woooo another chapter! hope you all enjoy this and the struggle Liz is going through. would love to hear your thoughts and feedback, especially as we go into one of the most complex arcs of this story! thank you to everyone who is reading and has commented and reviewed, you make me so incredibly happy!
"Kate!" she calls out to her friend sitting at the bar. The woman looks over to Liz, smiling with a wave. Liz weaves herself and the suitcase behind her through the many tables and chairs, smiling wide to see her friend after a week away.
Kate stands, embracing her in a welcoming hug, "How was Manchester?"
Liz chuckles as they pull away, moving onto the stool beside her, "It went really well, yeah! How has everything been here?"
Kate's face falls, only slightly. She nods, trying to uphold a smile. But it is strained. Liz catches onto it, her brow furrowing questioningly.
Just then, before Kate can explain what was on her mind, the doors to the pub open.
"Dot!" Liz beams as the man makes his way over to them.
The much taller man smiles back, happy to see her. He wraps his arms around her, Liz squeezing back for a moment before they pull away, arms still holding onto each other.
"Missed you, Queenie," he smirks.
Liz blushes, "And you."
She turns to smile back at Kate, who she remembers is watching, dropping his arms, "All of you."
Kate sends her a small smile back, eyes flicking suggestively between the two of them.
Liz ignores it. Kate had interrogated Liz about everything between them after his gentlemanly display at the award ceremony. She had told her all about the chilli, and the tupperware and everything since. Liz avoided mentioning how Steve had reacted, though she was sure the woman saw it for herself after their apparently affectionate display at the warehouse. She knows Kate will jump at the opportunity to deem it jealousy and imply something ridiculous, as she had done so before.
Honestly, for a grown woman she certainly acted like a schoolgirl sometimes.
"How was your week?" Dot asks after ordering himself a beer and her a glass of wine.
She thanks him for the drink, then nods, "It went well. Managed to convince them to start hiring for some wellbeing officers in their smaller branches. They put me in charge of that, so might have to go back soon and put things in place. Training and such. Hopefully, after some time, they see the results they want and can expand the network."
"That's brilliant," Kate compliments, Liz looking down, bashfully.
"Yeah," Dot smiles at her, causing her blush to deepen, "Nice one!"
"Where's Steve?" she asks, having been reminded of him at that conversation. She had hoped to tell him when she got back and saw him, assuming he would also be meeting with them at the pub, "He alright?"
Liz had hoped things were beginning to sort themselves while she was away. That the others would begin to listen and accept he wants to rectify his mistake. Kate had been irritated by the man several times before, but they always worked things out. If Liz could forgive him and move on, surely they all could.
The way her friends' faces darken at his name suggests otherwise.
Liz studies them as their gazes snap away from her, stiffly looking around the room. Kate begins to wring her hands before taking a large swig of her wine, while Dot clears his throat.
At first, her stomach twists in disappointment; they still seemed frustrated with the man because of Denton's accusations and what that meant for the case, her being freed. Though, her gut sinks further as she realises these reactions implied more than that.
Liz sighs, looking desperately between the two officers either side of her, "What has he done now?"
Dot looks past her to Kate, his eyes almost dismal. Kate looks back at him, Liz hearing her take in a sharp breath. Neither say anything.
That worries her more.
"What aren't you telling me?"
Dot avoids her eye, nodding at Kate who then moves off her stool.
"I've got to go," Kate suddenly announces, grabbing her jacket, "I have Josh tonight."
"Oh, ok," Liz responds, dazed.
"Glad to have you back. See you tomorrow," Kate says with one last look between them before she heads out of the pub.
Liz watches the door swing behind her for a moment, confused, before turning hastily to Dot.
He is just looking at her, sadly.
Liz tries to ignore the nauseating twist of her gut and the anxiety rising in her throat.
"The Caddy is still active," Dot begins to explain, hesitantly, with Liz not understanding where he was going, "And I have put together a profile. We think we have him."
"That's good, isn't it?" Liz asks, almost prompting him to say so, despite her confusion at his dejected tone.
