Chapter 3:

"Look at it, Chris, it's beautiful!" Charlotte exclaimed. They were standing at the junction of Oxford Street and Regent Street, and Charlotte was admiring the lights. Chris was just trying to keep from having his toes stepped on and his wallet nicked by some pickpocket in the seasonal mood.

"Char, can we keep moving? It's bloody freezing out here!" Chris grumbled. He sniffed to himself. A group of Yanks walked past, pushing him to one side.

"Hey, excuse me," one of them said, a fat, hulking, 6 footer.

Chris glared at him as they continued on their way. "Wankers," he mumbled.

"Right, I want to go to John Lewis. I need to get a present for mum. And I want to look at the jewellery counter."

Chris rolled his eyes. Maybe this was her tactic. Drag him down here and make him buy her a ring just so he could go home. Being dragged along behind her, she led the way through the throng of people. Opening the door to John Lewis, he held it open for the woman behind him, who glanced at him, smiled and said, "Thank you."

Chris froze, as did the woman. Their eyes met, and for a second his heart felt like it stopped. Her two children continued in, behind Charlotte and then realised that their mother was standing in the doorway not moving. The boy grabbed the little girls' hand and pushed back through the door to where their mother was standing.

"Mummy. aren't you coming?"

Chris glanced down at the child. He had bright auburn hair, brown eyes, freckles, and a square chin. The little girl had strawberry blonde hair, and brown eyes as well. Chris looked back into her face. A matter that she thought was dead and buried had resurfaced.

"Chris," she said hoarsely, "How are you?"

Chris's eyes grew wide, as the realisation sunk in. Behind them, a man shouted, "Move out of the bloody way, willya?"

Katy quickly grabbed her son and daughter's hands and pulled them through the crowd and took off down the street. Chris stood there, dazed for a moment, then followed. They could barely get through the massive throng of people, who were like giant walls, stopping their exit. They didn't get very far before Katy felt a hand grab her arm and jerk her to one side, against the wall of the department store.

"Right, I want to know what's going on. I think you owe me that, don't you?"

Charlotte had worked her way back out onto the street. She spotted Chris cornering that lady, and her two kids, and was alarmed. What was with him today?

"Chris, what's going on?" she asked. "Who is this?"

This is the reason I'll never love you. This is what the distance is between us. This lady is who I always wanted, before I even met you. This is why all you are to me, all you ever were, is a prolonged one-night stand. This should be my wife, Chris thought to himself.

Instead, he said, "Charlotte, meet Kathryn O'Sullivan. Or should I say, Kathryn Boulton, by the look of these two. Isn't that right, Katy?"

Katy felt the colour draining from her cheeks. Josh squeezed his mother's hand and said, "Mummy, what is he talking about?"

Maggie felt like she wanted to cry. She tried to squeeze behind her mother to hide from the stranger. She wished her daddy was there. Her daddy would make the stranger go away.

"Oh that's right, he would probably have a pseudonym, wouldn't he? To keep you both safe from any unfortunate encounters with people from your past, isn't that right? Looks like you're living somewhere with sun. Why'd you come back, Katy?"

"Because. I wanted our children to see where their parents are from.," Katy said, barely a whisper.

"You should have taken them to Liverpool, so they could learn how to be filthy Scouse bastards like their father."

Katy glared at Chris. "I'm going to pretend like you never said that, Mr. Deakin. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to take my children shopping." Katy tried to push around Chris, who restrained her by putting out his hand and pushing her backwards.

"Chris, what are you doing? Let the woman go!" Charlotte exclaimed, looking at him with a mixture of surprise and shock at his behaviour.

"No! I let her go once and that's how I ended up stuck with you! I'm not letting her go again!" He exclaimed, before he even realised it. As soon as the words left his mouth, he realised what it was that he just said. Charlotte backed a step up, stricken by his words. She looked at Katy who was staring, wide-eyed at them both. Chris was cringing at what he just said, and the realisation was sinking into Charlotte's mind. Katy's two children were looking bewildered. The little girl started to cry. Katy bent down and picked her up.

"Sssh, darling, it'll be alright. Everything's alright. These are just old friends of mommy and daddy who didn't know we were coming. They're just surprised to see us, that's all. Shhh. It'll be alright." Katy held the child tight to her. Josh tried to look menacingly at the mean man. He thought of what his dad looked like when he was angry, and tried to copy his father's angry glare. After all, he was the man, and it was his job to look after his mother and sister, just like his father would.

"Why don't you leave us alone?" Josh said. "Look what you've done to my sister."

Chris bent down and looked at the young boy. "You do take after your father, don't you? Poor lad." Chris ruffled the boy's hair, which made him even angrier. He wanted to do what his father would do right now, and that would probably be to punch the guy in his big ugly face. But he didn't want to make things worse for his mother, so he crossed his arms and glared at the man.

