I'm so sorry about the gap; I wrote the first part of this about a month ago then started working 70 hour weeks and all down time was eating or sleeping. Anyway that jobs over until next Christmas and I got me a new keyboard so what better to do than write.
Beth squinted through the blinds at the windows of Gene's office to try and workout what was going on in the main squad room; she could see her CID colleagues questioning her ballet colleagues. It was kind of surreal; she looked around the room noting those who didn't meet the description of the man Samantha was last seen with. That didn't exclude many; the majority of these men were suspects all desperately trying to prove where they were when Samantha and Helen went missing. Alex opened the door a crack and slid into the office handing Beth a cup of tea and joining her at the window. "How is it going?" Beth tore her eyes from the proceedings in the outer room to look at Alex.
"Slowly, what with checking every alibi it is taking a while but we're getting there."
Beth nodded "Do we have any suspects yet?"
"Not really no, most have decent alibi's there are a couple looking a bit iffy for you to check out." She passed Beth a piece of paper with two names written on it, Beth nodded and put the paper down on the desk before returning to stand at the window with Alex and sipping her tea.
"It's neither of them you know..." She knew both men quite well and was pretty sure they didn't do it.
Alex sighed "I know, but it's a formality we have to rule them out. And we have to have more evidence than 'I didn't think they were lying.'"
They were distracted by Ray bursting into the room, "Ma'am," They both narrowed their eyes at him making him feel very small. "Err DI Price, I need you to confirm and alibi one of the poufs reckons he was with you."
Alex started to lecture Ray about tolerance and how most of the male dancers were not gay while Beth glanced out of the still open door at Ray's desk where she spotted Will looking distraught. "Yes he was with me."
"The whole time?"
"Yes," Beth nodded "We we're in his office."
"Oh yeah..?" Ray was about to question her further but a glare from Alex stopped him and left the office to tell William he was free to go.
"Lizzie?" William had entered the office.
"I'll uh leave you to it, got lots to do." Alex felt the air in the room become tense so made her excuses and left, she bumped into Gene outside the office door and realised she had to stop him going in and interrupting what was clearly a 'moment'
"Bolly, will you get out of my way."
"No," Gene frowned "Uh I need your help with something Guv."
Gene looked a little smug "What is it Bolls? Need me to show you how to really interrogate a suspect?"
"No, uh..." She glanced at her watch, 12:30 perfect. "Would you like to go for lunch with me?"
Gene looked surprised but agreed "Let me just get my car keys." he moved towards his office and was again stopped by Alex placing herself between him and the door.
"I've still got them," she dug in her pocket and fished out the keys to the quattro which she placed in Gene's outstretched hand, he eyed her suspiciously "it's in perfect condition I promise."
"Bloody better be, c'mon then Luigi's?" He turned and walked out of the room with Alex following behind; she grabbed her coat and bag from her desk and hurried to catch him up as he left the building.
oO0Oo
Meanwhile, inside the office:
"I'm sorry..."
"What for?"
"I wasn't there; I should have been there for you."
"It doesn't matter; you must have only just left anyway..." A thought suddenly struck Beth "You must have left right before she uh... you know." Will nodded he knew what she was getting at "Did you see anything suspicious or unusual?"
"No, nothing. Sorry."
"Ah well," Beth looked down "it was worth a go. It just feels like we are getting no-where and we have nothing, I just want to catch this bastard before he hurts anyone else."
"I know me too." William stepped forwards and took Beth into his arms offering her all the comfort he could give. She accepted gladly snuggling into him as the interviews continued in the outer room.
Not far away an incredibly similar conversation was taking place…
"I just want to catch this bastard before he hurts anyone else Bolly."
They were sat at 'their' table in Luigi's each with a plate of pasta sharing a bottle of red wine and discussing the case.
"I know Guv, it feels like every time we get something it turns out to be nothing."
"I thought we had some suspects?"
Alex drank deeply from her wine glass and shook her head, "Well not really we do have a couple of watery alibis but it wasn't them, I just know it wasn't and Lizzie agrees."
Gene nodded "So what do you propose we do now?"
"I don't know," Alex looked down into her glass as though expecting to find some suggestions there. "I guess we need to close the company stop anymore dancers getting hurt."
"Well we could, but then we'd never catch the killer and this could all resurface in a few years time."
"What do you suggest then Guv?" Alex pouted and swirled the last of the wine around her glass.
Gene appeared to think for a moment before shaking his head and also looking down. "I don't know yet." He glanced at the clock "But we do need to get back to the station."
As they walked towards Fenchurch East they noticed a crowd around the entrance to the station. "Oh great just what we need some more copper hating protesters." Gene ground out his cigarette with the heel of his boot and stormed towards the station pushing through the crowd with Alex in his wake. They quickly realised that this wasn't a protest and the crowd was actually made up of reporters. Alex and Gene ducked inside the station before any of the reporters realised they were police officers, and were met by a harassed looking Viv.
"Guv, the press are here."
"Yes Viv, I had noticed." Gene continued walking towards CID
"Sorry Guv, they need a statement about the Royal Ballet case."
"No comment."
Alex sped up to catch up with him and placed a hand on his arm, Gene looked down at where her hand touched him then moved his gaze up to her face eventually meeting her eyes, did she even know the power she held over him?
"We should say something, they know about the case." Gene nodded and walked towards the door turning back as he went to open it.
"Are you coming Bolls?" Alex scurried after him out into the mob of cameras and microphones.
oO0Oo
Another day over and still no suspects, the team were sat in Luigi's morosely drinking while Luigi bustled about keeping them supplied with alcohol and trying without success to cheer them up. Eventually he gave up and returned to the bar muttering about the English as he flicked through the channels on television behind the bar.
"Wait Luigi, can you go back one?" Alex had caught a second of what she thought was her on the TV, Luigi dutifully flicked back to the previous channel and they caught the end of the news report. Gene looked up and scowled at the television as his voice came out of it:
"We're doing everything we can but have no suspects at the moment."
"DCI Hunt is the company going to have to close?" The TV Gene turned his attention to the reporter who had shouted the question.
"No, we are working hard to keep the company open."
"Isn't that putting more dancers at risk?" a second reporter shouted from the crowd.
"The safety of the dancers is of the utmost importance, we are putting systems in place to protect the performers. Now, anymore questions or can I get back to catching scum?"
"So there you have it from DCI Hunt of Fenchurch East…"
The reporter carried on talking but Gene wasn't paying attention because at that moment a drink appeared at his elbow, or more precisely Alex joined him at 'their' table and passed him a glass of whisky.
"That took guts Gene, especially after…" She didn't dare mention the police 5 fiasco but Gene knew what she meant.
"It's a good job I've got enough guts to spare then isn't it." Alex nudged him with her shoulder and they both smiled.
"We're going to catch him aren't we?"
"Of course we are Bolls. We're unstoppable, you and me."
"I thought we were unbreakable?"
"Yeah, that an all."
oO0Oo
So I'm not at all thrilled with this chapter but I'm off for a while now so will be back writing for a bit. Hope you liked it.