It all began to fall apart – very quickly when the defence started asking him questions.
"What was your relationship with the person who wrote the statement against my client?" the defence wanted to know.
"We were at school together, we were friends and we were both thirteen at the time," Alec replied truthfully.
So far, nothing of his relationship with Rose had been divulged to the defence and he was hoping to keep it that way. He knew they were only speculating by starting with that question.
"So, you saw none of what my client is accused of?" he was then asked.
Alec tried to figure out where this was going.
"You must answer the question," the judge reminded him as he glared at Alec through his half-rimmed glasses.
"I saw what she was like, at school and afterwards. Her mother worked and so she came to my house and my father and my family became concerned about her safety," he had to admit. "One of our teachers also tried to help her."
"Basically then, it was only the word of a thirteen year old girl against a man who had shown he wanted to take responsibility for her?" the defence changed tactics, making Bob out to be the good guy.
"Objection," the prosecution stood up, gathering his robes. "The woman concerned still maintains he made her feel unsafe twelve years later and it seems that is still the case."
"Explain," the judge ordered, leaning forward and looking over his glasses again.
"Your Honour, the woman in question maintains her fear of the defendant, hence her being reluctant to appear in court, or indeed step foot in the country. She states and I quote that her mother signed some kind of agreement the defendant would take responsibility for her to an unspecified age, that should her mother leave the defendant and the then teenager ran away from home, she should be returned to him. Your honour, one cannot blame the victim for wanting to stay away and not appear in person."
"I agree with the prosecution," the judge decided.
"Your Honour, my client knows of no such agreement," the defence stood after consulting Bob, who had so far shown no signs he was bothered. "He agrees that he offered to take responsibility for the then teenager in question but I must protest that the defence should have been made aware of this statement beforehand."
Alec wondered if they'd forgotten about him but this was getting them nowhere. How could Bob have forgotten he drew up such an agreement though?
"Your Honour, this young woman has been subjected to enough emotional abuse by the defendant," the prosecution reminded the judge.
"Indeed," the judge agreed. "No matter if the charges are historical. Is there any proof he did the same to others?" he asked the prosecution.
"Yes, several accounts of such behaviour before and after the one the court has just heard of. However, with this young woman not being in the country shows that even now, she is afraid to return. Your Honour, the defendant should not be allowed to get away with what she and other young teenagers were subjected to, that of which the defendant preyed on women with teenage daughters to gratify his depraved sense of being like his friends."
"Your Honour, I must protest," the defence counsel stood again.
"For what?' the judge wanted to know. "We have heard your client wanted to be like his friends and it seems to me these unfortunate teenagers and their mothers got caught up in it. I have not heard how it even affected the mothers but this is about what he tried to get under-age girls into. The court is adjourned while I make my deliberations."
Once outside, Alec joined his chief.
"Seems it might go in your girlfriend's favour?" he asked Alec, who was trying to avoid cigarette smoke.
"I hope so Sir, then she can come back, finally. My aunt's not too well at the moment and she'd like Rose to return after all this time."
"Why's she so scared of that bloke anyway?" Carter wanted to know as he put his cigarette out and Alec moved out of the way.
"You'd be scared of him as well Carter," the chief joked. "If you were a teenage girl. Men like that who prey on young girls should be more than locked up."
Alec was glad that at least his new boss was on his side.
"If she comes back, Tess Henchard had better watch out then," Carter laughed.
That was what Alec was worried about, Rose coming face to face with Tess, who at least seemed to be taking notice of him but that was about to be short lived. Tess had been annoyed with Alec over him warning her to stay away and even more annoyed she was going to have to move soon as she was called to the personnel officer, even though she was on leave.
"Sorry, DC Henchard but you only got the apartment on a short lease," she was told. "We'll have to look for some alternate accommodation for you."
"I've got settled there," Tess objected, thinking she'd get something of lesser standards. "How long do I have?"
"Just another month," was the reply by the personnel officer who had the task of telling her. "If you find somewhere, let us know but we'll be looking out for a place for you."
She wasn't going to tell Alec that. Now was her chance to make him feel sorry for her and since his girlfriend had failed to materialise? Now, it all depended on the outcome of this trial Alec was attending. Maybe she shouldn't say anything and just spring it on him though?
Alec and the others stood around for a while, then they were told it would be tomorrow before the judge made his decision, Alec thinking maybe it was better than waiting for a jury to make their minds up.
James had been waiting for Rose getting out of work.
"So, when do you get to know?" he asked, not wanting to say about her going back to Scotland.
