"You can't blame yourself for him hitting you, John didn't have to do it.
It just shows what kind of bloke he really is; you're better off without
him" Kerry said
I started to reply but I was interrupted by the DCI:
"Claire? Why have I got an injured John Boulton in my office?"
I opened my mouth to speak but I was cut off again by Meadows:
"My office, come on"
I got up and followed Meadows to his office where I found John sat hunched up. I closed the door behind me and sat in the chair Jack offered.
"Now, what's going on Claire? John here won't say anything"
I smiled, I had befriended John about three days after I first started work here, most of the office thought I was out to sleep with him and he told me himself he thought I was trying to make a fool of him.
I'll admit I fancied him, but I only really wanted to offer him a friend, a true friend who he could turn to and yell and scream at. We spent more and more time together until one day John admitted he had fallen in love with me, we began dating and that's how we got to today.
"Claire are you going to tell me or do I have to get Kerry in here as well?" the DCI's voice brought me out of my thoughts
"Sorry Guv" I replied, "John had just come back into the office with Kerry, their suspect had got away. John was in a bad mood, blaming Kerry and himself. Anyway me and John got into an argument over him losing the suspect, we were both getting angry, John was close to going into a rage...."
"And I..." John said suddenly cutting me off
"Quiet John, Claire's speaking" Meadows said sharply
"So he went out into the corridor to try and calm down, I was so wound up I went out there after John and..." I paused hoping it wouldn't sound quite as bad as it was "I slapped John hard around the face and kneed him in the 'crown jewels' I then went back to my desk leaving John in the corridor" I finished
"How come you have been crying? Don't deny it, it's obvious"
"I'd just had some bad news from my family" I saw John looking at me, studying me.
"Do you need time off?" Meadows asked concerned
"No, my family made it perfectly clear I wasn't wanted" I replied sadly
"You two can go back to the office now, but I will want a word with you later Claire and you John" Jack said dismissing us
I stood up and left the office John following behind me:
"You didn't say anything?" John said questioning me
"It's not worth it" I replied heading back into the office.
The rest of the week passed quickly and John and I kept our distance from each other.
Friday afternoon and Kerry was getting excited about Eilleen's party.
I leant over Kerry's desk and spoke to her:
"The party begins at seven so if you want to come over about six and I'll explain about me and John. You can get Mick to pick you up from my place or I can take you to Eilleen's"
"Ok, I'll get Mickey to pick me up at half six"
I ambled back to my desk and sat down, no sooner had I sat down then:
"Claire?" Deakin poked his head around the door
"Mmmm?" I really didn't want to have to get up again
"Can I see you in here please"
I sighed and got up following Deakin into his office, entering the office I saw John standing in the corner, I turned to walk back out
"Claire, don't walk out" Deakin said sternly "Close the door and take a seat"
"I'm alright here thanks" I snapped defiantly, leaning against the filing cabinet.
Deakin sighed loudly, rolling his eyes before sitting in his chair.
"I know you two have been avoiding each other since... well since Tuesday"
I glared at him hoping he'd get to the point soon.
"The point is, there's an atmosphere between you two and it's affecting the whole office, so either resolve the attitude here and now or one of you go home" Deakin finished looking at both of us
"I'll go home" I announced brightly exiting the room.
"What is going on between you two John? At one point Claire wouldn't have even dreamed of going home"
I stood out of the way of the window, crouched down behind the door and listened, I heard John sit down which is unusual for him.
"Me and Claire split up about two months ago, way before I hit her and it was over something no one else knows"
There is not much we do know about Claire, Deakin thought
"What I'm about to tell you Guv is classified information and it cold get a lot of people into serious trouble, especially Claire. It can't leave this room" John said looking at his superior
"Go on" Deakin replied cautiously
"Claire" John paused unsure of whether he should say it "Is CIB, she's marking someone in this office, I can't tell you who. Please don't tell anyone else Guv, if this information gets out it could get Claire killed"
"Oh my god" Deakin breathed.
I jumped as I felt a hand on my shoulder; I turned to see Jack Meadows stood there.
"Ah Claire, what were you doing crouched outside the door?"
"I was... erm... listening to John and the DI's conversation" I said turning bright red, I suddenly realised the door was open and John and the DI had heard my confession.
I looked at John and our eyes met. I shook my head as I began to cry and ran out of the office.
I heard John following me, calling my name.
"Claire... please..."
