"Cocaine, though." Ellie sighed.
She was brooding after they'd gone to talk with Becca Fisher about some cocaine SOCO had found in Chloe's bedroom. According to the teenager, Becca had supplied her with the cocaine; however, according to Becca, she had asked Chloe to supply her with the drug for a hotel customer who had been staying for a weekend. The customers had left before Chloe brought the drug so Becca had given it back, but she had no idea who Chloe had gotten it from and she vehemently denied any involvement from Danny in the incident. What bothered Ellie about the interview with Becca was that the woman seemed far more interested in keeping the incident quiet because she feared losing her license than the fact that she had requested and succeeded in getting a Class A drug from an underage girl. Of course, the fact that Chloe had succeeded in acquiring and then apparently kept the cocaine was a whole other bucket of worms Ellie didn't want to open. And none of it explained the £500 SOCO had found strapped to the underside of Danny's bed.
"It must be a one-off." Ellie thought aloud while Alec made some tea next to her in the break room. "They're not that type of family. Chloe's not that type of girl."
"Nobody ever is." Alec remarked. Ellie looked at him sternly.
"No, I live here. We don't have these problems. A couple of arrests for possession every month on the estate, but no more than that." She glanced at the single mug of tea Alec picked up as he turned away from the kettle. "Are you just making one for yourself?"
He ignored her and it was his turn to think aloud. "That woman, Emma Symons; she said Chloe was going through a rebellious stage."
Ellie frowned a little in confusion and she answered in a puzzled tone, "When did she say that?"
When he didn't answer, Ellie went on, "Chloe's fifteen, she fights with her parents a little bit, she acts up with the make-up, the hair, the short skirts, but she's not a dealer."
Alec had stopped listening and he asked abruptly, "How would you describe her? Emma Symons?"
Ellie gaped at him. But when she realized Alec was serious, she answered with a shrug.
"Uh, sweet, friendly, really good with the kids. She's pretty smart too, she tutors the secondary school kids in maths and history although she told me once she loathes physics and isn't that good at it which is why she refuses to be the tutor on that. A bit of an introvert, not one to go socialize at a party or anything but she's not shy either. She'll speak her mind, especially if she's cross, and doesn't care if someone disagrees. A mother hen of sorts: she doesn't meddle or fuss exactly, but she can be fiercely protective."
"You said she moved here for her godfather?" Alec questioned and Ellie nodded.
"Yeah. He was a doctor, originally grew up here then moved to the city for his studies and practice. He moved back about fifteen years ago because he was tired of living in the city. He was nice, it was a shame when he died."
"Do you know her life before coming here?" Alec asked, showing no sign that he'd really been listening to Ellie. She scowled but answered.
"Uh, aside from the fact that she lived in London growing up and she went to uni in Australia, not much. She did say she hates the city but sometimes misses the theatres: musicals and such."
"Has she ever had dealings with the police before?"
Ellie stared at Alec, taken aback by his sudden question that seemed to have come out of nowhere.
"What do you mean, 'dealings'?" She asked, feeling a bit irritated with him. First he was suspicious of Chloe and now again Emma? It was like he was out for the people Ellie cared about, and he refused to listen to her opinions even though she knew them.
"You know, been questioned or anything?"
"Not that I know of." Ellie shook her head. "Emma's a pretty big stickler for the law; actually, I probably should have started with that to describe her. She's never even had a speeding ticket all her life as far as I know and she's sometimes nagged at us if we bend the rules a bit."
"Why?" Alec asked, instantly looking up curiously. Ellie shrugged again in confusion.
"Dunno, why shouldn't she?" She turned the question back at him. "And why're you asking, she's not even a suspect."
"Ellie," someone called. "I think you might want to take this one."
Ellie gave one more odd look at Alec before she turned and quickly followed the officer who'd called her. Alec meanwhile started thoughtfully into his tea even after Ellie was gone. The teacup swirled as his vision blurred briefly and he grimaced. He needed to solve the case; and fast.
Emma was walking up the path along the cliffs, needing to move after her talk with Patricia. She felt restless, Danny's death haunting her constantly and bringing back things she'd thought she'd erased forever. A flash of very bright light threatened to blind her in her mind's eye and Emma shook the thought from her head. She looked up as she heard a noise coming from ahead and she gasped.
"Oh, my God, Beth!" Emma ran up the path to where she could see her friend sobbing her eyes out on one of the sparse benches that lined the rarely used hiking trail. "What happened?"
