What's the point?

Jackie was fuming at another woman answering Alec's phone and now knew why Rose had got so mad. She was going to tell him of her displeasure – when she finally got to talk to him. No wonder Rose was so reluctant to keep trying to get to talk to him, she must be going crazy by now, not knowing what was going on. Why had his work partner been there, she wondered.

She was about to give up when the phone rang and she debated whether to answer or not. If it was Alec calling back, she supposed she should give him the chance to explain? Alec had gone in his bedroom, found a pair of joggers and a t-shirt and gone back to grab the phone, wishing he had a portable one or one of those mobile phones that were starting to get popular.

He had laughed at John when he'd said everyone would have one in ten years time and wonder how they'd managed without them. He waited for Jackie to answer, wondering if she was still talking to him after Tess had got to the phone first and he knew he'd have some explaining to do.

He could imagine Jackie stomping her feet and demanding an explanation but he was relieved when she answered with a 'Is that you Alec?'

"Jackie? Before you say anything, I can explain," he started, giving Tess a frown and wishing she'd just go.

What the hell had she meant by saying he couldn't hold out much longer? Had she meant with her or that he'd go against Rose's wishes and transfer to London?

"I should hope so as well, Alec Hardy. What are you playing at?" Jackie demanded to know.

"I'm sorry Jackie. Tess just called to get a lift to work," he replied, hoping that was the reason or if it had been to catch him coming out of the shower? "I can't talk for long. Is it about Rose? Is she okay?"

"Of course she's not okay," Jackie barked down the phone. "She daren't call ya in case that woman answers, do ya know what it's doing to her?"

"Jackie, tell her to call the station and tell them I've moved departments," he told her. "They won't have updated it yet but my extension is 212."

"When did ya move?" Jackie wanted to know.

"I've not had chance to tell Rose yet," he replied. "I sort of got a promotion, I'll be expected to make detective sergeant a lot sooner."

"Well that's good news," Jackie sounded cheerful. "I'll let you tell her."

"You tell her Jackie, if she won't call me. I'm out a lot more now, we caught all those who were involved with child abuse recently."

"I saw it in the paper, didn't let on to Rose though," Jackie admitted, having second thoughts about it. "Did ya catch him?"

Alec wasn't sure she wanted to be reminded.

"Yes Jackie but you don't have to be involved, nor Rose," he reminded her, certain he'd told her before. "I'm having to keep back, officially but he had to face me. He's not so smug now Jackie, I can promise you that. Look, I have to go but tell Rose to call me, please?"

"Yeah, I keep tryin'" Jackie insisted. "It's not good, having another woman answer your phone ya know?"

"I know Jackie but we just work together, I give her a lift to work," he tried to convince Jackie and himself and hoped Tess would get the hint as well.

Tess was listening while he was talking to Jackie. She knew it had been important to him that he'd caught the people who had caused his girlfriend all that trouble but surely it was time to move on now? Then she heard the last part.

"Jackie, tell Rose I'm going to try to get my promotion, then I'll be able to go anywhere, I'll put in for a transfer to London."

"Yeah, that's good," Jackie replied, not really believing it. "I won't say anything to her though. Call Rose, yeah?" she suggested.

"Are you sure she'll talk to me Jackie?" he asked, knowing they were going to be late for work and he still had to get dressed properly.

He may have been able to wear normal clothes but not the way he was presently dressed. He said goodbye to Jackie and went back to his bedroom, Tess reminding him they were going to be cutting it fine. He wanted to say it was partly her fault anyway when she'd tried to delay his going to get changed. He knew he had a serious problem that he should do something about – as soon as possible but Tess was closer than Rose was.

Maybe he'd been in denial that Tess had meant he'd give in to her and not to moving closer to Rose. Rose had got home and Jackie tried once more to get her to call Alec.

"Ya should put that ring back on Rose," Jackie told her over tea.

"What's the point Mum? The girls all know," Rose replied. "James was waiting after work tonight."

"Well he knows as well, doesn't he?" her mother wanted to make sure. "If not, wearing that ring will remind him. Anyway, Alec called earlier, he's got a new extension number, he got moved to another department."

"I think he was on about it," she tried to remember.

"Here, I've written it down," Jackie went for the pad by the phone.

She hoped Rose would give in and call.

"Rose, he might be able to get transferred down here, if he gets promoted," she tried to cheer Rose up.

"What then Mum? How long's that gonna be? He won't be able to transfer here just like that."

"Rose, you were the one who wanted him to go to college up there," she was reminded.

Alec had dashed to get changed and they barely managed to sign in on time, Alec blaming Tess for calling on him in the first place. He had the misfortune to get caught by Sergeant Carter.

"Thought she wasn't your girlfriend Hardy?" the sergeant laughed as he nodded to Tess, who had hurried off to the locker room.

"Ah, she's not, I just give her a ride to work," Alec defended himself.

"Keep on telling yourself that," the sergeant replied, Alec knowing it would probably be halfway around the station by morning, then the other half by the time he got there tomorrow night and it was nowhere near his day off.

