Life In Aidensfield

Chapter Three: Schoolgirl Crush

POV: District Nurse Maggie Bolton

"Okay, Sue, I'll be back tomorrow! A certain Constable and I have somewhere to be!" With a shaky wave from my patient, I left the house of Sue Thompson, closing the door behind me. Checking my wristwatch, I swallowed a lump in my throat. "Oh, heck! I'll be late to the station if I dawdle!"

I clambered into my Land Rover, placed my medical bag on the passenger seat and ignited the engine, then switching into first gear, turning out of Moor Top Lane (definitely a favourite street of mine up here!), and driving onto the Ashfordly road.

The drive to Ashfordly was relatively silent, except for the odd sheep (that's a given in these parts.), and the icy roads. As soon as I turned into the station, I jumped out of the cab and almost ran inside, slowing my pace as soon as I reached the front door.

The station was silent, save for the sound of a kettle boiling. I knew John had been placed on light duty, and I also knew he hated it. Deducing that the building was empty, I knocked loudly on the partition and ringing the service bell once, I shouted out to the duty room. "Shop!"

I heard the clatter of cutlery and a loud "MMM!", before I gazed through the partition and saw my fiancé walking towards me, crumbs down his tunic and a smile on his lips. He moved in to kiss me but I pushed him back. Before he could question, I smirked at him and pointed to his full mouth. I had a mischievous look in my eyes.

"Is there a spare Custard Cream for little old me?" John nodded and reached under the shelf, grabbing the packet of biscuits. Swallowing his food and sighing happily, he whispered. "Don't tell Alf, he doesn't know I found these. Besides, you're not THAT old! You're only twenty-nine!"

Performing a "zip-lock" gesture with my left hand, I ate the vanilla-flavoured biscuit and nodded, smirking. "Are you all on your lonesome, Constable?" John sighed a little, sitting down at Alf's desk and gesturing for me to join him.

"I'm afraid so, lovely. Sarge and the boys are up at His Lordship's estate. Apparently, Lord Ashfordly has a few diplomats from overseas staying over, so they're handling security. Can you believe that I've never even MET Lord Ashfordly? I don't normally care for toffs, but, considering Charles' connections within the police, respect is compulsory." John let out a loud sigh, but smiled when I sat on the corner of Alf's desk, his hands on my thighs.

I shot my partner a sympathetic look. "You really feel left out, don't you?" Sighing, he patted my knee and looked into my eyes. "I do, but I shouldn't complain. I have a great job, and the perfect woman to come home to every evening. Speaking of which... Is this a social call, Maggie?"

Honestly, he's always been a charmer. However, I could have slapped him at that moment. "You fool! We're meant to be meeting the vicar this lunchtime!" John's dark hazelnut eyes widened, he immediately covered his mouth like he'd let out a string of curse words. His eyes then told me a different story, though, as when he lowered his hands, I could see his predictable (but handsome) smirk.

"Maggie, you're the fool. It's not until tomorrow." He playfully tapped my knee, chuckling loudly. Not wanting to be outdone, I grabbed a custard cream from the packet and shoved it into his mouth, a devilish look in my eyes.

"Do be quiet and eat your food, Mr. Stockwell..." Finishing the biscuit in seconds, he rose to his feet when he heard the front door open. I didn't notice his gesture to stand until it was too late, and I witnessed Alf, Phil and Oscar Blaketon walk in, the latter giving me an unexpected smirk.

"Ah, Nurse Bolton! What brings you to the station?" I immediately got up from the desk and brushed the small collection of biscuit crumbs. Alf noticed the packet on his desk and was about to open his mouth when Oscar raised a fist.

"Not one word about your ruddy biscuits, Ventress! You were saying, Nurse Bolton?" Turning my gaze to look at Oscar, I smiled. "Sergeant Blaketon, I was wondering if I could borrow PC Stockwell, just for his lunch break? We've been planning to talk to the vicar in Aidensfield about setting a date for our wedding."

Raising an eyebrow, Oscar walked through the doorway and gazed at us both, a knowing look shone in his eyes. "I heard that wasn't until tomorrow." Feeling a little sheepish (especially with Oscar bearing down on me!), and with my fiancé having the most smug of looks, (arms folded, too!), I almost quaked.