I got into my car and sped away wishing I had never told him, I saw John go back into the station as I left the yard.
I started to reply but I was interrupted by the DCI:
"Claire? Why have I got an injured John Boulton in my office?"
I opened my mouth to speak but I was cut off again by Meadows:
"My office, come on"
I got up and followed Meadows to his office where I found John sat hunched up. I closed the door behind me and sat in the chair Jack offered.
"Now, what's going on Claire? John here won't say anything"
I smiled, I had befriended John about three days after I first started work here, most of the office thought I was out to sleep with him and he told me himself he thought I was trying to make a fool of him.
I'll admit I fancied him, but I only really wanted to offer him a friend, a true friend who he could turn to and yell and scream at. We spent more and more time together until one day John admitted he had fallen in love with me, we began dating and that's how we got to today.
"Claire are you going to tell me or do I have to get Kerry in here as well?" the DCI's voice brought me out of my thoughts
"Sorry Guv" I replied, "John had just come back into the office with Kerry, their suspect had got away. John was in a bad mood, blaming Kerry and himself. Anyway me and John got into an argument over him losing the suspect, we were both getting angry, John was close to going into a rage...."
"And I..." John said suddenly cutting me off
"Quiet John, Claire's speaking" Meadows said sharply
"So he went out into the corridor to try and calm down, I was so wound up I went out there after John and..." I paused hoping it wouldn't sound quite as bad as it was "I slapped John hard around the face and kneed him in the 'crown jewels' I then went back to my desk leaving John in the corridor" I finished
"How come you have been crying? Don't deny it, it's obvious"
"I'd just had some bad news from my family" I saw John looking at me, studying me.
"Do you need time off?" Meadows asked concerned
"No, my family made it perfectly clear I wasn't wanted" I replied sadly
"You two can go back to the office now, but I will want a word with you later Claire and you John" Jack said dismissing us
I stood up and left the office John following behind me:
"You didn't say anything?" John said questioning me
"It's not worth it" I replied heading back into the office.
The rest of the week passed quickly and John and I kept our distance from each other.
Friday afternoon and Kerry was getting excited about Eilleen's party.
I leant over Kerry's desk and spoke to her:
"The party begins at seven so if you want to come over about six and I'll explain about me and John. You can get Mick to pick you up from my place or I can take you to Eilleen's"
"Ok, I'll get Mickey to pick me up at half six"
I ambled back to my desk and sat down, no sooner had I sat down then:
"Claire?" Deakin poked his head around the door
"Mmmm?" I really didn't want to have to get up again
"Can I see you in here please"
I sighed and got up following Deakin into his office, entering the office I saw John standing in the corner, I turned to walk back out
"Claire, don't walk out" Deakin said sternly "Close the door and take a seat"
"I'm alright here thanks" I snapped defiantly, leaning against the filing cabinet.
Deakin sighed loudly, rolling his eyes before sitting in his chair.
"I know you two have been avoiding each other since... well since Tuesday"
I glared at him hoping he'd get to the point soon.
"The point is, there's an atmosphere between you two and it's affecting the whole office, so either resolve the attitude here and now or one of you go home" Deakin finished looking at both of us
"I'll go home" I announced brightly exiting the room.
"What is going on between you two John? At one point Claire wouldn't have even dreamed of going home"
I stood out of the way of the window, crouched down behind the door and listened, I heard John sit down which is unusual for him.
"Me and Claire split up about two months ago, way before I hit her and it was over something no one else knows"
There is not much we do know about Claire, Deakin thought
"What I'm about to tell you Guv is classified information and it cold get a lot of people into serious trouble, especially Claire. It can't leave this room" John said looking at his superior
"Go on" Deakin replied cautiously
"Claire" John paused unsure of whether he should say it "Is CIB, she's marking someone in this office, I can't tell you who. Please don't tell anyone else Guv, if this information gets out it could get Claire killed"
"Oh my god" Deakin breathed.
I jumped as I felt a hand on my shoulder; I turned to see Jack Meadows stood there.
"Ah Claire, what were you doing crouched outside the door?"
"I was... erm... listening to John and the DI's conversation" I said turning bright red, I suddenly realised the door was open and John and the DI had heard my confession.
I looked at John and our eyes met. I shook my head as I began to cry and ran out of the office.
I heard John following me, calling my name.
"Claire... please..."
I got into my car and sped away wishing I had never told him, I saw John go back into the station as I left the yard.