When they woke up the next morning, they both began to relax more with each other. Alec began by insisting he went to make her some breakfast, her being a guest after they had kissed and Rose was soon sitting at his kitchen table, talking about her parents.

"So, apart from them stopping you talking to the police over what happened, they knew everyone in your street?" Alec asked, buttering the toast and putting it on a plate for her with some eggs.

"Well yeah, it was only a small street but we never were ones for going in an out of neighbor's houses. When we moved there, we were one of the last occupants, it was a fairly new estate and like I said, they were still building up at the top end. Do ya think Claire will show up again this morning?"

"It will be too much bother, she probably hitched a ride yesterday," Alec thought out loud. He didn't want to say anything about maybe they had been followed from the court yesterday afternoon. "Right, I will set the fire under her, see what happens then when we get to the court, I'll let Miller in on my plan to get Claire to trip herself up and admit she's been in contact with Lee."

"Be careful Alec, she'll get dangerous if she's riled, you've already told her you don't believe her," Rose warned him.

"I know, I've wasted enough time and personal resources over her. Rose, from now on, my only concern is your safety, Miller can keep an eye on Claire, sooner or later she will go to Lee, then the sparks will fly and she will give him up, hopefully."

"What about us Alec? Is there any chance for us? Won't your ex-wife realize we have something, when we go see her?"

"She can think what she likes Rose," Alec replied, reaching for her hand. "She won't be able to prove anything if you are genuinely concerned for your own safety. Tell her you went to me for help, all the accusations will be directed at me. Besides, what would I have to gain by getting you to make it all up? Claire has already done enough damage by telling lies."

Rose went back home to get changed and Alec called Claire.

"Alec? I thought you'd come and see me last night?"

"Well you'd know where I went since you got Lee to follow me," Alec replied dryly.

"What are you talking about? I've not even seen him," Claire tried to defend herself. Did he already know she'd been in contact with her husband?

"The game's up Claire, I'm not playing along any more. It's too much of a coincidence you suddenly turning up when I'm in the middle of a murder trial, have you been put up to this, disrupting me eh? Trying to throw me off? You came to me for protection but you don't need it, do you? You were never afraid of what he'd do to you because you were never telling the truth, were you?"

"What? What are you talking about Alec?"

"You have 48 hrs. to leave the cottage Claire, I'm done vouching for you, it's over," he told her, not wanting to mess around any further.

"Can't we talk about this Alec? Come down and we'll discuss it, rationally. I'll tell you the truth if you do."

"How many versions are there Claire, really? I have my own place to pay for, I can't afford to subsidize yours as well when I get nothing in return."

"You're going to leave me, for Lee to find me?" Claire pretended to sob.

"Cut the act Claire, it's not working and don't get any ideas what Rose Tyler was doing with me yesterday, she's a student at the training college, she was on a field trip, seeing how a murder trial is handled."

Claire changed her attitude and laughed. "You expect me to believe that Alec? Really? Don't make me laugh."

"Believe what you like Claire, it's over, you're on your own." He hung up and tried Ellie's number but got no answer, she must be seeing to young what was his name?

Rose had got changed and was waiting for Alec to go outside, he'd told her not to open her front door until she saw him and if everything went well during the day, she should be safe enough to go home later but that was now up for debate. She had liked waking up with him but she was still holding something back that could quickly change their budding relationship.

Claire had been furious over Alec throwing her out of her home, not that she liked the place much but it was better than being on the run like she had been. She had trusted him but she'd also used him and now it was over. She kicked the kitchen chair, sending it flying, then she went for the cereal packet, throwing the contents all over the kitchen floor, swearing to herself for just turning up at the court and seeing him with Rose Tyler. She had to have told Alec everything. Well, she wasn't going to get away with it.

Looking at the mess she'd made, she picked up her phone and dialed Lee's number.

"What do you want now Claire?" Lee asked, getting in his van.

"Have you thought about it? Dealing with Rose Tyler?"

"I was just leaving to get to the court, they were both together last night, looking very friendly."

"Well, did you follow them?"

Lee laughed. "Jealous Claire? They drove to the edge of a cliff, I watched them, I was disappointed they didn't have sex right where they were," he taunted her.

"Aargh! I knew it, the little tart. You know what to do? She's all yours Lee, tell me when it's over but leave her where Alec will find her easily."

"Where's the fun in that Claire? No, I'll bring her back here then I'll pay you a visit, I know where you are."

Claire held the phone in her hand, satisfied that if Rose Tyler had talked, she was going to regret turning on them and Alec Hardy would regret turning his back on her and her obvious advances that he'd chosen to ignore. Well, they would both soon learn not to cross her.

Lee had hung up, smiling to himself. So, Rose Tyler and Alec Hardy, together, well by the looks of them last night anyway, he would soon wipe that smug look off the detective's face and teach that little bitch not to heed his last warning. He should have finished what he started that night before they'd been interrupted by a car coming down that way then stopping and reversing.

Of course it had just happened to be her father, the great Pete Tyler, boss of a powerful organization, well if you believed in aliens anyway and he'd held the knife to her and told her to act friendly or he'd leave more than one mark on her pretty little face if she didn't go along with him. Now, he could finish the job and not only teach her a lesson but get his own back on Pete Tyler, who had warned him if he caught him with his daughter again, her giving consent or not, he would kill him.

So as Alec drove Rose back to the court, him wishing they'd stop messing around and get down to the verdict, Rose managed a smile at him and touched his leg and he had touched her hand.

"This will soon be over love, the court case, then we'll get them both, you just have to trust me."

"I do trust you Alec. Did you take your pills this morning?"

"Yes love and you need to know a few more things. If I have another attack, give me two more and if I can't swallow them, call an ambulance but if I can swallow them and I'm seeming no better, call one anyway and tell them what's wrong with me. I'm going to call the consultant when we get out later, it's time to face up to the fact that I won't survive much longer without the surgery but you also need to know Rose, they don't expect me to pull through if I do have it."

Rose was stunned by his revelation. "I thought pacemaker operations were routine these days Alec? Why do you keep putting it off?"

"Because, I would rather go on my own terms, can you really blame me?"

"What made you change your mind Alec, not that I'm not happy that you have, what's the reason?"

"You ask a lot of questions, you know? Well, I have a reason now, my reason is you, Rose Tyler."

As they turned into the car park, they both failed to see the white van parked near the ticket machine, the driver licking his lips at the thought of finally beating Alec Hardy in more ways than one.