"So how do you want to do this guv?" Jo asked back at the station. Stuart and Charlotte had been locked in separate cells.
"We'll both interview them one at a time, let's start with Stuart, we'll probably get more out of them if we play them off against each other. Charlotte's pretty spooked already, I don't think she'll hold up for long."
"Ok, what about Phil?"
"Leave him where he is just now, we'll release him when we know a bit more."
"I'll go get Stuart out then" Jo made to walk into the cells but Jack held her back.
"Not yet, wait for another twenty minutes or so, let him think we're interviewing Charlotte just now."
"Guv"
"Interview with Stuart Turner commencing at seventeen fifty-six, present are D.C.I Meadows, D.C Masters, Stuart Turner and Mr Turners brief." Jack leant forward so his arms were resting on the table. "So…Stuart…can you tell us what you were doing hiding in Charlotte Daniels kitchen cupboard?"
"No comment"
"What were you doing at her house?"
"No comment" Jacks eyes narrowed dangerously and he raised his voice slightly.
"Are you and Miss Daniels in this together?"
"No comment"
"Have you been at her house since you left the station earlier on today?"
"No comment" Stuart smirked at Jacks frustration, he knew himself, how annoying it was when a suspect refused to answer the questions. Jo tried a different tact.
"You know Stuart, your really not doing yourself any favours by not commenting. We've already spoken to Charlotte…and she told us everything." Stuarts smirk faded. "How you plotted Sam's murder, how you took the CCTV tape then how you formulated this little plan to have Phil arrested when the other one failed…"
"Hold on! I had nothing to do with the attempt on Sam's life, that was all Charlotte! I just…" he broke off with a grimace, realising he'd said too much.
"So it was Charlotte who tried to murder Sam?" Stuart looked away, knowing he'd walked straight into that one. "You just what? Stole the CCTV from Phil's house? Set him up?" Stuart glanced around at his brief before answering.
"No comment"
"Stuart, we have a witness who positively identified you and Miss Daniels as being outside Phil's house the day of his arrest. You used the spare key to enter and found the tape while Charlotte kept a look out." Stuart leant forwards so he was leaning on the table and looked directly into Jo's eyes.
"No comment" Jo sat back, away from him and stayed silent. Jack sighed, this was getting them nowhere.
"Interview suspended at eighteen-eleven" Stuart smirked triumphantly.
"Well that was a total waste of time." Jo moaned, out in custody.
"Let's get Charlotte in there, I have a feeling she'll be easier to break than him." A minute later, a scared looking Charlotte emerged from the cells, being escorted by Jo.
"In here Charlotte" Jack said and held the interview room door open for her. And Jo and then entered himself. "Interview with Charlotte Daniels commencing at eighteen sixteen. Present are D.C.I Meadows, D.C Masters, Charlotte Daniels and Miss Daniels brief. Charlotte…we've already spoken to Stuart and he told us everything…that it was all down to you, from the attempted murder to framing Phil Hunter." Charlotte looked up with panic in her eyes. She didn't think Stuart would tell them anything let alone lie and lay all the blame on her!
"N-no! It wasn't all me! Stuart was involved too; he was the one that suggested framing Phil…that was all his idea!"
"So are you saying that the attempted murder was all down to you?"
"I…erm…I don't…" She glanced around at her brief.
"Charlotte you just confessed to it there, you said Stuart framed Phil which means you must have tried to kill Sam alone and Stuart said he never helped you."
"N-no I-I didn't…I just…" she trailed off
"Charlotte?" Charlotte glanced around the room wildly as though searching for a means of escape. "Come on Charlotte! There's no way out this time!" Charlotte looked down at her knees as the tears began to fall.
"Ok…I confess…I poisoned Sam" Jo and Jack exchanged a triumphant look
"Go on"
"I was so jealous of her and Phil's relationship, I knew they were going to get back together and he was going to leave me and I just thought if she was out the way, me and Phil could be happy."
"So what did you do?"
"I sneaked into the nurses room at St Hugh's, put on a spare uniform and went to the drugs cabinet. No one even looked twice at me…it was so easy. I took the drugs and went to Sam's room. I woke her up and told her the doctor had asked me to give them to her, I said they were painkillers. She took them without question then I went back to the nurse's room, changed into my own clothes, took the CCTV tape and left.
"How did the tape end up in Phil's house?"
"He found it while I was out and watched it. H-he was furious with me b-but I didn't want to hurt him…I loved him. He said he wouldn't tell the police as long as I stayed away from him and Sam then he took the tape and…and left me" Charlotte fell silent, still staring at her knees, her tears dripping off her chin onto her lap.
"How did you meet Stuart?"
"Erm…it was a few days after Phil left me, we were both having our nails done and he caught my eye." Jo didn't quite manage to suppress a smirk.
"Stuart was having a manicure?" she asked with laughter in her voice. Jack shot her a warning look.
