Alec wanted to prove to Rose that what had happened was serious and he was going to do something about it. He didn't however want to tell her that he'd told her something was bound to happen but she beat him to it.
"I should've listened to you," she told him, throwing her arms around his neck.
"Yes love, you should but although it couldn't have been avoided if he chose to wait for you outside, there was very little you could have done to predict he'd do such a thing," Alec replied.
"After you were waiting for me last week, I thought people nearby would think he had a genuine reason for hanging around," Rose reminded him.
"Yes, well I behaved out of character, I don't normally wait around for a woman coming out of work," he admitted as Rose leaned into his neck. "I don't make a habit of it but from now on, you wait inside for me to arrive."
"Oh come on Alec, if I do that, he's won," Rose replied, not wanting to lose her independence, though it seemed now that she had.
"Just for now love. We will go pick him up in the morning, first thing so I will have to leave earlier and get the address and meet officers there. I'll take him in for questioning but another officer will have to be present. Since it wasn't witnessed by anyone else, all I can do is give him a warning."
"So no-one else will believe me?" Rose asked, looking up at him.
"I'm not saying that love, he could turn around and say he was having a bit of fun with you and you took it the wrong way and he didn't mean anything by it. Does the camera record sound?"
"I have it turned off on the laptop but it could have recorded but he was just shouting through the door for me to let him in and that he'd wait for me to come out. Did he really think I'd do nothing about it? He knew you were a detective."
"He got over-confident and assumed I wouldn't take it seriously," Alec replied, going to sit her down. "You are risking it Rose, coming out on your own, you need a camera outside as well."
"Geez Alec, why don't I just get an armed guard?" Rose joked, sitting on his lap on the kitchen chair.
"Be serious love. Yes, there are still people around but how many took notice? The only one I saw was too busy watching the police car when I wanted the parking spot."
Rose giggled into his shoulder. "Okay, I'll wait but what about when you leave?"
"Well if he doesn't lose his job, which he might, I'll get him stopped bringing your orders. Are you still going to print your own?"
"I don't know, it's a bit of a rush as it is, I was late taking them to the post office today though it was quieter at that time but there's so much to consider, unless I do them at night?"
"No, not just to save a bit of money, just carry on with the printers then but he won't be delivering, why not have them posted to your customers instead? Find out tomorrow," he suggested.
"Yeah, if they don't tell me they won't do the work any more," Rose replied.
"Well I'm sure they can find another driver," Alec tried to assure her. "Drivers can be replaced, losing customers is not good for business, word gets around. I will make sure the owner does not refuse to do your work."
"Can ya do that? I mean since I'm your girlfriend and you're hauling in his driver for trying to attack me?" Rose asked him.
"I can recommend it will be bad for business if he refuses. Rose, it's either that or you take someone on to do it. I know you wanted Daisy to help but that will only be for a short time anyway and will make you behind with your orders. Work it out love, see which will be more economical but it will take her half an hour to get here after school, it will make you late in finishing."
"Yeah but if I have to wait for you anyway? See what she says but with all this going on, I doubt the owner will insist I give them notice, maybe I can start from Monday? Ask her then."
That agreed and them spending the next ten minutes or so just kissing, Rose got up to start making something to eat.
"I could go to the takeaway love," Alec suggested as she went to the cupboard.
"We can't live off takeaways every night," Rose smiled. "I could think you don't like my cooking."
He went up behind her, putting his arms around her neck.
"Wait until you taste mine then," he grinned, kissing her cheek. "I only used to make salads, back when I was ill and I made Miller eat one, when we were investigating my old case."
"I bet she loved that," Rose laughed. "Will she know you're going back?"
"She will be told but I've not contacted her. I figured she'd had enough, putting up with me and dragging her into my failed case."
"I bet she didn't think that," Rose smiled, turning towards him. "Has she tried to contact you?"
"Why would she? Besides, I changed my number, I got a better deal on another network when I got a new phone. She'll probably ask for a transfer when she's told I'm going back."
"Bet she won't," Rose teased him. "I did read up on the trial, it wasn't true, was it?"
"Not you as well?" he smiled, knowing what she meant and he'd have to thank Olly Stevens for being the first to break it on that social network about his own aunt.
"Aw come on, you have to admit the defence did their homework," Rose giggled, trying to undo more shirt buttons since she'd taken his tie off earlier.
"Not well enough," he replied, going to help her. "Thought you were making something to eat?"
After they'd eaten, Alec went to move his car, debating whether to take the cone back or not then just after nine, he got a call from the station.
"This had better be good," Alec scolded the desk sergeant.
"Yes Sir, I've got the address of the printers for you and two officers will meet you there at nine in the morning. Will you be bringing the young lady in whom he attacked?"