"Chris," Katy said, "Your girlfriend's left."

Chris glanced around and Charlotte was nowhere to be seen, "Ah well, I'm not interested in her anymore, now that you're here. We've got some lost time to make up."

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm a mother now. And a wife. Happily married. I have got nothing to make up with you. It's over, Chris. It's been over for years. Get over it. When I found out. well, you can imagine. And I've never regretted it. Now, I need to go buy my children some warmer clothing. So if you'll excuse us." Katy tried to push past him again. He let her get past, and followed her into the store, shouting to her.

"I won't let you go, Katy. You're the only one for me. You know this, we're meant for each other."

Katy ignored him and walked faster. Josh was almost running to keep up with his mother. Maggie was still crying, as Katy held her.

They got on the escalator, Chris right behind them. "You can ignore me all you want, Katy, but I'll find you. I'm still a DI, I've still got a warrant card, and I can still track you down to wherever you're staying."

Katy said, "You wouldn't dare." She faced straight ahead. Josh kept glancing behind him at the man, and Maggie was whimpering to herself, terrified. Katy hugged her close to her.

"No, I wouldn't. But I'll tell you what I will do. I will call my friends in Immigration, and have them track you via your passport. Once I find out where you're living, I will have them arrest both you and John. He must have been involved somehow for him to flee with Don Beech. Just call it payback for the past 10 years taken from me."

Katy stopped at the top of the escalator, and faced him. "Why are you doing this to me?"

"Because. I want you. I've wanted you from the moment I met you. And now I find out that it wasn't only Don Beech who was dodgy, but it was John as well, and you, knowing what happened to all of us after that ordeal, knowing how badly I missed the job, and knowing how much I love you, cooperated with him, went to live with him, married him, and had his children!"

"And you know much I love him, you know what I went through, you know I was kept in the dark about it as well, and you know he cheated on me with Claire, but if I can forgive him then why the hell can't you?"

"Because he took everything from me. And then he took you."

"He wasn't involved, Chris! It was all Don Beech!"

"Then why did he flee?"

"Because he knew about it and he was looking the other way. Also that stunt he pulled to get my time reduced, CIB were investigating him for that as well."

"Just as bad as being involved in it, to look the other way. No, sorry, he was involved up to his eyebrows. But I'm going to take something back for it. He's going to make up for what he did to me, Geoff, Brownlow, and the rest."

"Listen, Chris, I'll give you Don Beech. I'll tell you where he is, what aliases he uses, anything you want to know. But please, if you have any feeling in your heart left for me, leave John and I out of it."

"Oh yeah, you will give me Don Beech. But the question is, what will John give me? He's got two options. Either he gives himself up, or he gives me you. Either way, I'm a happy man, because I'll have you, regardless. With John inside, who will you have to turn to? Tony Stamp?" Chris laughed a hard, nasty chuckle.

"Can we please go somewhere? I don't want to have this conversation around my children."

Chris eyed Katy, and her two trembling children. He smiled to himself, and walked behind her. Leaning over her shoulder, he whispered in her ear, "How much do they know, Katy? Do they know their mother's an ex-convict and their father's a bent policeman?"

Katy turned her head to glare at him. Their faces were inches apart. Chris pursed his lips, and looked deep into her green eyes with his steel blue gaze.

"No, I didn't think so," he said, softly. He took a few steps back. "Go buy your clothes. Tonight I'll meet you for dinner and we can talk."

"And what if I don't want to meet you?" She asked, stubbornly.

"My dear, you have no choice. What a Christmas present Santa brought for me this year. My Katy returned to me, and the mystery of John's death, solved, in one neat package. Where are you staying?"

She contemplated giving him a false hotel but knew that he would only track her

"The Savoy."

"Oh, very nice. I've had a few good times there myself. Right, I'll meet you there at 8:00, in the lobby. Don't be late."

Chris reached in his pocket and took out four £50 notes. He handed it to Katy.

"Here, be sure to dress for the occasion, mummy. You're looking a bit matronly as of late. I wouldn't want you showing up with a nappy bag and baby snot down your arm."

"I don't want your money, Chris." Katy held it out for him to take back.

"No, I'm sure you've got enough, what with John's pension and all. Call it a goodwill offering. I like to see my lady looking her best. Remember, 8:00."

Chris bent down and looked at her son, "You be a good little man and make sure your mummy is ready in time, alright? And tell your daddy that Chris Deakin sends his warmest regards."

Katy opened her mouth to insult him, but he turned around and walked off before she had the chance. Josh looked up at his mother.

"Are you going to have dinner with that man?"

"I don't think I have a choice, love."