Story One:
Truth
Chapter One:
"Is there anything else you want to tell me?" DS John Boulton asked, softly.
Claire smiled.
"I'm serious, Claire."
She nodded. "Whaddya want to hear?"
"I met a bloke, Joe…" John began. "He reckoned that you were tipped for big things, Claire. So how come you're in Sun Hill CID? Are you trying to –" He broke off, and started again. "Are you only with me 'cause you were ordered to?"
Claire sighed. "God, John, do you really think that?"
He quailed slightly under her gaze. "No. No, I don't. But I want to hear it from you."
"It's a long story."
"I've got time." His expression told her that she wasn't going to get off easy this time.
Claire took a deep breath. "This isn't easy, John. And I want what I say now to never be repeated outside of this room." She paused to let that sink in. "I'm not supposed to tell anyone this."
"Ok. Just get on with it, Claire," he replied.
"Fine," she snapped. Then she softened. "It's Don Beech."
"What about him?"
"CIB are after him," she explained. "And… well, I'm CIB. I was sent to Sun Hill to catch Don." She tried to ignore John's stare. "Don't look at me like that, John. I've done nothing wrong!"
"You're trying to set up my best friend!" he exclaimed.
"Yes. Yes, I am," she admitted. "But it's not like I'm trying to set you up!"
"You lied," he accused her. The phone started to ring, but they ignored it.
"Yeah, maybe I did lie. But I couldn't tell you the truth, John!" She sat up, and ran her fingers through her hair, anxiously.
"You told me now," he countered.
"Yeah. 'Cause I trust you – doesn't that say something?" she begged.
"It does, yeah. But still… I don't know what's what any more."
"Fine, you want a fact file?" she asked, jokingly. "Name: Claire Elisabeth Stanton. Age: thirty. My mother – is dead. You know all that bullshit about visiting her? Yeah, that was a way for me to go see Det Supt Hodges – my boss. Never knew my dad, he left when I was a kid. I've got a sister, Joanne, and we're not at all close."
"And that's it?" John asked.
"It's all I can think of right now, yeah," she replied. "If there was anything else, I'd tell you – I promise. I trust you, and I want you to trust me. Look, I understand if you can't carry on… if you want to end it? But – well, does it really change anything?"
John stared at her for what seemed eternity. Finally he spoke, and Claire's heart leapt. "No."
"Really?" she breathed.
"Claire, I love you," he told her. "I want to be with you – I don't care about CIB, or Don Beech, or – or anything. I love you – and if I can help you at all with this, then you just have to say the word."
"I love you too," she replied. "And I will. Thank you!"
"And… Claire, can I ask you something?" He sat up and faced her.
"Anything, babe."
"You said you didn't mind who knew about 'us'," he reminded her. "Did you mean that?"
"As long as Hodges doesn't know, then yeah."
"Well, I'm hardly bloody likely to tell the bloke, am I?" John demanded. "I've never even met him." He shook his head. "Anyway. If you mean it, then – can we tell everyone?"
"Everyone?" she repeated.
"Y'know… the rest of CID. Meadows, Deakin, Uniform, everyone," he said, dismissively. "I just want to tell everyone!"
Claire smiled. "Ok." She giggled. "I can't wait to see Meadows' face!" Before John could reply, she spoke again. "And – John? Can we tell them something else too?"
"Tell 'em anything, babe," John replied, lying back lazily.
"No, something important," Claire stressed.
"What?"
"Can we tell them…?" She paused, shyly. "Can we tell them that we're getting married?"
John's look was enough to answer that. "You mean it?"
"More than anything."
"Then of course we can," he replied. "Wait a sec – lemme get the bloody ring!"
"So romantic," Claire giggled, but she sobered as John took out the ring.
"Let's do it properly, huh?" he suggested, and got down on one knee. "Claire Stanton, will you marry me?"
"Yes," she whispered, holding out her hand for him to place the ring on her fourth finger.
As they leant in to kiss, the phone rang again. John knocked it off the hook, and the caller, Don Beech, was left alone – but at least he was prevented from murdering his best friend.
* * *
"How are we gonna do this?" Claire asked, as they stood outside Sun Hill station.
"Follow my lead," John replied, taking her hand and leading her in. As they passed the DCI's office, John knocked on the door.
"So we're going to the DCI first?" Claire queried.
"Come in," Jack Meadows' voice floated through the door. "John, Claire, what can I do for you?" he asked, as they stepped in. John gestured to Claire to speak.
"Oh, thanks a bloody lot," she said, sarcastically. Jack was looking at them curiously, however, so she spoke. "Ah – John and I have some news, guv."
