage. He made her open the door when I knocked, then he fired his gun Sarge. Its clipped me but its a graze, its not serious. Then he held Joanna and I in the cottage at gunpoint. The gun's in the house I've made it safe. I managed to talk him round Sarge."
"And Miss Weston?"
"I need to get back to her, " Nick said. "She's very shaken and he has hit her but I don't think, physically, she's badly hurt. Phil - ?"
"Aye." Phil stepped forward to take Maxwell's arm. "You, in the car."
"Rowan!" Blaketon said sharply. "Do you need an ambulance?"
"No. I'll just go to the hospital myself in a bit. Jo might want a check over though. If we can get a message to the police house, Maggie's there."
"I'll see to that," Blaketon said reaching for the radio to ask Alf back at the station to forward on a message.
Nick went back into the house. Joanna was still huddled by the stairs.
"Hey, come on," he said crouching in front of her. "Its fine now. Honestly. Come on let me help you up"
"Sorry," she said as he helped her onto the sofa. "For going to pieces. I was just so bloody scared and Nick, you're hurt!"
"Jo, honestly its a graze. He knew what he was doing," Nick said ruefully. "He's a good shot, I'll give him that!"
"Its all such a mess. He could have killed us both. And you're right he probably won't even go to prison. . I just wanted to move on, make a fresh start and all its done is cause trouble for everyone."
"How can you blame yourself for all this?" Nick asked gently.
"For once, Constable Rowan's right" Blaketon said from the doorway of the cottage where he had just appeared. He picked up the shotgun by the door examining it then focused his attention back on Joanna. "The only one at fault here as far I can see is that mad beggar we've got in the car. Well," he said with some satisfaction, "it were evidence that were wanted and its evidence we've got Rowan! I don't think Miss Weston you'll have much to worry about from now on!" He looked closely at Nick. "I reckon we should get you patched up lad," he said. "You've gone a bit of a funny colour!"
