Disclaimer: I imply no ownership of the characters. They are the property of Shed Productions and the BBC.
I use them only for creative purposes.
Part Two
When they arrived at the house, it was to see a fire engine parked outside and two men slowly going
through the burnt out interior. Nikki was pleased to see that Fenner hadn't arrived yet, though this could
have meant that he had gone to the hospital to interview Rachel Hicks. All three of them got out of the car
and Denny began assembling her camera equipment. One of the fireman turned to Nikki.
"There ain't gonna be no stories written till we've done our stuff."
"Are you saying there's a story to be had?" Asked Nikki.
"Well, we don't know yet do we."
"So why get on the defensive? We're only looking."
"Yeah, well, I know you journalists don't I. My girlfriend's your receptionist."
"Oh," Said Nikki. "So you must be Josh."
"Yeah, Josh Mitchell. But you can't go in there yet. We're still trying to make sure it's safe to start the
investigation."
"What are your findings so far?" Asked Victoria.
"Well, we think the fire started in the front room downstairs. That's the room with the most damage. That
and the one above it." Denny was already busy taking picture after picture.
"You just be careful where you stick that flash bulb," Warned Josh. Denny moved away and walked round
to the side of the house to try and see what had taken place with the rooms at the back. In a minute she was
back and jerking at Nikki's arm.
"What?" Said Nikki realising that Denny was on to something.
"Don't know how he can say the front took the most damage. It's all friggin gutted man!"
"Stay here," Nikki said to Victoria. "I want to take a look at this."
As Nikki followed Denny round to the back of the house, it became very obvious that the entire house was
pretty much damaged. The air was filled with the acrid smell of petrol.
"There's no doubt this is arson," Said Nikki. "Take as many pictures as you can of all of this. Frankly, I'm
amazed she got out alive."
"So," Asked Victoria when Nikki returned. "What's the story?"
"Definitely arson. The whole place took a beating. What I want to know is, how the bloody hell did she and
her baby get out of here alive."
"Are we going to the hospital?"
"Yeah, when I've had another word with Josh."
Nikki walked over to where the fireman was standing raking through a pile of indeterminable debris.
"So, where did the fire start, and how did it start?"
"We think it started in the lounge but we don't know how it started yet."
"Oh come on! You can smell the petrol everywhere. I'd say it was perfectly obvious myself."
"Well, don't go printing anything until we know for certain."
"Will you do something for me?"
"Why should I do anything for you?"
"Look, it's bloody obvious that this is arson, no matter how or why. I want this story coming from crime,
not from news and Jim Fenner from news will be here soon looking for exactly the same info as me. When
you do find out what's happened here, will you tell me and not him?"
"Maybe. I don't like that Fenner arse-hole. He's always making eyes at Crystal ain't he, and I don't like
nobody looking that way at my girlfriend. So yeah, we might be able to do a deal."
"Okay, I want Denny to have as many pics of this as possible and when you do know the score, you let me
know."
"So, what's in it for me?"
"I could try and get Crystal a promotion to one of the editor's PA's. Mike Barrett's been looking for
someone since Shell Dockley left. I could try and persuade him to give the job to Crystal. I'm not promising
anything, but I'll give it a go."
"Sorted. I'll let you know when we get a result."
Nikki turned to Victoria.
"I'm off to the hospital to see what I can get out of Rachel Hicks. I want you to stay here with Denny and
try and find out as much as you can. Try the neighbours, the other firemen anyone who might have seen
anything. The police will be on to this soon enough but I want to get anything out of anyone before they
get sick of telling it. Do you think you'll be okay with that?"
"Fine. How long do you think you'll be at the hospital."
"I don't know. If I'm not back before lunchtime, Denny will probably show you to the little pub that's about
5 minutes walk from here."
"Okay. See you later, then." Victoria was flattered that Nikki had left the job of questioning neighbours and
anyone else to her. It showed that already Nikki had faith in her ability to get information out of people.