"Is it about Lynette?" Jack asked, reminding them of their current case. A girl who had given her name as Lynette, but also went by the name of Anne Marie Olsen, was their informant – giving them information on Ray Bazinni, a man directly linked to Howard Fallon. The two men were suspected to have murdered a young dancer named Rachel Booker, who had worked at the Starlight Club, along with Lynette. And Howard Fallon was very close to Don Beech, but of course John, Claire, and the rest of CID were unaware of this. Lynette had mysteriously vanished, but had turned up at John's flat, promising to give them all the information that they needed. Claire and John had interviewed Lynette, but she had run away. Not before telling Claire that Don had warned her against giving evidence, however. Getting Lynette back would be enough to put away Bazinni, Fallon, and Don.
Claire shook her head. "No, guv. It's not about Lynette. It's not about the Rachel Booker case at all." A little thrill of excitement ran through her at the thought of voicing her relationship with John. "This is more – personal."
"Get on with it, Claire," Meadows told her.
"Yes, guv." Claire took a deep breath, a small part of her wickedly enjoying Meadows' suspense. "Ah… John and I are engaged."
"What as?" Meadows replied, less-than-intelligently.
"Engaged, guv," John told him, taking Claire's hand. "We're getting married." He couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face, and, before he even looked at Claire, he knew that she would be wearing the same thing.
"Is this a joke?" Meadows asked, when he had recovered his breath. John's glared answered that. "No, no, of course. But you have to admit that it is all a bit unbelievable. I didn't even know you were – together." He smiled. "But – congratulations, anyway. Have you told the rest of CID?"
"No. We came to you first," John replied, putting his arms around Claire, who smiled again.
"I'm honoured," Jack joked. "Well, don't let me stop you telling everyone else. Go!" He got up, and opened the door that John had shut behind him. He stepped out. "I'm coming with you," he said, in answer to their looks. "I can't miss seeing their faces. Whoever thought, hey? John Boulton and Claire Stanton – engaged!" He strode ahead of them, and perched on DC Kerry Holmes' desk. She looked up in mild surprise, but went back to her work when Jack appeared not to have noticed her.
"How the hell are you gonna do this one?" Claire demanded, as she and John stood in the doorway.
"I have an idea," John replied. "Just – follow my lead."
"Ok." Claire nodded, and followed John into the CID office. She gasped as he turned her to face him, and kissed her.
Jack nearly gasped at their audacity. He smiled as he looked around the office, and noticed that no one had even glanced up from his or her work. Well, desperate times call for desperate measures, he thought to himself, and cleared his throat.
On looking up at him, Kerry's eye was caught by the two figures clung together in the doorway. She looked around, trying to tell whether anyone else had noticed. When she caught Jack's eye, she tried not to double up laughing. He obviously had seen them – and knew.
"Ah… people?" Kerry ventured, tentatively. The occupants of the CID office – DC Mickey Webb, DC Danny Glaze, DC Duncan Lennox, DS Don Beech, DS Geoff Daly, and DC Tom Baker – all looked up. And, as they looked up, they saw DS Boulton and DS Stanton sharing a very passionate kiss.
The office erupted in shrieking and questions. John and Claire broke apart. John feigned ignorance as he glanced around the office. "What?" he asked, innocently.
Claire glanced up. "Oh – the kiss?"
"Yes!" Kerry burst out, echoed by Mickey.
"Oh, that," Claire replied. "Yeah, we're engaged."
"You're what?" Geoff Daly demanded. "Engaged?"
"Hmm," John agreed. "Engaged, Geoff. We're getting married." He and Claire exchanged an amused look as the entire office sat, stunned.
"Well?" Claire queried. "Aren't you even going to congratulate us?"
Characteristically, Don was the first to do so. Marching over to John, he gave him a "manly" hug, whilst saying, "Congratulations, mate. Would never've guessed you'd be down the aisle before me."
Duncan spoke next. "Hope you'll be very happy, sarge. And Sarge."
"Yeah, congratulations," Mickey added.
Kerry hugged Claire, whilst whispering in her ear, "You'd better tell me the details later."
Claire laughed. "I'll try."
"Surprising, I must say," Geoff contributed. "And somewhat unbelievable."
"That's what I said," Jack agreed.
"You knew, guv?" queried Kerry.
"Yes, they chose to tell me the happy news first," replied Jack.
"What happy news is this?" demanded DI Chris Deakin, marching through the CID office to his abode.
"Claire and I are engaged, sir," John replied.
"Never!" Deakin replied promptly.
"We are, sir," Claire said. "Look!" she added, holding out her hand, where, on the fourth finger, sat a gold ring, set with a small diamond. After examining it, DI Deakin smiled.
"Well. Congratulations, Claire, John. I never would have expected it, I must say, but congratulations."
"Thank you, sir," John replied. He put his arm around Claire, and listened to CID's good-natured coo-ing and aah-ing.