He shifts in his seat, looking around at the other punters in the pub, "Is there anywhere more private we could go?"
She steps on another envelope as she enters her flat. Her already uneasy nerves send shocks through to her fingers as she shakily picks it up. Feeling a cruelly familiar shape inside it and seeing her messily scrawled name on the front, Liz hastily shoves it into the nearest drawer. Slamming it shut, she moves aside so Dot, who is carrying her suitcase for her, can pass by.
He heaves the case through the door, placing it where she instructs him to by the table. Thanking him, she gives the guilty drawer one more worried glance, Liz moves to the kitchen to put the kettle on.
"Coffee?" she asks, turning to see Dot looking around her flat.
He looks away from her bookshelves with a polite, grateful smile, "Yeah, ta."
Liz walks to her mug cupboard to begin making it.
"Where is this cat of yours then?"
She freezes at his question, one hand extended in the air as she was reaching for a mug. Her eyes automatically snap to the drawer by the door.
Clearing her throat after a moment to cover her shock, she lies, "At a friend's. They were looking after her while I was away. I pick her up tomorrow."
She sets down the two mugs, then walks over to the fridge to get the milk.
Hoping to distract herself from the envelope and what she knew was inside, before she is sick, Liz changes the subject, "So, what is it you wanted to tell me?"
She hears him sigh, sadly, causing her to look over at him.
Dot puts his hands in his pockets as he moves over to her kitchen, speaking in a sincerely hushed voice, "Now, this is severely confidential…"
Liz chuckles, though humorlessly as she feels her nerves spike at his tone, "Confidentiality is my job."
He smirks, though it doesn't quite reach his eyes, distracted by whatever it was he was struggling to confess.
"Detective Inspectors and above only. You and Kate are the only lowers to know."
"How about you take a seat and I'll bring the drinks over when they are done?" she suggests, gesturing to her sofa. Admittedly, she just wanted time to breathe, to delay whatever it was Dot had to tell her. She knew it couldn't be good. Dot was never like this.
She reaches for her bag, pulling out her phone as Dot nods and begins to move away, "I just need to call Steve. I said I would when I got back-"
"I don't think that's a good idea," Dot almost growls, whipping back around to face her.
Liz stares at him, dumbfounded. What was going on?
He steps closer to her, reaching his hand out to cover hers, lowering the phone, "I think we should talk first."
The kettle finishes boiling before she can respond. She doesn't even know how to, not knowing what he wants to say.
Liz drops her phone, Dot removing his hand and stalking over to her sofa like she offered.
Finishing the hot drinks, she brings them over to where he sits, placing them on the coffee table and taking a seat beside him. He thanks her, but leaves the coffee untouched while she takes a sip to calm herself.
She places it down next to his, looking at him, concerned, "Is everything alright?"
Dot seems to smile slightly at her use of her work voice, but mostly appears down, "Not really, no."
Liz scoots a little closer, intrigued by his admission, "What is it?"
He sighs before beginning to explain, not quite meeting her eye, "Arnott's going to be issued a Reg-15."
"What?" she exclaims, brow fiercely furrowing, "Because of Denton?"
Dot shakes his head, sighing, "He has been seen bearing a firearm around the office."
"What?! Why-?"
"And then, obviously, accusations of having improper relationships with a suspect, also of planting evidence against her," Dot rubs a tired hand awkwardly across his jaw, as Liz stares at him incredulously.
"But-" Liz struggles to comprehend it, "Surely more evidence needs to be found?"
"Liz, I saw him with the gun."
"Why would he-?"
"I don't know," he sighs, again.
Liz stares at him, bewildered. That did not sound like Steve. Not at all. What was going on?
"He has also ordered more forensics on evidence seized at Danny Waldron's flat," Dot explains, watching her concernedly, "Seems he is trying to make out I missed a lead."
"But, Steve- he wouldn't-" she struggles, "Why would he?"
Dot shrugs. He looks away from her, staring at the untouched coffee, awkwardly, "He tried turning it on me, when Hastings questioned him. Practically admitted it."