When Nikki pulled up in the hospital car park, she could see Fenner's Audi parked not far away from her.
"Shit," She thought. "He's got to her already."
When she eventually located the ward where Rachel Hicks was being kept for observation, she saw Fenner
leaning over the young woman's bed staring right in to her face. As she approached on quiet feet she
overheard the last sentence of what Fenner had been saying to Rachel.
"So you know what to do, keep that pretty little mouth of yours shut because you don't want anything else
to happen to your baby, do you." Nikki just stood staring at Fenner. She couldn't believe what she was
hearing but she knew that now was not the time to deal with it. Fenner seemed to sense someone behind
him because he turned and a look of scorn crept over his face.
"Sorry, Wade, looks like this story's coming from my department, not yours."
"In your dreams, Fenner. Now piss off so I can talk to Rachel." She leaned towards him. "Because it looks
like you've already done enough talking from where I'm standing." Fenner began to look a little
apprehensive but Nikki didn't push the point.
Once Fenner had left, Nikki sat down beside the bed and leaned towards Rachel.
"Would you like to tell me what happened?"
"Are you another journalist? I've already had about as much as I can take from you lot this morning. I just
want to see my baby and get out of here."
"What's so bad about being in here?"
"they won't let me be with my baby. They took her away and they won't let me look after her."
"That's probably because you need to rest after the fire last night." The word fire seemed to make Rachel
shudder.
"Would you like to tell me what happened?" repeated Nikki.
"Like I told the police, I woke up in the middle of last night and could smell burning. It was so hot. I
managed to get Maddy, that's my baby, and get out before the fire really got going."
"Bollocks!" Thought Nikki. She could see no way for Rachel and her baby to get out alive once that inferno
had got going. It's not as if petrol smoulders. Set a match to that stuff and a place could go up in seconds.
"Are you sure that's what happened?"
"Of course I'm sure. Anyway, why are you so interested?"
"Rachel, someone set fire to your house while you were still in it. And there's no way that what you're
telling me is true. If you'd really been asleep when your house was torched, you and your baby wouldn't be
here now. I'm just trying to find out the truth that's all."
"Only because it'll make a good story."
"Maybe, but there seems to be something going on here that smells as rotten as your house does. For
instance, why was Fenner telling you to keep your mouth shut?" Rachel looked terrified.
"Hey, don't worry. I'm not going to tell him I heard him say that. I just wondered why. Is he mixed up in
what's happened to you?"
"I can't tell you anything. I don't want to talk to you any more. Please go away." Nikki stood up. She
handed Rachel a card with her mobile number on it.
"Okay, you don't want to talk now but you might at some point in the future. If you do, you can always get
me on that number. You can't put up with intimidation like that, Rachel. If you need my help, you know
where I am."
It was nearly eleven o'clock so Nikki drove back to the house to pick up Victoria and Denny. She decided
not to mention what she'd heard Fenner saying to Rachel. This wasn't something she wanted the new girl
to get mixed up in and Denny couldn't keep her trap shut to save her life. On the drive back to the office,
Victoria asked,
"So, did you get anywhere with what's her name, Rachel?"
"No," Said Nikki, careful to keep looking straight ahead. "She doesn't know anything."
"Yeah, right," muttered Denny. Victoria turned an enquiring look on her. Well, you don't wake up half way
through a fire that big and get out alive, man. I mean, it just doesn't happen. And you say she wasn't really
burnt, Nik?"
"No, I'd forgotten about that. Her hair was singed and she didn't have any eyebrows left but she seemed
comparatively unharmed."
"Something stinks about this," Said Denny.
"Yeah, well, whatever you think about this, Denny, for god's sake keep it to yourself. I don't want any of
this getting back to Fenner."
"why Fenner?" asked Denny.
"Because he'll use it to get out a better story than us." It was a pretty lame excuse but Nikki needed some
reason for keeping what she knew from Fenner. She didn't want Rachel Hicks being murdered before she
could get the truth out of her.
