Another chapter... there are 9 left after this approximately... this one is a little tense but not as dark as others...
Thank you to marsupial who keeps teasing me with her next chapter...love ya
Thank you to my lovely and exceptional reviewers tigertrap, dammitnaomily, Andy34 and last but certainly not least, mynameislizzie2 who has kept me on my toes well done
disclaimer: I own nothing but the storyline and my thoughts... also if you choose to get married, for the love of the universe learn about your partner BEFORE you do. Soo happy to be single... so very fucking happy... (random shag offers very much entertained but no marriage proposals)
Chapter 24
Effy was sitting on her couch. She'd had enough rest. They'd had no word from Cook and she feared the worst. The first 36 hours there was no sign of him anywhere. But then his name appeared in one of the unpublished police rosters of detainees. She had almost panicked, thinking he was being charged and she'd failed. Further research showed her he wasn't technically under arrest. She had taken that as a good sign. She set about deeper searches for any and all evidence of what he might have done while undercover but was coming up with nothing. She couldn't understand it. Not at all.
Emily emerged from the bedroom. Naomi's flat had been repaired and ready for her but neither had wanted to leave Effy alone. Not until Cook was back. "Hi." She smiled at the brunette who smiled back. "Did you eat?" It felt odd to Emily to be taking care of someone else. But it felt good. It was occupying her mind and keeping it off her own fears for Cook. She shook her head.
"Not yet. I was thinking maybe we could go out. Grab something at the cafe down the street." Neither had wanted to leave the flat. Naomi had to because of work which is where she was currently. "Fresh air will do us some good. We can maybe go shopping? There are a couple of little places that I think you might like."
"Think it's a good idea? Going out there? I mean we don't know..."
"We can't live in hiding."
"You sure?" She was joking but underneath it all she was terrified. She didn't know if her sister was looking for her or not. Who are you kidding? You know she's looking for you. You might be here but you will never be free of her.
..
"I don't know why I pay the cops. I swear..." Luke was trying to remain calm. He'd made calls to the various people on his payroll but no one could give him the identity of the dead woman.
"Nothing?" Katie was trying not to think about it. She knew it might not be either Emily or Laura. She knew it could be some random who met up with a horrible end. But there was a nagging pain in the pit of her stomach. She thought about losing Emily. Could she handle that? It would be a piece of her torn away. You've been killing her slowly all these years. Why would losing her this way matter? You can live without her. You learned to live without your parents. Without James. She closed her eyes. She hadn't spoken to her younger brother in years. Once Luke was in her life, she'd removed herself from his life. It wasn't like she didn't love him. But she'd made the decision to create a new life. She wasn't unaware of what it would be like. She'd chosen it. She'd chosen it for Emily as well. It would matter because I didn't do it. Because I didn't control her future in the end. I can't have that.
"She apparently had no identification, hence they can't confirm who she is. All I've gotten is approximate age range of mid 20s to early 30s. Her hair is lighter than Emily's from the description. But that doesn't mean much."
"How tall?" She stared at him.
"What?"
"How fucking tall was she Luke?" He pinched the bridge of his nose. He hadn't thought to ask.
..
He was sitting in another interrogation room for what seemed like the tenth time in days. He'd counted it close to 72 hours in custody. They had another 24 before he needed to be charged with anything. The closer it got to that the easier he tried to breathe. He'd said fuck all the entire time. No one could produce Harry. They said he couldn't be found. He'd been treated alright. Mostly. He'd been fed but at odd times. He'd missed some meals. Lost sleep. He was one of them but they were treating him as much a suspect as they could. The door opened and one of the inspectors from earlier walked in. He had a styrofoam cup.
Cook scratched at his three day scruff. He had been allowed a shower the day before but was still wearing the damn blue jumpsuit. "Don't s'pose that's for me right? Cause I could do with a little caffeine." The inspector sat and drank from the cup. "Guess not." He knew he should be scared but they couldn't do anything he hadn't already anticipated. If they charged him with murder, it wouldn't be entirely unjust. He knew Emily was safe. That alone gave him comfort. The thought of Effy made him ache. He hadn't lied to her. He didn't go back to the house. But she would imagine him lost and that hurt.
The door opened again and Harry walked in.
..
Naomi was filling out paperwork on a bench outside reserved for smokers as her partner was putting their rig back in order. She didn't see the man until he was next to her. She looked up and frowned, the sun making it difficult to see his face clearly. "Can I help you?" He wasn't dressed in medical garb but there was something familiar about him.
"Hello Naomi." She blinked and shielded her eyes.
"I know you... you're one of Laura's mates." Immediately, she was alert. She went to stand and he put a heavy hand on her shoulder.