Now he knew word had got around and there would be no end to it, not that he'd wanted to deny it, he just wanted to keep them guessing a bit longer and not reveal who she was.
"She will make her own way there at some point, make the arrangements for the man to be interviewed, I will be observing," Alec replied, looking over at her.
"Yes Sir," the desk sergeant replied," wishing he'd joined in the bets now but had laughed it off saying the grumpy detective had only come back to the town to make up with his ex wife.
"Do I really have to go through it again?" Rose asked as he put his phone away.
"You want him stopped?" he asked as Rose got comfy on him again.
She looked up at him. "Why couldn't he have just taken no for an answer?"
"You don't know the answer to that?" Alec smiled. "Rose, any man in his right mind would do anything for a date with you."
"Yeah but it doesn't mean I have to go out with them, does it? What is it with blokes who won't give up?"
"I never gave up," Alec reminded her, kissing her neck.
"No, you were worse than Steve," Rose giggled.
"Oh, I was, was I?" he smiled. "Maybe you should have been firmer with me?"
"Maybe I didn't want to be? There's a difference between you and Steve."
"Is that so?" he asked.
"Yeah, you're cute and I fancied you when you brought Daisy in."
"Who am I to argue with that?" he asked, lowering her bra strap and kissing her shoulder, since she'd unfastened his shirt.
After they got into bed, Rose laid on her side, fingering the hairs on his chest.
"Just how ill were you, back in Broadchurch?" she asked him as he kissed her neck.
"Rose, just leave it love, I'm here."
"Yeah but I want to know what it was like for you, I wish I'd been there."
"So do I love but it's quite a while now, you were back in London."
"Yeah, having James chat me up. I never told you the full story."
"I don't need to know love but you did the right thing, getting away and making a fresh start. That's what I was trying to do but with Daisy, not my ex."
"Well at least you got somewhere with her. I couldn't believe James preferred to go travelling on his own. I could have gone with him and taken photos for him, he never even asked me."
"Maybe he had a reason? Maybe he thought you wouldn't agree to go? Rose, I was reluctant to ask you to go with me, I can see why he never asked you."
"Would you leave me here Alec?" she asked him, fingering his beard.
"I thought I could Rose, I thought seeing you at weekends would be enough, once I realised I couldn't, then I had to give you the choice. He never even gave you a choice and I can see why you were so reluctant to let me get close to you once you found out I was leaving. You thought I would do the same."
"Yeah," Rose whispered. "I should have known you wouldn't but what was I supposed to think?"
"I know love, let's leave it, we have already agreed, have we not? Now, I'm not sure I can go on my own, I'm worried about leaving you."
"We can manage Alec, I never got time to see about getting someone in. Why don't I start advertising and Daisy can help me for now?"
"Can you afford anyone full-time though?" he asked, moving her vest top.
"Well once I move and they take over, yeah. I could set someone on the week before but get them in for me to show them everything. Will it be easy to find a place in Broadchurch?"
"If you get somewhere by the harbour, you could offer a one hour service for the tourists," he suggested. "Get some seaside backdrops or take your own, you'll be a big hit love."
"Yeah? I should have done that before buying some, I never thought but there's not much around here," Rose replied as she took his hand and guided it up the front of her top.
"You could use the photos you took of London love," he replied, eager for her to move her hand so he could kiss where he wanted.
"Alec, enough talking about work," Rose grinned as she pushed him onto his back. "Turn out the light."
"I'd rather leave it on to see your reaction," he teased her.
"Well good thing I got a lamp that dims then."
The next morning, after cutting down on the kissing and 'groping' as Alec called it, he had to set off early to catch Steve before he set off.
"I will call when we need you at the station love but don't cancel any sittings," he told her as he was leaving.
"I'll be okay after four, I can get the bus there," Rose replied.
"Get a taxi love, I'll pay, then I can bring you back. It will take a while longer on the bus. Get a receipt, I'll charge it to personnel, they can claim it back from him, since he's to blame."
"I tried to get him to go away," Rose reminded him, putting her arms around him, Alec putting his arms around her waist.
"I know love, when your door intercom is changed see about putting the camera some place else and get that door made clear, you can put a curtain across when you are taking photos. Is it just painted over?"
"Yeah or it's some sort of film, I'll have a look and see if it'll come off, I can pin something to it for now. Sorry I caused all that bother last night."
"Rose, it wasn't you, he chose to come back, now he'll pay for it. I have to go or he'll have left. I'll see you at the station, ask for me or DC Hunter, she'll be the one who calls you."
"Alec, what if he comes round when you let him go?"