I use them only for creative purposes.
Part Two
When they arrived at the house, it was to see a fire engine parked outside and two men slowly going
through the burnt out interior. Nikki was pleased to see that Fenner hadn't arrived yet, though this could
have meant that he had gone to the hospital to interview Rachel Hicks. All three of them got out of the car
and Denny began assembling her camera equipment. One of the fireman turned to Nikki.
"There ain't gonna be no stories written till we've done our stuff."
"Are you saying there's a story to be had?" Asked Nikki.
"Well, we don't know yet do we."
"So why get on the defensive? We're only looking."
"Yeah, well, I know you journalists don't I. My girlfriend's your receptionist."
"Oh," Said Nikki. "So you must be Josh."
"Yeah, Josh Mitchell. But you can't go in there yet. We're still trying to make sure it's safe to start the
investigation."
"What are your findings so far?" Asked Victoria.
"Well, we think the fire started in the front room downstairs. That's the room with the most damage. That
and the one above it." Denny was already busy taking picture after picture.
"You just be careful where you stick that flash bulb," Warned Josh. Denny moved away and walked round
to the side of the house to try and see what had taken place with the rooms at the back. In a minute she was
back and jerking at Nikki's arm.
"What?" Said Nikki realising that Denny was on to something.
"Don't know how he can say the front took the most damage. It's all friggin gutted man!"
"Stay here," Nikki said to Victoria. "I want to take a look at this."
As Nikki followed Denny round to the back of the house, it became very obvious that the entire house was
pretty much damaged. The air was filled with the acrid smell of petrol.
"There's no doubt this is arson," Said Nikki. "Take as many pictures as you can of all of this. Frankly, I'm
amazed she got out alive."
"So," Asked Victoria when Nikki returned. "What's the story?"
"Definitely arson. The whole place took a beating. What I want to know is, how the bloody hell did she and
her baby get out of here alive."
"Are we going to the hospital?"
"Yeah, when I've had another word with Josh."
Nikki walked over to where the fireman was standing raking through a pile of indeterminable debris.
"So, where did the fire start, and how did it start?"
"We think it started in the lounge but we don't know how it started yet."
"Oh come on! You can smell the petrol everywhere. I'd say it was perfectly obvious myself."
"Well, don't go printing anything until we know for certain."
"Will you do something for me?"
"Why should I do anything for you?"
"Look, it's bloody obvious that this is arson, no matter how or why. I want this story coming from crime,
not from news and Jim Fenner from news will be here soon looking for exactly the same info as me. When
you do find out what's happened here, will you tell me and not him?"
"Maybe. I don't like that Fenner arse-hole. He's always making eyes at Crystal ain't he, and I don't like
nobody looking that way at my girlfriend. So yeah, we might be able to do a deal."
"Okay, I want Denny to have as many pics of this as possible and when you do know the score, you let me
know."
"So, what's in it for me?"
"I could try and get Crystal a promotion to one of the editor's PA's. Mike Barrett's been looking for
someone since Shell Dockley left. I could try and persuade him to give the job to Crystal. I'm not promising
anything, but I'll give it a go."
"Sorted. I'll let you know when we get a result."
Nikki turned to Victoria.
"I'm off to the hospital to see what I can get out of Rachel Hicks. I want you to stay here with Denny and
try and find out as much as you can. Try the neighbours, the other firemen anyone who might have seen
anything. The police will be on to this soon enough but I want to get anything out of anyone before they
get sick of telling it. Do you think you'll be okay with that?"
"Fine. How long do you think you'll be at the hospital."
"I don't know. If I'm not back before lunchtime, Denny will probably show you to the little pub that's about
5 minutes walk from here."
"Okay. See you later, then." Victoria was flattered that Nikki had left the job of questioning neighbours and
anyone else to her. It showed that already Nikki had faith in her ability to get information out of people.