"Would you mind if I borrowed him, anyway, Sergeant? I do need to go over a few things with him." Almost chuckling, Oscar gestured to the door. "Make it sharpish, PC Stockwell. It'll be paperwork when you get back!"

Just as I was about to leave, John, fastening his overcoat around his body, turned and shouted to his colleagues. "Alf, I'll make sure Nurse Bolton refills your custard creams!" Clicking my tongue, I pushed John out of the door, sniggering as we both stepped out into the cold, winter air.

My fiancé turned to stare at me. Knowing he was being playful, I stared back. "So, Mrs. Stockwell, you wanted to go over a few things with me?" I nodded, pointing to Merton's Tailoring. "You have to be fitted for your wedding suit, for starters."

Rolling his eyes, John let out a loud groan. "Not today, Maggie, PLEASE." Raising an eyebrow at him, I entered my own 'Interrogation Mode'. "Why-ever not? Do you have a problem with the staff there?"

Sighing, he turned to look at the shop and then back at me. "Promise you won't laugh?" Reaching out and taking his gloved hands in my own, I nodded. "Promise. You can tell me." Looking down at our joined hands, my partner sighed again. "The Mertons' new assistant, Mary-Anne. She's nineteen and has a bit of a crush on me. I've tried so many times to let her down gently, but she doesn't seem to be taking the hint."

Stifling a laugh before giving John an understanding look, I pulled his body next to mine, the tips of my boots pointed in the direction of the tailors. "Come on. I'll make sure she gets the message. I can't believe you're scared of a teenager!"

Clutching my hand, he sighed and we both crossed the road before approaching the shop. Opening the red door and hearing the tinkle of the bell, he held the door open for me, being the gentleman that he is.

John nervously looked around the shop for Mary-Anne. I can only imagine the relief he felt when a Scottish gentleman by the name of Dennis Ian Merton appeared from the back room. Grinning at us, he walked over to the counter. "PC Stockwell and Nurse Bolton, welcome!"

As we nodded at him, (smiles present), Dennis folded his arms. A smirk played upon his lips. "Now, John, SURELY you don't need repairs already? Jenny and I seem to be working on something of yours every other week. Whatever shall we do with you?"

John was about to speak, but I interrupted. "Dennis, is your assistant, Mary-Anne here? I need to speak with her." Raising an eyebrow, Dennis nodded and turned to the back room. "Mary-Anne, could you come out here for a moment?"

In a few seconds, I could hear the shuffling of footsteps against the carpeted floor, and into the room stepped a well-built girl of nineteen, wearing a long, black dress which went past her knees and casual black shoes, with black socks. An awful lot of black...

She had medium-length brown hair and her eyes lit up the moment she laid eyes upon my partner. I grabbed John's wrist from behind and squeezed it for a moment before pointing toward Dennis behind my back, a signal.

John turned to look at Dennis after having noticed my signal. "Dennis, I'm here to be fitted for my wedding suit, are you able to do that in your lunch break, or should we come back?" Just as Dennis was going to speak, the bell above the door rang again.

In walked a very-familiar blonde who went by the name of Jennifer Merton. (Jenny to her friends). Taking one look at John, then Mary-Anne, and then John again, she shot me the most evil grin, I responded with a mild glare. I then spoke up, I'd almost finished piecing my words together for the Mertons' assistant).

Jenny merely chuckled under her breath (I was sure I could hear it!), and passed the counter, on the palm of her hand was a box of some of treat from the baker's. As Mrs. Merton walked off into the back room, I walked up to the counter and approached Mary-Anne. Dennis then placed a hand on John's shoulder and gestured to the three-sided mirror at the corner of the room, hidden behind a partition from the public eye. "If you'd like to step this way, please, Constable."

The shop-girl shot me a meek look. I was sure she recognised me. "I'd like a word outside, if you don't mind." Walking over to the door and opening it, I watched Mary-Anne as she stepped outside, neglecting her winter coat.

Once we were facing the winter chill, I stared her down. I didn't mean to, but she had been causing my partner a great deal of stress he didn't need. I spoke to her calmly and concisely. "Mary-Anne, I'm going to say this only once. PLEASE, refrain from behaving in a romantic or affectionate manner towards my fiancé. He is close to a decade older than you, and you have unnerved him. It is beginning to affect his police work."

