Chapter 7
Jo was at the kitchen table, as Jack made them both some coffee, preoccupied.
"Would it really be such a bad thing, Frank coming back to Sun Hill?" Jo asked.
Jack brought over the cups, placing one in front of Jo, before he took a seat beside her on the bench, his head falling back against the wall, as he closed his eyes and let out a exasperated sigh.
"Oh I don't know Jo, he wasn't exactly a buy the book kind of copper when he was here the last time."
"No, but then I suppose we're all a little guilty of that at some time in our careers, even you?"
"Perhaps."
"He may have not always been by the book, but one thing I will say about Frank, he wasn't bent. You could always trust him to look out for you, he always had your back."
"Well I never thought I'd ever see the day I'd see you defending Frank Burnside? Jim Carver perhaps, but you?"
"I'm not saying I always agreed with his methods, and I always let him know that, but the right ones were always behind bars."
"So much has gone on lately, so much change. Do you think the team are ready for another shake up?"
"I think a familiar face is just what CID and Sun Hill need. I'll be back soon enough too, which can't come quick enough as far as I'm concerned."
"We also have another DC arriving, Liz Rawton?"
"Don't think I know her?"
"She's transferring, Newcastle."
"Well another woman isn't a bad thing."
"Think I have enough on my plate with you." He joked.
"Cheeky."
Jo smiled, as Jack leaned in and kissed her.
"It's nice this, coming home and having someone to talk to about this stuff who actually gets it. Laura never did."
Jo squeezed his hand in support, before she lay her head on his shoulder.
"I feel the same way, my ex husband never understood my work either. I certainly don't think he would have stayed around after I was shot."
"No?"
"He certainly wouldn't have stayed by my bedside for weeks at a time like you did, that I know for sure."
"He didn't know how lucky he was, at least it paved the way for us."
"You hungry?"
"I could go a sandwich."
"I'll make two then."
"Jo I can do it?"
"I'm not incapable, besides, the longer I sit, the more I seize up. I'm better walking around."
"Well I'll help you okay?"
"Deal."
…
The relief was in the pub after their shift, June was sitting with Tony and Jim when Gina entered the pub, making herself known when she put money behind the bar for the relief.
"She's everywhere." June groaned.
"She's not too bad." Tony spoke up.
"Okay for you to say, she likes you."
"You just got off on the wrong foot that's all, go up and talk to her?" Jim said.
"I'm really not in the mood for another argument right now."
June rolled her eyes when Gina clocked her and made her way over to their table.
"Oh great, she's coming over?" June added.
"Evening chaps, June?"
"Ma'am."
"Please, we're off duty now, it's Gina."
"I'm Jim Carver, CID." He smiled as he shook her hand.
"Nice to meet you Jim, I met your colleague earlier, Jo Morgan."
"Jo was at Sun Hill?"
"Yeah sorry, she popped in to see Meadows, she said she's come back and see you all soon." June replied.
"She doing okay?"
"She's getting there, slowly."
"Still can't believe it happened, really thought we'd lost her when it happened." Tony added.
"Yeah." June said quietly.
"You three need a drink, I'll get them in." Gina smiled, as she walked over to the bar.
As the night wore on, Tony and Jim ended up at the pool table, leaving Gina and June at the table, as the glasses mounted up.
"You don't like me, do you June?"
"I don't know you well enough to make any kind of judgement as yet. You however seem to have already made up your mind about me?"
"Look I'm sorry about earlier, I was a little abrasive with you, I suppose I was just trying to impress my new bosses."
"It might be better to impress your relief first, and your sergeant?"
"Fair enough, cards on the table. I don't like late arrivals and I can't abide kiss asses."
"I wasn't aware I was a kiss ass as you call it."
"You tend to try too hard to impress, as you did today with me. Just be yourself, I don't like people who go overboard to impress, it's just who I am?"
"Fair enough, and as for my lateness this morning, I am sorry. It was the first time I'd seen Jo since the shooting and it was...tough."
"You didn't see her in hospital?"
"No, I couldn't bring myself to visit her."
"Can I ask why?"
"I blamed myself for what happened to her. It was my fault she was there, she came back from regional crime squad to help me, and in the end, she got hurt because she was there trying to warn me."
"I don't think she thinks of it like that?"
"I know she doesn't, she said she didn't blame me, or Meadows. Our guilt is on us, and we have to work though that on our own."
"You have a good friend in her, they're hard to come by."
"I don't know what I'd have done if she hadn't made it. After losing Viv, the idea of losing Jo too was just too much to cope with."
Gina poured another whiskey in to her glass from the bottle that she had bought at the bar, before moving seats, and sitting beside June.
"So how long has she and Jack Meadows been together then?"
"That's a very good question, one I've still to find the answer to myself."
"I think we'll get on just fine St. June."
"Well we will if you stop with phrases like that…Ma'am."
Tony looked over at the table, seeing Gina and June in close discussion, nudging Jim as he took his shot.
"Are you kidding me Tony, I nearly had that one."
"Sorry Jim, but look over there?"
Jim followed Tony's gaze to see Gina and June, both drunk as each other as they laughed.
"So much for not liking the new Inspector then?" Jim joked.
"My thoughts exactly Jim., my go is it?"
…
To Be Continued…