"Yeah. We bumped into each other on the way out and got talking and he bought me drink in a nearby pub. I didn't know who he was at first but it didn't take me long to realise. We got a little drunk and I told him I had done something terrible, he asked what and I admitted everything, I told him what I did to Sam. He was shocked at first but he wasn't angry, I thought he would be but he actually seemed ok with it. We started talking about getting revenge and Stuart suggested framing Phil and…it just kind of went from there. We went round to his house, waited until Phil and Sam went out and then Stuart sneaked in and nicked the tape while I kept an eye out for them returning. We went back to his and watched it to make sure it didn't show my face and then I handed it in. I'm really sorry!" she cried "I didn't want to hurt anyone; I only wanted Phil to love me" Charlotte put her face in her hands and started sobbing uncontrollably.
"I think we'll leave it there" Jack said quietly "Interview terminated at eighteen thirty-two" Charlotte was lead back to the cells to calm down.
"I know she did a terrible thing guv, but I can't help feeling sorry for her." Jo said as Charlotte was locked away again.
"Mmm, well don't feel too bad, remember what she did to Sam. she's definitely going down now what with that confession and the two positive I.D's. Let's get Stuart back in there now and unnerve him a little."
"Interview recommencing at eighteen thirty-nine. You might like to know Stuart, that Charlotte confessed…, to everything. She told us how she tried to kill Sam alone but it was your idea to frame Phil add onto that the fact we found you hiding in Charlotte's home, the positive I.D and the prints on the video tape and your going down for a few years at least. Have you got anything to say to us now?" Stuart looked positively furious. His plan had failed, Phil was going to walk free…straight into Sam's arms and he was gong to prison.
"No comment"
"There's just one thing that puzzles me Stuart. How did your prints get on the tape? Charlotte said you wore gloves." Stuart frowned a little and thought back to when he found the tape. He had hoisted himself up on the shelf to get a better view…ran his fingers along it…pulled the video down and…
"I kissed it" Stuart said gruffly, he had practically sealed his own fate, how could he have been so stupid? "I pulled the video down from the back of Hunter's cupboard and I was so happy I had found it that...I kissed it." He looked away bitterly, hardly believing how stupid he'd been.
"Ah, well I guess that explains that then, incidentally, is that a confession?" Jack smirked, Stuart had walked right into that one! He had been cornered and there was no way out.
"No comment"
"Interview terminated at eighteen forty-seven" Jo switched the tape off. "Take him out to custody Jo, have him and Charlotte charged then release Phil"
"Guv" Jo said with a smile.
Phil looked up when the door opened to see Jo there, grinning at him. He stood up to face her. "Am I being interviewed again…or are you gonna charge me now?"
"Neither"
"Am I being bailed?"
"Nope. You're being released" Phil stared at her for a second then sank back down onto the bench.
"Seriously?" he asked weakly
"Seriously" she confirmed "Charlotte confessed and Stuart slipped up and confessed accidently, their both about to be charged"
"But how did you…how did…" Jo laughed at his stutters.
"Come on, let's get you out of here" Phil followed her into custody.
"Welcome back Phil" Jack greeted him "I knew you didn't do it"
"Thank you guv, you too Jo" Phil said sincerely "I honestly can't thank you enough"
"It's alright, but you can buy us a drink later if you want"
"I'll buy you as many as you like" Phil grinned
"There is one thing though Phil, just a little thing" Jack said seriously.
"What's that?" Jack's expression turned severe.
"You withheld evidence from us. You took the tape from Charlotte and kept it hidden. We could arrest you for that you know" Jack relaxed his face into a smile as Phil looked horrified. "But I think you…and Sam have been through enough recently so I'll let it drop. Your lucky I'm a nice person" he laughed "Now you owe me two drinks" Phil sighed in relief.
"You had me going for a second there guv"
"Anyway…speaking of Sam…she's been in CID for hours. I think she deserves to know you're free. Come on" Jo escorted Phil up the stairs.
"Where is she?" Jo pointed through a window into one of the soft interview rooms where Sam lay, curled up in a chair, fast asleep.
"Go on then!" Jo pushed Phil towards the door and stood back to give them some time alone. Phil entered the room and knelt down in front of Sam. He stroked her hair lovingly and gently shook her awake.
"Hey" he whispered
"Phil?"
"Yeah it's me babe" He pulled her up into a sitting position.
"What's going on? Why are you here?"
"It's all over babe" he smiled "Stuart and Charlotte have been charged and I'm free to go home" Sam was suddenly a lot more alert.
"Really? Oh Phil, that's fantastic!" She threw her arms around him and he held her close. "I love you Phil" she whispered into his shoulder.
"I love you too baby"
Jo smiled through the window. Just seeing them together again made the last couple of days seem completely worth it. She walked away with a very satisfied smile.
Back in the interview room, Phil tightened his arms around Sam.
"I'll never leave you again babe" he whispered in her ear "I promise…"
Only one chapter to go!: ) Reviews are always appreciated
Lynsey x