"I should call him," she says, hastily going to stand from the sofa. Dot catches her arm, pulling her back before she has the chance. He looks her in the eye, pointedly, the apologetic glint darkening as he does.
"There is something else, isn't there?" Liz prompts, anxiously. She could see it in the way his shoulders tensed.
He groans slightly, once again rubbing his jaw.
"He fits the profile," Dot claims, quietly, already flinching before she has the chance to react.
Liz feels her teeth grind together, "What profile?"
Dot hesitates, "The Caddy."
Before Liz can even process what he has said, she lets out a disbelieving cackle. This had to be a joke. Another of Dot's poor attempts to banter at the man's expense.
She stops, seeing the sincere look Dot is sending her.
"You're joking?"
The man shakes his head, regrettably.
Liz deflates, feeling as though she is curving into herself as her hands begin to shake.
"You think Steve is The Caddy?" she shakes her head, cynically. Liz struggles to process it, unable to focus on one thought or the other. But it sounded wrong.
Dot says nothing, only looks at her.
"I thought Cole was your best suspect," Liz states, almost hopefully. DC Cole, the man who kidnapped Denton after crashing the police transit vehicle, the man who killed Tommy Hunter, also killed Georgia Trotman.
"He was, based on presumability," Dot explains through another sigh, "But that conclusion is no longer supportable."
"Why?"
"He's dead. The Caddy is still active," he reminds her. Liz berates herself for forgetting that obvious point. But she had been hopeful it was not the case.
"So why Steve?" she feels ridiculous just asking that, having this conversation.
"Hari Baines' statements have led to the most accurate profile-"
"But Baines never met The Caddy, he said so," Liz argues, not even having heard his evidence against Steve yet but refusing to accept it.
"Please, just..." Dot winces at her bitter tone, "Hear me out."
Liz nods, desperately curious to know, even just to have the chance to prove him wrong.
"The Caddy is male," he ignores Liz's cynical snort as he continues to list the profile, "Given his lifelong links to organised crime, The Caddy is almost certainly from a working class background and grew up in an urban environment. Also given the history of his activities starting from sometime between 2005 to 2010, according to the video statement by Tommy Hunter, he is probably under 35. He also has access to confidential information regarding ongoing investigations, he is almost certainly a detective-"
"But that could be anyone," Liz argues with another humourless laugh , "That could be you-"
"-And given his ability to managed communications without ever portraying his own identity implies a highly trained, highly sophisticated approach to covert operations," Dot asserts, "that is associated with counter-terrorism."
Liz quitens.
"And then, Hari describes The Caddy's voice as having a London, or southeast accent."
Liz finds her jaw slacking, trying to think of another refute before she can process it all, "But this is just a profile, surely-"
"Only The Caddy could've got his hands on Lindsay Denton's bribe money from the right forensic source," Dot argues, though his voice remains soft, sensitive to how much of a shock this must be.
Liz feels tears begin to prick behind her eyes, "That can't be-"
"I'm sorry," Dot whispers, reaching a hand out to her as she had done for him during Baines' interview.
She takes it, slowly, her mind still struggling to comprehend such an absurd accusation. It was entirely nonsensical. But, at the same time, Liz cannot deny, it makes sense.
"No," Liz suddenly declares, more to her own train of thought, "You're wrong."
Dot sighs, looking down at their entwined fingers and placing his other hand on top, stroking the back of hers with his thumb.
"Steve couldn't-" she shakes her head, furiously, feeling her grip tighten fiercely to the man's hand, "What did Kate say?"
"That she wants to know what comes from the disciplinary hearing," Dot tells her, "Though, she has had her suspicions too."
Liz inhales, sharply. That was not what she had wanted or expected to hear.
"Look, just between us," Dot says, softly, leaning closer to her, "I have a lead on him planting that money at Denton's."
Liz feels as though her nerves are on fire.
"I can't disclose it, not without seeing it through," he admits, "I just wanted to let you know so it doesn't come as a big shock."
Liz snaps her eyes up to his, feeling the water begin to well.