He supposed he had to face it, Tess was trying to tell him and everyone else something. He could only keep trying to deny it but his attempts could be futile. Tess just caught one of her friends as she went to put her coat away.

"I didn't see you getting off the bus Tess," her friend noted.

"Oh, I got a lift, from Alec," Tess seemed pleased with herself.

"I thought I saw you getting out of his car," her friend laughed. "Is there something we should know about?" she added as more of them were leaving for the day.

"Yes, Tess," another one joined in. "You spend a lot of time with him. Hasn't he got a girlfriend, in London?"

"Yes but she's a long way away," Tess reminded them, pleased with the attention.

"I'd watch out Tess," another reminded her. "This girlfriend of his might come and pay you a visit."

"Well, she might not," Tess replied, fairly confident Alec would back out of going to pay Rose a visit.

What would he have to gain by still going after Rose, Tess wondered as she pinned her ID badge to her belt. So, he'd go visit her and still leave her behind? She went off to her desk, seeing him coming out of the men's locker room.

"What have you been saying?" he wanted to know, steering her around the corner.

"I don't know what you mean Alec," Tess tried to deny.

"Everyone is talking Tess, they did not hear anything from me," he insisted.

"Oh come on Alec, it's just a bit of station gossip," she tried to play it down. "So what?"

"Well don't say anything else Tess. I'm still going down to see Rose," he reminded her.

"Then what Alec? If she won't set foot in Scotland again?" Tess asked him.

"Then I will go down there," he replied, letting go of her arm and Tess rubbing it.

"Why do you get so worked up Alec?" Tess wanted to know, walking off as her sergeant came looking for her.

"You are late Tess," she was chastised.

"Sorry Sarge," Tess apologised.

"Aye, well get to work. Alec, you may have a more relaxed regime in your division but don't keep mine talking, understand?" Alec was asked.

There, Alec thought. Tess was getting him into trouble already.

"Sorry Sarge, I will remember that," Alec had to give in and not argue with his superior.

When he got his promotion, then he would be able to explain it was Tess who had made him late but at present, his excuses wouldn't cut it.

"Sarge, is it true Tess asked for time off, the same as me?" Alec added as he was about to leave.

"She is not working with you any more Alec," he was reminded. "I suggest you either change it of not let it be of any concern."

Alec thought that was easy for the sergeant to say. Meanwhile, Sergeant Carter was laughing and joking in Alec's new division over tea and cigarettes, the chief joining in.

"So, who saw them together?" the chief wanted to know.

"Well we've not actually but they did arrive at the same time tonight," Carter tried to keep a straight face.

"That's good enough to wind him up then," the chief laughed. "On your own time though," he added.

He got a chorus of 'Yes Guv' and had all gone to their desks as Alec arrived.

"Hardy, my office," the chief shouted to him, making Carter snigger.

"Get back to work Carter, " the sergeant was warned as he got up.

"But Guv?" he started to say.

"I can do this one on my own," was the reply. "Sit," he indicated to Alec.

Alec thought now he'd gone and done it and it was the last time he was going to fall for one of Tess's tricks. He had to tell her in the morning it wasn't going to work, her trying to put him off going to see Rose by booking the same holiday as he had. All that was about to change though.

"Sorry," Alec apologised. "It won't happen again, I mean my being late."

"Is that what you think this is about?" he was asked. "Forget that, don't make a habit of it though and don't listen to that lot out there," the chief nodded to those pretending to work. "No, it's about this Hardy," he passed a folder across the desk. "I am trying to keep your girlfriend and her mother out of things but the prosecution service don't know if they can."

"Sir, they won't get involved," Alec reminded his boss.

"They may have no choice in the matter Hardy," the chief replied. "They want to throw the book at these people and Mrs Tyler and your girlfriend are the ones to make that happen."

"Sir, can't they just give a statement?" Alec asked hopefully.

He wanted Rose to come back but not forcibly. Rose was terrified of coming back, Bob being locked up or not. She would always wonder if he would escape a prison sentence and get his revenge or he wouldn't get a long term and go after her when he got out. He knew what the man was up to – keeping Rose away. He'd succeeded so far and Alec was raging about it now he'd figured that out.

"Let us hope so Hardy," the chief brought Alec back to reality. "I want you to contact them and ask if they would go to a local police station and make a voluntary statement. We will have to get co-operation from the Metropolitan Police if they agree, then that could be used in court."

"You promised their names wouldn't be mentioned Sir," Alec recalled.

"We will try our best Hardy but those people need teaching a lesson and it will serve as a warning to others," the chief replied. "I suggest you call them and put it to them. If they refuse, well we may not get a conviction on all of them."

Alec knew what was meant by that – Bob would get away with it because they had no idea who his other victims were apart from obviously Jackie had replaced someone.

"Sir, I was talking with Mrs Tyler earlier," he admitted.

