"Don't worry Miss Tyler," Becca Fisher was trying to reassure Rose on the phone as she made sure her booking had been accepted.
Not that Rose didn't trust her secretary to stress how important it was to keep her name quiet.
"Great then," Rose was somewhat relieved. "See ya on Monday then?"
"Yeah, everything will be arranged for your arrival. There's only one other person on second floor," Becca assured her.
That was just what Rose needed but she didn't expect to keep bumping into the other guest all the time and she couldn't stop the owner taking other bookings. She was only there until Saturday anyway, then the next week she was going with Jake and Mickey on a joint fact-finding mission to investigate some strange happenings in the Lake District where a strange mist was engulfing the largest lake.
She didn't have much information as yet, since the second team led also by Mickey were only observing by camping along the banks of the lake. She left Becca to make sure no-one knew she was arriving, with the exception of whoever was on the same floor as she was being put and went to join Jake and Pete in a video call to Mickey, who was about to set off back to headquarters.
"Why are you going off then?" Mickey wanted to know when Rose admitted she was going off.
"Mickey, I've not had a break since I last went away," Rose pointed out.
"Well this is hardly a holiday," Mickey objected and showed her the mist behind him.
"Ya said ya take turns going into the town," Rose pointed out as Jake just grinned and Pete pretended he wasn't interested.
"Enough you two," Pete then told them both. "Take your time coming back then?" he suggested to Mickey.
"I've seen enough of the lake, thanks," Mickey sulked.
"Well I leave on Monday until Saturday," Rose then insisted, mainly for Mickey's benefit.
"You two are gonna be a real bundle of laughs," Jake then joked.
"Make sure you keep them both apart then?" Pete suggested to him.
They finished the call to Mickey and Pete turned to Rose.
"What is it with you and Mickey lately?" he asked Rose.
Rose shrugged her shoulders.
"Ask him," she replied. "Maybe it's 'cos I beat him to the other assignment and got back before he did?"
"You know it's not that," Jake reminded her.
"You can settle it later and Rose, make sure you're focused for when you join the other team, understand?" Pete insisted.
Rose and Jake went back to her office and Jake wanted to know the real reason she was off with Mickey.
"He still wants me on the same missions with him," Rose complained.
"Come on Rose, he told me he was long over you, even before you came here," Jake disagreed. "Fine, don't tell me then?"
He let it slide and Rose decided to go home and pack for her trip down to Broadchurch. She had reckoned that should be far enough away that no-one in the press would guess where she'd got to.
Alec Hardy was just trying to find his way around Broadchurch, having accepted the transfer he'd asked for and assuring his almost teenage daughter he wasn't abandoning her. He'd got Claire Ripley out of the way of her husband finding her after she'd testified against him, not too far away but not where she'd find out where he was staying. Then he'd told her not to contact him again unless it was an emergency.
A week earlier, he'd been assuring her Lee Ashworth was out of the country but she hadn't seemed to believe him.
"So you're just leaving me here Alec?" Claire had asked him.
"You will be fine Claire. Just don't answer any unknown numbers," he tried to tell her.
"That'll be all of them," Claire had replied. "Will you come and visit?"
"It's best I don't Claire, it's not a good idea," he'd then told her. "We can't be seen together otherwise it will get back to Tess."
"Worried about the ex?" Claire had then teased him. "Fine, I'll stay away then? I'll have to go find a job though, will you vouch for me?"
He'd had to agree but had so far not heard anything but he had thought Claire was capable of talking her way into a job, having owned her own business. So on the Monday night, he arrived at his hotel and entered the dining room, just as Becca was fussing over he could only tell was a blonde.
"Is everything okay?" Becca was asking Rose as she'd sat at a table in the dining room downstairs.
"Yeah, thanks. I don't want any special treatment," Rose smiled. "I don't want to stand out."
"Of course not," Becca told her. "You've just arrived anyway. Let me know if I can get you anything?"
Rose wondered what that included? Becca though had been caught out by big spenders a week or so back and wanting to impress them, had roped young Chloe Latimer into getting some drugs for her but Chloe had taken her time and the guests had gone. Now Becca just hoped no-one would find out. Chloe though was waiting for her in reception.
"What do you want Chloe? I don't have any work for you," Becca greeted the teenager.
"I've not come about that," Chloe told her. "About that stuff you wanted me to get? I can't give it back."
