Chapter 53
Kate sat in the living room listening to the order of food Charlie was saying down the phone. She had no issues with eating pizza, it was the fact that they were ordering food at all that was the problem.
"I'll just have some chips too then." Kate explained.
"Ok, ok. If that's all Mum?" Duffy replied, as Charlie was on the telephone giving them their orders.
Kate nodded.
"And an extra portion of chips please." Charlie said, as he then ended the call.
"How long did they say?" Duffy asked him.
"About an hour." Charlie added, as he then returned the phone back into its cradle in the hallway.
"I could have made them myself in that time Lisa." Kate said, as she sipped on her tea.
Duffy sighed, as she glared at her mother.
"By all means go ahead Mum. Make enough for five though will you?" Duffy said, as she gestured towards the kitchen.
Kate just sighed, as she rolled her eyes at her daughter.
"No need to be like that young lady." Kate replied.
"After the passed few days Mum, the last thing we need to do is worry about making dinner for us all. It's not that expensive. It's convenient that's all." Duffy sighed, as she winced with pain slightly, and drank her own tea.
"I suppose." Kate replied, and shook her head at her.
"More tea ladies?" Charlie suggested as he rubbed his hands together as he re-entered the room.
"No thanks Charlie." Kate replied, as she smiled at him.
Duffy shook her head, then winced in pain once again.
"You ok?" Charlie frowned, and bent down to rub Duffy's shoulder.
"Just got a bit of pain that's all." Duffy replied, as she struggled to reply.
Charlie checked his watch, and then replied, "your analgesia will be wearing off now actually. I'll go and get you some."
Charlie said, as he rose up from his position.
"Thanks." Duffy replied, as she looked at him weakly.
Charlie just smiled back, and also frowned with worry.
"You ok love?" Kate asked Duffy, putting her hand on her knee.
"Just sore Mum, and tired." Duffy replied, as she looked at her frowning.
Kate just squeezed her knee, and smiled sombrely at her.
"Won't be long until you can get some rest."
"Yeah, but I don't think I will until I know they've caught Andrew Mum. What if he comes back here again hmm?" Duffy explained, as she let out a few shorts puffs, due to the pain.
"He wouldn't dare Lisa. Charlie is here now too love. He wouldn't let anything happen." Kate replied, as she looked at her reassuringly.
"I hope you're right Mum, I hope you're right." Duffy replied.
"Here, have these." Charlie said, as he returned into the living room and handed her some of her medication.
"I brought yours with me too Kate. You're due yours in half an hour or so." Charlie added, as he handed Kate hers also.
"Thanks Charlie." Duffy replied, as she took her tablets, and drank her tea.
"Oh, thanks Charlie. It's a good job you're here to take care of all of us. Isn't it Lisa?" Kate stated, as she took her tablets from Charlie, and smiled warmly at him.
"Mum!?" Duffy answered harshly, then winced again with her pain.
Charlie smiled timidly at them both, blushing slightly.
"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else." Charlie replied, as he smiled at Kate, then looked at Duffy.
Duffy hadn't realised at first that he was gazing at her. But she could almost tell by the tone of his voice that he was. She began to blush, and then looked up catching his eyes on her. She smiled bashfully back at him.
Kate just watched the little exchange between them and grinned to herself, then sipped her tea.
-o-
Andrew sat in his cell, his head in his hands, having been interviewed and charged, by more senior officers when he arrived. There was no going hiding what he'd done anymore, not when Peter had witnessed it all. He began to sob into his hands. He had lost it all. His boys, Lisa, and now Victoria. He had no one to blame but himself for his actions.
The chief inspector sat at his desk, looking at the statements from Duffy, Peter, Charlie, and added information from Kate too. It was an open and shut case, no question about it. He then looked down at the contact details of Duffy's address. He checked his watch, then sighed. Too late for a house call, he thought. He then raised the telephone and dialled her home telephone instead.
-o-
Ring, ring, ring.
