"Miss Mitchell?" Katy glanced up from the computer screen, furrowing her eyebrows at the woman standing in the doorway. Her eyes flickered to Kathy who was hovering behind the redhead looking nervous. "Nice to see you again. Is now a good time to ask you a few questions?"
"Thanks, Kath. Depends what you want, DS McKay? I don't know anything about what happened to Ian."
"I'm not on that case." The detective told her, looking around the office interestedly. "I'm here about something else."
"Must be busy down the nick…"
The woman shot her a look. "We're looking into the disappearance of a man and were told you might be able to shed some light on a few things."
Katy leant back in her seat, tilting her head to one side slightly. "A missing man? I think you might have had a wasted journey."
"I haven't even told you his name yet." DS McKay pointed out calmly, arching an eyebrow at her.
"Well?"
"Jason Williams, 34 years old, originally from Pembrokeshire." The detective looked at her and Katy knew that she was trying to work out what she wasn't saying just as much as interpreting what she was. "Apparently you knew him when you lived there. His ex-partner, Nina Matthews, rented a flat from your father and worked for you here at the R&R?"
"Jason?" Katy furrowed her eyebrows, moulding her expression into one of complete surprise. "Jason's missing? Since when? Nina hasn't said anything? But then I suppose I haven't actually seen or spoken to her since she went back to Pembrokeshire."
"How long did Miss Matthews live here?"
"Umm… a couple of weeks? She arrived in February and then went home about a month later."
"Did you see Mr Williams then?"
"I didn't go to Wales. Nina and her son came here."
"Did he come here?"
"No." Katy said firmly. There was a long pause. "I haven't seen him since I left Wales. I'm assuming he came to London before he went missing since you're investigating."
"He was last seen in Balham." DS McKay agreed. "Did you know him well?"
"As well as I'd ever want to. He was a violent, arrogant, lazy waste of space. He hit their son, which is why Nina and Riley came here in the first place. Nina would be better off without him. He probably owes someone money and he'll come crawling out from whatever rock he's hiding under as soon as the heat dies down. Why do you even think he's missing?"
"When Mr Williams didn't return any of his father's calls or attempt to get in touch with him at all, he got worried and phoned the police. Officers went round to his flat and found it completely deserted. None of his acquaintances have seen him in weeks."
Katy nodded slowly, her mind working quickly as she considered the detective. "Well… I don't really think I can help you. Like I said, I haven't seen Jason for about two years."
"Right…" They stared at each other for a few moments before DS McKay smiled and glanced towards the door. "I'll leave you to it, then. I might need to come back and talk to you again."
"I don't see what I can do to help, but sure." The blonde agreed, standing and moving over to the door. "He's probably pissed someone off or owes them money."
Leading the way down to the lower bar, Katy made sure she kept all traces of emotion off her face. Glancing in Kathy's direction as they moved towards the door, she gave a quick smile and a sharp nod. The older woman returned it, before pulling out her mobile. Katy guessed that she had let Glenda know that the police were here and was now calming the situation by letting her know that her granddaughter was, ostensibly, fine.
"Right, well… don't hurry back." The blonde said, shooting the detective a sarcastic smile.
"Hannah?" They both turned in time to see a broad grin blossoming across Tina's face and she bounced across the room to pull the detective into a tight hug. "What're you doing here? How's the family?"
"What am I doing here? What are you doing here, more like, Carter?"
"I work here; assistant manager."
"Ahh, this is the gay bar Jo's been bending my ear about coming to, then."
"Yeah." Tina nodded, before glancing at her friend. "Everything alright, K?"
"Yeah, fine."
"As I said, I might be back to speak to you again, Miss Mitchell." DS McKay told her with a nod and a tight smile.
"I'll look forward to it." Katy muttered sarcastically.
"Give my love to Jo and the kids." Tina ordered, nudging the blonde lightly in the ribs.
The detective nodded once, smiling at her friend, before striding out of the bar. As soon as she had gone, Tina turned to Katy questioningly. She was surprised to see a similarly curious expression on the younger woman's face.
"How d'you know the copper?"
Tina laughed. "It's really her other half I know better; me and Joanne go way back. I've got to know Han pretty well since they got together, though. She seems like a bit of a bitch at first, but she's alright, once you get to know her. Bit like someone else I know." She teased, winking at the younger woman. Then she shrugged. "Even Shirl likes her, although she'd never admit it."
"I'll take your word for it." Katy said, apparently unconvinced.
"So what did Han want?"
Glancing towards the bar where Sasha was restocking the 'fridge, Katy bit her lip and lowered her voice. "D'you remember Nina?"
"Your mate from Wales who buggered off without telling you and left us in the lurch?" Tina asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Yeah, well… her ex has apparently disappeared. I'm assuming they suspect it's suspicious or they wouldn't be round here asking questions, would they? She's barking up the wrong tree, anyway. Why would I know anything about it?"
"Course she is." Tina agreed with a firm nod. "I'll tell her that if I get the chance."
"Thanks, T… Kathy, I've gotta pop out for ten minutes." She called to the older woman over by the till, already heading for the door. "I'll be back soon."
