Chapter 2

Drumming her fingers on the custody desk, Harriet rested her head on her hand and frowned as she watched Nate and Beth larking about beside the desk. The PC's radios burst into life and, slowly, they headed through the door and out into the yard. Seconds later, the door opened again and Mickey and Grace appeared with a young man.

"Who we got here, then?" The Sergeant glanced through the items that Grace had placed on the desk as she bagged them up.

"Jake Logan;" Mickey replied as he finished his search of the man. "We nicked him for burglary." Harriet scribbled the details onto the relevant form before pushing it towards Grace to sign. "Which cell?"

Harriet grabbed the keys from behind the desk and moved over to the gate, unlocking it and pointing down the small corridor. "Cell three."

After he'd left the newly booked in prisoner in his cell, he returned to where the woman was stood, watching as she locked the gate. Harriet glanced up and, seeing the man was staring at her awkwardly, she frowned.

"What's wrong?"

"There's something I wanted to talk to you about." Harriet frowned as she returned to her position behind the desk.

"Go on." She said almost reluctantly.

The man sighed and rubbed his face wearily. "I've… I've met someone." Harriet raised an eyebrow at her friend. She was confused as to why Mickey looked so worried by his news when she knew he'd been hoping to meet someone for as long as she could remember.

"That's good isn't it?"

"Yeah…"

"So what's wrong?"

Chewing his lip, he folded his arms. "I haven't been on a date for a… Well, a really long time," Harriet smiled softly and moved round the desk to stand beside him. "And the thing is… I really like her and I don't want to mess it up."

"Mickey," Harriet smiled at her friend and squeezed his arm gently. "You're one of the most amazing men I've ever met. If she doesn't see that then she isn't worth your time."

Mickey smiled and the brunette wrapped her arms around the man, hugging him tight. She felt a pang of guilt that she'd been so distracted by Stevie and Smithy's baby news and Jo and Sarah's engagement, as well as moving in with Callum, she hadn't paid much attention to finding Mickey a girlfriend, as she and Stevie had vowed to do, but it seemed as if Mickey had found himself one without their help.

"So what's her name then?" The brunette folded her arms and fixed her friend with a steely gaze.

"Tina."

"Where'd you meet her?"

"Remember the night out we had for Eddie's birthday last month? When Ben and Nate did the hokey cokey on the bar of the No7?" Harriet pulled a face of disgust, remembering the horrific hangover she'd had following the Crime Scene Examiner's birthday celebrations.

"Sadly, yes"

"After you and Callum went home, a few of us carried on and ended up in the Ashcroft Arms, which is where we met."

"How old is she?"

"What's this? Twenty questions?" At the raised eyebrow he received in return, he chuckled. "She's 30."

The brunette nodded. "Well we'll obviously have to meet her and check she's worthy of you."

The man rolled his eyes. "Don't tell anyone else about this, alright?"

"By anyone else you mean Stevie, right?" Harriet commented drily.

Mickey chuckled and shook his head. "Obviously. Right, I've got to go and chase up some witness statements so I'll see you later."

Watching her friend disappear through the doors at the end of the corridor, Harriet smiled fondly. It seemed as if her friends had all found happiness in their own way and the brunette couldn't have been happier. She just hoped nothing burst her idyllic bubble anytime soon.

"Sarge?" Snapping out of her thoughts, the woman frowned at Sally who was hovering awkwardly beside her.

"What's up?"

"There's a woman at the front desk who wants to speak to you." Signalling for one of the officers milling around to cover the custody desk, Harriet made her way down the corridor.

"Did she give a name?"

"No but she said it was urgent." Harriet frowned at the blonde's words.

"Go get refs, Sal, I'll be fine." The blonde smiled weakly and Harriet grabbed the door handle. She hesitated opening it however, her mind ticking over who the woman could be. With a sigh, she realised she had no idea who the woman at the desk could be and she opened the door, glancing around to see where the woman was. Spotting a woman with her back to her, Harriet leant on the desk. "Excuse me?"

The woman turned and Harriet felt as if the wind had been knocked straight out of her at the face that looked back at her. Staring back at her, clear as day, was her younger sister. Harriet couldn't mistake her for anyone else; the pair were practically identical with their dark hair and brown eyes. Clutching the desk desperately, Harriet felt her breathing quicken as she walked towards her.

"Hi" The younger woman said nervously. "I know this must be a bit of a surprise…"

"You can say that again." Harriet muttered.

"But there's something you need to know."

Harriet raised an eyebrow at her sister and held her hands out for an explanation. "Well, what is it?"

"Can we go somewhere a little more private?"

"Not really, no." The brunette glanced around. "There's no one around so whatever it is, you can tell me here"

"It's mum. She's died"

The next couple of surprises…

Surprise N03: Harriet's sister's here! Surprise N04: Harriet's mum's died!

Watch out for the final surprise (for now) in the next chapter…