"Em?" Beth asked, wiping her eyes in a futile attempt to hide the fact that she'd been crying like a crazy woman. Emma dug around in her bag to retrieve a bag of tissues and she handed it to Beth, sitting down beside the woman in concern.
"Oh, Beth. Why're you out here all alone?" Emma asked worriedly. Beth exhaled sharply, her eyes remaining fixed at some point out across the horizon.
"I'm pregnant."
Emma leant back, stunned for a moment at Beth's announcement. It took her several seconds to collect herself again and she asked carefully, "Are you sure?"
"Yeah. Took the test a couple times to be sure."
"How long?"
Beth shrugged and Emma's brows creased as she observed her friend intently.
"Have you told Mark?" Emma asked in a low voice and Beth shook her head.
"No. Only you, and Paul."
"Paul?" Emma repeated in confusion. She and Paul were friends but she'd never heard of Beth really socialising with the vicar before nor was Beth particularly religious even if her mother was devoutly Christian.
"He helped me at the shops." Beth mumbled. "I… I backed my car into a pole."
"Oh." Emma paused before she asked tentatively, "What about your mum? Have you told her yet?"
"I don't want anyone to know, Emma!" Beth suddenly screamed, startling Emma. "I don't want it, I want Danny! I want him, I don't want something to replace him! I want my little boy, I want my baby, and I can't have him!"
"Oh, Beth." Emma whispered, reaching out to grasp her friend's hand tightly as Beth breathed heavily, glaring out at the sea again. "Beth, I wish I could do something to make it better."
"You can't." Beth said vehemently and Emma agreed.
"I know."
Beth turned to stare at her friend and it was Emma's turn to stare out at the ocean Danny loved as she said softly, "I miss him too, so I can't imagine how it must be for you. I've never had a kid and even though I loved Danny, it's obviously not the same. And I wish, so much Beth, that there was anything any of us could do to undo it. To bring him back."
"I should have looked in on him." Beth said numbly and Emma shook her head.
"Well, then maybe I should have looked out my window that night or taken a walk in town. I might've seen him and maybe prevented it."
Beth frowned and Emma prodded her, "See? It makes no sense but at the same time it does, because there are so many possibilities. So many things that, in hindsight, you wish you'd seen or done. But you can't blame yourself, Beth, and you can't let yourself fall into that hole. It's a dark place to be and once you've fallen in, it's very hard to climb back out. Just remember, the only person to blame is the person that did this."
"I just want Danny back." Beth whispered, her voice breaking and Emma hugged her friend tightly.
"I know, sweetheart. But all we can do is make sure the bastard that did this to him will pay so Danny's laid at peace."
Beth didn't say anything to that and the two friends remained sitting in silence, side by side, on that bench until the sun's rays turned orange as it began to dip below the horizon.
It was very late at night and Alec was still in his office, flipping through files on the case when Ellie walked in and dropped a wrapped paper packet on his desk.
"What's that?" Alec asked, glancing down at the packet blankly.
"Thai was closed, chippie was the only place open." Ellie explained as she settled into the leather couch across from his desk. Alec balked.
"I can't eat that." He said flatly and Ellie looked up at him incredulously.
"You don't eat fish and chips? What kind of a Scot are you?" She shot back dryly.
Alec removed his glasses and tossed them on his desk, breathing out a deep sigh as he settled into his desk chair and poked at the packet reluctantly. Ellie watched him and she repressed a scowl as she informed him sternly "It's all there is. Eat or be hungry."
She tucked into her own serving as Alec stared at the fish and chips before leaving it alone as he rattled off, "Postman's alibi is confirmed, four times. He was with his mates all night, the night Danny was killed."
"So Jack Marshall got it wrong, then?" Ellie asked as she bit into a chip.
Alec leant back in his chair thoughtfully. "Do we have any reason to disbelieve the postman? How's Marshall's eyesight? Does he have any reason to lie?"
Ellie looked up but Alec was still going without giving her a chance to reply, "And do we think that the money and the drugs found at the house are connected? Is that cash for the supply of cocaine?"
"You do know you do this incessant list question thing?" Ellie interrupted around a mouthful of fish. "Bam-bam-bam-bam, so no one's got a chance to reply. It's like you really enjoy it."
"Do I?" Alec asked, looking over at her. She nodded.
"Yeah. Can I eat my dinner, please?"
Alec looked back at his own dinner before turning back to Ellie.
"First murder, how're you finding it?" He asked and Ellie sighed around her food.