"Relax. I'm not here on her behalf." If looks could kill, he was certain they'd be putting a tag on his toe. "How's Emily?" There was sudden shock, fear passing through her features but then they steeled. Her hand moved to his and she tried to remove it from her shoulder. He gripped harder. "Please don't. I don't want to cause a scene, nor do I want to cause you pain. But I've no qualms about it. It's been a.. difficult week for me."
"Fuck you." She spat out, trying to remember when and how she'd met him. It was some sort of party. She was drinking and ignoring almost everything her ex had been saying. But his smile. She remembered that. The grip on her shoulder was hurting. She clenched her jaw. "What do you know about Emily?"
"I know her sister and the boyfriend trade her like you would stocks." She cringed at his matter of fact tone. "I know Laura, your ex, fucked her for a while. She was her little pet." He could feel the energy coming off Naomi. She closed her eyes. Some would wonder if he meant to be so detached. It was his nature. No need to pretend things that weren't. "I know she was whisked away by two people who seemed to give a shit. I'm guessing you know who they are." He let go of her shoulder and took a seat next to her. "I want to know she's.. ok... all things considering."
"Why?" She was glaring at him, not giving in to the urge to rub her shoulder. Not giving in to the urge to rail at him. The way he spoke about Laura, about Emily. It hurt and she didn't know why. She looked at the rig and Shaughnessy was listening to some bloody podcast and paying her no mind. When this guy had mentioned the two people, she recalled what Effy had told her.
He looked at her. "Because I'm vested in her recovery to a degree."
"Vested? Jesus... who the fuck do you think you are? You come here acting the prick and demanding to know about her while you not so subtly threaten me? And you want me to believe you give a shit?" She shook her head. "Do better."
"I don't give a shit what you believe. I answered your question. Now, tell me how she is." He thought about adding a please but it wasn't heartfelt.
She didn't know what to think. "She's ok. Staying out of sight." She didn't want to say more than she had to.
"That's good." He gave her another once over. "Give her a message." He slipped his hand into a pocket and brought out a business card. He slid it to her on the table. She looked at it. It had the name of some company.
"What the fuck is that?"
"A business card." She glared at him and he smiled. "A therapist, or rather, a unique group of them. Thought she could use the help."
"From you?"
"From someone."
"I don't buy it." He laughed. Yeah she remembered him at that party. He was usually surrounded with people. They all clung to him. Laura included. "Who the fuck are you?"
..
Emily and Effy had managed to leave the flat and enjoy a bit of fresh air, coffee and pastries. They also managed to hit a couple of boutiques and get Emily some clothes. She couldn't explain the sense of freedom she felt. She hadn't spent time with someone her own age doing something as simple as shopping in ages. The first hour out she had looked over her shoulder and was wary of anyone even remotely looking like someone who could work for Luke. But surprisingly, Effy made it feel normal to be out and about. She was feeling so at ease that she asked to stop at a little market they were passing to buy things for a home cooked meal. The smile on her face was damn near innocent.
When they came back in, Effy immediately went to the computer and checked on Cook's status. She was still worried but something as simple as seeing his name pop up without charges next to it was calming. She continued to do searches based on the information he'd left her and the original files she'd pulled up. She found some of the original ones she'd printed for Naomi when they'd first found Emily but they weren't the same. They were missing information. She printed them out to compare.
Emily was in the kitchen, cutting vegetables and preparing a sauce. She hadn't cooked in too long. Never really asked to. She felt like everything had been a bad dream. A quick check of the time and she knew Naomi wouldn't be home for another two hours.
..
Cook stared at Harry as he sat down. They didn't greet each other. Goddard sat there with a constipated look on his face. It went on for only a few minutes but enough to put everyone a bit on edge. Then Harry started speaking.
"Let the record show that Inspector Goddard and Inspector Wilbur are in attendance to the questioning of Officer James Cook on this the..." Harry looked at his phone and called out the date and time. "This questioning is to corroborate information previously reported to myself, Inspector Wilbur, as a means to enter the information into record." Cook crossed his arms and said nothing. When he'd submitted his reports or had verbal debriefs, it had all been entered into record. "Officer Cook please be advised that the documents I am presenting to you are for your review and signature. They summarize events for the past two years as related to me by you during your ongoing investigation into one Luke Martin, file no. 56A13. The original notes and recordings were, unfortunately, lost due to improper handling."
He passed over what looked to be a 50 page document. Cook took it and glanced at it. "Improper handling?"
"Yes. Due to hubris on my behalf. I was under the impression that certain enforcement agencies might be compromised and opted to maintain those files. Once the investigation moved to London, I wanted to have all those internally involved vetted prior to risking your undercover status. I deemed those items secure in the boot of my car. Unfortunately, my vehicle was stolen two weeks ago and had not been recovered." Cook looked at him like he was mental. He looked at the papers in front of him and knew he needed to read them. The implications that his reports had been lost before they were put into the system meant he might skate on some things. He didn't want to hope and he didn't know what to think of Harry. He was the one who told Effy about Cook possibly being in trouble but here he was without the reports proving it.