Not waiting for an answer, Katy left the bar and headed for Glenda's flat. She banged on the door, waiting impatiently for her grandmother to let her in. As soon as she did, the younger blonde pushed past her and headed into the living room.
"Kathy said a cop came to speak to you."
"Jason's dad reported him missing and the cops are on the lookout." Katy explained quickly. "It's fine, I spoke to her and she's gone away. Gran, you haven't said anything to anyone, have you?"
"No! Of course I haven't." Glenda snapped back. "She won't have gone away forever, though, will she? She'll be back and asking more questions."
"It's fine. We just need to keep our stories straight; Nina phoned and I told her to come here. We never went there and we ain't seen her since she left last March. We ain't seen Jason since we left Pembrokeshire."
"But what about the…?"
"It's fine." Katy repeated firmly. "I sorted that; no body, no crime. Just trust me, Gran."
"I trust you." Glenda assured her immediately. "I feel like I don't know you anymore, but I trust you."
Katy looked at her for a moment, before nodding sharply. "OK."
"Will you please just come with me? Honey wants to ask for your help with this Community Christmas thing she's doing."
"Lola… I'm busy?" Katy reminded her, motioning towards the invoices littering her desk. "Can't I just catch Honey later?"
"No, because I know what you're like and you won't."
Huffing irritably, the older woman stood up and grabbed her coat. She followed her cousin out of the bar and towards the community centre, meeting Denise just outside. Smiling at her, the Mitchells realised that they were all heading in and waited for her to step inside before them. The sound of music was clearly audible and they all remembered the Santa auditions at the same time.
"Sounds like they're enjoying themselves at least." Katy muttered rolling her eyes as they headed in.
They all stared at the sight of Isaac, wearing just a pair of red silk shorts, dancing to the music that was playing as Karen and Kim raucously cheered him on. Honey was sitting on the sofa, looking mostly embarrassed, while Billy and Mitch seemed to be thoroughly put out by the whole situation. Lola glanced at her cousin, her mouth open, seeing that Katy's eyebrow was raised and she looked mildly unimpressed at the scene they'd just walked in on.
"What am I even looking at?" Denise demanded, complete disgust in her tone.
"The end of my Santa career." Mitch replied bitterly.
"You dumped him?" Lola asked.
"We're not all completely shallow, Lo." Katy reminded her in a low voice. "There is more to a relationship than what they look like in a pair of shorts. I mean, it helps if you actually like them."
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Kim laughed as Karen fanned herself dramatically. "We have got a winner. Isaac you are Walford's Bad Santa 2020!"
"It's been fun, but I'm gonna pass." He told them, cutting through the whooping and cheering from the judges.
"What d'you mean?" Kim demanded. "Is it because of Karen me too-ing you?"
"It's just a bit of Santa banter, baby." She defended herself quickly.
"Yeah, because this is your chance, you know, to give a little… joy… to the kids."
"I do enough for the kids as it is."
"As long as there's no chance they're yours." Katy muttered under her breath.
"Plus, red ain't really my colour, is it?" He said, swaggering pas them and shooting Katy a smirk as he went. She shook her head, folding her arms over her bump and resolutely not meeting his eyes.
"Sweet cheeks, all colours are yours."
Denise rolled her eyes at her sister's comment. "Unbelievable."
Mitch glanced between the women and then stepped forward. "So wait a minute… if he's not your man, who is your man?"
"I am!" Billy leapt to his feet. "I think I'd make a great Santa."
"That's right…" Honey glanced sideways. "Karen? What d'you think?"
"Well…" She floundered for a moment, before catching sight of Kim. "Well, it ain't up to me, love. Well, you're the head judge. Judge!"
"Take your time." Mitch suggested as Kim looked between her options warily.
The tension in the room had rocketed and it was apparently obvious to everyone that there was more at stake than who was going to get to wear the Santa suit. Katy leant against the wall, hoping that Kim would make a decision quickly so that she could speak to Honey and escape.
"OK… it's very tense, you know, it's very tense…" Kim played for time. "It's all dramatic, isn't it? It's all the… there's a lot of suspension… OK, OK, OK… so… this person could probably be thinner, but he's still our winner, our Santa at our dinner, it's Mr… Mitch Baker!"
As Mitch celebrated, Billy threw his hat to the floor and flounced off. Lola exchanged a look with Katy, before following her grandfather out of the community centre.
"Honey? Lola said you wanted a word?" Katy called, keen to get whatever it was over and done with so she could leave.
The brunette looked just as relieved for an excuse to escape as she hurried over to join her. "I was just wondering whether you'd thought about getting involved in the project?"
"I dunno, Hon… I mean, I'm happy to donate something, but I've got a lot on at the moment what with the kids and trying to get R&R open."
"Anything would be a help. Maybe you could advertise in the windows? I also need some photos for the show reel."
"Yeah, I can do that." Katy promised immediately. "Is the event licensed? I can donate some booze if it is?"
"No, but I appreciate the offer."
"I think you're doing something really amazing, Honey, honestly." The younger woman said with a smile. "You're putting the rest of us to shame."