"Grim." She answered morosely.
"What do you make of Mark and Beth's list?" Alec questioned as he finally picked up a chip and chewed on the end of it while he thought about the list of suspects the Latimers had drafted and given to them.
"Heartbreaking." Ellie answered sorrowfully. "Some of their best friends, Danny's teachers, babysitters, neighbours. They're traumatized, not thinking straight."
"Or smart, we never asked for a list." Alec pointed out as he continued to munch on just a few chips and didn't touch the batter-coated fish. "Maybe they're trying to direct where we look."
He nodded behind Ellie to where one of the officers was finally going home. "See you."
"Good night, sir." The man called as he left, and Alec refocused on Ellie as he finished his earlier thought.
"Taking focus away from their household."
Ellie stared at Alec like he had suggested the moon was made of cheese.
"They didn't kill Danny." She stated, appalled he was even considering it and Alec lectured, "You have to learn not to trust."
"Oh, do I? Oh, right." Ellie said sarcastically. "That's what you've been sent here to teach me. The benefit of your experience. Brilliant."
"You have to look at your community from the outside now." Alec said sternly and Ellie narrowed her eyes at him.
"I can't be outside it. And I don't want to be."
"If you can't be objective, you're not the right fit." Alec said bluntly and Ellie's entire expression tightened.
"No, I am the right fit. It's you who's not the right fit, swanning in here, taking promotions meant for other people, not being able to accept a cup of coffee or a bloody bag of chips without a great big sigh."
Ellie finished with a huff, but Alec just stared at her without any change in countenance. His stare unnerved her and it was clear he was waiting for her to finish her tirade. Ellie dropped her gaze sheepishly, feeling a bit embarrassed at her loss of temper.
"Sorry. Sir."
"You need to understand, Miller." Alec said sternly. "Anybody's capable of this murder. Given the right circumstances."
"Most people have a moral compass." Ellie tried to argue but Alec shook his head.
"Compasses break. And murder gnaws at the soul." He settled back in his chair, chewing a chip as he continued firmly, "Whoever did it will reveal themselves, sooner or later. No killer behaves normally over time. You know what people are like here ordinarily. Look for the out-of-the-ordinary. Follow your instincts."
"My instinct tells me the Latimers did not kill their son." Ellie deadpanned back.
Alec rolled his eyes before he remembered something else.
"Your friend, Emma Symons."
"Yes?" Ellie asked wearily. She was getting quite tired of Alec always bringing Emma up; was he interested in her for other reasons despite his denials? Although, to be fair, he definitely sounded anything but romantic whenever he talked about her.
"She said she's been single for three years."
Ellie blinked, wondering when Alec had even gotten that information but she confirmed, "Uh, yeah, that's about right. Might be a bit longer now, actually."
"Any old boyfriends she might still be meeting? Anybody casual?" Alec asked.
"Why're you so fixated on her?" Ellie questioned back but when he just looked at her impatiently, she answered, "No, no one."
"You're sure?" Alec checked and Ellie sighed in exasperation.
"Yes!" She took a moment to regain control of her temper and explained, "Look, Emma's never had a serious relationship since coming to Broadchurch. The last boyfriend, three years ago? He wasn't even really a boyfriend, they went out on a couple dates, he confessed and she agreed because Beth and I told her she should really start finding someone, she ended it within a week."
"Why?" Alec asked and Ellie shook her head.
"That's private."
"Could be relevant."
"It really isn't."
Alec gave her a look so Ellie grit her teeth. "Fine. Just do not tell anyone, she told Beth and I in strict confidence."
Alec just kept waiting impatiently so Ellie revealed, "Emma can't stand casual sex, won't ever have it."
"But you said she was dating the guy." Alec frowned.
"Yes, but she wasn't really that interested in him." Ellie sighed. "She just finally caved to me and Beth's encouragement, but when he tried to get her to sleep with him she put him off. Dumped him when he asked her how long he had to wait."
"Is that normal?" Alec asked thoughtfully, just thinking aloud really. Ellie shrugged again although it was clear she didn't disagree with her friend's actions.
"Maybe it's old fashioned of her, but Emma's always said that if it isn't a guy she thinks deserves her, she won't do it just because he thinks he deserves her. It's why she's been single so long - she just never found a guy she liked enough to hang onto."
"Well, her father was probably very pleased, sounds like the kind of daughter any father dreams of." Alec muttered and Ellie couldn't quite tell if he was being serious or sarcastic. His next question irritated her too much for her to dwell on the thought.
