Chapter 20: Suddenly I See

"Harry, what are you doing?" Leo asked bemusedly. Harry stepped into the layout room properly, trying to catch his breath. Hartfield was frowning at him.

"I need to help," Harry explained. "I need to get this guy, because I can't -" He took a deep breath before continuing. "I just need to help."

"I had to pull some strings to get you on this case last time," Leo said. "You can't just come and go as you please. Besides, you're too emotionally involved. I'm sorry, Harry, but go and find something else to do."

Harry marched over to stand in front of Leo. "Leo, I have to get back on this case! You know I do," he said loudly, unable to keep the frustration out of his voice. "Please, if you care about me at all then you'll let me."

At this final sentence Leo raised his eyebrows amusedly. Harry fell silent before saying, "I know, I want to take it back. But I can't, I said it. Please, Leo," he added desperately.

Leo observed him for a moment; Harry could almost see his brain whirring as his boss weighed up the pros and cons of allowing Harry's request. Eventually he said, "Fine. You can be on the case again."

Harry smiled. "Thank you, Leo."

"It doesn't mean I'm happy about it though. If your relationship with Nikki clouds your judgement at all then that will be it, Harry."

"There is no relationship between Nikki and I," he muttered. "So can my judgement be clouded?"

Leo just looked at him sceptically for a moment before signalling for Harry to sit down. Immensely relieved, Harry did as he was told and sat opposite Hartfield, who was still looking confused.

"Right," Leo said, tapping the interactive white board on the wall. "I'll just give you a quick run-down, Harry."

A picture appeared on the screen of a young, black male. He was glaring moodily at the camera, his dark eyes boring into it. Harry recognised his attitude as someone who was having his photo taken by the police.

"This is Jermaine Wallace," Leo explained. "He's twenty-seven years old and rents a small flat on the Brackenburn Estate. Or, should I say, the council rent it for him. Err... currently unemployed, he hasn't worked for three years. He's got a criminal record as long as your arm: minor fraud, burglary, shoplifting, and one or two drug possessions."

This time Hartfield stood up. He looked at the picture of Wallace as he spoke to Harry. "Eighteen months ago he was arrested under suspicion of being the driver in serious hit-and-run. Everything pointed to him but his girlfriend readily supplied him with an alibi when we came calling. It was obvious that she was lying for him, so we pressed on with the case and it went to court. We were hoping that once under oath, she would crack. However, we had no such luck. Plus, he had such a bloody good lawyer. The jury found him not-guilty."

Hartfield stopped and gritted his teeth; he was clearly still very bitter at this jury's poor decision making.

"What makes you think that it was Wallace who killed Victor Alexander?" Harry asked.

"A witness," Hartfield supplied. "They saw someone running away from the alley in which Mr Alexander was found at about nine-thirty on November 20th – the night he was killed. They picked Wallace out of a line-up."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "That certainly does seem to put him in the frame."

Leo nodded. "Yes, but we can't actually prove that it was him."

Hartfield made a noise of assent. "Exactly. It was a dark night, the witness was on the other side of the road and only saw a sideways glimpse of the killer for a couple of seconds. His lawyer will tear that to shreds a matter of minutes. It's one of those cases when everyone knows that he's lying, but there's no proof to say either way."

"So, just to clarify," Harry frowned, "you basically need some solid, concrete evidence that puts Wallace at the scene of the crime?"

"Yes," Leo and Hartfield said in unison.

"Evidence that we don't have," Harry reminded them. Leo sighed despairingly while Hartfield nodded grimly.

"Okay," Harry said brightly, determined not to let this case get the better of him. "Is it okay if I can borrow the case file, Leo? I'd like to go and look at it properly."

Leo nodded. "Here, take it," he said, passing it to him. Flashing them a small smile, Harry left the layout room and hastily trod the familiar route back to his desk. In all the excitement at getting back to work Harry had completely forgotten why he was feeling miserable in the first place. Then he saw Nikki sat at her own desk. He stopped suddenly, causing Nikki to look up.

She opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. Harry just stood, motionless, unable to think of a single thing to say, not after their hostile dispute when she'd first arrived that morning.

"I..." Nikki said suddenly. She stopped and picked up a piece of paper. "I should be getting on with this."

With that she pushed herself up from her chair and walked from the room, heels clicking on the floor. Harry swallowed hard before sinking down into his own chair. He placed his head in his hands, pressing his palms to his eyes until small spots of colour popped in front of him. Releasing a sigh, he rubbed his face vigorously before sniffing and sitting up straight.

How he wished he hadn't opened his eyes. Nikki was stood a short distance away, watching him from the doorway and looking close to tears herself. When Harry made eye-contact with her she hastily looked away before stuttering, "I... I umm – I forgot my... err, pen. I forgot my pen."

She quickly walked back to her desk again and grabbed a biro before retreating, her back to Harry. However, when she reached the doorway she slowly turned around.

"I..." she started to say, then trailed off; she held his gaze steadily this time. Harry thought she looked as if she wanted to apologise. For one wild, fleeting moment, he imagined her telling him that she was sorry and had made a huge mistake. Of course, he'd take her back straight away, the fool that he was.

