Eye Opener

Part 14

Despite having little or no sleep Paddy had gone home, to a working day, a day when his first job would be to tell Rob to sling his hook, to find himself another placement. That left the two of them waiting for the doctor to discharge Jackson. He was eager to get back to Emmerdale, he had work waiting for him too. Aaron though wasn't happy at the fact he planned on working today.

"I'm alright, there's no reason why I can't put in a full days graft!"

"You just spent the night in hospital." That was reason enough in his eyes.

"And all I did was sleep! Which is more than what you and Paddy did, I'd say I'm in better shape than what you two are."

As Aaron had opened his mouth to argue the point a knock had come on the door and a uniformed policeman had entered the room. He had some news for them, news Jackson had accepted quietly, news Aaron had erupted angrily to.

On questioned by the police Rob had denied any involvement in drugging Jackson. Neither of them had expected him to admit to it but both had been expecting the police to take the matter further. Instead the officer had explained to them why they wouldn't be. The fact was there was no tangible evidence tying Rob to the crime, there were no witnesses, and it was all compounded by the fact Jackson had no memory of events. But Rob did, and according to the police officer he had a believable account of the night before.

Aaron had brooded over the latest development and Jackson had tried to reason with him.

"Aaron, we're just going to have to let it drop, I'm going to have to put it down as a lesson learned the hard way. We have to forget about Rob now, he'll probably be gone by the time we get home so..."

"Let him get away with it? No! If the police aren't going to do anything then..."

"No!" No way was Aaron going to dole out his own form of justice. "No you're not taking the matter into your own hands! Remember what happened the last time you did that? Remember what happened to Clyde?"

That had stung and had had him stop and rethink, just the effect Jackson had wanted the remark to have on him.

"That hurt I know but if you go after Rob you'll be the one that ends up in trouble and I don't want that, Aaron he's just not worth it."

No he wasn't but he hated the fact Rob was going to get away with what he'd done to Jackson.

Just as soon as the doctor had given the word they had left the hospital, getting a taxi home. The first thing Aaron did on reaching the village was to check if Rob's car was still there, it was! It was parked outside of Andy's place.

"He'll be getting his stuff together..."

"He's had plenty of time to do that! Paddy was going to give him his marching orders as soon as he got back."

They'd been stood by the Smithy's front door talking when Paddy had walked out of his surgery. The older man look flustered, and had quickly steered them inside, into the kitchen, where he pinned Aaron with a troubled gaze,

"You're not to go doing anything stupid..."

"What?"

"I don't want you over reacting, doing something you'll regret."

"Paddy?" He was beginning to realise what had the older man so rattled "You have told that prick he's leaving?"

"I told him, I told him why and... and he told me I couldn't end his placement here without a valid reason. He's insisting he's innocent, says that the fact the police haven't pressed charges proves that... and he's asked if he can speak to Jackson, to tell him his side of things..."

"Try and lie his way out of it you mean, no! You tell him to crawl back under whatever stone it was he crawled out from Paddy or I will!"

"Aaron I've been in touch with the necessary authorities and because nothing can be proved... well my hands are tied, they expect me to keep it all on a professional level not let my private life interfere..."

"It's alright Paddy..." Jackson began only for Aaron to cut him off with a protest,

"No it's not!"

They had thrashed the matter out then, Aaron angry at Paddy's inaction while Jackson was accepting of it. Paddy finally declaring to hell with the powers that be, that Aaron was right, that Rob had to go.

Aaron had been stunned when Jackson had then said he was prepared to hear Rob out first. Wasn't that like saying he believed him? It was to his mind. But he'd held his tongue, swallowed his disappointment and hurt, telling himself it was Jackson just being his fair-minded self.

Paddy had called Rob in from the surgery, and it had taken all the willpower Aaron possessed not to lay into him there and then. He'd glared at the older man though, his hatred clear to see as he listened to what he knew were lies...

"Jackson I think it's only fair I have a chance to defend myself, that I tell my side. You don't remember anything so how can you be sure it was me? I was there, I can fill in the blanks, hopefully by doing that you'll realise that it wasn't me. Hear me out, then it's up to you. If you still want me to leave I will. That's fair isn't it?"

"Alright."

"You remember going to Bar West don't you? We went by taxi?"

"Yeah."

"I told you needed cheering up and we were having a laugh, a good time."

"Yeah." He could remember enjoying Rob's company, so far it all rang true.

"You kept telling me to go chat up some bloke I had my eye on. Do you remember that?"

"Yeah," He could remember encouraging Rob to do that."

"With you egging me on I did, and while I did some bloke made a move on you."

That he didn't remember, and he shook his head in reply as he tried to clear the haze that clouded his memory of the remainder of the night

"I was given the brush off and you did the same to that bloke, so we had another drink together and then because you seemed like you'd had one too many I called a taxi. I just thought you were drunk, it never entered my head it could be anything else. I had to help you to the door. You couldn't find your door key, I didn't have one so I was going through your pockets and then Aaron appeared out of nowhere, accusing me of all sorts again. We all know that for whatever reason he's taken against me, that he doesn't trust me, and because of that he misinterpreted what he saw last night..."

He'd reacted angrily to that comment, both Paddy and Jackson having to restrain him, he was itching to knock the truth out of Rob. The older man had kept on lying, laying it on thick, saying that his leaving would be like admitting his guilt. He eventually slipped off back to the surgery, giving Jackson time to think things through. But as soon as he'd disappeared through the door Jackson had turned to Paddy,

"Let him stay."

"Jackson? You don't believe him?" Aaron asked incredulously.

"No. No I don't believe a word he says, but I've been thinking, if he goes somewhere else he's free to do it again isn't he? He'll end up using and abusing someone else. But if he's here... we can maybe give him just enough rope to hang himself!"

TBC