Chapter 21

Nikki's phone went at 3am on Tuesday morning, she struggled out of bed and decided that a strong coffee was needed before she could face a crime scene. Her hangover the day before had been dreadful, and she'd not managed to eat much. It may have just been a coincidence or perhaps he remembered, but Harry had made soup and bought some nice bread for dinner, it was about all her stomach could cope with.

She flicked on the kitchen light and was surprised to find Harry sat at the kitchen table.

"Sorry I couldn't sleep," Harry murmured.

"Why were you sat in the dark?" Nikki asked.

"Sometimes I doze off…"

"In a kitchen chair?"

"It's peaceful. I told you I don't sleep much. You off to a scene?"

Nikki nodded as she attended to the kettle and found her travel mug. "Do you miss it?"

"What the 3am callouts? Some snippy up his own arse DI telling you how to do your job?" Harry paused. "Of course I do," he continued and she could detect no hint of sarcasm.

"Do you want a coffee?"

Harry shook his head.

"What will you do?" she asked.

"I looked up about medical writing jobs – I'm way over qualified, but it'll be easy money and I could work from home."

"It's a good idea Harry."

"I know."

She leant back on the counter

"Why can't you sleep? Is Leo still stealing all the space? Do you need extra blankets?"

"The bed's fine Nikki, that's not what keeps me awake."

Nikki just sipped her coffee.

"Leo would still have his mother if it weren't for me," Harry spat out into the silence. "I should never have forced her, she'd have taken more care if she wasn't so angry."

"What are you talking about Harry?"

At the sound of his name, Harry snapped his head up and realised afresh that he was actually talking to Nikki and not just endlessly playing the scene through in his head. Or maybe she thought, he sat here on other nights 'talking' to her as she lay asleep in her bedroom.

"You said Laurie went back to her parents."

"She did. She was determined to come back for Leo, but her parents managed to convince her to take a week's vacation. They had family friends way out in upstate New York, well off the beaten track and they assumed out of partying range."

"So what did happen to Laurie?" Nikki asked, she'd never been told but she'd just assumed the obvious overdose or bad company had caused her demise.

"She insisted on driving herself, the accident investigators couldn't really work out what happened exactly, but she was blind-sided by one of those massive American trucks. She died instantly."

"It was an RTA?"

Harry nodded.

"Then why did the family feel they needed to cover it up?"

"I never told you that…" Harry caught her eye, and realised that Nikki had done her own digging.

"Not just an RTA."

Nikki paused and surveyed the exhausted man at her table. "Her tox screen wasn't clean then?"

Harry shook his head. "Colourful," he explained.

"Oh,"

"I wish I could have helped her, I thought she might try, for Leo at least, even if not for me. Why couldn't she even try?" Harry had raised his voice louder and Nikki had noticed that the coffee in her travel mug was empty. Her phone rang again.

"I'm just leaving." She didn't catch Harry's eye again, just switched off the light and left him in the dark.

I know it's a bit gloomy but the sun does shine eventually. Stick with me a bit longer.