A slightly shorter chapter this time and a twist in the storyline as IDU needs to be saved!
There seemed to be nothing more anyone could do for the unit as things began to be taken away and it started to be stripped of things other departments could benefit from. Alex argued and fought as best she could but it was in vain as she was denied any second chances. She'd demanded another meeting with AC Wainwright but he'd been too busy to speak with her but she was determined she wouldn't let this happen.
It had been a difficult hot day at school and Molly wasn't happy as she walked home. She just wanted to get away from the stuffy confines of classrooms and into her own space where she could move about freely. Her bag was slung over one shoulder and her tie hung loosely around her neck, the corners of her shirt beginning to come untucked and she carried her blazer and jumper in her arms. The journey home didn't usually take that long and it was safe, so Molly and Alex had thought. She stopped on the corner of a street as she heard raised voices down an alleyway. Sometimes she would use it as a short cut and other times she decided against it. Today she was going to use it but she hung back as she listened to the confrontation.
"Keep your voice down," she heard one man shout.
"Listen we don't have long, I've got that woman Smith out of the picture now we can easily get to Haines without it looking suspicious, she was the only family member he had," the other man said his tone of voice more hushed now.
"Ok once we get in there we get the cash then we're out ok, Danny's getting the fake ID done, should be ready soon," the first man spoke again.
Molly got the feeling this wasn't good. She'd overheard something definitely shouldn't have and she decided now was the time to stop listening and move away. She made to dash quickly across the top of the alleyway but she stumbled on the uneven paving and her bag slipped from her shoulder and landed on the floor attracting the attention of the two men standing less than twenty metres away from her. Her actions had given away the fact she'd heard what they'd said. She tried to gather her things and make a run for it but the man who'd spoken first gave chase and bundled her back into the alleyway.
"Please don't hurt me," she begged as he dug his nails into her shoulders and shoved her up against the wall hardly, she winced as the back of her head hit the wall first and she felt warm liquid trickling down her neck through her hair.
"You didn't hear a thing," the man said firmly, his tone of voice threatening as he stood towering above Molly and she nodded quickly, closing her eyes and turning her head away from him, praying he would leave her alone.
"She's just a kid, leave her," the other man spat and his accomplice gave Molly one final shove before they both retreated down the opposite end of the alleyway as tears slipped down Molly's cheeks.
Her hair was out of place and her uniform even scruffier than it had been before. She wiped her face on the back of her shirt sleeve as the tears continued to spill down her cheeks. Tentatively she reached behind her head and touched the spot where the impact with the wall had caused the bleeding. It didn't seem too bad but she needed to get help. She quickly gathered up her things and wiped her eyes, leaving her nightmare behind as she stepped back out into the street.
She knew the station was closer than home and the people who'd look after her and take care of her were in there. She needed her Mum and Gene now, more than ever before. She sniffled slightly as she entered the main reception, knowing she wouldn't be able to get past the security checks to get to her Mum.
"My name's Molly Drake I need to see my Mum, Alex she works here," Molly said hopefully to the desk sergeant, a friendly looking middle aged woman with light brown curls and pale skin.
"I remember you from the other day, I can take you up if you like?" she offered with a smile, noticing that Molly looked slightly dishevelled and unhappy.
"Thanks," Molly replied, trying to return the smile and failing.
"What's happened to you Molly if you don't mind me asking?" the officer asked as they stood in the lift waiting to arrive at IDU.
"Nothing," Molly said dismissively not wanting to talk about this with a stranger before her mother.
Molly was careful to let the PC exit first, not wanting her to be able to see the injury to the back of her head which was now caked in blood but it seemed to have stopped flowing from the wound.
"Miss Drake," the PC said as the entered IDU, no one was quite sure of Alex's rank yet, whether it was DSI or DI so had resolved to call her Miss or ma'am when appropriate.
Alex had been engrossed in a conversation with Gene and she looked up at the sound of her name to see Molly standing in the doorway looking as if she was about to cry. Alex knew looking smart-ish was important to Molly and her daughter rarely had a hair out of place so she immediately knew something was wrong. Molly was standing there looking a mess and Alex instinctively went out to see her, Gene following close behind. It was only once she was closer that Alex noticed the blood stains on Molly's shirt and then the fact that it was also covering her right hand from where she'd reached up to touch her wound earlier. Alex also noticed nail shaped blood stains on each of Molly's shoulders from where she'd been held still.
"Molly what happened to you?" she said urgently as she ran the rest of the distance to her daughter.
"I banged my head," Molly said and Alex immediately span Molly round to find the cut on the back of her head.
"Oh my god Molls, how did this happen, who did this to you?" Alex asked as she welled up, trying to keep control as she examined the wound.
"I don't know," Molly replied, her voice keeping the same monotone it had since she'd arrived in IDU.
"You need to get that seen to, I'm taking you to hospital, we'll talk more then," Alex said, ushering Molly towards the door and gesturing for Gene to follow with them.
The five minute drive to A&E was filled with questions from Alex and silence from Molly. She thought once her Mum was around she'd be ok but she couldn't tell her, the words never came, she just felt uncomfortable.
Molly was taken off to a cubicle as soon as they arrived, beating the late-afternoon queues as Gene flashed his warrant card at the receptionist. Alex and Gene were waiting patiently outside as a doctor quickly examined Molly before leaving a nurse to clean her head up.
"Miss Drake?" the nurse asked carefully as she stepped out from the cubicle and Alex quickly stood up.
"Is she ok?" Alex asked quickly.
"Molly's fine, she didn't need stitches and I've cleaned the wound up, I've also dealt with the cuts to her shoulders," the nurse explained.
"Thank you," Alex smiled appreciatively.
"Look I know this might be hard but the police are going to want to know what happened to Molly, it looks like she's been attacked quite viciously and she won't tell me what happened," the nurse continued.
"We are the police love, and we're dealing with it," Gene retorted as he flashed his warrant card.
"Oh right, my apologies," the nurse said quickly, noticing Gene looked quite angry already, "we want to keep Molly in a bit longer because of the bang and laceration to the head but she should be able to go home later on tonight, you can see her now if you want to."
"Thanks," Alex said again before leading Gene into the cubicle where Molly was still sitting on the bed, her legs swinging freely over the side, she seemed deep in thought.
She looked up as Alex and Gene entered and she immediately felt a sense of warmth. She knew she was safe now; no one was going to hurt her here, not whilst they were around. Alex sat down on the bed next to her daughter and Molly reached her hand out to Gene, indicating for him to sit on the other side of her.
"I'm going to tell you what happened," Molly started, "but we're doing this my way, I need to do it in my own time."
"It's ok Molls, take as long as you need," Alex reassured her, gently squeezing her hand.
I know I'm mean and I hated hurting Molly but I needed a new case and a direct connection to it that would make Alex want to fight back. The plot should continue next chapter and I'll try squeeze some Galex in as well! Please review and keep reading!
