Chapter Ten

Ruby sat by Charlie's side, holding her hand carefully and trying to absorb what had happened. Hugo was a monster and had nearly killed her. And Angelo was kicking off about Joey when he really should just be grateful that someone was there to save Charlie's life.

"I can't even believe this," she sighed. "I mean... Hugo? He's Xavier's brother. He..."

Charlie sighed and closed her eyes. For so long, she had defended him to Angelo. She'd tried to believe in him and it had all been fruitless. And now everything was more confusing than ever.

"But Joey saved your life?" Ruby asked.

Charlie nodded.

"I thought it was all some kind of weird, delirious dream or something but she was really there. She was really trying to save me."

She smiled sadly.

"Where is she?"

"I guess she's at the police station," Ruby said. "Watson and Angelo took her away."

"But she didn't do anything wrong!" Charlie insisted desperately. "She'd never be involved in anything like that."

"I know," Ruby said. "Watson knows. She only took her in to appease Angelo."

"I hope she lets her go quickly," Charlie said. "I want to see her."

A smile played on Ruby's lips as she studied Charlie's burnt face.

"You still love her," she replied.

If Charlie blushed it wasn't noticeable with the redness of her poorly skin. She sighed heavily.

"Of course I do," she admitted sadly. "I've always loved her. I fell in love with her the first moment I met her and you know I don't even believe in that kind of thing. But it's true. Joey... well, I think she's pretty much perfect. But that means she's too good for me. I'll always love her but I don't have a chance."

"She dropped everything to save your life," Ruby said. "I'd say you have a chance."

"This is Joey," Charlie pointed out. "She'd drop everything to save the life someone she hated... Well, I guess she did. She saved me."

"Charlie, she really didn't look like she hated you out in the hall," Ruby said, leaning in almost conspiratorially. "She looked like she's as much in love with you as she always was."

Charlie closed her eyes again, not wanting to fall on some kind of false hope.

"Honestly..." Ruby added. "I don't think she hates you."

"I hope not. I mean, I don't know how long she'll be here. But maybe... maybe we could talk or something."

Ruby smiled, not letting go of her mother's hand.

"What about Angelo?" she asked softly.

"I told him Joey had nothing to do with it," Charlie said. "She had nothing to do with Hugo. I told him and he just dragged her off anyway. He hated her the moment he realised who she was. He... I don't want to be with someone who could react like that. He knows he's clutching at straws. I think he's just trying to hurt her. That's not fair."

"What the hell did you think you were doing shooting your gun off like that?" Angelo's boss, Chief Inspector Jacob Davis demanded.

The constable sat on the other side of the desk, clasping his hands together in despair. He had no idea how he was going to get out of this one. And Joey's presence was still playing on his mind. He was desperate for her to be guilty of something. Then perhaps he could keep Charlie onside.

"He was getting away," he said. "I had to do something."

"Well, you're lucky that the guy's been proved to be a ringleader in this whole thing," Jacob replied. "The media have got hold of it already. We're going to spin it into some kind of heroic act. Will this girlfriend... um... Martha...?"

Angelo nodded.

"Will Martha corroborate the story?"

"I don't know," Angelo said. "She was pretty shocked by the whole thing. Although, she didn't seem to hate me. She came with me to try and find Charlie. And she didn't technically see anything."

"That's encouraging."

Angelo nodded, although nothing felt terribly encouraging right now.

"We'll get you out of it," the big boss said. "But don't open your mouth, okay? Don't confess or express guilt, not even to your girlfriend."

"Okay," Angelo managed.

"Now, who's this girl Watson's talking to now?"

"Joey Collins," Angelo said. "She rescued Charlie and it all seems a bit suspicious to me. I'm not one to believe in coincidences. I reckon she's involved."

"Well now that Austin's dead, if she is involved, she can be the face of evil as far as the media's concerned."

"Shall I try and make something stick?" Angelo asked, more than a little hopefully.

"I think you've done enough," his boss said quickly. "I think you need to go home, shower, change, take your girl some flowers and keep your head down."

Angelo nodded and they both stood. Shaking hands, Angelo took one glance towards the interview room and then headed out of the station to follow his Jacob's instructions.

"Can I go?" Joey asked.

She didn't understand what was going on. She barely knew what human trafficking was, let alone how one would get involved. And she had never thought much of Hugo but his involvement in something like that was horrific.

"Just wait here," Watson said, feeling completely out of her depth.

Joey nodded unhappily and watched her leave the room. Outside, Watson found the Chief Constable who had come in especially for this case. She was glad he had finished talking to Angelo. She didn't want Charlie's boyfriend influencing a decision about her ex-girlfriend.

"Anything from the Collins girl?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"I don't think she was involved," she said. "She doesn't have any idea what we're talking about. She hasn't been here. I think she was just in the right place at the right time when it came to saving Charlie."

"What was she out on the water for?" he asked.

"She lives on her boat and she said she was heading here," Watson said. "She wanted to talk to Charlie."

"They know each other?"

"Intimately," Watson said a little awkwardly.

He looked confused for a moment and then realised what she meant. No wonder Angelo had been so desperate to charge her with something.

"You honestly don't think she's involved in this?" he asked.

"I'm positive," Watson said.

"Then I trust your judgement," he said. "Let her go but keep her contact details in case we need her again."

She nodded and headed into the interview room. Jacob sighed and leant on the desk. Having a face of evil sounded like such a good idea but obviously Joey wasn't it.

Showered, shaved and feeling much fresher, Angelo approached the hospital. As Jacob had suggested, he'd bought flowers and now hoped Charlie was alone. She wasn't. Ruby was sitting with her.

"Hey," he said, poking his head around the door and smiling.

"Hi," Charlie said.

He hoped she wasn't smiling because she was so burnt.

"Should I leave you to it?" Ruby asked.

Angelo looked hopeful. Charlie looked unsure. Taking the decision from her, Ruby stood up, kissed her hair goodbye, due to that being the only appropriate part of her that wasn't red raw.

"I'll come back and see you in the morning," Ruby said. "And I'll be all moved back in by the time you come home, okay?"

Charlie smiled widely and then winced from the pain.

"Love you, Charlie," Ruby said as she slipped passed Angelo.

"Love you, Rubes" Charlie replied.

She watched her leave. Angelo came to sit with her and put the flowers on the bedside table.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Sore," Charlie said. "Where's Joey?"

"She was being interviewed when I left," he said.

"I told you she wasn't involved," Charlie said.

"I have to follow every lead, Charlie," Angelo said. "You know that as well as I do."

"You know she's not involved," Charlie told him.

"I don't know that," he said. "I know that you're not impartial though. And that brings me back to my question from earlier. Do you still have feelings for Joey?"