Nikki, however, burst this fantasy bubble of Harry's by softly shaking her head and leaving the room again, not once looking back.

It was over. It was well and truly over, Harry knew that. She had left him; walked out; packed her stuff and gone. They couldn't even look at each other anymore, let alone have a civil conversation. If he could go back in time right now, back to before they even got together, then perhaps things would be different. After all, they never did do things the conventional way.

Leo was right: he had to move on. Otherwise he'd be a wallowing, self-pitying mess for the rest of his life. Just as soon as he'd caught Mr Alexander's killer. He owed Nikki that, even if she had broken his heart. Harry had promised her, what felt like years ago, that he would do everything in his power to put that murderer in jail. He could hear her pleads now, "I need someone I can trust, someone I can depend upon." There was no way he could let her down. If he did this, he might just find the closure he desperately craved.

*

"How are you getting on?"

Harry looked up at the sound of Leo's voice. He released a long breath and ran a hand through his hair.

"I'm not. This is useless, Leo! There were no fingerprints at the crime scene, no fibres, no hairs, no skin cells... no anything!"

"I know it's frustrating," Leo said, pulling on his coat. "But there must be something somewhere. No one is that flawless."

Harry just nodded in thoughtful silence, then he frowned at Leo. "Are you leaving?"

"Yes, it's nearly nine."

"What?" Harry yelped. In his absorption in the case he'd let time pass him by without noticing.

"How did you not know that?" Leo chuckled. "Everyone else left hours ago. Nikki left hours ago."

"Yeah, well... Why would Nikki speak to me? Mind you, saying goodbye seems to be her speciality."

A crease formed between Leo's eyebrows. "Can I ask you something?"

Harry nodded.

"Seeing as you and Nikki aren't on the best of terms at the moment, why were you so determined to be on this case?"

"I promised her that it would be me who found the evidence to bring this guy to justice. I always keep my promises," Harry explained. "It's a clarity thing."

"Clarity?"

"Yeah. I couldn't work out what was stopping me from moving on, and then it hit me, so suddenly it was blinding. Victor Alexander. Nikki wanted me to be on the case, and I told her that I would. Until I have caught this guy, I'll just feel like I've let her down."

Leo smiled in understanding. "You're looking for closure?"

"I'm looking for closure," Harry confirmed.

"You know, you're not the only one who's hurting," Leo told him suddenly.

Harry scoffed. "Oh please. Nikki came in here this morning, all smiley and cheery."

"Do you know what she said to me, four nights ago now, just after she'd left you?" Leo asked sharply. Harry shook his head. "She said, 'Don't be nice to me, Leo. I don't deserve it'. I'm not condoning her actions, but I just want you to know that you're not the only one hurting."

"Yeah, and whose fault is that?" Harry said cruelly.

Leo sighed. "Go home, Harry. And please, just sleep. Don't get drunk."

"I won't," Harry said quietly. "I promise I won't."

"Glad to hear it," Leo smiled. "I expect to see you nice and early tomorrow morning."

Harry just rolled his eyes. Leo laughed. "'Night."

"Goodnight, Leo," Harry smiled, and watched Leo's back retreat through the doors until he could no longer see him. He then threw his pen down on his desk and leant back in his chair, looking up at the ceiling with his hands behind his head. Leo was right, as usual: he should probably go home. It was no good trying to focus on any of this now, he was too tired. Plus, he guessed, still a little hungover. He needed sleep to fix him physically again. He'd work better in the morning, when he was feeling a bit fresher.

Tidying up the documents that had been scattered across his desk during the afternoon, Harry shoved the folder into his briefcase before shrugging on his coat.

The temperature had dropped considerably in comparison to earlier in the day, and Harry shivered as he walked across the car park. It was with welcome relief that he dropped into his car and switched the heater on full-blast.

He had intended to go straight to bed when he arrived home, but upon returning to his apartment he found that he just couldn't. After feeding Charlie and taking him for a brief walk, Harry settled down in his favourite chair and pulled out Mr Alexander's case file once more. Thoughts and ideas about how they could catch this guy were chasing each other around Harry's head, each one sounding more ridiculous. It was when he actually considered planting some false evidence that Harry realised it was time to sleep. Now he was just being stupid.

Throwing the folder onto his coffee table, Harry stood up with a groan and set about locking the door and switching the lights off. As dutiful as ever, Charlie followed him into his bedroom and jumped straight on the bed. Harry sighed but couldn't help but smile. He hastily changed before falling into bed himself. The events of the last four days finally caught up with his now sober mind, and exhaustion overwhelmed him completely.

Hmmm... I'm not very happy with this chapter, to be honest with you. It's a bit boring, isn't it? Oh well, it will have to do. I'm still not sure whether I want H and N to get back together... I have written a very emotional moving-on type scene between them, and also a slightly steamy reunion scene ;) I'm just not sure which one I want it to be. But whichever, it won't happen for a good few chapters yet so I have time to decide!
Phew, ramble over!