"I know this is going to be difficult," Dot sympathises, watching her attentively, "but we've got to keep an eye on his every move.
Liz sniffs, hopelessly, "Just to rule him out, yeah?"
Dot nods, unconvincingly.
"Just," he begins, gripping onto her hand a little tighter, "don't say anything. I hope I am wrong, I really do. But we need to investigate, even to, as you say, rule him out. If he finds out, it could harm the process. You don't want to ruin that, do you?"
Liz chews on her bottom lip, her eyes dropping to their hands. She nods, weakly.
"I'll go," Dot says, gently letting go of her hand and standing from the sofa, "Give you time to think and unpack."
"Uh, yeah," Liz says, willing the tears not to fall and also standing to lead him to the door, "Call me if anything happens."
Dot sends her one last, small smile as he walks through the door. Before he walks away, he turns back to her, "I am sorry."
With that, he leaves. She waits for him to be out of sight before slamming the door behind her.
With one more glance to the drawer, within which was undoubtedly another paw, Liz collapses to the ground. She cries, allowing her thoughts to overwhelm her.
"Lizzie!"
She hears her name being called as soon as she enters the office. She sighs.
Liz had hoped she would make it to her own office before he would find her. Unfortunately, it seems he had been waiting by the entrance for her arrival.
She turns, forcing a small smile onto her lips, "Steve."
She winces as he bounds over to her, beaming, "When did you get back? You said you would call?"
"Last night," she says, her smile faltering. Liz turns to put her keys in her office door, unlocking it, as to not have to look at him. Knowing what she did, what he was being accused of and would have to face, but being unable to tell him and to help was hurting. She had promised Dot, understanding that this needed to be the way - if only to exclude him as a suspect.
The guilt of her also considering the possible truth of the accusations hurt more.
Steve frowns at her blunt response, an almost irritable tone to it, "How did it go?"
"It went well," she replies, again, bluntly, opening the door and stepping inside her room. Removing her jacket, Liz refuses to turn to him again, afraid of what she would see if she did.
Steve had been looking forward to seeing Liz again. This was not the welcome arrival back he had expected. Everyone had seemed off with him while she was away, almost more so than before. He wasn't blind. He could see the looks people would send him and each other when he walked by. After Liz showed a speck of kindness, he had wished the others followed suit. It seems now, for whatever reason, even she was turning her back on him, again.
"Everything alright?" Steve questions, wary.
Liz panics then, her eye involuntarily meeting his before flicking behind him to where she could see Dot standing by the printer a few desks away. The other man was not quite staring at them, but she could tell he was listening in, reminding her to keep quiet about what he had told her.
"Fine," Liz lies, regaining Steve's attention after he followed her line of sight to see Dot too, his posture seeming to exhaust. He looks back at her, the previous excitement she had seen on his face at seeing her now replaced with a gloom she could only try to describe as betrayal or disappointment.
"Listen," she says, Steve perking up slightly, "I have a lot of work to get through. We can talk later, yeah?"
He flattens again, eyes falling to his feet. Steve clears his throat, "Oh, yeah, alright then."
"Would you mind closing the door on your way out?" she asks, moving behind her desk to take a seat. She turns her computer screen to face her more slightly, so he cannot see her empty email inbox.
He nods, timidly, moving to reach for the door-handle.
That's when she sees it. The gun.
It is holstered in a harness of some sort, tucked behind his blazer.
Dot was telling the truth. Steve really was bringing a firearm into the office.
But why?
Liz snaps her gaze back to her computer, pretending not to have seen it as he closes the door.
She groans, leaning her elbows on the table and grinding her palms into her eyes.
If Dot was right about the firearm, something she had considered before to be so outrageously out-of-character, what else could he be right about?
Her heart beats, wildly.
A knock on her door a moment later breaks her thoughts before she can begin to wallow. She wipes her now shaking fingers under her eyes to remove the mascara that she smudged there, calling for them to enter.
Dot appears in her doorway, "Can I have a quick word?"
"Of course," Liz says, though she wishes she could deny it, wanting time alone.