I gave her a moment for my first batch to sink in. "I understand that you feel attached, that you feel a special bond with him, but it is all one-sided, your side only. Mr. and Mrs. Merton are our friends, PC Stockwell and myself are acquaintances to you. Please, back off from him. I'm sure you're a nice girl with a lot to offer someone, but PC Stockwell is NOT the man for you. You have a schoolgirl crush and it needs to end. I know I've sounded cold, and I'm sorry, but I needed you to understand what I have just said. You can feel free to walk back indoors, I'm not going to go any further on the matter."

Mary-Anne sniffled and ran inside, I sighed and followed a second later. As she ran past Jenny, (almost barging into her), the teenager ran into the back room, presumably to cry. Moments later, Dennis and John walked back into the area Jenny and I shared, the latter had a very smug look on his face.

Dennis gave me a knowing look, and I raised an eyebrow, not knowing what to think. Smirking, the master tailor answered the question I was about to ask him. (I swear, he had a mind like a copper. It's like John said on multiple occasions: "If I didn't know any better, I'd say Dennis was a member of CID in a previous life!").

"We've been discussing Christmas presents, who's getting what." I could see the devilish gleam in both his and John's eyes and I didn't trust them. I turned to look at Jenny, who had disappeared. Seconds later, we heard a scream coming from the back room.

Stepping away from Dennis, John ran towards the counter, placed his hand on the wood and vaulted over it. Not having the physical prowess, I ran through the partition and followed my partner in, with Dennis in tow.

The sight that befell the three of us was horrifying. Jenny lay sprawled on the carpeted floor, a long

gash ran from her left shoulder to her right elbow. Standing above her was Mary-Anne, a bloodied kitchen knife in her hand, the blade looked to be eighteen-to-twenty centimetres in length.

Mary-Anne was a rambling mess. "Mrs. Merton tried taking PC Stockwell away from me, just like Gina and... You... Nurse Bolton. You're the catalyst!" John took a step closer, opening a hand. "Mary-Anne, you're right. None of these people matter, none of them except you."

I internally double-took for a moment before I realised what he was doing. I didn't dare try and take a step closer to Jenny. "How... How do I know this isn't a trick? STAY BACK!" I could feel the aura the shop-girl was giving off. She wasn't kidding around.

John took another step closer, and then another. "Give me the knife, Mary-Anne. Let's end this together and run away, just like we've always talked about. The tension in the storeroom was so thick, but John didn't let it affect him.

Every second was critical, Jenny was starting to turn pale. In seconds, the teenager surrendered the knife, and John pushed her against the wall, spinning her around and cuffing her wrists. "You bloody FOOL! After all the Mertons have done for you!"

As soon as she was pushed against the wall, the teenager cried out. Not in pain, but in anguish. "DON'T LEAVE ME! I PROMISE IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN!" Dragging her outside, John growled as he wrenched the shop door open, bound for the station. "Like Hell... I'm sick of damn knives. Move it, you!"

I tried to tend to Jenny as best I can, and Dennis was by her side, clutching her hand. "Dennis, I need you to ring for an ambulance. I promise I won't leave her side, okay?" Nodding weakly, Dennis ran to the phone. (Poor man, I'd never seen him so pale!)

Minutes later, an ambulance arrived, and Jenny was carried in by means of a stretcher and two paramedics. Dennis naturally went with her, and had handed me the keys, giving me a request. "Please, lock up the shop and drop the keys into our letterbox. Thank you to everything you and John have done for us. I'll phone when I have progress."
Nodding at Dennis with teary eyes, I watched the ambulance leave seconds later. Turning back to the shop, I walked back inside and waited for John to return, likely with his Sergeant. Opening the cash till and gathering the takings into the cloth bag under the counter, I then closed the till and left the shop, locking the door and high-tailing it into the station.

End of Chapter Three

A/N: Just when you thought I'd stopped posting; I'm back, baby! I can't give a deadline on Chapter Four, but it's in progress! It is the immediate continuation from this belter! -AtrophysFinest.