"Do you think it's some kind of trauma?"
"Does it have to be?" Ellie shot back a little sharply. "Why can't it just be that that's who she is?"
Alec clicked his tongue, screwing up his eyes a bit as he thought about it. "Still, I want to be sure. Just in case, do a background check on her. She doesn't have an alibi for the time period when Danny was killed and I don't want a surprise later."
Ellie refrained from biting back and instead muttered through gritted teeth just to shut him up, "Yes, sir. Now, can we please just eat?"
The next morning, Alec went to the caravan park near the foot of Briar Hill to pick up the keys to the hut he had been examining the prior morning. The owner of the keys, Susan Wright who was the hired cleaner of the hut and who turned out to be the woman he'd crossed paths with outside the hut, had been less than friendly and almost as unhelpful but at least he'd gotten the keys.
As he was returning to the town after handing off the keys to his officers, however, Alec spotted her again. Emma Symons. She was running again, although she seemed to be cutting her run short, likely to avoid the rain that looked to be about to start. She looked tired, he noted, not because of the exercise but like she wasn't sleeping well; the circles under her eyes were more prominent than they had been the first day he'd seen her when he delivered the news to the Latimers that they'd identified Danny's body on the beach.
She saw him just after he saw her and he noticed the way she hesitated before continuing on the path that would take her right by him. She nodded awkwardly at him as she ran by, mumbling a breathless hello. Something about that jogged his memory and Alec realized he'd seen her several times before, always in the morning near the Traders since he'd arrived in Broadchurch.
"Miller!" Alec hollered from his office later that morning.
She hurried in, coming over to where he was sitting before his computer. "What is it?"
"CCTV from the car park below the hut." Alec explained, showing her the footage he had just received. "Mark Latimer."
Ellie stared, unable to believe her eyes but there was no mistaking him as he had parked right in front of the camera. "When is this?"
"Night Danny snuck out of his bedroom." Alec answered.
"He said he was out on a call, what's he doing?" Ellie wondered as they watched Mark lean on the bonnet of his car.
"Waiting for someone."
"How do you know?" Ellie asked instantly and Alec shot back, "I don't. But I bet I'm right."
The footage cut as Mark folded his arms, and Alec frowned.
"Tape's run out. Is there another one?" He tried searching for a second file while Ellie looked through the notes on the CCTV tapes.
"No. Apparently they just use the one tape and rerecord over it to save money." Ellie sighed as she read off the note attached to the information about the tapes and Alec groaned.
"Bollocks!"
Someone knocked on the open office door then, and the two detectives looked over to see a middle-aged man whom Alec realized a beat late was the electrician from the phone company who had been in the station the last few days to set up the extra phone lines for their team to receive calls on Danny's case directly.
"Sorry." The man apologised for interrupting while Alec frowned; what was he doing at Alec's office door?
"Are you done?" Ellie asked, straightening up from beside Alec while he turned away, disinterested and intending to refocus on the CCTV footage.
"No, no, it's not that." The man hesitated, flexing his hands awkwardly. "It's Danny Latimer you're doing, isn't it?"
Alec looked over again sharply, staring at the other man as Ellie asked, "Why?"
The man seemed to deliberate again before he said in a low voice, "It's something to do with water."
"What're you saying?" Alec asked, frowning in confusion.
"I've been told it's something to do with water." The man explained and Ellie fired back immediately, "Told by who?"
The man seemed to sigh to himself before he explained awkwardly, "I, uh, I have, um… I have this… thing where I get, I get messages."
Alec and Ellie continued to stare at the man expectantly so he elaborated, "Psychic messages."
"Oh, for God's sake, who let you in?" Alec groaned irritably while Ellie strode forward, intending to lead the man out but he stammered in protest.
"No, no, no, the thing about the water, that's important. Don't just ignore it."
"Oh, come on, I want to get you out." Ellie groaned, almost as annoyed as Alec, but the man stopped her desperately.
"No, no, it's something that I have to… I'm supposed to tell you." He pleaded. Ellie stopped, exchanging a look of suffering patience with Alec as they waited for what the man would come up with next.
"Like, he was in a boat. Like he was put in a boat." The man explained slowly. "Yeah, yeah. I don't, I don't know why-"
"And who told you this? Where'd you get this from?" Alec demanded irritably. The man stared at him and then at Ellie before answering as though it were obvious.
"Danny."