He pulls the door behind him, sending a brief look to Steve who is sitting at his desk, glaring cautiously and curiously back at him before it closes.
"Did you see it?" Dot asks, hurriedly, moving closer to her desk.
She sighs, her eyes closing, "The gun? Yes. I saw it."
"We need to tell Hastings and Biggeloe-"
"No!" Liz hears herself shout, Dot awkwardly placing his hands in his pockets.
She clears her throat, "Let me talk to him first."
Dot huffs through his nose, looking away from her, "That's not a good idea, Liz."
"I won't mention the investigation, just the gun," she pleads, "This might all just be a big misunderstanding."
"And what if it isn't?" Dot throws back, "What if we are right?"
Liz winces at his use of the word 'we', knowing he means himself and Kate - possibly even herself too despite her desperate doubts. She inwardly curses herself for not being able to refute.
"He can't know we have suspicions," the man says, his eyes almost willing her to understand. It devastates her that she does.
She nods, though part of her remains unconvinced.
Steve was going through something. Liz is unsure what. But she wants to help. This wasn't like him. Liz knows Steve. Better than anyone.
At least, she thinks she does.
"I just need to know, if we have to go through with this, that you've got my back," Dot appeals, sincerely.
Liz looks up at him, heart shattering at the conflicted restlessness of his gaze. This was not easy for him, she can tell. If he makes such a bold accusation, and it does turn out to be false - as she hopes - there is a lot at risk; his reputation, his promotion, his respect. Matthew Cottan has worked so hard over the years to pull himself out of such a dark, low place to achieve what he has. It was no wonder he seemed so agitated about people supporting him solving this case, especially with such a high cost. She had seen how much he fidgeted during the Baines' interviews, and the reluctance he had telling her about the allegations on Steve.
In this job, it was hard for things not to become personal. For Dot, especially in regards to The Caddy and recent events, it was definitely just that. Baines had attacked him, Steve was his colleague, The Caddy seemed out to get him.
Not answering his half-question, as not wanting to fully side against Steve, Liz sends him a small smile. The corners of his mouth twitch upward, a relieved glint in his eye.
"Sorry, if I seem sceptical," Liz says, sadly, "It's just… I know Steve. I can't imagine him to be capable of such…"
She struggles to find the words.
Dot nods, then shrugs, "How well can you know anyone?"
Liz nods, knowing that to be true. Dot struggled to meet her eye as he said that, she notes, most likely feeling awkward he has come between her and her best friend. From the way he has been acting and talking to her about it, he clearly knows what a difficult position he has put her in. But he is only doing his job. She knows that.
If anything, she just wishes Steve hadn't been so stupid as to get himself in this situation. He was smarter than this. At least, she hopes so. But then, Dot was right; how well can you know someone?
Wasn't the whole point of her job to be unbiased? To encourage others to look at things from every point of view, considering every possibility?
Her head hurts.
"You're going to suspend him, aren't you?" Liz suddenly asks, taking an awkward sip of her tea.
Ted pauses stirring his own, taken back but unsurprised by her sudden change of demeanour. The conversation had been light until then, the young woman telling him how her ventures went in Manchester. It was rare for the two of them to get time together, just to catch up. Things had been so busy lately, what with the Denton retrial and Waldron case.
He had hoped Liz would not find out, that Dot would keep his mouth shut. But Ted knew, with her persistence and the two seeming closer lately, it would be unlikely.
He just needed time to think things over, without her influence. There had been so many times in the past where Beth had convinced him to give Steve Arnott another chance. They are close. He knows that, everyone does. The last thing he wants is to upset her. But this was about more than keeping his goddaughter on his good side.
The older man sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose as she stares at him, expectantly, "How much do you know?"
"As much as you, apparently," she says, bitterly, implying there was not enough evidence to go off.
Hastings leans back in his chair, folding his arms, "Well, what am I supposed to do, Beth? Hm?"
She is quiet, unsure herself.
"You know I have to at least consider the possibility," he explains, hoping she can tell by his regrettable tone that he also has his doubts, but cannot be heard coming out stating it.