"Alright." He set about reading.
..
"An interested party." Jameson could have given his name. He was sure she could find it out from Emily or one of the others but no one had shared and he didn't know if it was oversight or not.
"Interested how?"
"In her. Her well-being."
"Bullshit."
"You aren't very trusting."
"Really? What gave it away?"
"Just give her the card. She can call them or not. It's up to her. They are... open-minded and can handle difficult circumstances." He decided that was as kind as he could say it. "My number is on the back. Have her call me."
"No." She pushed the card away.
"She can decide for herself can't she?" He could admire the streak of protectiveness she was exhibiting. He had that for someone a long time ago.
"She can but why would I expose her to you?"
"Cause I need to speak to her about her sister." Naomi reached out and grabbed him by his shirt. His hand grabbed her wrist. "I need to know if she wants her alive or dead. If she doesn't call me, and I decide for myself, I'll make sure she knows you took the decision away from her." He pulled her hand away and stood. He pulled out a folded piece of newspaper. "Laura is dead." He walked away after dropping the paper in front of her and she sat there in shock.
..
Cook stood outside the building in his clothes. Gone was the stupid jumpsuit. Also his badge and his weapon. While they hadn't insisted on it, he didn't have it in him to remain with the force. Not presently. He smoked and waited for Harry to appear. He was on edge. He'd read over the papers, twice. A lot of what he'd reported had been there in perfect order. But there were a few glaring omissions. Some he recognized before he signed and initialed every page, as did Harry and Goddard. Some he didn't until after.
"So is that it? This why I been cooped up here under lock and key?" He pushed the last page towards them. He'd read it and there was zero mention of the criminal acts he'd actually committed. He hadn't looked at Harry until now. He hadn't wanted the surprise to come across.
Goddard tucked the papers into a larger file. "For the most part. We do have some follow-up questions regarding Ms. Katie Fitch and Ms. Emily Fitch and their involvement in the drug trafficking." He turned to face the man.
"Katie and Luke ran everything. Emily... she had no part in it. She was forced..."
"Officer Cook, if I may... you did not clarify that in your statement." He patted the folder. "Both the Fitch sisters were named in the report as being involved..."
"Nahh..." He was shaking his head. "It was only Katie. Her and Luke... Emily was there but they fucking forced Emily to..."
"Cook." Goddard spoke again. "Nowhere does it appear that there was coercion in your statement." He froze. His gaze turned to Harry who was giving him a look and shaking his head.
"Fuck that. I told him. I fucking told him."
"Cook. If that were the case, why didn't you say something before you signed your report?" He understood what he'd done by not realizing the omissions sooner.
"I didn't..." He was lost in his head. "I didn't notice it wasn't..."
"I need answers Cook." He had taken out his notebook and began marking it up. "Were both Ms. Katie Fitch and Ms. Emily Fitch aware of the drug trafficking? Please answer yes or no."
Harry came out of the building and Cook damn near slammed him into the side of it once he reached him.
"What the fuck is going on?"
..
Naomi walked in the front door to find Effy on the couch. The flat smelled like home in a way. "You cooked?"
"Emily. We went out and she was overtaken with the need for domesticity." She was reading over papers.
"Where is she?"
"Shower. She bought a couple of things in town. You might appreciate it." She looked up to see the frown on her friend's face.
"Right." She set her bag down and hung her jacket up. "I need to talk to you..."
..
"Fucking prick! Fucking no good son of a..." The desk went flying as Luke flipped it in anger. The phone he'd been on was in pieces against the wall. The noise brought a couple of boys around but they disappeared as quick as they came around. It took Katie longer to show up but she had a look on her face that left little to be argued about. By that moment, Luke was already drinking a tumbler full of scotch.
"I take it there's news?"
"You might say..." He finished his glass and poured another. "Seems Cook is... was... working for the Crown." She blinked and took a seat in one of the only two seats not knocked about. "He's been under this whole time."
"I see... why isn't the... why aren't we answering questions?" She was calm which frightened him.
"Because I pay a lot of money to the police... Or rather we do..."
"You said was... He was working... He's not now?"
"Not as of an hour ago."
"Good. Can he disappear?"
"Working on it."
"And Emily?"
"There's no sighting. But..." He hesitated and wiped at his mouth. "It's possible we can find her."
"Good." She met his eyes. "Find her. Kill hi..." She stopped herself. "Did he help her escape?" Luke nodded. While he didn't have exact proof, he'd put things together given the information he'd received. "Find her and him. Bring them both here. Alive. She can watch what happens when she thinks she can run away."