"You're too close Hardy, you'll have to stay back from all this but you can still work on the case, we need you, you have a unique view on things, you know mostly what happened. It's just a shame we can't use that. Have you told us everything you know?"

Alec thought what was the use if it couldn't be used?

"I think so Sir. I suppose I became involved the day I met Rose? We were just teenagers then," Alec recalled.

"So I gathered," the chief cracked half a smile, feeling sorry for Alec. "What were things like for her and her mother?"

"Mrs Tyler was totally taken in by them, Rose not so much. She knew there was something strange about it. My family, especially my half brother tried to help her, he was our teacher as well. They did everything they could to help her, Mrs Tyler was in denial though, right from the start."

"You'd better get to work and take no notice of that lot out there," the chief nodded to the office window. "And Hardy, if you don't want them talking about you and DC Henchard, don't hang around with her."

"I know Sir, I think she is trying to cause trouble with me and my girlfriend," Alec had to admit.

"Keep it outside work, understand?" was the reply.

Alec thought that was easier said than done. Tess was out to stir things up between him and Rose but that hadn't been the cause of Rose not wanting to talk to him until recently. Tess wasn't helping though by answering his phone early in the morning, he had to stop her calling round whenever she felt like it.

They both happened to arrive in the staff canteen at the same time though Alec tried to avoid Tess. Tess though didn't want to be avoided and went to sit with him.

"Something wrong Alec?" she asked as he tried to eat.

"No Tess. Well just that I've been given the task of getting Rose and her mother to give a statement. They won't go for it."

"They may, if it gets those people locked up Alec. They have to be convicted."

"I know that Tess, it's asking a lot of Rose and her mother though, to drag it up after all this time," he replied. "It will never go away for them. Tess, you should make your own way to and from work from now on."

There, he had told her, well so he thought.

"Alec, you're not being very friendly all of a sudden," Tess objected. "What's come over you?"

"Tess, I have a girlfriend, down in London who I love," he tried to remind her.

"So? Alec, you have to face facts," Tess replied.

"So you keep reminding me Tess and I should not be taking any notice of you. I have to call her and tell her she has to remember the past so I will have to do so before she goes to work in the morning. You cannot be at my place when I do," he warned her.

"Oh come on Alec, that's only one morning, what other excuses are there?" Tess scoffed.

She had him on that point and he knew it.

"Tess, there can't be anything between us," he tried to tell her bluntly.

"You're wrong Alec, I think there already is," Tess replied. "You're just trying to deny it. Why did you kiss me back then?"

"It was a mistake Tess," he tried to justify.

"No, it wasn't Alec and you know it. Just think about it, you're only hanging onto Rose to get her through convicting her abuser," Tess told him.

"He didn't abuse her Tess, only mentally," Alec corrected her.

"It's the same thing Alec. Get this over with and see if I'm right," she replied.

Alec didn't like where this was going, he couldn't admit he was falling into Tess's trap, he still loved Rose but Tess was being persistent. The next morning, he made sure Tess didn't get into his car by driving off as she was coming out.

"Alec's going without you," one of her friends laughed.

"He has something to do," Tess brushed it off.

Just on seven fifteen, he dialled Rose's number, hoping she would answer. Rose heard the phone ringing and knew it could only be Alec or Donna but since her mother was busy, picked it up. Expecting it to really be Donna with some piece of news that wouldn't wait until they got to work, Rose said "Hello."

"Rose. I'm so glad to hear your voice. Did your mother say I called?" he wanted to know.

"Alec. Hi yeah, she said. How are ya?"

"Fine. Rose, I'm getting some time off, very soon. I was going to come and see you."

"Oh. Well, tell me when and I'll get a few days off then? Donna won't mind, she keeps nagging me to take my holidays I'm due."

"You should take them Rose," he agreed.

"Says you," Rose managed to laugh.

"Rose, I told your mother yesterday, about catching Bob and his friends. They will be going for trial soon. Your names are being kept out of it but my chief says it would be better if you both gave a statement. You can do it locally, if you want?"

"What? No Alec, absolutely not. He'll know it was from us," Rose objected. "Forget it, you'll have to find another way."

"That's the best way Rose, to tell it to the jury from yours and your mother's point of view, to tell them what he did to both of you."

"He's very clever Alec, he'll get out of it," Rose reminded him.

"Not if you tell the judge everything Rose," Alec pointed out.

"I just can't and don't ask my mum to either Alec," Rose replied. "So forget it."

"Fine, we'll find another way then. Say you're pleased I'm coming down there, finally?" he asked.

"Alec, what if it coincides with the trial?"

"I'm not that much involved with it Rose, they won't let me, because I'm too close to it. I'm lucky they didn't throw me off it."

"Do they know I'm your fiancée?" Rose asked, not wanting to know the answer.

"They know you're my girlfriend, I wasn't still sure about the rest," he dared tell her. "We have to talk Rose, when I come down. I would risk everything if you said we could finally get married, I would risk losing my promotion and get a job down there. What do you think?"