"I know," Liz admits, quietly, placing her teacup on the table, now finding the sweet taste has turned bitter.
"Yeah?" Hastings calls out to whoever has just knocked at his door
Liz stiffens as Kate walks in with Steve. She had seen the pair rush out of the office earlier that day, probably after some sort of lead. It had reassured Liz for a moment, seeing the two of them working together again. She wondered if Kate really did believe Dot's accusations.
Steve sends her a glance, Liz straining to keep her gaze on Ted from where she sat.
"We've got a witness claiming Fairbank suppressed a child rape allegation against Dale Roach," Kat claims, holding a pile of files in her hands.
Patrick Fairbank, Liz remembers Ted telling her of him once, was a former Chief Superintendent.
"Who's Dale Roach?" she asks, feeling Steve's eyes still on her.
Unsure how he fits into all this, Liz listens, intrigued.
"Ex-member of the city council. Joe Nash, who was a boy at Sands View at the same time as Waldron has identified him as one of the abusers," Kate explains, "He's friends with Fairbank."
Liz nods, now understanding, though raises a questioning brow as Hastings sighs with his eyes closed shut disappointedly.
"Ideally, sir," Steve speaks up, having only just torn his eyes away from the woman trying hard not to look his way, "we put these allegations to Fairbank in the presence of a solicitor."
Hastings stays quiet, looking down at his desk with a tired expression, "I'll have to think about that."
"But, sir-"
"Steve," Hastings says, holding up a hand to the man. He then hesitates, not giving a reason for him to not jump at the chance.
Why would Hastings not want to arrest an accused abuser? Or the man covering it up? Liz wonders. Especially if they have evidence and witnesses…
"Sir," Kate acknowledges, clearly suppressing an eye roll before leaving the room.
Steve goes to leave, too, Liz beginning to follow behind. Before she can, the man pauses. Then, closes the door and turns back to the Superintendent. Liz stops, now feeling as though Steve has purposely trapped her in the room too. She should walk out, leave them to it.
But, her curiosity gets the better of her. She stays.
"Sir, there's no operational reason to drag our feet with Fairbank," Steve pleads, Liz just watching as Ted looks up at him in surprise.
Hastings snickers, "I know how to conduct an anti-corruption case, Steve."
"With respect, again, sir," Steve continues, adamant, "I'm becoming concerned this inquiry is dragging its feet."
The Superintendent throws down the pen he is holding and leans back in his seat, incredulous. Liz takes a few steps back, suddenly regretting her decision to stay.
"I'm not the issue here, son," Hastings says, loudly.
"Sir?" Steve questions his meaning.
Liz chews her lower lip, willing Hastings to keep his cool.
"I can't have you interviewing Fairbank because of the suspicions hanging over your head!"
She winces at his words, her heart beating wildly as she expects Hastings' temper to get the better of him.
Steve lowers his head, looking at his shoes, assuming he means only Denton's testimony.
"That's why we are dragging our feet here against my better judgement," Hastings shouts.
Steve scoffs, "Still this crap about me planting evidence against Lindsay Denton?"
Liz closes her eyes at his lack of knowing, wishing he would just keep his mouth shut before things get worse for him - as they were going to, anyway, with the way he had been behaving.
"Listen to me," Hastings warns, "We can bring Fairbank in but I cannot have you in the room. I will not risk jeopardising future prosecutions."
Steve's jaw slackens, offended. He looks over his shoulder to where Liz stands. Her arms are folded, as she leans into herself, timidly. That unnecessarily guilty look is on her face as she avoids his gaze, meaning she knew something he didn't.
He snaps his attention back to Hastings when he sees she is still refusing to look at him, "You're taking me off the case?"
"Don't make this harder than it is, son," Hastings growls. Liz can see him straining to remain calm (if that's what you could call it).
"Harder than protecting a former Chief Super who just happens to be a mason?"
There is a silence in the room after Steve says that. Liz frowns, what does he mean? Is he accusing my godfather of being a freemason?