"Oh, phone." Charlie said, as he looked up from the television.
He turned to see both Duffy and Kate had dozed off. Their meals having filled them earlier, and they had now given in to their tiredness. He sighed and titled his head at them both. He got up and walked into the hallway to answer the phone.
"Hello? Oh, right, yes that's me. She's um sleeping at the moment actually. Um, do you want me to wake her up? You do, ah, right, um ok. Two minutes." Charlie replied, as he spoke to the Chief Inspector at the other end of the line.
Charlie then walked into the living room and tried to rouse Duffy.
"Duffy? Duffy? Um, the Police are wanting to speak to you. Duffy?" Charlie said, as he gently rubbed her hand with his.
"Hmmm, mmmm, um, what?" Duffy replied sleepily.
"It's the police, they're on the phone. They need to speak to you. Here, let me help you up." Charlie told her, as he helped her get up from the sofa.
"Oh, right. Oooh, um, ok." Duffy replied, as she got up with difficulty, as she was achy and sore.
When Duffy reached the phone in the hallway, her hand began to tremble. She looked wearily and worryingly at Charlie.
"It's ok, I'm right here." Charlie said, he had taken her hand in his, and gave it a little squeeze of reassurance.
Duffy sighed, and then spoke down the phone.
"Hello, Lisa Bower speaking." Duffy said, as she then momentarily held her breath.
"Mrs Bower, my name is Chief Inspector Thaw, we have arrested, and charged your husband, he is in custody with ourselves, and will be for 48hrs. Can you confirm to me that you are in a safe environment, and with people you trust?" The chief inspector advised her.
Duffy then breathed out heavily in relief, and replied.
"Oh, thank God! Thank God! They've got him." Duffy said, as she squeezed Charlie's hand with hers, tears filled her eyes, as she looked at him.
"Mrs Bower, can you confirm to me that you are in a safe environment, and with people you trust?" The chief inspector asked once again, for protocol purposes, in case she felt threatened or in harm where she was at the moment.
"Oh, um, yes, yes. I'm ok, yes. I'm with my, my..." She turned to look at Charlie, unsure now how to word who he now was in her life, her friend, her lover, her future boyfriend?
"I'm with my friend, um, Mr Charlie Fairhead, Inspector, and my Mother Kate Duffin is with me, as well as my boys. I'm safe, and they are people I trust. I am fine. They are all going to stay with me." Duffy added, as she squeezed Charlie's hand once more.
"Right, is that a Mr Charles Robert Fairhead, who we interviewed with you earlier today? Is he going to stay with you, as well as your mother, and sons?" He asked, as he looked down at the statements and names in front of him to confirm it with her.
"Um, yes, yes, that's right. He's um, my boss, Clinical Nurse Manager Charles Robert Fairhead, at the Emergency Department at Holby City Hospital. He um, um..." Duffy explained.
"Right, I'll add that to our notes for now Mrs Bower. Due to the nature of all the assaults, and the motives behind it. I am under obligation to advise that Dr Bower has been given notice that he will be further charged if he attempts to contact or tries to come within a 200 metre radius of you, Mr Fairhead, your Mother or your boys. This will give you some reassurance that he has been warned if he were to disturb you, or any other parties involved." The chief inspector explained in a very authoritative manner.
"Oh, thank God for that! That puts my mind at ease inspector thank you." Duffy replied, visibly relaxing more.
"He will be released within 48hrs Mrs Bower, I have to notify you in accordance with the law. Now, if there are any further issues, please contact us, and we will manage the situation. I do hope you all make speedy recoveries. Good evening Mrs Bower." He advised.
"Thank you Inspector Thaw, thank you for everything. Good night." Duffy replied, as she put the phone down.
Duffy just turned and collapsed into Charlie's arms, her tears down falling down her face in relief, stress, and pain.
"Shhh, shhh, it's going to be ok, they've got him, they've got him Duffy." Charlie said, as he hugged her delicately against him.
-x-