When Nikki pulled up in the hospital car park, she could see Fenner's Audi parked not far away from her.
"Shit," She thought. "He's got to her already."
When she eventually located the ward where Rachel Hicks was being kept for observation, she saw Fenner
leaning over the young woman's bed staring right in to her face. As she approached on quiet feet she
overheard the last sentence of what Fenner had been saying to Rachel.
"So you know what to do, keep that pretty little mouth of yours shut because you don't want anything else
to happen to your baby, do you." Nikki just stood staring at Fenner. She couldn't believe what she was
hearing but she knew that now was not the time to deal with it. Fenner seemed to sense someone behind
him because he turned and a look of scorn crept over his face.
"Sorry, Wade, looks like this story's coming from my department, not yours."
"In your dreams, Fenner. Now piss off so I can talk to Rachel." She leaned towards him. "Because it looks
like you've already done enough talking from where I'm standing." Fenner began to look a little
apprehensive but Nikki didn't push the point.
Once Fenner had left, Nikki sat down beside the bed and leaned towards Rachel.
"Would you like to tell me what happened?"
"Are you another journalist? I've already had about as much as I can take from you lot this morning. I just
want to see my baby and get out of here."
"What's so bad about being in here?"
"they won't let me be with my baby. They took her away and they won't let me look after her."
"That's probably because you need to rest after the fire last night." The word fire seemed to make Rachel
shudder.
"Would you like to tell me what happened?" repeated Nikki.
"Like I told the police, I woke up in the middle of last night and could smell burning. It was so hot. I
managed to get Maddy, that's my baby, and get out before the fire really got going."
"Bollocks!" Thought Nikki. She could see no way for Rachel and her baby to get out alive once that inferno
had got going. It's not as if petrol smoulders. Set a match to that stuff and a place could go up in seconds.
"Are you sure that's what happened?"
"Of course I'm sure. Anyway, why are you so interested?"
"Rachel, someone set fire to your house while you were still in it. And there's no way that what you're
telling me is true. If you'd really been asleep when your house was torched, you and your baby wouldn't be
here now. I'm just trying to find out the truth that's all."
"Only because it'll make a good story."
"Maybe, but there seems to be something going on here that smells as rotten as your house does. For
instance, why was Fenner telling you to keep your mouth shut?" Rachel looked terrified.
"Hey, don't worry. I'm not going to tell him I heard him say that. I just wondered why. Is he mixed up in
what's happened to you?"
"I can't tell you anything. I don't want to talk to you any more. Please go away." Nikki stood up. She
handed Rachel a card with her mobile number on it.
"Okay, you don't want to talk now but you might at some point in the future. If you do, you can always get
me on that number. You can't put up with intimidation like that, Rachel. If you need my help, you know
where I am."
It was nearly eleven o'clock so Nikki drove back to the house to pick up Victoria and Denny. She decided
not to mention what she'd heard Fenner saying to Rachel. This wasn't something she wanted the new girl
to get mixed up in and Denny couldn't keep her trap shut to save her life. On the drive back to the office,
Victoria asked,
"So, did you get anywhere with what's her name, Rachel?"
"No," Said Nikki, careful to keep looking straight ahead. "She doesn't know anything."
"Yeah, right," muttered Denny. Victoria turned an enquiring look on her. Well, you don't wake up half way
through a fire that big and get out alive, man. I mean, it just doesn't happen. And you say she wasn't really
burnt, Nik?"
"No, I'd forgotten about that. Her hair was singed and she didn't have any eyebrows left but she seemed
comparatively unharmed."
"Something stinks about this," Said Denny.
"Yeah, well, whatever you think about this, Denny, for god's sake keep it to yourself. I don't want any of
this getting back to Fenner."
"why Fenner?" asked Denny.
"Because he'll use it to get out a better story than us." It was a pretty lame excuse but Nikki needed some
reason for keeping what she knew from Fenner. She didn't want Rachel Hicks being murdered before she
could get the truth out of her.