Steve watches as Hastings' eyes flick to Lizzie's, then return to him, darkening. Steve also turns back to the young woman, his nerves numbing as he sees the confusion on her face.
"You are way out of line," Hastings growls.
Steve turns back to the older man, too infuriated to keep Lizzie in the dark about his suspicions, "I saw your handshake."
Ted glares at him, voice low, "You do not know the first thing-"
"I know you're trying to take me off a case that involves senior officers covering up child abuse!" Steve shouts, making Liz jump.
"The evidence against you is more than just planting evidence, Steve!" Hastings rebukes, immediately regretting his outburst and rising to the younger man's anger.
Steve turns to Lizzie, having heard her sigh, seeing her shake her head and twist her hands together. He raises a brow, willing her to look at him and explain.
He swallows at her blank expression. What evidence? What does everyone know that I don't?
"Be in the meeting room in ten minutes," Hastings instructs, voice once again low.
Steve is unable to say anything, confused. He hastily leaves the room, not bothering to look back into Lizzie's direction, assuming she will just ignore him again.
Liz remains standing in the corner of the office, watching him go and slam the door behind him. Hastings reaches for his phone, muttering something about calling Gill.
She had hoped they would have more time. That she would find some sort of evidence to prove him innocent before they suspended him. But Steve had to go and be a stubborn fool and provoke it. There was little she could do now but hope they found something before his hearing.
Her stomach falls as she thinks of how he will react.
Will he blame her? For not telling him? For ignoring him? For not doing enough to help? For not doing her job? For not being a good friend?
She needs to find Steve, to explain herself. It was all about to come out anyway, how would she be putting the investigation at any more risk?
Moving hastily across the office and out of the door, Liz scans the room for any sign of him - but he is nowhere to be seen. Perhaps, he has gone to the meeting room early, needing time to himself to think things over. Yes, that was worth a try.
Almost running in the direction of the room, she is stopped by Kate coming over to her. She no doubt just heard and saw Steve storm out of the office and has now spotted her trying to chase after him.
"Liz? What's going on?"
Liz pauses, turning to the woman, "Hastings has called a meeting with Steve and Gill. He's being suspended."
Kate sighs, looking over to the entrance of the office where Gill Biggeloe has just appeared. Hastings passes them, talking briefly to the woman before leading her into the room where Steve was likely already waiting.
There was nothing Liz could do now but wait for the meeting to be over.
"Come on," Kate gestures for ehr to follow with her head, "Let's get a brew."
Liz glances concernedly over at the meeting room door as it closes shut. She huffs, her stomach twisting as she hesitantly follows after her friend to the small kitchenette.
A few minutes later, sitting beside Kate at her desk with an untouched cup of tea, Liz startles as the meeting room door opens. Sitting straighter in hopes someone would inform her of what is transpiring, she watches as Hastings appears, calling across the room for Dot.
Liz twists in her seat to watch as the man stands from his desk, straightening his tie, anxiously. She assumes Steve has worked out who has made the allegations, and requested for the man to be present. As he passes to follow after the Superintendent, Dot sends her a deplorable stare, his mouth opening as if he wants to say something. She looks away, the look breaking her heart, Dot feigning confidence as he enters the room out of sight.
Liz looks over to Kate, who continues her work as if nothing is going on. How can she just sit there while their best friend is being accused and punished for something so outrageous?
Feeling Liz's glare burn the side of her face, Kate turns to the other woman.
"You know it isn't him," Liz insists, her tone almost spiteful.
Kate shakes her head, stubborn and shocked to see such a heated look from her friend, "I don't know."
Liz groans, quietly, looking back to the meeting room. The small part of her gut telling her there is a chance as suggested by the mounting evidence, no matter how unbelievable, infuriating her.
Attempting to take a sip of her tea, despite feeling too nauseous to enjoy it, Liz almost chokes as Gill and Dot reappear, talking between themselves as they reenter the desk space. Gill says one last thing, inaudible to Liz who sits so far away, before walking off in the direction of the lfit. Dot stands there for a moment, loosening his tie before glancing over to Kate's desk. His mouth twists, awkwardly, as he shuffles over, aware of all the eyes on him - most poignantly Liz.