He didn't want to think about it, did he? It was no use, he more than liked her and she was in love with a Scottish police detective. Donna had tried to warn him Rose was probably leaving at the weekend and he had no means of stopping her, Donna had told him on their afternoon break, since Rose went at a different time.
"It's no good, spaceman," she'd told him. "As far as I know, Alec's coming back for her at the weekend, goodness knows how I'm gonna deal with it on Monday."
"What's she going to do about it? I mean if she leaves at the weekend?" he'd asked Donna.
"I told her to call in sick on Saturday, let the deputy store manager deal with it. Roger can explain it to Mr Cooper. Rose has some more leave to come anyway, she can use it as her notice."
James was sure Donna had mentioned it before, to Rose but he hated contradicting his cousin.
"What if she doesn't go Donna?" he had dared ask as they were going back to work.
"Then she just pulled a sick day, didn't she?" Donna replied.
That had been all James had hoped she'd do so when it was home time, he'd waited for her.
"Hi Rose, you okay?" he wanted to know at Rose's glum face.
"Yeah. It's just when I get home, I hope Alec has some good news," she replied.
"Fingers crossed, eh?" James tried to joke.
Rose couldn't get it out of her head how much James reminded her of John. James was certainly older than she was, though she'd never asked Donna about him. One thing was sure, she would never tell him how he looked like both John and Alec but she was surprised Donna hadn't told him. After all, Donna had seen them both collect her on their visits.
Once she got home, she waited for Alec's call.
"Sorry love, I wish I had some good news for you," he told Rose about what had gone on in court, as much as he could. "We should get a judgement tomorrow."
"I hope so, it's driving me crazy," Rose replied. "Sorry to hear about your aunt Mary, give her my love."
"I will. She'd love to be able to see you again."
"I know Alec, I still miss everyone. Give my love to everyone," Rose replied with a lump in her throat.
"I wish you could give it in person," Alec told her in a low voice. "I'll try and come down this weekend and when I do, I hope you'll be all packed ready to come back with me."
"Alec. I want to be with you, really I do. I'm just so scared everything will go wrong."
"Rose, I won't let anything go wrong," Alec promised. "Why won't you believe me love?"
"I want to Alec. Call me tomorrow and let me know what the judge decides."
Rose went into the kitchen when she'd told Alec she loved him but poor Alec wasn't so sure where he stood now. If the judge let Bob off, that may be the end of a long relationship but had it ended when Rose didn't want to get married?
He didn't want to think about it, that it was possible Rose did love him but not enough now to come up and get married. So, what was he going to do? Should he leave everything behind and start again in London? Tess had come up from the south of England because the training opportunities were much better so how would he fare trying to continue down there when he'd just sort of got a promotion to the serious crimes squad.
He could learn so much staying with them and he'd had a lucky break getting to join them, with him knowing about Bob and his friends but was all that about to fall flat on them? It all depended on how much danger the judge thought the man posed to women and girls and more importantly, to Rose, if she came back.
He was about to make something to eat when the doorbell went and he knew it would be Tess and he wasn't really in the mood for her. He went to answer the intercom and decided he was going to tell her he was off to see his aunt.
"Who is it?" he asked, in case it wasn't her.
"It's me Alec, I need to talk to you," Tess replied.
"I'm going out Tess, to see how my aunt is," he replied, hoping she'd believe him.
He thought he'd go anyway, he could always call at the takeaway on his way back. If his aunt was well, she'd insist she made him something.
"I won't take long," Tess told him, hoping he'd believe her.
He knew she'd only wait downstairs if he didn't let her in so he reluctantly released the door catch.
"Well I can't be long," he replied, knowing this was going to be a big mistake.
Since when had Tess not taken her time? He regretted letting her into his apartment in the first place and things had spiralled out of control though all they had done was kiss and not actually had sex. That had shown last week, when he'd been with Rose and maybe he'd been a bit more enthusiastic than Rose had been, especially the first couple of days.
He'd put Rose's reluctance down to being apart for so long and she'd seemed okay the rest of the time.
"What do you want Tess?" he asked as he let her in and she swept past him.
"I missed you Alec," she turned towards him.
"Don't use that as an excuse to get in Tess, I really am going out," he replied as he tried to fend her off by grabbing her arms.
"Come on Alec, isn't it time I met your family?" she suggested.
"What? Absolutely not Tess. For one, my aunt's not well and she'd rather see Rose and for another, we're just friends," he objected.
"You just don't want to admit we're more than friends Alec," Tess stated. "It's maybe time you did. I heard that court case isn't doing so well?"
"Do you have friends in high places Tess? It could go either way tomorrow but I think we would have done better with a jury," he replied. "Is that all you wanted?"
