Chapter Fifty Two

August 2012 (Age 30)

Everything for Joey had passed by in a blur over the past hour. She'd been given a place to wait and whereas once upon a time, she knew Charlie would have done her utmost to pop back and keep her company as much as possible, to be kind to her and take as much care of her as best she could; today she felt something that was only a few levels down from hostility. But she understood and she accepted it. It devastated her to be met with the cold hard fact that she and Charlie were definitely over but she knew it was of her own making. She also knew there was nothing she could do about it.

"Joey?"

She looked up from her seat. Her empty cup of tea was clutched in her hands, although she'd almost forgotten she was holding it. Now, looking at Charlie in the doorway, her breath caught in her chest.

"Would you like to come through?" the police officer again.

Joey swallowed and nodded, standing up and following her into the same interview room – still clutching her cup. The former couple sat down together, once more with Watson quietly stood at the back of the room.

"We've looked through everything you brought us," Charlie said. "And that, coupled with your statement is enough to bring Hayley in for questioning for both her involvement in Robert Cruze's death and also for perverting the course of justice. Even though we have Aden's confession, we understand that she was meant to be acting in his defence on grounds of extenuating circumstances. It sounds like she was the extenuating circumstances and that she is deliberating attempting to earn him a longer sentence. We also need to investigate your claims that she reached him in jail and is responsible for the attack on him last month."

Joey nodded but her anxiety was high.

"Before we make any contact with Hayley, however, we need to put safety mechanisms in place," Charlie continued. "We've contacted the prison and arranged for Aden to be put into protection. We've also informed them that under no circumstances are they or he to have any contact with his lawyer. We've also made it clear who his lawyer was so there aren't any miscommunications. But of course, from here, we need to act fast."

"Okay," Joey said.

"We also need to protect you," Charlie said. "In all of this, everyone else is a consequence. You're always her central target. She could even be on her way here now, if she already knows you're missing. We need to put you in protective custody again like we did last time. Only this time, you have to play by the rules. There will be no walking out on us. There will be no sneaking off and playing your own game. You let us make the decisions because we are the police officers, not you. We're the ones in charge of this investigation and you need to trust us to know what's best for you."

"I promise," Joey said, sufficiently chastised.

"Good then," Charlie said. "We'll get everything organised. Thank you for being patient."


It was the evening and Joey was sat in the lounge of the safe house that was to become her home for the next however long. Perched on the edge of the sofa while Watson and Charlie did security checks, Joey was nervous about all these events she had suddenly set in place. She wondered what would happen to Hayley now and what Aden must be thinking and feeling. She also wondered if she would be able to speak to him or see him anytime soon. She very much hoped so but she would be careful not to make any requests or demands of her minders. Charlie's speech about playing by the rules was imprinted on her mind. This time, it would be different. This time, she had nobody special on her side.

"Okay, we're all set," Charlie stated, when she and Watson returned to the lounge. "Watson you're okay for the night, right?"

"Sure thing," Watson said.

Joey couldn't help but be disappointed, although not surprised that Charlie wouldn't be staying with her. Long gone were nights cuddled up together. Long gone was any special treatment.

"Bye," Charlie said to Watson and Joey both.

With a nod, she turned and left. Joey remained on the sofa, her heart breaking. Watson stood, watching her housemate leave. Then she turned and observed Joey, looking fragile on the couch. Pity flooded her. It was going to be a long night.


Outside, Charlie hurried into her patrol car as fast as her legs would carry her. Slamming the door, she finally let out the breath she had been holding. Barely waiting, she drove straight back to the station. Not even bothering to go inside, she just swapped cars and headed round to Shannon and Mandy's house. She needed girl time and she needed it now.

"Woah, where's the fire?" Shannon exclaimed when her foster sister rapped on the front door in a state of distress.

"Joey's back," Charlie announced.

"Okay," Shannon said. "Now we know where the fire is. Let's get you a drink."

She ushered her sister inside and hollered for Mandy to turn Glee off and open a bottle of wine.

"Is Glee even on tonight?"

"We were having a box set day of fun," Shannon explained rather sheepishly.

"Wow, you guys really live it up," Charlie remarked.

"You're just jealous because you had to work," Mandy pointed out, entering the room with a bottle of red and three glasses.

"Maybe a little bit true," Charlie conceded.

They all sat down together. Mandy started pouring.

"So tell us everything," Shannon said. "Including all the gritty details and any confidential bits you're not allowed to tell us. I promise not to be a journalist."


"She's not trying to be cruel to you," Watson ventured, breaking the somewhat awkward silence that had descended on the pair of them.

"I know," Joey said softly. "She couldn't be cruel even if she tried."

"She's just trying to protect her heart," Watson told her. "She took it pretty hard when you left. Very hard. I've never… never seen her like that before. It's been hard for her to put herself back together."

"I know," Joey repeated. "I never wanted to hurt her. I'm sorry I did. I was honestly just trying to do the right thing. I was trying to protect her. I love her."

"She loves you too," Watson said.

She knew she was probably breaking all the best friend rules in the world but in her heart of hearts, she still hoped that somehow, some way, the two of them would find their way back together again.

"Sometimes I think that's not enough," Joey said sadly.

"Maybe it is," Watson said. "Maybe it could be. Once all of this horrible crap is dealt with. When things are simple again."

"Nothing in our lives has ever been simple."

"And yet… you've always been in love with each other," Watson pointed out. "And once upon a time, that was all that mattered to either of you. You've both got lost in the last couple of months but that doesn't mean you can't find your way back to each other if you try."

Joey sighed but it was the first time she felt just a tiny bit of hope.

"Now, I'm not saying you don't have a massive rabbit to pull out of a hat here, Joey," Watson said rather frankly. "The way you rejected her, the way you walked away – whatever your reasons – it was almost unforgiveable. You hurt her so badly. She's been in so much pain. But you couldn't have hurt her that much if she didn't love you so much. So if you try, if you do whatever it takes to make things right, you might just succeed."


"So, she's left the evil girlfriend, handed over every shred of evidence she has about the whole case, her friend, the murder, the domestic abuse, everything…?" Shannon asked rather incredulously.

"Yep," Charlie said. "And get this – the reason she left with that bitch was because she'd threatened both Aden and me. She'd already got Aden assaulted in prison and had told Joey that she'd kill me. But rather than trusting me and the police, she went with Hayley to… I don't know, sacrifice herself for us."

"Well, I guess that puts a new spin on everything," Mandy said thoughtfully.

"She still left," Shannon pointed out. "She still hurt Charlie beyond the telling of it. She still walked out and abandoned her. That hasn't changed."

"I know but it puts her reasoning into perspective," Mandy said. "And you can't underestimate the level of fear this woman has been living in for however many years. And the amount of self esteem that Hayley has stripped away from her."

Charlie listened to them debate. It was like hearing her own consciousness argue with itself. But in truth, she was more confused than ever.


Next time... Hayley is taken into custody and Charlie finds Joey and Aden a laywer...