Confidences and clues
Juliet ran through the door of the flat and picked up the phone "Hello?" she said breathlessly
"Juliet? It's me," said Smithy's voice
"Hi you" she smiled
"I thought you were at work?" he asked
"I just popped back to see Daz," she said
"Fibber!" he laughed, "You couldn't wait to look in my car could you? Do you like it?" he asked
"It's lovely!" she laughed, "Thank you, but what's the key for?" she asked
"For you, I wanted to ask you to um, move in properly, seeing as you more or less live there anyway and you've been looking since Honey found out she's pregnant" he waited for her answer
Juliet twiddled the charm bracelet she'd found in his glove box, fingering the key that was attached to it "Oh" she uttered, whatever she was expecting, it wasn't that!
"Is that a yes oh?" he asked
"Yes!" she squeaked
He laughed, "Good, am I forgiven?"
"I suppose so" she said "You are never at your best in the mornings"
"No, but waking up next to you every morning might help, how's Daz been?" he asked
"Fine, he's behaved himself and even done all the housework" she told him
"He told me you'd subbed him some money, I'll pay you back when I get home" he said
"No need, its half my housework now isn't it?" she giggled, "I miss you"
"I miss you too, I'll phone you tonight again, I'd better go, June's waiting to go back in to the lecture hall" he sighed
"Ok, love you" she said
"Me too, bye" he cancelled the call and smiled.
Daz came out of his room "Hi, thought I heard the phone, was it Dale?"
"It was!" she said and then frowned "Daz, your brother has asked me to move in, are you OK with that?" she asked him
"Course I am" he replied "He told me he was going to ask you before he went, do you like the bracelet?"
"You knew about that too?" she laughed
"Yeah, sly one you know, my big bro!" he smiled at her "Why do you call him Smithy?"
"Well, it's his name" she said "I guess it's a bit strange really, not to call him Dale but I've always called him that, I don't think he'd answer if I called him Dale!"
"Probably not, he was always Smithy at school, I wasn't or if I was it was 'lil Smiffy, 'cos he's the eldest I suppose" said Daz, filling the kettle "Coffee?"
"Please" Juliet said "A quick one"
"Dad always calls us by our proper names, he used to go mad when the others called me Daz, but mum called me Daz, and Dale was Spike" he said
"Spike?" Juliet asked amazed
"Yeah, he had like three foot spikes in his hair when he was younger, Dad hated them too" said Daz, with a twinge of sadness
"You miss your mum don't you?" she said gently
"A lot" he said "But it won't bring her back, I'm just glad that Dale's around again, I never really got on with my older sisters, they knew that Dad gave me a hard time but they ignored it" he turned away from her "What would happen if Dad came to find me?" he said in a small voice
"That would depend on you and Smithy" she said, "How many sisters have you got?"
"Four, three older ones, Sharon she's married with about twenty kids" Juliet smiled, she had forgotten a teenagers tendency to exaggerate "Helen, she moved away when mum died Don't know where she is, and Lauren she's married to an accountant with a couple of kids, more or less disowned us, with her big posh house she didn't want to come back to a South London Council Estate" he handed her a cup "And Kayliegh, Dad's blue eyed girl, all the girls were, it was only me and Dale who got it in the neck"
Juliet put her hand on his arm "Must have been hard" she said
"It was" he looked at his feet "I remember the day Dale fought back, the day he left for the army, Dad told him he wasn't going to let him go, would lock him up if he had to, Dale shouted something back and Dad went to hit him, Dale slammed him against the wall and told him he'd never let anyone bully him again, got his bag and left."
Juliet was startled by the image in her mind of Smithy being hurt by someone who should have loved him, but she tried not to show it
"I have to go Daz" she smiled an apology "But we can talk later if you want?"
"Not really" he said, Juliet recognised the stubbornness in his voice
"Ok" she said, "You look like your brother you know"
He smiled "People always say that, Dad always said we were the image of Mum"
Juliet smiled again "I'll be home about six, you be alright?"
"I'll be fine!" he replied brightly "See ya"
"Bye" she said closing the door, she sat behind the wheel of her car before starting it, thinking, she was realising how much this must be hurting Smithy, having old wounds re-opened again, but admired his strength for keeping Daz close, regardless.
Phil smiled as Juliet came towards his desk "Hiya, got some bad news, I spoke to the Matron of Cathy's hospital, the CCTV is on a loop tape, it's been wiped" he said
"Great, so we're beck to square one then" She said sitting down, she tapped her nails on the desk
"But he did leave a teddy bear, a badger" he said
"Hmmm" Juliet frowned
"What?"
"Nothing" she said
"And the drugs squad have been on, they want us to go and arrest their receiver and bring him in, they will come down and interview him" he said
"Right, let's go then, shall we take Yvonne? She's almost welded to that chair," she said
"Better check with the DI, but I don't see why not" he said, "Been shopping?" he asked, pointing to her bracelet
Juliet smiled "No, it's a present from Smithy, hid it in his car"
"Nice" he said "Ma'am?" he called to Sam as she came out of her office "Drugs squad want us to pick up a suspect, can we take Yvonne as a bit extra man power?" he asked her
"Yes, but don't be all day, I want your reports on that other case" she said
Phil knocked on the door of the grotty looking house, Juliet was round the back with Yvonne, the door opened slightly and Phil flashed his ID "Frank Whitmore?" he asked
"Yes" replied the man
"DS Phil Hunter, Sunhill, can I come in?"
The man slammed the door in his face "All yours" said Phil into his radio, kicking at the door.
Juliet and Yvonne waited by the garden gate in the alley, as the man ran out Yvonne grabbed him, he fought her off and ran down the alley away from the street, Yvonne and Juliet gave chase, Yvonne updating Phil via the radio.
The man came to a dead end and a garden fence, he scrambled up the fence, Juliet caught his shoe as he tried to squirm his way over, pulling him down she turned him onto his front "We just want a word!" she said to him, clipping her cuffs on his wrists
"I 'aint done nuffin'!" he panted
"Well, we'll soon find out won't we?" said Yvonne helping Juliet pull him to his feet
"Why run then, Mr.Innocent?" asked Juliet
"'Cos your mates kicking my front door in!" he spluttered
"Well, he hasn't got a key has he?" replied Juliet, making herself and Yvonne laugh.
They took him back to the house where Phil was holding a bag of white powder in each hand, smiling in triumph
"Strange place to keep your sugar!" he said indicating to the toilet cistern
"I want a solicitor!" shouted the man
"Thought you were innocent?" said Juliet "Frank Whitmore, I am arresting you for possession of a banned substance with intent to supply, you do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something that you later rely on in court, anything you do say may be given in evidence" she shoved him through the door "Where's the rest of it?" she asked
"That's it," he said
"Oh come on Frank" said Phil "We aint stupid"
"I told you! That's it I'm not saying anything 'till I get a solicitor!" he ranted
"Looks like we'll have to search the place Sarge" said Yvonne
"Won't we just!" said Phil "I'll have a chat with Frankie Boy here while you two start upstairs"
Juliet and Yvonne were pulling apart the bedroom "Charming" said Yvonne holding up some rather unsavoury magazines, Juliet looked "I'll never understand men's fascination with those" she said with distaste.
"Got it!" shouted Phil from downstairs
Yvonne looked at Juliet "How did he get him to talk?" she asked, bemused
"With Phil, it's best not to ask" she said, leading out of the bedroom and down to the kitchen to join Phil. There was piles of plastic bags with various coloured contents littering the floor, Phil was grinning "Under the boards" he said
"Let's get this lot catalogued and him back to the station then" said Juliet, pulling out her notebook.