"No but you say you're going out? Are you really Alec?" she asked as she got past his outstretched arms that were trying to hold her back.
She went up to him and put her arms around his neck, going for his shirt buttons. All he wanted was for it to be Rose that was doing it, then he wouldn't be tapping Tess's hands away. He felt himself give in as Tess got several buttons unfastened and she was kissing his neck, even though he was not returning the gesture.
"What's wrong Alec?" Tess asked as she realised it was all a bit one-sided – on hers.
"Go home Tess, I'm not in the mood. That man may get off tomorrow and Rose will never agree to come back," he told her.
"From what I heard, when I went to see the personnel officer, the judge might let him off," Tess replied.
"What were you doing there when you're on leave?" he wanted to know.
"I have to move Alec, can you believe it?" Tess remembered why she'd gone to see him. "They want me to find something cheaper. You have room though, don't you?"
"What?" Alec suddenly realised where all this was leading. "No way Tess, forget it What are you doing?" he asked when he realised most of his shirt buttons were undone and she was stroking the hairs on his chest with her hand.
It was like she'd had him under a spell as he went to fasten his buttons.
"You weren't objecting a minute ago," Tess huffed as she was deprived of her pleasure at getting no resistance from him.
"It's time you left, Tess," he managed to say as he recovered.
"You don't mean that Alec," she tried to convince him, going for his now fastened buttons again. "If Rose had wanted to come back, she would already be on her way, trial or no trial."
"I have to give her time, Tess," he looked at her again.
Tess was nowhere near as pretty as Rose was. When they had been thirteen, he'd thought Rose was the most beautiful thing or person he'd ever seen in his life and that no-one could compare to her. The best thing of all was, she had been his, until that fateful day, she was gone.
"You can't hold out much longer, Alec," Tess teased him as she put her finger through one of the gaps in his shirt. "Why don't you stay in and we can relax on the sofa? Have you even eaten yet?"
"No, I was going to get something later," Alec replied as Tess put her arms around him again.
What was she trying to do to him? He had to put a stop to all this before he fell into her trap but he had very little resistance left after he'd failed to get Rose back.
"Why don't we phone for a take-out?" Tess then suggested, seeing a leaflet that had found its way through his letterbox.
An hour later, Tess had got him on the sofa with all his shirt buttons unfastened and she was down to a cotton top covering her bra.
"You're not going to make me go home tonight, are you?" Tess asked him as she had just finished kissing her way across his bare chest.
He had laid there, thinking how much better it was, when Rose did it to him.
"What?" he snapped out of it. "I could take you home," he offered.
"Then you'd have to fasten your shirt," Tess smiled.
He thought when Rose smiled, she lit the whole room. When he woke up the next morning, Tess was lying across him, wearing just his t-shirt and her underwear.
"I have to get ready for court," he reminded her as he tried to move her.
She was heavier to move than Rose was and he'd get no pleasure out of it like when Rose would retaliate.
"Then you'll find out?" Tess replied as she yawned. "If he gets put away, then Rose will come back? Are you going to let her Alec? Are you going to tell her, about us? We just about had sex last night, apart from me, keeping my panties on, well half on," she teased him again.
He'd had a few glasses of wine with the take-out and maybe he'd let things go too far? Now, his head was still a bit fuzzy so he'd have to get a taxi to the court or risk getting caught. If he did, he'd no chance of going down to collect Rose.
"We didn't go that far, Tess," he reminded her.
He did remember he'd tried to keep his shorts on but she'd pulled them down and had made contact with him, with her panties in place but she'd rubbed against him and got hers down or to the side, somehow. He'd felt a jolt of pleasure but it was nowhere near like the pleasure he got from Rose.
"Don't you remember we did actually touch, Alec," she reminded him. "You shouldn't drive this morning, that wine can't have worn off yet. I can drive you," she offered. "Have you got a spare set of door keys? I can bring your car back or pick you up from the court? So, about me moving in with you?"
"Just take me to the court Tess, then bring my car back and when you've left the car keys, put the door keys through the letterbox," he replied, trying not to give Tess a reason to stay by getting dressed in front of her.
"I've got a better idea Alec. Why don't I come back later and cook dinner for you?" she suggested.
"If that man gets locked up, I may go down early to see Rose," he reminded her as he gathered his clothes.
"You don't have to get dressed in the bathroom Alec," Tess smiled. "I did feel you last night, how did you hold back?"
He wanted to say it hadn't been easy but so far, he wasn't interested in having actual sex with Tess, she just staved off the loneliness he felt of not having Rose in his bed. He had to tell Tess that had been the last time and hope she wouldn't take out revenge on him. He had to think positive that even if Bob wasn't locked up, he'd be warned to stay away from Rose, if she came back.