"Well I'm sorry Chloe but what do you want me to do about it?" Becca wanted to know.
"Can't you get rid of it for me? I mean the person who my friend got it from will want paying," Chloe told her.
"Shush, we've got a police officer staying here and he's just gone into the dining room," Becca hushed her. "You'll just have to get your friend to give it back, I can't have it here just in case anyone wants some."
As Chloe looked disappointed and left, Alec had found a table just opposite Rose.
"Hi," Rose called across while she waited.
"Good evening," Alec acknowledged her back.
"Hey, would ya maybe wanna join me, since you're on your own as well?" Rose suggested.
Alec got up, carefully so he wouldn't have another dizzy spell and went to sit opposite. Then he realised who she was but didn't think she'd want anyone else to know.
"I'm Alec Hardy," he introduced himself, offering her his hand over the table. "I think I know who you are."
"Yeah, I tend to get recognised," Rose admitted as she shook his hand. "I recognised you from that case in Sandbrook. Sorry the killer got away."
"It tends to happen when things go wrong," he also admitted. "So what brings you here?"
"Ah, trying to escape for a few days," Rose laughed as the waitress came to take Alec's order. "I have to go somewhere next week and I needed to wind down."
"Something you can't talk about maybe?" Alec wondered when they were alone again, knowing where she worked.
"Ya could say that," Rose answered him. "So why are you here?"
"Just taken a new job here, as the new DI," he replied. "I stepped on someone's toes though to get it."
"Ouch! That won't go down well then?" Rose grinned. "I take it that person doesn't know yet then?"
"No but I needed a transfer from where I was, things were not going too well there. Mainly it was a combination of my ex wife and the youngest girl's father," he told her.
"A bit toxic then?" Rose asked. "I'm here until Saturday, wanna dine with me every night?" she risked asking.
Alec had already thought he was taking a gamble sitting with her tonight. Why not though, he wondered.
"If I won't be intruding?" he replied.
"No, of course not or I wouldn't be asking," Rose told him. "I don't like eating on my own."
Their meals arrived and Alec decided if she didn't mind his company, maybe she'd consider extending it somewhat.
"So have ya found your way around yet?" Rose wanted to know.
"I'm being driven around for now, until I find my way," he admitted.
Well he wasn't really supposed to drive although he still had his driving license but claiming he'd not had chance to find his way around covered it up.
"I was gonna go exploring a bit tomorrow, I might go up to Lyme," Rose told him as they ate. "We could meet up when I get back, if ya want?"
"Yes, we could meet for a drink in the bar maybe?" Alec dared ask. "Maybe I could buy you a drink when we finish here?"
Rose agreed and was debating if she should have a bit of a fling with the cute inspector. He look like The Doctor in a lot of ways, including the unfastened top button of his shirt and his tie not on straight. She wasn't sure about the beard though but she wouldn't mind finding out if he was still kissable with it.
They went off to the bar, which was empty and sat in the corner, Rose hoping no-one would come in and recognise her. At least Alec would fend the locals off anyway and she could relax a little. If she went out with friends back home, she'd get any amount of men giving her the eye.
"Alec, can I ask ya something?" Rose wanted to know. "Ya can say no?"
"You want me to keep the local men away from you?" Alec guessed. "I would be only too happy to oblige, Rose."
"Great, that was easier than I thought," she admitted.
"Rose, don't get the wrong idea, please?" he asked her. "I expect you could attract as many men as you wanted while you are here?"
"I didn't come here to do that," Rose replied. "Anyway, what I really wanted to know was if I could spend the evenings with ya?"
"I would like that very much, if you are sure?" Alec admitted.
Maybe his luck was already changing in this small town? Could he admit there was something wrong with him to her though? His friend had told him to slow down, take it easy and relax when not working and he was sure the famous Rose Tyler could keep a secret in her line of work. Maybe he could offer to do more than keeping her company at mealtimes and having a drink?
"Yeah, thanks. So, I've got five nights here, maybe we could go out one night, I mean if ya want?" she asked cautiously.
"Maybe you could look somewhere up?" he wondered. "Thursday night then?"
"Yeah, I'll look forward to it then?" Rose smiled at him as she took his hand.
She saw the tell-tale sign on his wedding finger that he'd recently stopped wearing a ring.
"Ah, I'm divorced," he admitted as she looked down. "Last year actually. I also have a teenage daughter."
