Love Me Love My Dog
Ya know folks, it does my soul good to read your warm hearted reviews concerning Angelo, with reference to guns, buses and trip-wires! Every comment is classic - please keep them coming in, just in case I should be tempted to pair him off with Charlie again... S&L xx
Chapter 21
Charlie looked at Angelo long and hard. She took a deep breath and tried to pass. He deliberately stepped to one side to block her path so Charlie moved to the other side. But he also stepped over.
"Constable, if you have something to say to me, I suggest you say it and stop getting in my way!"
Angelo smirked.
"You won't win this one, Charlie!" He grinned and pushed past her.
Charlie turned and watched as the bitter young man walked down to his desk. Hatred of his face, hatred of his person, hatred of his attitude and most of all, hatred of the man who could do this, made Charlie shudder and count to ten; wishing with all her heart she could wipe the smirk off his smug face.
***
Charlie left the Police Station and walked down towards her car and met with Georgie Watson, about to start her shift.
"Good afternoon, Boss!"
"Is it?"
"Well, let's hope it will be. Have you seen Joey?"
"Yeah, I've seen her a couple of times today."
"Is she okay?" Watson asked with concern.
"Just, but I'm not sure if she can withstand another round with that bastard!"
"Charlie, he's only doing what he thinks is right!"
"Oh, for God's sake, Georgie! See through the guy! You used to be able to do it once upon a time, even when I couldn't! He's done her up like a kipper!"
Watson frowned and wondered why she did give Angelo the benefit of the doubt. She nodded her head and was about to walk on, when Charlie called her back.
"Watson, make sure he doesn't give her a hard time when I'm not around!"
"Yes boss!"
Charlie smiled and continued to walk to her car.
***
"Ah, there you are Watson!" Angelo said as he saw Georgie walk into the Police Station. "I've asked the forensic boys to go over Collins's car; I want you to go with them to see what they come up with."
"Excuse me, Constable! Where do you get off ordering me or any of us around? All you are is a jumped up little tosser who has the idea he is better than the rest of us!"
Angelo turned angrily to Watson. Matthews smirked and turned his back.
"You won't be talking to me like that once I clinch this case, Watson. You might find yourself calling me Sergeant!"
"In your dreams, sunshine! Anyway, where is the car?"
"It's being brought here soon, by a pick-up."
"I do hope they haven't smothered it with their dirty little paw prints!" Watson said, sarcastically. "I'd hate for it to contaminate any evidence!"
Angelo looked away and Watson grinned. It was the first time in days she had bad-mouthed Rosetta and it felt good!
***
Charlie approached the door to the Vets; smelling the now familiar odour of chemicals, antiseptic and animal fear. She walked in and was surprised to hear a howling noise. She frowned and walked through to the reception. The girl behind the desk looked up and smiled; taking out the cotton wool balls from her ears.
"Hi, can I help you?" The receptionist asked, wondering immediately if the visit from a Police Officer was in connection with Joey Collins.
"Is Rosie Brookes available for a quick word, please?"
"I'll find out. May I take your name please, officer?"
"Senior Constable, Charlie Buckton."
"One moment, Senior Constable."
The receptionist buzzed through to the Vet who asked for Charlie to be shown through, immediately.
"Please come this way." The girl said, trying to smile.
Again, a dog's piecing howl shattered the peace of the building and Charlie covered her own ears quickly. The receptionist opened a door and Charlie walked in to be almost knocked off balance by an over excited Springer Spaniel who was whining and barking at Charlie; her tail and body wagging as if it was her last chance!
"Charlie! You don't know how pleased I am to see you! I don't know what's wrong with this mutt! She's been howling like that since you left her! I had to resort to giving her a mild sedative to make her sleep for a few hours, but as you can see, she's up and at it again!"
The dog stood looking at Charlie adoringly and jumped lightly up and licked her hands.
"But she's used to being here with you! Joey told me she spends hours at the practice." Charlie said in surprise.
"That's right, but I've never seen her behave like this before. I'm at my wits end! I can't keep giving her sedatives! When she's not howling, she's pacing; up and down, up and down! She's been driving me bloody nuts all day!"
Charlie looked at the troublesome beast before her; now calmed right down and more like her old self.
"Well, I don't know what it is Charlie, but you have some of it! Anyway, how's Joey? Have they let her go yet?"
Charlie shook her head sadly.
"No, they are still holding and questioning her, but I've spent some time with her today, and though she looks totally lost, she's holding on. I have a few investigations of my own to do and I need to enlist some help."
"Anything I can do?"
"Well, thanks for the offer; I'll let you know. I'm not letting that little git get away with it!" Charlie muttered to herself.
"Charlie, you know, Joey and I have a special relationship; I've known her since she was not much older than a kid. We've spend a lot of time together, at work and socially. I just know she couldn't have done something like this!"
Charlie nodded her head.
"I know. If necessary, I might have to come and interview you; unofficially, you understand?"
"No worries! I need my nurse back, but most of all, I want my friend back."
"Don't worry; I'll make sure you have her back soon!" Charlie smiled, confidently. "Well, I'd better be getting back to work. I'll pop by and see Jessie later."
"Okay Charlie. See you then."
But as Charlie left the room, the howling started again. Charlie stood and listened to the distraught animal. She walked toward the front door and stopped; she looked back towards the Vet's surgery door and sighed. If she did nothing else for Joey today, she had to make sure her beloved dog was happy. She walked back and tapped on Rosie's door.
"Rosie, if you can keep her until the end of my shift, I'll take her home and stay with her tonight."
