Forgotten Not Forgiven
Chapter 2 : Haunted By The Past
Smithy left for work early the next morning because he was working the early shift. He hated getting up early when it was winter and he hated leaving Kerry and Amy. He pulled out of the drive and drove to the station, the radio playing softly in the background. As he parked the car he saw PC Honey Casper climbing out of her car, it took her a few moments to ease her six month pregnant form out. Smithy smiled as he walked over.
"Hi Honey, how's the baby doing?" He asked.
Honey placed her hand on her bloated stomach.
"Great thanks." The PC smiled. "Dan keeps telling me that I should go on maternity leave but I know I'll be bored to death!"
Smithy grinned. "Kerry was just the same when she was pregnant with Amy!"
"It's her birthday soon isn't it?" Honey asked.
"Yeah it's in two weeks time. I can't believe she's going to be twelve already!" Smithy replied.
"I know! Tom is going to be four soon." Honey said, referring to her and Dan's first child.
"I better get going." Smithy told Honey. "Take care."
"Thanks serge." She said as she pulled her uniform out of the car.
Kerry tried repeatedly to get Amy up the next morning but she ignored her mother every time. Kerry sighed, she knew that if Smithy was here Amy would behave. She couldn't help but wonder why her daughter hated her so much. Kerry loved Amy, she was her whole world but that didn't seem to be enough. She really wanted to get to the bottom of this before it was too late.
"Amy! It's time to get up! You're going to be so late!" Kerry called from the doorway of her daughters room.
When the only reply she got was a grunt Kerry decided to change her tactics.
"Right okay, I'm going to use the bathroom I could do with a nice long, hot soak in the bath."
It did the trick as Amy jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom. Kerry smirked and went downstairs to make them some breakfast.
Smithy walked along the corridor and headed for the briefing room but was stopped by Inspector Gold just as he was about to put his hand on the door.
"It's okay Smithy, Sergeant Hemmingway is taking care of the briefing this morning."
"Oh." Sergeant Smith replied. "Why?"
"Because I need to talk to you." Gina told him simply in a tone that Smithy knew better than to argue with.
"Okay." Smithy said, following her back along the corridor and into her office.
Gina sat down in her chair and Smithy took the one opposite, looking at her disapprovingly as she lit up a cigarette.
"What's all this about?" Smithy asked as Gina put her lighter back into the desk drawer.
She suddenly became serious and Smithy began to worry about what she was going to say. Tapping her cigarette on the edge of an ashtray that she pulled out from another drawer Gina regarded Smithy carefully wondering how best to break the news to him. She decided that telling him the truth straight out would probably be the best way.
"Smithy." She said gently. "I heard something last night that concerns you and it's not good news."
Dale was getting impatient. "Look Gina..." He began
Inspector Gold put her hand up to stop him. "No Smithy, wait."
Smithy nodded, trying to calm down.
"It's about Gabriel." Gina continued in the same gentle tone.
"Kent." Smithy spat. "What's he done this time?"
"He's only gone at got himself parole because of good behaviour."
"What!" Smithy exclaimed, banging his fists down on the desktop. Gina didn't flinch, she knew Smithy and she knew what would be coming when he found out. "I thought he was guaranteed to get at least fifteen years. I don't understand."
Smithy was calmer now, thinking about what this meant for him and his family.
"I know so did I. It came as a shock to me to Smithy, after all Amy is like a niece to me." Gina said. "I got the call last night, he's due to be released on the 31st."
"Wait." Smithy said. "That's Amy's birthday." He put his head in his hands. "I cannot believe this."
Gina put her hand on his. "We'll get through this, it'll be okay. Even Gabriel Kent isn't stupid enough to try something like he did before."
"He murdered Helen within a hour of her texting me to meet her." Smithy raged, all the details coming back as clearly as if it had all happened yesterday and not twelve years ago.
Gina sighed, wishing there was something she could say to make things better for Smithy but she knew she couldn't.
Once Kerry had finally got Amy up and out of the house for school she took a shower and went downstairs to wash up the breakfast. Just as she was about to plunge her hands into the soapy water the phone rang. She picked it up wondering who would be calling at ten o'clock on a Tuesday morning.
"Hello?"
"Hi, is that Kerry Young?" A voice asked, Kerry knew she should be able to place it but the line was crackly and she wasn't sure if she had heard right.
"Yeah, Kerry Smith." She said.
"Oh so he made an honest woman of you." The voice laughed and Kerry realised how slow she had been, it was Cameron!
"Hiya Cam! How are you? It's been ages since we last emailed or wrote to each other! How are Karin and the kids?" Kerry asked.
"Yeah great! We were wondering if it was okay if we came over to England to visit you, Smithy and Amy." Cameron asked.
"Yeah sure, come whenever you want. It's Amy's birthday in a couple of weeks if that's not too short notice."
"That would be great. I'll check with Karin and work but it should be okay. Thanks Kerry."
"No worries Cameron, see ya!"
"Yeah bye!"
Smithy arrived home not long after Kerry had finished the phone call, Gina had given him the afternoon off because she thought he needed it.
"Hi, I didn't expect you home so early!" Kerry said, coming down the stairs to meet him. "I've got some good news!"
"Really." Smithy grunted. "I've got some bad news."
"Oh." Kerry's face fell. "I think you'd better go first then."
"Yeah I think I had." Smithy agreed gravely.
Thanks for all your reviews last chapter, please keep reviewing and telling me your ideas! Luv ya, Vikki x