"Well I have a younger brother," Rose replied. "Don't believe what ya read in the gossip columns Alec, I'm not on the town every night. Most nights I just go home with my dad, play with Tony, eat and go to bed."
"I was over working, which led to my ex wife going elsewhere and my daughter growing distant," he admitted.
"Well everyone has a past Alec," Rose told him. "Wanna get a bottle of wine and come to my room?" she wondered as she heard several voices in the hallway, which sounded like they were deciding what to drink.
Alec knew he could maybe have one glass of wine, if he paced himself so he got up and asked Becca for a bottle of red wine. Rose preferred white but it meant getting a bottle of lemonade to go with it. Becca was eyeing them and wondered what they were up to and if the Vitex heiress had already got the detective in her sights.
She thought it was a shame really, since he was staying and Rose wasn't. She'd already agreed to meet Mark Latimer on Thursday night but she was having second thoughts about it. Now, Chloe would be getting suspicious and maybe the teenager was thinking of blackmailing her about the drugs she'd asked her to get?
"This one's quite nice," Becca told him as she came back a few minutes later with a dark coloured bottle.
"Put it on my bill," Rose suggested as she leaned on Alec, her arm now in his.
"Sure," Becca agreed. "Anything else?"
Alec said no and Rose led him to the lift at the far end. He wondered if she suspected there was something wrong with him.
"I can't be bothered with the stairs," Rose admitted. "I had a long journey."
Alec thought if that was the case, she'd soon be tired and toss him out. It just happened though that they were opposite each other, which made Rose laugh.
"Well I won't have far to go when you do get tired," he told her as she gave him her door key.
"Aw, I'll be fine for now," Rose assured him. "So, why did you really end up here then?"
"I thought I had said?" he asked her, to which Rose shook her head.
"Ya gave me the short version Alec," Rose grinned.
"Rose, I did not think you would want me to bore you with the long one," he replied as Rose went to the mini bar and found two glasses.
"Try me," she told him as he opened the bottle.
So as Alec explained what had gone on to bring him here, Rose sat on the bed while he sat opposite on the chair.
"More wine?" he offered as he finished telling her how he'd taken the blame for what happened.
"Yeah. Alec, ya have to tell the truth," she urged him.
"I can't have Daisy knowing that about her mum," Alec insisted.
"She's old enough now to understand," Rose disagreed.
"I was cleared, officially," he revealed.
"I should think so," Rose replied. "Do ya wanna sit over here?"
"I thought you were not going to ask?" he tried to smile, which he'd not done much of lately.
Rose offered her half-full glass to him and he put it on the bedside table.
"Are you sure you want to spend your time with me?" he wanted to make sure.
He wondered why she would be interested in him, out of any man she could choose?
"Well yeah, if ya want?" Rose replied.
"I would like that very much Rose," he had to agree.
Rose soon found out what it was like to kiss him, with him having a beard but Alec broke it off.
"Something wrong?" Rose asked worriedly.
"Rose, there is something you should know."
He took her hand and placed it over his failing heart.
"What's wrong with it Alec?" she wanted to know.
"Irregular heartbeat," he admitted. "I need a pacemaker. Rose, I could keep you company but it can't go any further."
"What? Geez Alec, ya can kiss, can't ya?" she asked.
"Well yes but apart from that?" he replied.
"Listen Alec, I didn't come here looking for anyone but you being here was a bonus," she told him. "I don't have a different boyfriend every week, that's the papers making it up. I think while I'm here, you are exactly who I need."
"Really?" he wanted to make sure.
"Yeah, you plum. Just tell me when to quit, yeah?" she suggested.
Rose soon put him at ease as she unbuttoned his shirt slowly and admired him.
"So, you're just hiding down here, same as me?" she asked as she pulled his shirt over his shoulders.
"Yes, I suppose I am?" he had to admit. "You can back out, if you wish?"
"Ah, don't think so," Rose put a wicked smile on her face. "Why don't we just see how far ya can go?"
"Really? It may not be far Rose," he disagreed.
"Well that's all I'm looking for Alec, trust me," she assured him.
After further kissing for a while, Rose said she really was tired and got comfortable, sprawling across him.
"Rose, I may make you jump during the night," he warned her.
"Just tell me what to do, yeah?" Rose yawned.
Alec wondered if having someone with him would stop the same nightmare he had from time to time?