Rosie looked at Charlie with gratitude.
"Do you really mean that?"
"Can't have my other girl getting stressed too!" Charlie said, making a fuss of Jessie who once again, was wagging her tail appreciatively at Charlie.
"Charlie! You're an angel! No wonder Joey is head over heels in love with you!"
Charlie blushed and glanced at the Vet shyly.
"Did she tell you that?"
"Yes, even before you two got together!" Rosie grinned.
Charlie blushed again.
"I'll see you later, Jess!"
Jessie woofed at Charlie and the Vet laughed.
"Goodbye, Charlie. Good luck with the investigation."
Charlie nodded and closed the door. She walked a few paces and stopped; waiting for the howling to begin again. But there was nothing but silence to be heard. She walked a few more steps and stopped, but still no howling. This dog was certainly perceptive! She smiled and left the building.
***
"Now, once again, Miss. Collins, why were you walking on the beach at five o'clock in the morning?" Constable Rosetta yelled; thumping his fist on the table.
Joey jumped but Morag sat unemotionally, staring at the aggressive Policeman.
"Constable Rosetta. For the last time, my client has given you the answer to this question at least a dozen times, and if you continue to bully her in this manner, I may be forced to ask for yet another recess!" She said, glaring at him. "If you can think of no other question to ask, Constable, I suggest you release my client immediately!"
Angelo swallowed. He knew Morag Bellingham socially, through his relationship with Charlie, but had never come up against her professionally. She was a hard woman! Suddenly he flinched and rested his head on his hand.
***
Georgie Watson stood a few feet away from Joey's car as the forensic investigators stripped the insides out looking for more evidence to convict her of the crime which Constable Angelo Rosetta had accused her of. They stripped out the seats and carpets; each were examined carefully; hairs, dust and anything else which they considered interesting, were carefully picked up with tweezers and placed in test tubes or plastic bags.
"Hey Bob! Take a looky here!" One of the forensic team called to his colleague; his head inside the boot.
Watson also stepped forward to see what was of interest. The officer had unscrewed the spare wheel mounting and slowly pulled out a fabric dog lead.
"Why would the owner keep a dog lead in here?" His colleague asked in surprise.
"No idea, mate. Unless it's what Rosetta's looking for; a possible murder weapon?"
"Suppose we'd better get it checked out." The second officer said, placing the lead in a plastic bag. "Better get some samples from the interier body paintwork too, for DNA."
Watson looked alarmed and moved closer as the forensics continued to search. Suddenly, Watson noticed a piece of familiar looking material sticking out from under the spare wheel housing.
"Bob! What's this?" She asked.
Bob leaned over and with his rubber gloved hand, picked up the fabric.
"Looks like a piece of old rag to me." He said, lifting it to the light.
"It looks more than just a piece of old rag to me! It looks like our rest room tea towel which went missing the other day!" Watson said as she eyed the Kangaroo print on the material.
"Don't think you'll find it of much use now!" He grinned.
"No." Watson pondered. "But what the hell was it doing in this car?"
"Search me!"
"Bob, can you do me a favour?" Watson asked quietly.
"Sure, love. What is it?"
"Can you get it analysed for me, unofficially?"
Bob looked at her curiously.
"Whatever for?"
"I've got a hunch about something."
"Care to share?"
"Not at the moment, Bob, but you will do it for me, won't you? And get the results back A.S.A.P.?"
"Surely. I've give you a buzz on your mobile." He said, giving her a wink.
"You're a star!"
"No worries, Georgie."
***
Joey was taken back to her cell. Morag ensured that she was comfortable before leaving and made her way to Charlie Buckton's office.
"Morag! How is she?" Charlie asked with concern. "You've been stuck in there so long, I was beginning to despair!"
"The young man who calls himself a Police Constable has little or no idea what he is doing. He goes around in circles and keeps probing about the time that Joey was on the beach walking her dog!"
"He's been on about that from the start! I really don't understand what he's trying to achieve by it." Charlie said with a frown. "But is she alright?"
Morag took a deep breath.
"Well, as well as can be expected. I think she might be glad of a friendly face later, but you didn't hear that from me!" Morag smiled.
"Morag." Charlie stood and discretely closed her office door. "I have this... It's a copy of Joey's file. I know I shouldn't have done it, but I'm not watching her go down for the sake of a few rules and reg's. Take it home and read it with Dad will you? I'd like to get your input on it."
Morag grinned and placed the file surreptitiously in her brief case.
"Thank you Senior Constable and I guess I will see you at dinner." Morag said, giving Charlie a wink and leaving her office.
Charlie smiled and remembered the lasagne she had bought for Joey. She quickly left her office and made her way to the rest room, to heat up the meal in the microwave.
***
Watson entered the Police Station and noticed Charlie disappearing into the rest room and quickly followed her.
"Charlie!"
"Hi Georgie. What's the news?"
"They've stripped her car bare and have taken lots of samples for analysis."
"Did they find anything of significance?" Charlie asked anxiously.
"Well..."
Suddenly the rest room door opened and Angelo Rosetta walked in. He looked at Charlie with a sneer.
"Constable Watson, I'd like to speak with you... alone please." He said, glancing at Charlie.
Watson looked at Charlie and Charlie nodded her agreement. Watson followed Rosetta out and into the interview room.
Charlie bit her lip, wondering what Watson had been trying to tell her. But there was no time to lose. She took her opportunity to make her way down to Joey's cell with her warmed up lunch in hopes of tempting her to eat, before she was spotted.