As Tess drove Alec to the court and had dared kiss him as he'd got out, just as sergeant Carter had been passing and Alec knew that was it now, Rose had joined Donna and James in the staff room.
"So, what did Alec have to say last night?" Donna wanted to know as she handed two mugs of coffee over to them.
"The judge passes his findings on this morning," Rose told her.
"Well, cheer up Rose, it might be good news," Donna nudged Rose as she sat next to her.
"Yeah Rose, you never know," James agreed.
"Thanks, I hope so," Rose replied. "Just think, my life depends on a two minute statement of what that judge says."
Rose got up and Donna kicked James's foot for him to follow her.
"Sorry Rose," James put his hand on her shoulder. "Fingers crossed, eh?"
"Thanks James. Geez, I hope I can concentrate when I get on the shop floor," she tried to smile.
He watched her walk off to her department, his heart feeling sad for her. Why was he falling in love with a woman who may disappear on him over the weekend to be with another man? Little did he know how things were going to change for him.
Alec was waiting to be allowed into the courtroom when Carter tapped him on the shoulder. He'd seen the sergeant talking to others on the case in the doorway but he didn't socialise with them, since they were all smoking.
"Morning Hardy," Carter told him cheerfully. "I see your new girlfriend dropped you off this morning then?" he teased.
"She's not my girlfriend, Sarge," Alec began to protest. "She just wanted to borrow my car for the day."
He'd already decided what he was going to say, should someone try to joke about him getting out of the car.
"With a kiss on the cheek?" Carter laughed. "Stop denying it Hardy."
"She was fooling around, Sarge. She knows I have a girlfriend down in London," Alec insisted.
"Well, that may change, depending on what the judge decides," Carter tried to be serious. "Sorry. I hope that man gets sentenced."
"Thank you. Can I just say, you don't sound like you are from around here?"
The sergeant just laughed.
"No, I moved here, years ago. I met someone and moved up here. So, are you from Paisley?"
"Yes, well I grew up here anyway. That was when I met Rose, when her mother brought her up here," Alec replied.
"Yeah. Sorry about the remarks about Tess. You have to admit though, she's a bit domineering," Carter grinned, glad Tess was after the junior officer and not him. "If you ever want to talk?"
"I will bear that in mind, Sir," Alec replied.
Was it that obvious Tess had made a play for him? Was he letting her take over his life? He had found himself in bed with her last night and she had deliberately let him drink more wine than he should have done in order to have an excuse to stay over.
The court official called everyone who had interest in the case to enter the court and Alec waited with the others for the judge to appear. Five minutes later, he knew Rose would never come back, even with what the judge had just said as he spoke to Bob.
"In view of the charges against you being historical and no recent incidents have been reported, I am in a mind to hereby sentence you to five years, suspended for two years."
There were murmurings around the courtroom and Alec shifted in his seat. The judge banged his gavel.
"I will have silence. The suspended sentence has certain conditions with it, being that the defendant may not approach any of his past victims, particularly the young woman who was brave enough to give written testimony against you and if any new complaints are made against you, you will immediately be re-arrested and you will be made to carry out your sentence. Is that understood?" he asked Bob.
Alec was fuming. All these years he'd trained to be a police officer to get justice for Rose, it had come down to him seeing the man Rose was afraid of smirking from where he was standing hearing the verdict.
"The court is dismissed," the judge added as he gathered his files.
"Call that justice?" Alec asked the man next to him, who just shrugged his shoulders.
"Never mind," Carter tried to console him.
"I have to tell Rose tonight, she will be disappointed," Alec replied as everyone left. "How will I get her to come back now?"
"He'll have to serve his sentence, if he goes anywhere near her," Carter reminded him.
"Do you think that will stop him?" Alec wanted to know as the court emptied and files were being gathered by juniors.
"You have to hope so," Carter told him. "Listen, why don't you go home and call her at work? Get it over with?"
"No, it will wait until tonight," Alec replied as he got up.
"Scared Tess will be waiting for you?" Carter laughed as they made their way out.
"She took my spare keys, when she borrowed the car," Alec admitted.
"Come on Alec, everyone knows she's after you," Carter told him. "She didn't just borrow your car, did she?"
"Promise not to tell anyone?" Alec asked the sergeant. Carter nodded. "She called over last night and I had a bit to drink. She offered to drive me this morning, just in case."
"We've all done that," Carter laughed. "So, she stayed over then?"
Alec found the floor was suddenly interesting but nodded.
"You'd better hope your girlfriend in London doesn't come back then," Carter tried to be serious.
