Merry Christmas everyone! x

If Rachel ever found out what he was doing, Eddie suspected that she would never forgive him, which was why he was currently sat in a pub nowhere near neither Waterloo Road nor her house. A desperate effort to avoid being seen not only by her but by anyone who might even mention his presence to her. Not that she would really have a leg to stand on, he thought, taking a swig of his beer. Though pointing that out probably wouldn't go down very well.

"Eddie."

He grinned at the sound of his name, rising to his feet as he looked up and greeted the man in front of him with a friendly handshake and clap on the back. "Andy, how are you?"

"Not bad, not bad." They sat, each ordered another pint, exchanged the necessary small talk. Sorry to hear what happened, how's the wife, kids are well, work's fine. The usual stuff that came with adult life. Until Eddie found himself being given a measured look, Andy leaning back in his seat. "So, what's all this about then? I haven't seen you in couple of years now, I don't believe this is a friendly catch up."

He was right, Eddie thought. It had been far too long since he'd seen the other man, life and work had simply gotten in the way, as they tended to do. How long had they known each other known each other now? They'd been schoolmates, on the same football team. They'd remained friendly, meeting up every so often even after Eddie had branched off to go to university while Andy had joined the police straight from school, working his way up to where he was now. He had a wife and three kids, a dog, the kind of steady, hectic life that Eddie had dreamed of once. It was also the kind of busy life that precluded frequent get togethers with old friends, unfortunately. Eddie gave him an apologetic look. "I need some advice," he admitted. Andy raised an eyebrow, wariness entering his gaze.

"Are you in trouble?"

"Not me." Eddie took a deep breath. "It's... a friend of mine. They're being blackmailed by this guy, over something in their past."

Andy took a gulp of beer. "For how much?"

"No money involved. It's for a professional contract, first to make sure he was in the running and then to make sure he got it. When my friend initially refused, he threatened... someone they cared about."

Andy had a frown on his face. "So your friend caved?"

"Yes. But it's not right. I just want to know, legally, if there's anything..." Eddie trailed off, spread his hands somewhat helplessly.

"Do you have any proof?"

He faltered. "No. It's all been done in person, with no witnesses."

Andy grimaced. "Then it's your friend's word against this guy's."

"Exactly," Eddie said quietly. "And I don't think his threats are empty."

His gaze grew sharp, tone tense. "Do you think your friend's in danger?"

The question threw Eddie. Hadn't Rachel already been put it danger? He chewed his lip, uncertain as he tried to decide on an answer. Stuart hadn't shown any signs of being a physical danger, and yet anyone who was willing to blackmail someone for a building contract... "I don't know."

Andy sighed. "Look, without a formal complaint by your friend my hands are tied. And without any sort of proof…"

Eddie knew that outcome had been likely, but that didn't stop the bitter disappointment from flooding through him. Seeing Hordley hauled away in handcuffs would have been pretty satisfying, after all.

"Why don't I make some phone calls about this guy?" Andy suggested. "Poke around a bit, see what I can find. There's no guarantees, but-,"

"That would be great." Eddie was too thrilled to care that he'd interrupted rather rudely. "His name's Hordley, Stuart Hordley. He runs a construction company named after himself."

He had no idea whether anything would come of it, nor what Rachel's reaction would be when she found out (because he wasn't hopeful enough to believe that she wouldn't). But if it meant that Hordley was no longer an issue? Then he could live with the consequences, whatever they might be.

W.R.

Oblivious to the actions of her deputy, on the other side of town Rachel was leant against a set of railings at the park, eyes flicking anxiously between every person who came anywhere near her, which wasn't a large number this late in the evening on a chilly day. Her stomach was constantly rolling, teeth worrying her lip as she pondered what she was about to do.

She hadn't even been surprised when the email popped up in her inbox. From an unfamiliar address with a generic name, a single line of text with instructions for where to go and when. Which had led her here, and she was beginning to wonder if she'd made a mistake.

"Rachel Mason. Risen from the ashes of Amanda Fenshaw. Almost like a fairy tale."

Rachel stiffened, taking a deep breath as she turned, swallowed thickly. "Not one that I've ever heard."

The man in front of her chuckled, footsteps silent as he moved to lean beside her. "You got out. Not only that, but you stayed out. There are not many who can say the same."

"Apparently, not as cleanly as I would like." Her voice was quiet, gaze fixed on a runner in the distance. "That's what I need help with."

"Tell me."

So she did. About Tess, Stuart, the bid, Bolton and the meeting and everything she'd done and finally Eddie, who had stumbled headfirst into something she knew he didn't fully understand and now would pay the price in some way, if she couldn't stop it. Once she'd fallen silent, the only sound for the longest minute was their breathing, but oddly, she felt almost better for having told someone the full story.

"You're a fool. You should never have done what he asked."

She closed her eyes for a moment. "I know. I was desperate."

"Desperate people make mistakes."

"Don't I know it."

A loud exhale, the click of a lighter. "You know what men like that are like. Big egos and loose morals are never a winning combination."

"Your point?"

She could feel his eyes boring into her. "There are precious few ways to deal with a man like that. Which would you prefer?"

Bile rose up in her throat. She was barely aware that her hands had tightened around the rail, knuckles white and blanched. When she spoke, her voice was barely louder than a whisper. "You're the expert."

She felt as much as heard his huff of laughter. "Then consider it done. I will contact you afterwards."

Afterwards. God, what had she just agreed to?

"Rachel." The voice was sharp, a warning tone audible. "This is a two-way street."

"You were never here, we never spoke, when in doubt deny everything. I remember." She half-wished she didn't. "Some of Amanda is still left underneath, you don't need to worry." And didn't she hate how true that was.

"Good."

Rachel squeezed her eyes shut, willing the trembling in her fingers to go away. She couldn't do it- she needed to know what he was going to do. She turned around, intending to question him, to demand to know how exactly he planned to deal with Stuart but to her shock, there was no one there. She was alone.

There was no one on the path in either direction, it was as if he'd vanished into thin air and for a split second, she wondered if she'd hallucinated the entire exchange. But she could smell the faint scent of cigarettes lingering in the air- there had been another person here. She gripped the railing tightly, tilted her head to look up at the sky and concentrated on breathing evenly as she willed the nausea deep in her stomach to disappear.