"What happened?" she asks as soon as he has approached, staring up at him with wide eyes.
Dot looks back to the room with a gloomy stare before looking down at her. Her stomach falls deeper.
Before the man has a chance to answer, shouting is heard from the room, whipping their attention over to the door.
Steve emerges, his face fuming. His eyes scan over the desks and all the faces now turned toward him, frenzied. Catching eyes with Liz, her breath hitches as they only stare at each other. She can't tell what he is thinking. A storm of emotions clouds his face. Regret, confusion, anger - but not guilt. Liz can't see it. Not out of refusal, but genuity.
Suddenly, his demeanour changes. Steve's fists clench. His shoulders shake. His face reddens. Rage.
He twists on his heel towards the exit.
Liz finds herself jumping out of her seat, making a move to follow after him. A hand encloses its way around her wrist before she can pass the desks, Liz not bothering to look back at who it is, only staring at Steve's retreating back.
She calls out for him, he ignores her.
Then, twisting her arm to face whoever was holding her back, she sneers at Dot, "Let me go after him. He needs me."
Dot shakes his head, looking at her pleadingly as he forcefully, but not aggressively, tugs her wrist so she is pulled closer towards him, "Don't make a scene."
"But we have to help him," she cries, quietly, looking back to Steve who is entering the lift. His back is still to the office, hunched over, furiously defeated.
"If you want to help, we need to let things play out," Dot says in her ear. Liz watches as the lift doors close and Steve disappears from view.
She shrinks into herself, giving into Dot's pull. She leans into his outstretched arm that was now wrapping around her with a slight squeeze. Liz's arms drop at her side, tired. At this point, she is almost relying on Dot to keep her standing. The last few days since returning from her trip had been exhausting. And it wasn't over. He holds her, looking worriedly to the crowd of faces turned to them, before leading her to her own office.
Kate also strides over, concerned for her friend and closing the door behind them.
Liz falls into one of the seats, her elbows landing on her knees and placing her head in her hands. Kate kneels in front of her, sharing a bothered glance with Dot who moves to lean against the wall.
"I don't want it to be him," Kate says, catching Liz's eye as they begin to cloud over with exhausted tears, "I don't."
"But we can't ignore the facts," Dot insists.
"I know," Liz mutters, sniffing and lifting her head to look at them both, "I know. It's just hard to believe."
Kate looks at her, carefully, almost willing Liz to cry and let it out for once. It was understandable, her best friend was accused of being one of the biggest threats to the security of the force. Of course, Kate often believed it was more than that between them - the pair too stupidly stubborn to admit it. But the fact remains, they are close. Steve was now even closer to Liz than she was, with her almost always with her family or undercover. Liz had fought for him and his place in AC-12 many times, ever since the beginning when Steve was transferred. She even convinced him this was his place, back when things looked bleak in the Tony Gates case. To learn there was a chance he had conned them all, played a game all this time - it was, well, unbelievable.
She knew, when Dot told her of his suspicions, that this would break Liz. It was her first thought. Kate was struggling herself. Sure, she has been furious with Steve lately because of him not being able to keep it in his pants leading to a humiliating drawback with Denton, despite all their warnings. But he was still her colleague, her friend. Does she think he is capable? No. Does she know, from her years in AC-12, that anyone is capable of anything? Yes.
This was her job. To create links, find suspects, gather evidence and see investigations through. That was how she was coping. Liz did not have the same luxury. If anything, her job was the opposite. She is no doubt beating herself up for not understanding and not knowing how to help. That was the kind of person her friend was. Affectionate and loyal to a fault. She always warned that woman would kill herself with her own kindness, one day.
Now? Liz was in pain. She can see it.
"We will get to the bottom of this," Kate assures, placing a strong hand on the other woman's knee. For you, she thinks, though it goes unsaid.
Liz looks into her eyes, seeing the meaning behind them. She allows herself to smile slightly, relieved by the woman's sincerity.
The two women nod at each other.
Dot watches on. Afraid.