"He won't, I'll get the owner to agree he'll send someone else. I promise love. If he does come back later, call the emergency number and give the reference number from last night. Oh, where's that photo?"
Rose went to get it from the hallstand.
"I'll get a frame on Saturday but for now, I'll put it in the frame I got for Daisy's."
"Are you sure? If they find out what happened last night?" Rose asked him.
"Yes love, it will be all over the station by now, the chief will want me to step back and let someone else take the lead but I'll insist I have some say in it."
She let him go, giving him another kiss then following him downstairs to move the traffic cone. As Alec was driving towards the printers, Steve had got there early to catch the other driver as they collected their deliveries.
"Want to swap a few?" Steve asked as Dave was picking up his pile and the list.
"What's wrong with you today?" he asked Steve. "Did that blonde turn you down again?" he laughed.
"Thought you'd like a change?" Steve replied, thinking back to the photos he'd seen of Rose and the bearded detective and what did she see in him?
Dave shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe tomorrow then, since the lists have been done? You'll have to see Maureen tonight, she'll be annoyed if you mess her around."
"Well why not just swap lists then?" Steve asked hopefully before Manny realised what he was up to and hoping to get going.
"Come on Steve, what's the real reason?" Dave asked him as he picked up his orders.
"That blonde, well she might have taken things the wrong way, she practically threw me out yesterday," he admitted, not willing to say she'd never even let him in.
"Is that all?" Dave laughed. "It wouldn't be the first time a woman threw you out."
"Come on Dave, gimme a break? I'll buy you a drink after work?" Steve offered.
"It's worth more than that. We'll swap tomorrow, she'll have to put up with you another day. You blew it then?"
Steve shook his head. How was he going to get out of this? He'd have to just get her to sign and hope she'd forgotten about last night, it was her word against his, he could say she took it the wrong way. He picked up his orders and was about to follow Dave out when he caught sight of a police car and hoped it hadn't come for him.
Alec had pulled up just after the marked car got there, two officers waiting for him. Maureen had glanced out of the other window.
"Hey Manny, there's a cop car outside, what was that call about the other day?"
"Never you mind. Sure they're coming here and not next door?" Manny asked, thinking if it was about Steve, he'd just get rid of him to save all the trouble.
He heard the door buzzer go and went through to the small counter used for personal callers. Alec was standing at the counter, the two officers behind him.
"DI Hardy. I called you about a driver named Steve," Alec stated, indicating for one of the officers to watch outside in case he tried to leave.
"I told him not to hang around the studio," Manny insisted. "If he takes no notice, she needs to make a complaint."
"She has. Call him back, I'm taking him in for questioning," Alec told him.
"He'll be loading his van. Maureen," he shouted, turning around. "Stop Steve from leaving."
Alec nodded for one of the officers to go outside.
"Stop his van from leaving," Alec ordered.
"There's two of them parked at the side Sir," the other officer replied.
"Well go stop them both from leaving," Alec replied.
"What's he supposed to have done, besides asking the woman out for a drink?" Manny asked.
"He attacked her last night as she was leaving the studio," Alec told him.
"What? Steve wouldn't do that. He might be a bit of a ladies man but he wouldn't go that far."
"Really?" Alec asked as the two officers went back outside. "Tell that to her when he grabbed hold of her and tried to force her back inside. Fortunately, she locked herself inside and called for help."
"Are you arresting him?" Manny asked. "If you are, he's out, I have an image to maintain that my customers aren't getting their orders by anyone with a record."
"That's up to you, I need to ask him some question at the station," Alec told him.
The two officers had just stopped the two vans from leaving, Dave indicating which one of them was Steve when they were asked. Alec had already told them the other driver could go.
"Thanks a lot Dave," Steve shouted as he was made to get out of the van.
They led him inside and Steve found himself face to face with the detective in the photo he'd seen of Rose. Then she'd wondered why he'd lost his mind and tried to get her back in the studio. He'd only gone to ask her to change her mind but something had come over him when he thought about them posing together when it could have been him, not that he normally got to the stage he had photos taken with a girlfriend.
Alec turned around while Manny went to tell Maureen to get one of the other lads to take Steve's deliveries and if he didn't get locked up, which in Manny's opinion he should for being an ass, he could take over at lunchtime while he decided on Steve's future with the company.
As Steve was cautioned by one of the officers, Alec told them to take him to the station and thanked Manny for his cooperation.
"So, you're her boyfriend then?" Steve asked as he was being put in the back of the police car.
"Even if I were not, it's no excuse for her being attacked outside of her place of work. Put him in the interview room and inform DS Mills, he should enjoy asking the questions," Alec replied.
He knew Mills could be an ass but he hated men who forced themselves on women – even if the woman was now his girlfriend.